Thomas Tuchel will guide his Chelsea side out for the final time this season on Sunday when the Blues face Watford at Stamford Bridge. It will put an end to an up and down season for the club, with plenty left to ponder over what is still to come.
The Premier League campaign started well, with the west London outfit setting the pace early on, although that dropped off going into the new year. Their defence of the Champions League was denied by Real Madrid in the quarter-finals and it was deja vu at Wembley as Liverpool won both domestic cup finals over Chelsea on penalties.
That’s not to say the season was a failure, having won the European Super Cup and the Club World Cup, with Tuchel claiming he won’t let the season be judged upon two shootout losses. The next job for the German will be about rebuilding this summer, though they can sign off on a high note against the Hornets and guarantee themselves third in the league with victory.
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For the final time this campaign, a number of pundits have given their thoughts on how the Chelsea game will go, so here’s a little look at a few.
Mark Lawrenson - BBC
Mark Lawrenson has given his final set of predictions for the BBC, looking set to retire after more than 20 years offering his weekly thoughts on each weekend's matches. And, in news that will delight Chelsea fans, his final guess as to the scoreline goes in the favour of the Blues.
“For very different reasons, both of these clubs will be glad to see the back of the 2021-22 season,” Lawrenson said. “A return to the Championship awaits Watford, while Chelsea have already secured a top-four finish but will end a turbulent campaign without a trophy.”
Score prediction: Chelsea 2-0 Watford
Michael Owen - Betvictor
Former Manchester United and Liverpool striker Michael Owen agrees with Lawrenson’s prediction, claiming that he believes that it has been a frustrating season for the Blues, but they should end on a high. Speaking to Betvictor, he said: “That was a disappointing draw for Chelsea on Thursday [against Leicester], they’ve not ended the season in good form.
“It’s been a frustrating season for Chelsea and despite their off-field problems, they probably should have achieved more.”
Score prediction: Chelsea 3-0 Watford
Paul Merson - Sportskeeda
Ex-Arsenal man Paul Merson is the third pundit to go for a comfortable Chelsea win as they bow out from this campaign. He told Sportskeeda : “Watford led at home last time out, but they got smashed 5-1 by Leicester City. I give them no chance against Chelsea as their season has fizzled out and turned into a bit of an embarrassment.”
Score prediction: Chelsea 4-0 Watford
