Chelsea v. Liverpool [R]

[liverbird]

God knows that this will draw trolls, hobbits and tossers but we gotta have a thread.

Lineup

-----------Reina
Finnan---Sami--JC----Riise
Gerrard--Xabi--Momo--Kewell
-------Crouch--Morientes

Carson
Kronkamp
Garcia
Fowler
Cisse

OK guys have at that team sheet

[ForeverRed]

Fowler on late, maybe start Cisse ahead of Morientes.

Other than that, it's pretty much what I expect to see.

Chelsea haven't been themselfs as of late, drawing their last three in all competition. A good time to upset the champions and close in on that second spot.

[Twenty26Six]

Lineup

................Reina
Finnan...Carra..Hyypia...Riise
Gerrard..Sissoko..Alonso...Kewell
...........Garcia--Crouch

Carson
Kronkamp
Morientes
Fowler
Cisse

[Suss]

I agree with krush. Garcia should start up front.

[liverbird]

I agree with krush. Garcia should start up front.

Lets see.

[usscouse]

God knows that this will draw trolls, hobbits and tossers but we gotta have a thread.

Lineup

-----------Reina
Finnan---Sami--JC----Riise
Gerrard--Xabi--Momo--Kewell
-------Crouch--Morientes

Carson
Kronkamp
Garcia
Fowler
Cisse

OK guys have at that team sheetOf course we will, at least 3. The idiot child josh something. I thought he was pre-teen but the bio says 16. (But he can write what he likes in there.} Then some lying sack of shite called gazworks!!! Got to be a kid as well. Then there's the Eddie56! who likes to keep mentioning the S*n, like he's really clever. Most of the others like Yasik and Nicki are here for the football.

Going to be an interesting match, both clubs are not playing their sparkling best right now so it might just be a war of attrition. They got away with another handball in the box in their last match. Getting to be a regular occurrence.

Both side are going to be nervous about the outcome.

The team sheet? Nando sucked according to what I read last match, hope he can do better.
We need a game like the Wigan one.

[wemess0]

I agree with krush. Garcia should start up front.

I'm with you guys as well.

Maybe it's just the memory of the CL tie (actually, I'm sure that's what it is), but I'm all for having Louis on the pitch every time we face Chelski. And he does seem to save his best for the biggest matches.

I'd swap him for Morientes.

[Red Bird]

They got away with another handball in the box in their last match. Getting to be a regular occurrence.Same referee, too. Poor home-counties sod is probably drawing a salary from Chavski ;)

[lackadaisical]

I too support Garcia starting up front.

[liverbird]

Let's see what Rafa the Gaffa has to say:

"We're going there to win, not draw. We're not going there thinking it's important not to lose."

"If we win, we will be closer and we can fight for more things, but I don't want to worry the players by saying too much about this. I want them to be focused on what they need to do to win the game. Afterwards we can think about the table."

"It was a similar situation when we played Chelsea and Manchester United last season."

"The difference between us was six points over two games, but really it was 12. They had six points more and we had six less. Games against these sides are so important. "

"If we beat Chelsea it will be very good for us because we'll be closer to them and Manchester United. But after that we must beat Wigan and Charlton. If we beat Chelsea but don't win the games afterwards, we could be in a worse situation."

"When you've played the same team so often in two years, you know the other team's strengths and weak points. We must look at the mistakes again and try to show Chelsea we are better than we were in the first game."

"We've had a lot of games against them. We know them, they know us. That means it's difficult to surprise them.

"Whenever you play these teams they have a plan. I hope to see my team play well, control the game and score goals."

"It's not a problem of mind, but of players, system and luck. We can beat anyone. I have a lot of confidence in my team. We can improve and so can they. I'm not sure if we're one step or two behind them, or even if we're at the same level. But I'll keep trying to improve my team and try not to analyse the opposition too much until just before we have to play them."

"We need to go there thinking only about three points, just as we will against Wigan, Charlton and Arsenal."

