This game will help define our season - win nothing at all for the second season or stay on course for another Champions League and a bit of silverware. I reckon the only change Rafa will make will be to bring Riise in for Aurelio. Don't think he will start Crouch with Torres as it took too long for the team to get used to that formation against Arsenal and Gerrard was wasted on the left till he moved into the centre - your best players should be the closest to the ball. Hope Lampard plays as Ballack and him don't work together as both are players who like to get forward and take up similar positions and leaves a bit of an imbalance in the team. Last time we scored at Stamford Bridge in any competition was the 2003/04 season with a goal from Bruno Cheyrou. We have to score on Wed no choice, and if we score first even better as Chelsea will have to go all out to get a goal and we can hopefully get a second on the counter and finish the tie. If they score first it will be much tougher and the opposite to above may happen - with them getting a second on the counter. Rafa needs to use his subs earlier if we are struggling to get a goal, no doubt Crouch will come on and Pennant played well today and has pace and will cause problems against tired players and can cross for Crouch and has also scored against Chelsea. Birmingham, Rosneborg, Everton,Aston Villa (4 times) Newcastle, Wigan have all scored at Stamford Bridge this season. I think we will do it, 1-0 I am going for.
looking forward to it. Chelsea were really good yesterday though. I think if essien plays cm with lampard and ballack we could be in trouble. Wonder if crouch will get a shout and pennant who played really well yesterday. Big game calls for big players. Its a pity I might actually miss it..argggggggh.
Already feeling the pressure/anxiety/hope and its only Sunday Mornin, to be honest Ive felt that way since the match kicked off last Tuesday. Come on Reds.
We are currently 6/1 on betfair to win the Champs League. Just had a few quid on it. I reckon we can get a 1-1 on Wednesday and take them on penalties. I think the pressure is on Chelsea because they are in the driving seat at the minute . But they have never been to a final before and this pressure might tell. I remember about 4 years ago they bottled it against Monaco in a 2nd leg at Stamford Bridge. I think they were beat 4-2, (though I could be wrong) with Morientes scoring a couple. Even if they score the first goal on Wednesday it doesn't change a big lot. We have to score at some point anyway.
Well unfortunately Chelsea appear to be finding their best form in the last few games and they did look quite good against united but i guess they were down a few players. I think Rafa has got a serious selection headache after the performances of pennant and crouch at the weekend but they'll probably have to settle for a spot on the bench. Really don't want to see Gerrard playing on the left so i think it will probably be the usual line up. Need a huge game from Torres and if he gets the chances he got against them the last time he will need to score, can see us starting very slowly again and really coming into it after about 15 mins so hopefully we can weather the early storm!
really looking forward to the game we have nothing to lose going there last time we needed a result away was against marsille and look what we did to them think torres has to be on top of his game if we get one chance we have to put it away unlike the first leg
diff is on sat , away goal means f all in the league now on wed , they'll be afraid to swamp forward as we are good on the counter plus they might sit back and try defend i can see ud making them buckle under pressure and us winning 2-1 on the night
I have a feeling Chelsea could get the first goal and it will all be how Liverpool respond. They need to score at some stage so conceeding first really wont make a massive difference, so long as the heads dont drop Chelsea were excellent in the first half verses Man Utd and Essien was awsome, but in the second half they completely faded Crouch tends to play well against Chelsea but I think he will be coming off the bench. I reckon the game will hinge on Drogba/Lampard (or Essien if he doesnt play) - Gerrard/Torres and who plays better will win Would love to break that home record of theirs!
Have a bad feeling about this one and think we'll go out. I reckon it's Chelsea's time sadly. Not sure what score it will be but i just can't see us doing them three times in a semi and them losing their fourth semi. Sorry!
Well i don't think it matters what happened in the past between the two clubs in the past, if you based it on this seasons performances then its clear that we should have expected to cruise past them and had it not been for an outstanding peter Cech (and a not so amazing Riise intervention) i'm sure we would have won comfortably enough at home. We've not beaten them at the bridge in a long time but we should have earlier this year and i think the team will be going into this tie full of confidence and nice and fresh after being rested at the weekend!
I can see us getting in behind there back four not being a problem and i'm expecting Stevie to produce another CL wondershow aswell as a touch of class from fernando...The way i see it Rosenborg beat them in the bridge...Bohs drew 0-0 with Rosenborg couple a years back, scoring should not be a problem...With a good fit squd to chose from we'll do it... Prediction: Gerrard 1-0
you cant win them all but i reckon its time we scored at the bridge as well. could be 1-1 and after that, a lottery in ET and Penos. i fear we have used a lot of luck over the last few years and may balance out. obviously hope im wrong. hope the team looks like this reina carra srktel hyybia aurbeloa(sorry riise) kuyt masch stevie babel crouch torres ive yet to see terry and cavaleo deal with crouch effectively over the 90. if we were to play 4-2-3-1, i would personally choose crouch over torres for this one. dont think im crazy!
that was 1-1 mate, was a bit of an over reaction to sack mourinho for that one, us losing to marseille at home was much worse.
hope Stevie g plays behind torres as Chelsea seem to find it hard to mark him there..think this game can be won but we won't get that many chances so we have to take the ones we do get. hopefully torres will have a better game than last weeks..
I reckon our captain could be the deciding factor. If he has another relatively quiet game I think it will cost us dearly, but if he plays a stormer I can see him being the hero again.