LISTEN UP! People are searching "Chelsea" right now, and there's a big one on the board. ESPN's Chelsea page carries a Burley piece saying Alonso AND Carrick are both under pressure ahead of the Manchester United vs Chelsea clash on 10/31. Two coaches, one match. And the crowd has made its final call: Manchester United at 60% consensus, Chelsea at 40%.

Where the crowd stands
  • Manchester United60%
  • Chelsea40%

We reported United's early edge over a smaller Chelsea camp when trading opened. But that wasn't the start of the story. When the chart starts (Oct 31), United started BEHIND at 47% to Chelsea's 53%. Since then United has ranged from 40% to 60%, the lead has changed hands 5 times, and United finished out front at 60%. That's a comeback, people!

Consensus over time
0%25%50%75%100%31 Oct, 06:5931 Oct, 12:06
  • Manchester United 59.6%
  • Chelsea 40.4%

Check the United backers' posts. Wen moon wrote "added on the dip, thx for the discount". That's the mindset, people! When the weight feels heavy you add a plate. Another backer, jordan, sounded less sure: "if this dumps i was never here ok". Real conviction, real nerves. It's matchday all right.

Now the Chelsea side of the gym. According to ESPN's Chelsea page, the Blues sit 5th in the Premier League and just went out of the EFL Cup to Liverpool, 6-5 on penalties after a 1-1 draw. ESPN even ran a news item on that loss asking whether Alonso is under pressure. Lose on spot kicks midweek and then walk in to face United? That's leg day after leg day. The crowd saw the fatigue and backed the other side.

My take, and that's all it is, a coach's opinion: Chelsea, I'm not writing you off, I'm calling you OUT. Fifth in the table means the engine is there. But the crowd only backs a team that shows up hungry, and right now it trusts United's hunger more. Tough love, Blues. Prove the doubters wrong where it counts: on the pitch.

Here's what this market can't tell you: the final whistle. 40 traders put $52,579 behind their opinions, but a Chelsea win on the day makes this crowd look slow off the blocks, and a big United result could make it two clubs talking about Alonso. Think the crowd got it wrong? Get off the bench and join the Manchester United vs Chelsea opinion market on Morfi. NO EXCUSES!