[ULL NEVER WALK ALONE]

I see this match as a very good chance for us to get the 3 points.Drogba is not a good striker,but against us hes much more effective than Crespo.I think it will depend on how well Xabi is.He hasnt been great over the last couple of weeks,so we need to have the old Xabi back!Giving gerrard the RM role would be ideal cause chelsea play with 2 wingers ,so one of them would have to track him back(It would be most probably J.Cole).Kewell has been great lately,and we need another good performance for the australian as well.

[yasik19]

whatever happens in this game, i hope it will be a fun game to watch. Some of the CL games we've played over the last 2 years haven't been the most exciting spectacles to say the least. The 2 league games last year were pretty even and Joe Cole was a hero in both of those games. I think this time around, you guys are stronger than ever and as one of your posters has said, with Drogba gone, it makes it that much more better for you. I still don't think it will be a high scoring game, but a 1-0,1-1,2-1 or even a draw is the most likely outcome. I wouldn't be too surprised if you guys pull this out, simply b/c your recent "poor" form has been better than our recent "poor" form. It's always really exciting watching the games b/w our teams and even though i don't particularly like Liverpool, i at least respect the improvements Rafa has made this season.

That said, we will win.:D

[royalstilton]

I see this match as a very good chance for us to get the 3 points.Drogba is not a good striker,but against us hes much more effective than Crespo.I think it will depend on how well Xabi is.He hasnt been great over the last couple of weeks,so we need to have the old Xabi back!Giving gerrard the RM role would be ideal cause chelsea play with 2 wingers ,so one of them would have to track him back(It would be most probably J.Cole).Kewell has been great lately,and we need another good performance for the australian as well.
---
would you get off the "Drogba is not a good striker" bit?

Chelsea has not been playing particularly well as a team their recent matches (1-1 draws in last 3), and I credit the loss of the mega-thug, Essien, for the lack of consistency. Makalele should be doing what he does best -- win balls in the middle -- but I guess there is something missing...??

the Reds will need to score two to win this match. it is unlikely that Chelsea will be kept off the scoring sheet at Stamford Bridge, so having Garcia up front may be an excellent option, but I doubt he is 100% right now. maybe he would be a good sub at the 65th minute if the score is level.

[liverbird]

whatever happens in this game, i hope it will be a fun game to watch. Some of the CL games we've played over the last 2 years haven't been the most exciting spectacles to say the least. The 2 league games last year were pretty even and Joe Cole was a hero in both of those games. I think this time around, you guys are stronger than ever and as one of your posters has said, with Drogba gone, it makes it that much more better for you. I still don't think it will be a high scoring game, but a 1-0,1-1,2-1 or even a draw is the most likely outcome. I wouldn't be too surprised if you guys pull this out, simply b/c your recent "poor" form has been better than our recent "poor" form. It's always really exciting watching the games b/w our teams and even though i don't particularly like Liverpool, i at least respect the improvements Rafa has made this season.

That said, we will win.:D

Good analysis, except for the ultimate sentence:D

[ghazi]

I hope we don't see Nando up front. Start Cisse and sub in Fowler.

[famous_soccer_teen]

Garcia should start up top as well...

Agreed, agreed.........

[Twenty26Six]

whatever happens in this game, i hope it will be a fun game to watch. Some of the CL games we've played over the last 2 years haven't been the most exciting spectacles to say the least.

I got pretty excited when Garcia scored in the 2nd leg of the semi-final.

How about you?

[yasik19]

I got pretty excited when Garcia scored in the 2nd leg of the semi-final.

How about you?

o come on, we know he didn't REALLY score.;)

[Twenty26Six]

o come on, we know he didn't REALLY score.;)

Just like you WEREN'T REALLY the best team in Europe. ;)

[four]

Lineup

................Reina
Finnan...Carra..Hyypia...Riise
Gerrard..Sissoko..Alonso...Kewell
...........Garcia--Crouch

Carson
Kronkamp
Morientes
Fowler
Cisse

I like Garcia in to partner Crouch, like Krush said. But, does there need to be a different bench (add a midfielder instead of three strikers)?