Chelsea score predictions vs. Wolves: Thomas Tuchel’s debut

Chelsea is preparing to host Wolves just a few weeks after dropping three points at Molineux. This is no regular revenge game though, this match represents the beginning of a new era at Stamford Bridge. Thomas Tuchel will be in the Blues’ dugout for the first time on Wednesday following Frank Lampard’s dismissal earlier in the week. Nobody knows truly what to expect, but the German hasn’t spent much time with his squad, so a conservative approach is expected.

Here is how The Pride of London staff sees the match playing out:

Nate Hofmann: 1-3 Wolves

It’s Tuchel Time, baby!  What better way to get this show on the road than a performance that looks exactly like all of the worst matches Chelsea played under Lampard. Team selection? Who knows! Player attitudes? Anyone’s guess! Cohesive pressing and slick attacking play? In your dreams! Kepa Arrizabalaga? Possibly! What a time to be alive.

Mike Malley: 1-3 Wolves

It is a sad time in west London. With Lampard gone, the team is lacking any identity—not that it really had one in the first place—and against a well-organized and well-coached side like Wolves, that means disaster. The Blues will just have to take this L, regroup and try to move forward positively.

Olaoluwa Nwobodo: 1-1 Draw

Chelsea has already lost to Wolves this season. A new manager will be in the dugout, one who knows little-to-nothing about the opposition except what he’s told. He will have less than 24 hours to train his players. Wolves are a disciplined side, especially against the top teams, though they’ve not won a game since they won against Chelsea. The Wolves players need this win as much as the Chelsea players, so it’ll be a very difficult game.

Scott Brant: 1-0 Chelsea

I don’t believe in Tuchel, he will have a lot of work to do in order to prove he can do what Lampard couldn’t, but I do believe he sneaks out a win this match. It will be boring and probably give flashbacks to Maurizio Sarri. I don’t know who scores because I don’t know who will start.

Varun Dani: 3-0 Chelsea

Leave it to this squad to magically rediscover its mojo and put in the kind of performance Lampard was desperate for in his final weeks. Whether Tuchel is at the dugout for the game or not, the new manager bounce will officially begin. Maybe Werner finally scores too.

Oliver Smith: 4-1 Chelsea

Football is a maddening and ruthless business, so this game will be true to form and Chelsea will dominate and control the game in the most unfair to Lampard way possible. It isn’t what Lampard deserves after the trials and tribulations the dark, seedy board has put him through, but football is brutal and unfair. I don’t think Tuchel is the right man for the job (and I can only hope that this statement doesn’t age well) but hey, maybe he will have the Roberto Di Matteo effect … Champions League anyone?

Barrett Rouen: N/A

I don’t care.

Michael DeVito: 3-0 Chelsea

What the heck—on the bounce, the Blues do what they should’ve been doing all season long, but don’t take this to the betting parlor. Lampard sacking is still very depressing, sheer folly, had no chance.

Kevin Peacock: 2-1 Chelsea

Well, who knows. Probably best keep this to the game itself—nope, can’t. New manager buzz (for some players at least) gives them (should they play) a shot at redemption. Chelsea wins the game 2-1 and Lampard remains a club legend at Chelsea Football Organisation (club status rescinded).

Tan Yi Hao: 1-1 Draw

It has been a messy few days for Chelsea and were it not for the visitor’s poor form in the league, Wednesday’s game should more or less have been a write off for the Blues. As things stand, a draw seems the most likely outcome with the team still coming to terms with the new man at the helm. Wolves to score first and Chelsea to equalise late on.

Travis Tyler: 1-1 Draw

Chelsea won’t get much of a bump at all and Wolves will still struggle to impress, so overall Tuchel’s first game is a just a howl at the moon.

Gabe Henderson: 2-1 Chelsea

Lampard’s sacking will have struck a chord with some of the Blues players, as will the hiring of Tuchel. The so-called tactical genius has only been in charge for about 18 hours, but I believe he’ll motivate the team to steal a win in this match.

Abhishek Pancholi: 2-1 Chelsea

When you’re changing your dog’s food from one brand to another, they advise you to add a little bit of the new stuff to the old food and to gradually increase the quantity of the new kibble. Switching to a new kind of food in one go can cause an upset stomach and other issues with your dog.

Tuchel will follow the same principle as he drip feeds his own tactical philosophy and principles to his new Chelsea squad. It would be foolish of him to undo all the good work Lampard did and push the likes of Mason Mount, Tammy Abraham and Reece James to the periphery. But at the same time, he is likely to stamp his own authority on a squad that always seems to have issues with authority. A combination of these two will result in a cagey affair, but a hard-fought three points.

What is your score prediction for the match? Let us know in the comments or on Twitter!