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Post by staggerstag on Dec 28, 2020 17:06:16 GMT
Chelsea with 3 defeats in their last 4 games, Villa with 3 victories from 4. And a draw.
Giroud gets a start with Werner benched, Villa turn up with most of their heavies in the starting paddock.
Could be a proper livener, this one. You can't see Villa being at all intimidated by the price tags on some of their opponents and we should get a decent fight and that's reflected in the stingy odds for a home win.
CFC: Mendy, Azpilicueta, Christensen, Rudiger, Chilwell, Kante, Jorginho, Mount, Pulisic, Giroud, Hudson-Odoi.
Subs: Arrizabalaga, Thiago Silva, Abraham, Werner, Tomori, Kovacic, Gilmour, Havertz, Emerson Palmieri.
Villa: Martinez, Cash, Hause, Konsa, Targett, Douglas Luiz, McGinn, Traore, Grealish, El Ghazi, Watkins.
Subs: Heaton, Taylor, Hourihane, Nakamba, Engels, Guilbert, Elmohamady, Davis, Ramsey.
Chelsea 3/4
Villa 10/3
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Post by staggerstag on Dec 28, 2020 17:07:52 GMT
In fact, it's Villa's opponents who are themselves intimidated by their own price tags at times this season.
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Post by staggerstag on Dec 28, 2020 17:35:13 GMT
The kneeling is out of the way and the ref blows for play. Within 90 seconds Chelsea's odds go out to 4/5.
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Post by staggerstag on Dec 28, 2020 17:39:05 GMT
Ref Stuart Atwell is already having none of it as Grealish turns the air blue after going down in the opening minutes and being told to get up. There's another one, Chelsea's Christensen, going down too easily and his appeal is also brushed away by Atwell.
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Post by staggerstag on Dec 28, 2020 17:45:58 GMT
Pulisic intercepts Grealish' blind cross-field attempt at a pass and bears down on goal. He fires just wide with power and the chance is gone on '13.
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Post by staggerstag on Dec 28, 2020 17:50:18 GMT
Hudson-Odoi goes needlessly down looking for a foul allowing Grealish to break free. He runs with it to the byline and turns one in for Watkins who can't get a grip on it. It's anyone's first goal at the moment.
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Post by staggerstag on Dec 28, 2020 18:05:33 GMT
Mendy fumbles the incoming ball and it falls to Cash who fires over on the half-hour.
A minute later the ball flies into the Villa area and bobs about before falling to Pulisic for a close-range effort, but it goes off-target. Nothing doing.
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Post by staggerstag on Dec 28, 2020 18:08:47 GMT
It's a delicious back-heeled flick by Giroud to Pulisic in the area. Pulisic feeds Chilwell who drives in a low cross which Giroud crouches to fire in with his head.
One-nothing and the deadlock is broken here on '34.
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Post by staggerstag on Dec 28, 2020 18:11:50 GMT
A beautiful ball in from the outside of Odoi's boot finds Pulisic who can't finish but it falls to Mount who can only blast over from yards out.
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Post by staggerstag on Dec 28, 2020 18:26:15 GMT
It's HT with the home side starting to show some control over things with Villa having matched them for a fair deal of the half.
But failure to kill off yet another game could yet cost Frank.
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Post by Zos on Dec 28, 2020 18:28:45 GMT
Villa are struggling today. Grealish's terrible barnet is distracting his team mates.
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Post by staggerstag on Dec 28, 2020 18:46:53 GMT
It's one-all on '50. Grealish tears away from the floored Christensen and feeds it wide. It floats into El Ghazi who pots from inside the box. Azpilicueta had been drawn away from his marking duties and allowed El Ghazi the freedom to poach the ball.
There is debate on whether Grealish fouled Christensen in that build-up but it won't make an iota of difference. It's 1-1.
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Post by staggerstag on Dec 28, 2020 18:52:31 GMT
The Villa goal was not unlike the Palace one earlier, the ball in and little volley to finish it off.
This game of Chelsea's is getting frustrating. There's Kante trying his luck with a long-ranger that sails wide with no hope of ever reaching its target. There's a lull in their play and Villa can exploit it here.
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Post by staggerstag on Dec 28, 2020 18:56:47 GMT
Villa are struggling today. Grealish's terrible barnet is distracting his team mates. Look at him with his socks rolled down to his ankles. Really can't stand him, on or off the park.
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Post by staggerstag on Dec 28, 2020 18:59:07 GMT
Pulisic heads one off the bar from the corner, Azpilicueta is there to turn in the rebound. But it's offside. It's offside, no doubt about it.
Werner looks like he's coming on with 20+ minutes left on the clock.
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Post by staggerstag on Dec 28, 2020 19:01:05 GMT
Name of god, now McGinn has leathered one off the bar with Mendy left standing not knowing what day it is. He really thumped that, McGinn.
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Post by staggerstag on Dec 28, 2020 19:06:28 GMT
Oh that was lovely from Giroud on Grealish. The Villa man is standing there arguing a point, Giroud strolls past him and flicks the toe of his boot against Grealish' boot. The grin on Giroud's face is enjoyable to watch as Grealish implores the ref for justice.
But now Giroud is subbed off for Werner.
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Post by staggerstag on Dec 28, 2020 19:09:41 GMT
Pulisic unleashes a scorcher on '79. Martinez flies well and perhaps gets fingers to it as it rockets just over the woodwork.
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Post by staggerstag on Dec 28, 2020 19:12:21 GMT
Ramsey sneaks in a shot that goes just wide. He's only just come on for Villa and took everyone by surprise with that.
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Post by staggerstag on Dec 28, 2020 19:13:04 GMT
Werner shoots one a foot or so over the bar on '83.
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