by 112-1077774096 » Fri Apr 15, 2005 1:33 am
guess what? lawro thinks we will lose. why is this man such a t!t
It is a wonderful endorsement of the Premier League that two English clubs are in the the last four of the Champions League, with one guaranteed to be in the 25 May Istanbul final.
Who will that 'one' be? Everything points to Chelsea.
I didn't think Liverpool would get past Juventus - and I wasn't the only one.
As good as they played in the first game, I thought we'd see the real Juve in Turin, but it never happened.
Over the two legs I can only really recall three good chances for Juventus and I was amazed by their approach.
But take nothing away from Liverpool who put in two fantastic displays and keep progressing.
Their results in Europe have been excellent. They've been winning their home games, which is always crucial, and have proved difficult to beat on the road.
But that sums up Chelsea as well, who are just so strong in every department and, unlike Liverpool, have replacements waiting in the wings if they have two or three out injured or suspended.
Chelsea have been even better defensively and carry a greater threat on the counter-attack, but Rafa Benitez doesn't need me to tell him that.
He has seen Chelsea three times this season at close quarters, losing each time, twice in the league and once in the Carling Cup final.
There's a feeling on Merseyside that they've not had the rub of the green against Chelsea in those matches and they're due.
Benitez has given Liverpool a passion and organisation in Europe which has been outstanding.
The big question is whether he can carry that into a somewhat parochial European match. Time will tell.
It will be a tight contest and the matches should be a wonderful advert for the Premier League, and for different reasons, it would be excellent for either team to reach that Istanbul final.
I can't honestly see how Liverpool can get there, but with the way that it's happening at the moment, who's to say.