Chelsea vs. Arsenal and Pick to Win
Date:Saturday, May 27th 2017
Where: FA Cup Wembley Stadium, London, UK
by Keith, Professional Soccer/Football Handicapper, Predictem
Match Odds: Chelsea 4/5, Arsenal 4/1, Draw (Full 90) 3/1
Moneyline: Chelsea -120, Arsenal +400, Draw (Full 90) +300
Over/Under Best Market: UNDER 2.5 EVENS (+100)
With the English Premier League 2016-17 campaign in the books, the FA Cup is the last coveted prize that Englands finest will be playing for before we enter the summer intercession. The two teams poised to meet each other, arch rivals as it will be another North London Derby when Chelsea meets Arsenal at Wembley Stadium to settle the account. Chelsea won the English Premier League title in 2017 with manager Antonio Conte emphatically skipping down the pitch of Stamford Bridge. Both teams would finish with emphatic wins as Chelsea would shell Sunderland and Arsenal would follow suit with a drubbing of Everton at the Emirates. Arsenal would finish just a point out of the top four which as a result sent the Gunners to the Europe League instead of the Champions League. Nevertheless, this game is positioned as an opportunity for boss Arsene Wenger to salvage what was considered an upsetting season to say the least with Arsenals third FA cup in four years, if successful.
Without question, Arsenal has been on fire as of late as they have won their previous five fixtures, most recently the aforementioned win against Everton. Despite all the uncertainty surrounding the Gunners, they have built some uncanny momentum and are playing in a fixture and environment they are entirely familiar with. The Gunners had hovered toward the top-six English Premier League table and managed to finish fifth just behind Liverpool for that final coveted Champions League berth. Nevertheless, the Gunners have much to look forward to with their late surge. For Chelsea a FA Cup win would be a cherry on top of an astounding season. Conte and company would love to sweep the UK and take both the EPL and FA titles in the same campaign to re-assert their supremacy as the top team in all the land. With Manchester United representing England in the Europe League final, there is a very strong chance that English football could be heading to the forefront across the continent, yet again.
One thing remains up in the air. Will Chelsea enter this contest with a hangover or will they come in with the same fire they used to obliterate Sunderland? The Blues hit Sunderland for 5 goals but again this was against a football team that managed to get itself relegated with an abysmal effort in the 2016-17 season. The Blues on the other hand finished with a remarkable 93 points which was far superior to Leicester Citys league-winning mark of 81 in the 2015-16 effort. Given the fact, Chelsea is priced at just a bit more than a traditional vig, a lot of action has poured in on them. However, this price is likely very deceptive given the fact, they are bound to generate action by virtue of what they recently achieved. Arsenal for intent and purposes has more to play for as they need to validate their efforts this season and endeavor to do so with a statement victory against the Blues. In Over/Under Goal Markets we will go ahead and recommend staying clear of this market be that there is so much uncertainty that games of this magnitude. However, we believe that given the tendency for many to buy in to the offensive prowess of both sides, that going the other way would be most optimal. If we were to make a choice given the potential purse, the UNDER 2.5 is an excellent choice given the fact the return is at evens and it is possible that both the difference of this affair could be settled by either a 2-0 defeat or perhaps just one goal. As a result if you were to wager two units here, there is the potential of collecting 5 units if both are successful.
Chelsea Recent Form
W -Sunderland 5-1
W Watford 4-3
W West Bromwich Albion 1-0
W Middlesbrough 3-0
W Everton 3-0
Arsenal Recent Form
W Everton 3-1
W Sunderland 2-0
W Stoke City 4-1
W Southampton 2-0
W Manchester United 2-0
Keith’s Prediction for the Game: ARSENAL 4/1 (+400) and UNDER 2.5 (+100) EVENS
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