By JUSTIN FERGUSON
Chelsea and manager Jose Mourinho will look to extend their impressive home unbeaten run when West Bromwich Albion come to town on this Soccer Saturday.
The Blues have not had the best of success against the Baggies in recent years, but they still maintain a 65-match undefeated streak at Stamford Bridge when “The Special One” is in charge. After a stunning 2-0 road loss at Newcastle United last weekend, second-place Chelsea will be fighting for all three points to kick off the English Premier League weekend.
While Chelsea battles West Brom at the Bridge, Liverpool take on a struggling Fulham team at historic Anfield. The Reds are also coming off a loss in EPL play, and the prolific partnership of Luis Suarez and Daniel Sturridge will look to get off to a hot start against the Cottagers.
Elsewhere in Europe, Real Sociedad aim to get their domestic campaign back on track with a trip to face Real Madrid at the Bernabeu. Bundesliga leaders Bayern Munich kick off the day with a home match against Augsburg, and Inter Milan battle newly promoted Livorno at the San Siro.
If you will be watching today’s action, please feel free to share your thoughts, opinions and some play-by-play in the comments section below.
Enjoy the action (Today’s TV schedule is after the jump):
7:15am – Reading vs. Queens Park Rangers – beIN Sport Play
7:45am – Ross County vs. Celtic – Fox Soccer Plus
9:30am – Bayern Munich vs. Augsburg – GolTV USA
10am – Chelsea vs. West Bromwich Albion – NBC Sports Network
10am – Aston Villa vs. Cardiff City – NBC Sports Live Extra
10am – Liverpool vs. Fulham – NBC Sports Live Extra
10am – Southampton vs. Hull City – NBC Sports Live Extra
10am – Crystal Palace vs. Everton – NBC Sports Live Extra
10am – Real Madrid vs. Real Sociedad – beIN Sport USA/beIN Sport en Español
10am – Hibernian vs. Inverness CT – Fox Soccer Plus
11am – Paris Saint-Germain vs. OGC Nice – beIN Sport USA
12pm – Getafe vs. Elche – beIN Sport en Español
12:30pm – Norwich City vs. West Ham United – NBC
2pm – Athletic Bilbao vs. Levante – beIN Sport en Español
2:30pm – Houston Dynamo vs. Sporting Kansas City – NBC
2:45pm – Inter Milan vs. Livorno – beIN Sport USA
4pm – Celta de Vigo vs. Rayo Vallecano – beIN Sport en Español
6pm – Club America vs. Toluca – Univision
7:30pm – Atlanta Silverbacks vs. New York Cosmos – ESPN Deportes/ESPN3
8pm – Pachuca vs. Queretaro – Galavision
8pm – Monterrey vs. Chivas de Guadalajara – Univision Deportes
8pm – Atlante vs. Chiapas – UniMas
9:05pm – Club Leon vs. Club Tijuana – Mun2
10pm – Atlas vs. Tigres UANL – Univision Deportes
Anyone have any idea when the US roster will be released? I’m sure Klinsmann was waiting for the MLS matches this weekend to make final decisions, but the games are getting close!
A few names have been released by there club like Shea, Cameron, Johannsson but knowing Klisnamnn it’ll be a few hours before they take the feild.
That had to be one of the most boring games I’ve ever watched. Dom and Vermes are so incredibly conservative. Maybe we need the away goal rule.
The first team to open up in this match was going to be the first team to concede. Both sides are quality in the midfield, and can create chances quickly. It’s the playoffs.
Lmao. “Quality”? Stop.
Yeah… calling the team that knocked out the Red Bulls “quality” would be giving New York way too much credit.
But, but…if a goal was worth more than a goal, then NY would’ve won! LOL
Sour grapes.
I am baffled that Zusi did not attempt a shot or pass at the end of the game. He looked like he has a shot and passing option. Bizarre that he turned to the coroner flag instead.
And that’s why the MLS playoffs need away goals to count for more. The advantage KC would have gained by getting a goal there would have been huge. Instead, they are happy to go home 0-0
Both teams under 60% passing in the first half.
Can we just scrap this and have RSL/PDX play a two leg final?
Let’s hope they put on a better show than this. Nationally broadcast and terrible…
The players were just trying to survive. Incredible effort by some of those players that have played around 400+ minutes in 10 days. I’d blame MLS scheduling before you blame the athletes.
How to become the least likeable person ever:
Parrot the nonsensical trend of asking for Portland/RSL to be the final.
15 minutes in to Houston vs SKC and this is tough to watch…
Feel like there’s going to be at least 1 red
Everything about Houston is ugly, from the orange to the style to the fact they have cheerleaders (although the cheerleaders themselves… well, yeah, but come on…cheer leaders at soccer…?)
Because I’m kind of nieve about it, what do other teams do during halftime?
