Liverpool FC Forum

by **Rafa D** » Wed Sep 13, 2006 12:01 pm

Chelsea Vs Liverpool

Well here it is folks, once again we have to travel down to face the rent boys in their own back yard. Rafa's record in the league again Chelsea ain't that great.

LOSS - Chelsea 1 - 0 Liverpool (Cole)

LOSS - Liverpool 1 - 0 Chelsea (Cole)

LOSS - Liverpool 1 - 4 Chelsea (Gerrard) ( Duff, Lampard, Geremi, Cole)

LOSS - Chelsea 2 - 0 Liverpool (Crespo, Gallas)

Our league record against them is woeful. Coupled with the draw at Sheffield Utd and the loss against the bitters at the weekend it's vital that we pick up some points here. Mourinho will know doubt try his mind games but Rafa as he has shown us before is far tactically superior to Mourinho and with this game being so early on in the season, our players will be fresh and totally ready for the challenge.

If we have any real aspirations for the title then this is where we are going to have to show it. Chelsea are the English Champions and to de - throne them we are gonna have to take some points off them. A draw in my eyes would be a great result and if we can keep a clean sheet even better, confidence breeds confidence as we seen last year and I hope this will be the game to kick start our stuttering season.

In the team selection Rafa has said today he will stick to his rotation policy. He rested Gerrard and Xabi midweek so I fully expect them to return in midfield with Momo. I genuinely hope to see Agger and Carra paired together again at the back, as Agger had a brilliant game against them in the Community Shield and more recently against PSV. Finnan on the right is a given, however I hope Rafa plays Warnock on the left as Aurelio is still in the bedding in period. Warnock knows our system and what this game is all about. In the derby Aurelio looked lost.

I expect Rafa to keep to 4 - 4 - 2 against them and I hope he keeps the same strikeforce of Kuyt and Bellamy , although I have a sneaky feeling Crouch will come in for Kuyt. Pennant and Gonzo should make up the team , although surely Luis could get a look in against his "favourite" team?

Well what do you all think on tactics and team?

I sincerely hope we beat these souless :censored:

but a point at the bridge will suffice in my opinion.

by **SouthCoastShankly** » Wed Sep 13, 2006 12:31 pm

I am wondering whether Bellamy will start or Kuyt. I'm confident Crouch will start - as the game will be quite tight defensively having a target man like Crouch is invaluable.

Saying this based on recent performances I do not expect more than a draw.

by **7_Kewell** » Wed Sep 13, 2006 12:34 pm

make no bones about it, our season HAS to start here. We need to win or we are going to be adrift of the top of the pack.

by **66-1112520797** » Wed Sep 13, 2006 1:41 pm

First things first, we need to go there and keep a clean sheet. If we had the same defensive form from last year coupled with our attacking additions added this year I'd be very confident of an away win.

At the moment the team look as though they're giving away too much space on the pitch due to the added width, but whenever we've played Chelsea the games have mostly been very tight and space has been shut down or narrowed. I'd like to see a back four of Finnan, Hyypia (who I think was rested for this game) Cara and Warnock. Thats self explanatary really, maybe to BigMick the only eye brow raiser would be, not having Aurelio there. He hasnt settled yet defensively plus the bloke could probably do with a rest since he's featured in most games.

I was in favour of dropping Alonso for the game with PSV, but whether he's in form or not we'll still need him at the base of the midfield breaking up the play against a team like Chelsea. Hopefully the magnitude of the match will bring the best out of him and he can put his foot on the ball and dictate the play as we know he can.
I'd play Momo next to him, nuff said. Gerrard would start out wide for me, but I will have a slight concern that he may find it hard to get into the game out there. There is where Chelsea could make life difficult, for us by isolating Stevie out wide and cutting off the supply. This is why I said earlier , it maybe better to play narrower, 1) So we're harder to break down & 2) SG may see more of the ball. On the left I'd be inclined to start with Garcia (he likes Chelsea) and he's the type of player as seen before in games like this to pull a rabbit out of the hat.
Upfront I'd have the target man in Crouch to hold the ball up and I'd try Kuyt alongside him, to score his first goal for us on sunday.

