Chelsea sit third in the table but Fulham are in a relegation battle.
The 2013-14 Premier League has been a busy one in London, with five local teams competing at a high level with the best clubs from all around England.
From a South West London perspective, the two most relevant teams are Fulham and Chelsea. But still, most in London maintain allegiance, if not with one of these two clubs than with one of the other clubs in town (West Ham, Arsenal and Tottenham). The bottom line: London is loaded with top-level football talent, and it’s made for a thrilling season.
With over half of the Premier League season now behind us, it’s the perfect time to check in on these five London-area teams. For the most accurate possible projections, we’ll take into account the Betfair sports betting odds as they relate to each team’s best-case finish scenario. With odds offered for everything from individual match scores to final position, this is a nice way to gauge the performance of the London teams 21 weeks in. So, on to the five relevant clubs!
Chelsea
With a strong 2-0 victory over Hull City in Week 21, Chelsea kept pace at the top of the league having amassed 46 points. There’s simply no question at this point that Chelsea have what it takes to bring a Premier League title to London. Currently, the team is given 11/4 odds to win the league outright (second best odds behind Manchester City).
Arsenal
If there’s a club in London that can challenge Chelsea it’s Arsenal, who have in some sense been the talk of the league in 2013-14. Heading into the year with a few question marks, Arsenal started off strong and the addition of Mesut Ozil to the midfield catapulted them to top-tier status. Arsenal now sit atop the league with 15 wins and 48 points, yet they only have the third best betting odds to win it all at 9/2.
Tottenham Hotspur
Never expected to contend this season, Tottenham have exceeded expectations. At sixth in the standings with 40 points, they actually aren’t out of the race yet—though their 80/1 odds to win it all are probably a bit more telling. The dirty little secret is, Tottenham have been crushed by contending teams this season. With that in mind, sixth feels about right.
Fulham
Fulham have had a disappointing season and are now doing their best to cling to Premier League status and avoid relegation. Unfortunately, Fulham have 6/5 odds (third strongest) to be relegated out of the Premier League, and it’s beginning to look like a real possibility.
West Ham
West Ham, too, are eyeing relegation and hoping to avoid it. As of now, their 9/4 odds to be relegated are fifth strongest and it looks likely that they will stick around. The remaining schedule is manageable for West Ham with an upcoming tilt with Chelsea looking like the only match that can’t be won. Basically, we’ll have to wait and see if West Ham can hang around.
This guest post was written by Taylor Damon. Taylor is a sports enthusiast and occasional sports gambler with a particular love of football and tennis.
Photo courtesy of proforged, with thanks.
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