Chelsea vs Brighton: EPL betting guide and tips
By Mike Malley
Chelsea are back in relegation form following their fifth consecutive match without a win. Frank Lampard’s first 180’ in charge have been nothing short of disastrous, with CFC outworked, out-thought, and generally outplayed, so perhaps the club legend hasn’t brought the kind of positivity that many supporters of his return swore he would. Or maybe he has, but good vibes in the locker room don’t win football matches. Effective tactical preparation and in-form players do.
The Blues don’t seem to have either of those at the moment, and that’s a serious problem heading into the home stretch of the 2022/23 season. Saying the pride of London isn’t out of the relegation fight yet makes me sound like an alarmist, but the team’s current pace (two points every five games) will see it earn only three more during the campaign. A 42-point finish would be absolutely embarrassing and just barely enough to avoid the drop most years.
The west London side’s next opponent, Brighton & Hove Albion, is genuinely the better side in the matchup at this point. Roberto De Zerbi has done a masterful job getting the best out of a low-budget squad since he replaced Graham Potter back in September and is on the precipice of securing the Seagulls’ first European qualification in club history. A win at Stamford Bridge would be a big step towards achieving this goal, so I expect the Blues to get the full force of their visitor’s power.