by **stmichael** » Wed Sep 13, 2006 1:53 pm

oh ffs, old mother riley is the referee. :veryangry

there goes our chance of winning. expect chelsea to once again get a penalty at home for absolutely nothing. :angry:

by **RUSHIE#9** » Wed Sep 13, 2006 1:57 pm

I really do have some big reservations going into this game on sunday. Our form so far this season has been poor at best. We've looked nothing like the team from the second half of last season and after last saturday our confidence will be shakey. The defence is my BIG concern this week; Sami has looked well out of sorts since the start of the season and against Shevchenko and the other ar.se I fear him being exposed pace wise again. LB is also a problem IMO, I've developed very little faith in Aurelio so far and would be inclined to go with Warnock.
I'd only have Garcia coming on from the bench 'cos so far this season our ball retention and use has been shocking and he's the last person you're gonna look to for holding onto the ball. I think the rest of the midfield will pick itself ( :eyebrow

) but i wouldn't bet against MOMO being rotated to the bench (not that he's done anything wrong). Using Bellamy on the left and cutting in could be an option but would leave LB horribly exposed so don't put yer house on it. Pennant on the right could come in adding some much needed pace to the attacking side with Crouch and Kuyt upfront. We could probably benefit from Kuyt's workrate and back tracking along with crouchies ball holding abilities.

by **RUSHIE#9** » Wed Sep 13, 2006 1:58 pm

stmichael wrote:oh ffs, old mother riley is the referee.

there goes our chance of winning. expect chelsea to once again get a penalty at home for absolutely nothing.

MOTHER FuCK!

Why do the premier league persist in using the useless little fecker. I am not happy. :veryangry

by **red37** » Wed Sep 13, 2006 2:09 pm

f.ucking chicken necked shrike! why do we end up with these prima donnas...(as a side note, last nights ref was decent, if not exactly stretched)

im not at all confident for sunday. regardless of riley..it seems that once again, an indifferent start to the league will come back to haunt us in march when we'll be in the middle of another unbeaten run..only to rue the early phases.

last term it was lack of goals. this time its that AND a nervous defense. call it lack of ambition but a draw would be a great result! :glare:

by **sepak** » Wed Sep 13, 2006 2:57 pm

if Rafa continue his rotation system, players who didn't start on midweek game will start on the weekend game. Gerrard, Alonso, Hyypia, Garcia, Crouch will definately start.

I just hope Bellamy, Agger and Pennant will start too.

I think we will get at least a point.

by **onizukaeikichi** » Wed Sep 13, 2006 3:28 pm

sepak, i disagree, i think we will win, I just kinda have this feeling.

by **Graeme Noble** » Wed Sep 13, 2006 5:21 pm

Andy Gray said on Sky Sports last night that Peter Crouch should play as the only man up front. Maybe Crouch will be useful for this game but I think he needs support from Kuyt or Bellamy.
We cannot sit back and play for a draw :alien:

by **stmichael** » Wed Sep 13, 2006 6:27 pm

Graeme Noble wrote:Andy Gray said on Sky Sports last night that Peter Crouch should play as the only man up front. Maybe Crouch will be useful for this game but I think he needs support from Kuyt or Bellamy.
We cannot sit back and play for a draw

Crouch murdered Newcastle last season. I'd start Kuyt on Sunday, and maybe bring Crouch back for the Geordies at Anfield.

Kuyt gives us more options against Chelsea, as they've got lots of experience playing against Crouchy now.

by **redsince2001** » Wed Sep 13, 2006 6:40 pm

i dont care wat u guys say but i will be satisfied by a draw in this game......specially given our woeful league record against them and the our current form.

by **redsince2001** » Wed Sep 13, 2006 6:42 pm

Kuyt must be give a start now!

by **redsince2001** » Wed Sep 13, 2006 6:44 pm

which ones riley again?

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