Liverpool FC Forum

[Dalglish]

Feel a lot more comfortable about this game now we have got the first 3 points on the table at the first time of asking. Also the fact that the last two times Chelsea have made the visit to Anfield, they have come away with losses and looking very much the worst team without even scoring a goal.

Rafa's got the number on Mourinho as well and Mourinho knows it which often leads to his baffling tactical idea's that leave the fans and more importantly his own players scratching their heads.

Plus the fact Terry's out, Essien's a major doubt and the other players who are out (Shevchenko etc), it seems we may actually go into this match as clear favourites.

I'm going for a 2 - 0 win with Kuyt and Torres opening their accounts for the season.

Some good points there Doddy.

You can as far back as the FA Cupo Semi-Final in 2006 when Maureen played woithout any wingers for 70 mins to see that when he comes up against Rafa he makes some bewildering tactical manouveres (particularly at the start of games).

It's almost like he is trying to be a smart just for the sake of it (which he is of course !)

Myself being the cautious kind....I'm going for a 0-0 draw

[username]

Ok, my guess

Team:                    Reina

   Finnan   Carragher  Agger       Riise           

   Yossi  Gerrard    Mascherano Babel/Kewell

                Torres     Voronin

Score: 2-1 Liverpool: Torres 37, 72. Chelsea: Drogba 82

[weringo]

The 1st "Big game" of the season. I think the win against both Villa and Toulouse were good for this match as it gives us more confidence going into this game. Essien has a slight Knee injury so im not sure if is fit for this game. Terry misses the game against reading tonight but im not sure what his prediciment is for the game on the weekend. A win is vital if we really want to push for the title this year an early goal would be great too.

Gerrard got taken off against Toulouse but i think that was just so he didnt agrivate any problems he did have in his foot so i think he will be ok. Torres i think will start as he came on the last 10 minutes today to partner him Kuyt? Voronin? Crouch? Id pick Kuyt. He and Torres had an ok partnership against Villa. He scored last year against Chelsea and he will e looking to do it again.

I think Pennant will be another starter. He didnt travel to france which asks a few questions but im sure he will start. Mascherano, Alonso and Sissoko all looking to partner Gerrard. Id go with Macherano. He always looks great and hes a player we need in this game, A player who can defend a player so well hew can take the best player out of the game I.E Kaka in the Cl final last year.

Im guessing Agger will be recalled to cb and play alongside Carragher. Finnan should keep his place at the right of our defence as there is noone really challenging him there. Kewell? whats the matter with him any injury news? as he hasnt played or been on the bench for the 1st two games.

My Team

Reina

Finnan
Agger
Carragher
Riise

Pennant
Gerrard
Mascherano
Kewell/Babel

Torres
Kuyt                   2-0 Torres(2)

Same team for me except have Babel on the right and Kewell on the left. Ashley Cole will completely dominate Pennant if he's even playing half as well as he can, I feel Babel can actually cause some problems.

[maguskwt]

we've gotta win this game... otherwise we're gonna fall behind... chelsea's been winning games unconvincingly like usual, which is a form of champions... and that drogba is look impressive as ever... I'd put carragher on him with agger cleaning up the second balls... like our champion's league 2nd leg... finnan on the right and arbeloa on the left...

In the middle... gerrard and masherano... on the left riise (he usually does well against chelsea) and on the right I'd go with pennant/babel... benyaoun still doesn't convince me...

strikers anything goes really... I think what rafa needs to do is to try to find combinations which are good rather than looking at one striker alone... Torres and kuyt were a handful running at defenders in the villa game... they were willing to play off each other too which is good to see (reminds me of andy cole and dwight yorke)... however I'm not sure if they will have the same space against chelsea.. Crouch on the other hand can be useful when the opponent's defence have our strikers tightly mark and we cannot break through... he will be handful to defend because of his height and ball holding up play which can put pressure on the chelsea's defenders... however I'm not really sure about the interplay between crouch and the other striker whoever rafa plays... Voronin seems strong, direct, no non-sense striker and seem to have more sense on how and when to attack than kuyt... so yeah... anything goes for me... I just hope whichever combination rafa chooses it will turn out effective against chelsea... my line up thus:

Reina

Finnan
Carragher
Agger
Arbeloa

Pennant/Babel
Mascherano
Gerrard
Riise

Torres & Kuyt to start
Crouch or Voronin as substitutes depending on how the game goes...

[Elchris]

Never underestimate chelsea.. they are playing really good at the moment , their wingers seem to be working well with SWP getting his form back and maulouda on the left . Going to be a very tight match . I would prefer macherano to start along side gerrard in the middle which is the best pairing in the middle me think.

Going for a 2-1 win.

