Chelsea v Wigan: Pressure is on. Your thoughts ahead of this one?

I am heading to Stamford Bridge tomorrow knowing that the pressure is on Rafa Benitez and the Chelsea players to get the right result but it's not going to be easy. Wigan are a better side than people give them credit for and will come here to make life difficult.

For Rafa Benitez, he would of had just two days to prepare the players for this one and with some people calling for him to be sacked, he simply cannot afford to drop ANY points.

Roberto Martinez, the Wigan manager spoke ahead of the game and explained that after having watched Chelsea's recent games, he finds it difficult to understand how we have lost points and would have liked to avoid playing Chelsea tomorrow.

He said:

"I have seen Chelsea's games and I must admit I would not be able to explain how they lost points because they have been the better side and have dominated games. That's why I would not have chosen to play Chelsea this weekend because I know they need to get a positive result. They will be focused and we can't catch them off guard.

It's something we have been trying to work out for weeks! Whether it's in front of goal taking our chances or simple mistakes defending, Chelsea at times have been awful!.

As a result, the pressure has mounted on our "Interim Manager" and he knows it. He can keep talking about finishing the season in the top four and "doing well" in certain areas but this is a results game and Benitez more than anyone else needs to remember that. We are in danger of slipping outside the top four and it's not good enough!.

It was interesting to hear Martinez speak of the pressure on Rafa. He has no sympathy as he should have been more than aware of what has been expected of him since he took over from RDM.

He said:

In football the relationship between the manager and the owner is what counts and the basis is established when you meet for the first time. As long as you know where you stand, no manager is going to have a problem with that. Some clubs have a long-term strategy and they want to develop and others just want to win at the weekend. As a manager, as long as you know that at the start of the season you're OK with it. Looking from the outside, it seems the Chelsea manager needs to win on a regular basis and that's a condition of the job. I don't think it's a real shock for any manager that takes that job."

He's spot on and echo's my thoughts entirely when it comes to Benitez. I cannot emphasise enough that Premier League football is now a results game. Every single manager of every single club in the League is under scrutiny. Just look at Nigel Adkins and the amazing job he did at Southampton. He took them from League One to the Premier League with back to back promotions. He has tried to adapt to the Premier League and has been sacked because of their results. It's shocking really but expected based on results.

Benitez AND the Chelsea players have no excuses. They know what is expected and they HAVE TO deliver season in, season out. That's why we continue investing in players at the end of every season, to maintain our league position and to continue to challenge for trophies.

That's why ahead of the game , the pressure is well and truly on and I just hope the players and the man in charge can get it right after our recent failings.

We need our home form to get back on track starting tomorrow. We need to try and keep a clean sheet and form that important foundation to build from. If we can get that right, the results should come.

As we all know with Chelsea anything is possible at the moment but one thing is for certain. We need the right result!

How do YOU the Chelsea fan reading this (no matter where you are in the world) feel ahead of the game? Do you think we can get the right result?

Carefree & KTBFFH

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