Where Are Chelsea Positioned In The Betting At The Halfway Point Of Season?
Chelsea fans will be quietly pleased with the way the 2019/20 season has gone so far with Frank Lampard at the helm. Although a title challenge disappeared a long time ago, with Liverpool long odds-on in the betting to lift the trophy now, there have been many positives to take.
Here is a look at where the bookmakers’ odds indicate where Chelsea will finish in the Premier League and how far they may reach in Europe.
Chelsea Odds-On For Top Four Finish
One of the targets at the start of this campaign for Lampard would have been for Chelsea to finish in the top four this season to guarantee Champions League football next year. The Blues are in good shape to seal a top-four position and that is reflected in the betting as they are odds-on at 4/9.
Victories over top-four rivals Arsenal and Tottenham have really helped Chelsea keep hold of that fourth place in the table. There is a still a lot of work to do as Manchester United, Wolves and Spurs are all breathing down their necks.
With the opportunity to add to his squad for the first time during the January transfer window, Lampard should be well prepared for the second half of the season.
The Blues Are Champions League Outsiders At 40/1
Chelsea were handed a tough test in the last 16 of the Champions League when they were against German champions Bayern Munich over two legs next month. As a result of that draw, the Blues now have UEFA Champions League odds of 40/1 to win the tournament, nearly eight years after their maiden success.
Bayern Munich proved how dangerous they are in the group stage of the competition when they beat Spurs 7-2 at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. The German side are currently third in the Bundesliga table but have won their last three games.
Chelsea are 31/10 to qualify from that last 16 tie and reach the quarter-final of the Champions League for the first time since 2014.
Tammy Abraham Proves He Can Be A Chelsea Number Nine
Lampard showed a lot of faith in young striker Tammy Abraham at the start of the season by favouring the Englishman over the more experienced World Cup winner Olivier Giroud. That confidence in Abraham, who was on loan in the Championship at Aston Villa last season, has paid off as the 22-year-old has scored 12 Premier League goals. Abraham is 12/1 in the top goalscorer betting in the 2019/20 Premier League campaign. He is currently five goals behind Jamie Vardy who is the evens favourite and the leader in the standings.
With a strong second half to the season, Abraham can prove to England manager Gareth Southgate that he can play a strong role for England at Euro 2020 in the summer. Three Lions captain Harry Kane has struggled for injuries over the last couple of years, so the Chelsea man may end up being England’s starter for their opening game in that tournament.