[JoeTerp]

Is Kewell fit? I have heard he has some thigh problem that has been keeping him out of the squads.

[maguskwt]

sorry forgot to say this...

may i win 11 pts for this game in fantasy rafa...

[mungi]

is there any news on kewell? would be interesting to see what team rafa puts out. will he put gerrard on the right to counter molouda and leave masherano and alonso to control fat frank and maybe essien? i think we should do this and have babel/kewell (if  fully fit 100%) on the left to provide us some width. torres and kuyt liekly to start and with kewell/babbel we might play some sort of 4-3-3 with babel/kewell being the 3rd striekr drifiting out wide

[skatesy]

Is there any news on Gerrard? I heard he had a toe injury and may even miss the England friendly against Germany. If he is set to miss this match, could this mean that he is set to miss the Chelsea fixture?

[112-1077774096]

My Team

Leave Mascherano and Alonso to sort out Fat Frank and Essien and play Stevie on the right to stop Malouda/Cole.

Crouch to start if Terry doesn't make it ?




                          Reina

    Finnan   Carragher  Agger       Riise           

    Gerrard  Alonso    Mascherano Babel

                 Torres     Voronin/Crouch

just let me understand this, you would take away our biggest threat, gerrard in center midfield to counter one of their threats, so you want to weaken our team and our midfield?




i really am amazed that anyone can even still mention gerrard on the right.

the centre midfield will be gerrard and mash, the back 4 writes itself. pennant on the right and babel on the left. torres and crouch up front.

the only change i can see from this would be arbeloa at lb and risse on the left, and maybe kuyt for crouch

with mash and alsonso in the middle this will give fat frank and essien all the encouragement they need to come forward, however gerrard in the centre will ensure they need to sit back a little, lets be honest neither mash or alsonso offer anything coming forward, at least gerrard can do both, defend and attack

[tubby]

Gerrard could be out. We should know more today.

[lio]

Is Kewell fit? I have heard he has some thigh problem that has been keeping him out of the squads.

I saw a very brief report somewhere on tue 14, eve of the toulouse encounter, that kewell got a slight problem on his thigh during training and will be out for ~10 days thereafter.

Hope he get well soon cause his track record of being on 'sick leave' is far too often seen since joining us.

[mungi]

we could play 4-3-2-1 and this would mean gerard being in the centre along with alonso and masherano. put kewell and kuyt behind torres and we should rip it. only negative is we might be a bit narrow in the middle

[66-1112520797]

Gerrard could be out. We should know more today.

[Anfield rapper]

From the Daily Mail

Liverpool skipper Steven Gerrard is expected to have treatment today at the club's Melwood training ground following a worrying ankle injury picked up in his side's Champions League qualifier.

Gerrard took a painful crack on the back of his ankle from French midfielder Pantxi Sireix, the Toulouse player who spent all of yesterday's game man-marking the England star.

That was the only blemish for Reds boss Rafael Benitez after his side mastered the sauna-like conditions to secure a 1-0 first-leg victory.

Gerrard tried to carry on but was eventually replaced in the 61st minute by Mohamed Sissoko.

With Sunday's home game with Chelsea now the next clash for Liverpool to contend with in a tough opening week of three matches, Benitez would only say last night: "We will not know how Steven is until he has been seen by the medical team and the doctor.

"I was replacing him because we needed fresh legs, not because of the injury, but we do not know yet how he is."

Benitez hailed the "wonderful goal" scored by new boy Andriy Voronin that put Liverpool within touching distance of the Champions League group stages.

The Reds boss watched as his free-transfer signing from Bayer Leverkusen ensured his new club are close to the £12million prize for reaching the competition proper.

Benitez said: "Andriy scored a wonderful goal, it summed up his qualities as a very fine striker.

"He is clever, has great game awareness and gives us so many more options in attack. He can play behind a main striker, lead the line himself, or come into the attack from the flanks.

"And of course he can scored truly great goals like that. But we must not think this tie is over.

"We did a very professional job in a match played in difficult conditions. It was so hot for the players, and we were having to give them water continually.

"The referee stopped us throwing the bottles on to the pitch, the players had to come to the sidelines to drink, which was a little strange considering the conditions."

Liverpool are now expected to secure their passage through this third qualifying round tie in a fortnight at Anfield, even if Benitez was predictably cagey about the second leg.

He said: "We know they are a very good side who like to hit teams on the counter-attack, which is what they will try to do at Anfield."

Toulouse coach Elie Baup conceded his team found the searing heat and the quality of the opposition a problem.

He said: "In those conditions, it is hard to keep running and trying to create things when you are playing against a side with such experience and quality.

"Our players lack the experience of playing in this competition and they found Liverpool's ability and technical quality hard to cope with out there."