Chelsea vs Plymouth Argyle: FA Cup game gambling guide

The fourth round FA Cup tie between Chelsea and Plymouth Argyle surely won’t be the most closely contested match of the packed upcoming football weekend, but it’s an important fixture for the Blues nonetheless. The reigning European Champions have a few opportunities to pick up silverware during February in the Club World Cup and Carabao Cup, so the squad will already be highly motivated to advance in England’s premier cup competition, as well.

Despite the public perception that this match is going to be a massive blowout, there are still a lot of ways to make some money during one of Saturday’s earliest kickoffs.

Here is your complete gambling guide to Chelsea’s FA Cup clash versus Plymouth

As all Chelsea supporters are painfully aware, January was particularly unkind to the west London side. The Blues took just five of a possible 12 points in the Premier League, which saw them fall 10 points behind the presumptive winners, Manchester City, and put them in a difficult spot in terms of catching Liverpool for second place. A top four finish is still certainly in the cards, but it will take some work with other Champions League contenders strengthening their respective squads in the winter window.

Luckily, Thomas Tuchel and his men have dominated the domestic cups so far this season. Chelsea has won its six FA and Carabao Cup matches by a combined scoreline of 12 to three, with the team’s defense looking particularly strong in each outing. These results point to a continuation of the Blues’ incredible success over lower league sides in recent years, with the club’s last loss coming in 2015 against Bradford.

On the other hand, rollercoaster doesn’t even begin to describe the 2021/22 campaign for Plymouth Argyle, the current seventh-place side in League One. The Pilgrims went nearly three months without losing in the league between August and November, but have since been defeated six times in 11 matches. This poor form likely has something to do with several recent cancellations due to COVID-19, although some of these disappointing results have come at the hands much weaker third-tier opposition.

Interestingly, Plymouth manager Steven Schumacher favors a 3-5-2 formation, which should match up well with Chelsea’s fluid 3-4-3/4-2-2-2 system. The Blues will probably dominate possession at Stamford Bridge, so the Pilgrims will have to look for chances to counter down the wings. Both Marcos Alonso and Cesar Azpilicueta can be caught out of position at times and their lack of recovery pace should provide at least a few opportunities for Plymouth’s forwards to get on the end of crosses.

Official odds (via WynnBet as of February 4)

Chelsea ML: -1500
Plymouth Argyle ML: +3000
Draw: +1100
Over/Under: 3.5 (-145/+115)

My Picks

Unless you’re predicting a massive upset in favor of Plymouth, there isn’t a lot of value on the moneyline in this match-up. I’ll be looking for bets with the Asian Handicap (similar to a point spread in the United States), specifically Chelsea -2.5 goals at -150. I also like over 3.5 total goals scored at -145, which is a great option to parlay with a Chelsea bet on the moneyline (parlay odds  come in at -125). One fun prop bet to keep your eye on is both teams to score at +140. Chelsea hasn’t kept a clean sheet against any team other than Tottenham since December 22, so the Pilgrims definitely have a decent chance to find the back of the net.

What are the bets you’ll be placing for this match? Let us know in the comments or on Twitter!