Let their fans pee and get beer
The orange is awesome. Sorry that you and anyone who agrees with you are wrong.
UT fan. Orange is nasty. Burnt orange nastier.
Why would you want less cheerleaders in the world?
=(
Physical game
Cause ur team is out
This is a terrible game bro. Stop.
I’m a neutral, and I agree that this game is tough to watch. Both teams seem tired, the field seems strangely slippery and prone to weird bounces, and the ref has let things get very physical.
Poor call but WBA had several chances to kill off the game.
Stop.
Period. No nuts. They were robbed. They finished all they had to. They won the game.
They did not win. WBA should not have let it get to that point. They share the blame. Period.
They should have done better on that last breakaway opportunity. Any you can basically say the same thing for any game that changes on a big call. But come on. That was pathetic and ridiculous, It was a horrible call. Inexcusable incompetence that at the least betrayed an unconscious bias that Chelsea “should” win the game.
I knew he would call the penalty. Clear corruption.
it’s okay guys, the Russian mob had my family.
LOL
This is fixed garbage. Andre Mariner was paid off. Period. End of story.
Joke.
West Brom robbed.
We complain about MLS refereeing but that was just as bad as anything you’ll see in MLS. utter complete, possibl corrupt bs.
Exactly.
Yeah I find it funny when people act as if calls are only gotten wrong in MLS. If any one does I just tell them to go look up the Bayer Leverkusen phantom goal.
That goal is insane. It’s double ref incompetence. First they “check” the net and then they give the goal. I admit though… no way to match fix a header like that. Its just pure bad luck.
But I think there is a difference. Most bad MLS calls appear to be because of incompetence, while a lot of bad calls in PL appear intended to help the bigger teams, and let’s not forgot the helpful calls that Madrid and FC Bayern often get.
Twitter tells me apparently that Andre Mariner was appointed last minute to this specific game against the norm of assigned referees.
that is interesting–and I can believe it. do you have a link?
Good to see Chelsea has to cheat at home to get a draw with WBA, nice dive ramires, stay classy
Complete garbage.
F**** THE EPL. F(**** THIS NONSENSE BULL**SHIUT>
Ohnmy Goooooodddd INSANE penalty gift to Chelsea!
NO FREAKING WAY.
NO. MOTHER. FREAKING. WAY. MARINER.
F*VK EVERYTHING ABOUT CHELSEA.
Nonsense. PK call. Disgusting call
first four minutes of stoppage time, now a PK. You, the leagues wants a Chelsea result.
Aw man! Brunt puts the gun to Chelsea’s head and shoots high!
I hate Mourinho as our manager. I don’t know why we brought him back, he makes some of the dumbest decisions.
Hey, no one bribes referees better than JM. Mariner got a little something “special” slipped to him this week.
Barrage by Chelsea try for the equalizer. WBA defenses barely holding.
They have had close calls, but they have been pretty gutty.
West Brom goes ahead! Wow!
Glad that Howard and Guzan are playing. It seems a few others or either on the bench (Lichaj and Johnson) or not listed (Williams and Onyewu).
Ream with an assist for Bolton. He has not only been starting, but he has been singled out as one of their best players this season.
Is he still playing dmid?
I’d say it’s a good sign that Bolton has climbed well clear of the relegation zone, all the while with Ream starting.
That said, I second Tony’s question… is he at DMid or LB?
haven’t seen the last couple games, but at least before that, he was consistently at CB. so that’s also good.
Timmy has been soo good since he beat Brad Guzan, he went from very good to spectacular in past couple of weeks. Whatever doubts I had about him starting are certainly gone now.
who picks which games are shown? advertisers or broadcasters?
Nbcsports.com streams every game free online as long as you have cable service that provides it (or a friend that will give you his/her log in). They even have a nice free mobile app.
Apparently they have monkeys throwing sheat at a board.
If it sticks it plays.
Score one for the monkeys. Great match.
NBC needs to have 3 PL games a day. God dammit.
Liverpool is whooping up on Fulham and I am forced to watch crappy West Brom take on Chelsea
If you have access to NBC Sports, you should have access to Extra Time, either on your computer or tablet or on the TV. With Direct TV, you have access on computer; with Time Warner, on the TV.
My DirectTv shows all the games on 490-495
1. You have access to extra time
2. This WBA Chelsea match is great stuff
watch the best game on your Ipad on Extra Time, that’s what I do. Because the TV networks often pick Chelsea or Manchester United playing at home against the worst teams in the league. (Although lately they seem to be losing those games)
Liverpool is a joy to watch and now Coutihnos back wow!!!
Shouldn’t you be practicing your free throws ‘Superman’? 🙂
I am all Star Center Dwight Howard. 😀
Fabian Johnson on the bench!
JAB, too.
Looks like Hertha’s coach is totally fine with giving up 2+ goals per game and continuing to start Lustenberger over Brooks.