Liverpool v Chelsea CL semi - 2nd leg

Vokes

Crouchie !!

Erm....Zenden

mike65

ZENDEN??????????????

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Reina
Finnan--Carra--Agger--Riise
Penant--Masch-Gerrard-Zenden

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Crouch-Kuyt

Subs: Padelli, Arbeloa, Hyypiai, Gonzales, Alonso, Fowler, Bellamy

Maybe

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Reina
Finnan-Carra-Agger-Riise

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Masch
Pennant--Gerrard-Zenden

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Crouch-Kuyt

Chelsea:

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Cech
Ferreira Essien Terry A.Cole
Makelele Mikel Lampard J.Cole

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Kalou

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Drogba

Mike.

zAbbo

Good lineup, Brave choice dropping Alonso, and keeping Zenden in there, lets hope he can bring on Gonzo if needed.

Dudek dropped from the subs, most be difficult being a slave on 40K a week

Zapp Brannigan

Zenden, ffs. So long Liverpool. Hope Milan win it now

The Muppet

Chelsea have to be favourites to go through , I think last weekends results will only motivate them more for tonights game. Liverpool have to go at them , They will sit back and counter attack . Liverpools defence needs to be rock sold , one slip up will make a difficult task next to impossible.


Zenden up against Ferrari could be productive

Great to see both Vidic and Rio available for the other semi. with Uniteds defence back to near its full strength I would be more optimist of getting a favourable result in Italy

redspider

Zenden?

I have to say I am surprised by Zenden's selection. Even if played in central midfield, he will not be as good as even an underpar Alonso. Also, if played left midfield, Gonzales would be a better choice.

Not a good start for Liverpool and a ball is yet to be kicked!

It will also give Chelsea heart as the backs know from last week that they had Zenden in their back pocket and he provided no threat. If in central midfield, Makalele and Lampard will chew him up, and Zenden is not brilliant as being a central midfielde in terms of defensive stakes so Lampad could get chances.

I'm surprised to see Alonso dropped. He has good skilss and capability and would surely have been up for this game. Its not as if he played bad in the last match either and was rested on the weekend, so hmmmmmm

With Pennant on and Crouch, I expect some more teeth in attack, and Gerrard will have to do a lot. Kuyt too .... they say one player doesnt make a difference, but sometimes its better to play 10 men than have one 'weak link', if you know what I mean.

> Brave choice dropping Alonso, and keeping Zenden in there
Brave or foolish, only time will tell. It wouldnt have been my choice and I think 99% of the Liverpool fan base!

In Rafa we trust, although now I'm saying a little prayer too ....

redspider

The Muppet

redspider wrote:

Zenden?

I have to say I am surprised by Zenden's selection. Even if played in central midfield, he will not be as good as even an underpar Alonso. Also, if played left midfield, Gonzales would be a better choice.

Not a good start for Liverpool and a ball is yet to be kicked!

It will also give Chelsea heart as the backs know from last week that they had Zenden in their back pocket and he provided no threat. If in central midfield, Makalele and Lampard will chew him up, and Zenden is not brilliant as being a central midfielde in terms of defensive stakes so Lampad could get chances.

I'm surprised to see Alonso dropped. He has good skilss and capability and would surely have been up for this game. Its not as if he played bad in the last match either and was rested on the weekend, so hmmmmmm

With Pennant on and Crouch, I expect some more teeth in attack, and Gerrard will have to do a lot. Kuyt too .... they say one player doesnt make a difference, but sometimes its better to play 10 men than have one 'weak link', if you know what I mean.

> Brave choice dropping Alonso, and keeping Zenden in there
Brave or foolish, only time will tell. It wouldnt have been my choice and I think 99% of the Liverpool fan base!

In Rafa we trust, although now I'm saying a little prayer too ....

redspider

What makes you think zenden will be played in central midfield? Its pretty obvious to me that he will be played on the left to feed Crouch. Macherano and Gerrard will play in the middle

Chardee MacDennis

The Muppet wrote:

What makes you think zenden will be played in midfield? Its pretty obvious to me that he will be played on the right to feed Crouch.

what?

The Muppet

Call_me_al wrote:

what?

sorry left

PiE

Um... Pennant will be on the right.

All on Gerrard tonight. Rafa's dropped his favourite son to accomodate him.

Sizzler

I thought Liverpool had a chance tonight and put a few quid on them to go thru....then I sat down to see Zenden playing....ah well

The Muppet

Nicely worked goal

zuutroy

Great goal!

mike65

Drogba you cheating sh-i-te!

Mike.

PHB

Very nicely worked goal, really clever, with a great finish.

The game is very closely balanced.
I think Chelsea are one good pass away from a great chance, while Liverpool have been a lot of huff and puff with little to show.
Free kicks look like their best option

Heisenberg.

This post has been deleted.

PHB

The Scientist wrote:

Brilliant spectacle to watch.

What game are you watching

zuutroy

PHB wrote:

What game are you watching

I think he means the atmosphere as opposed to the scrappy game.

Mr. Presentable

zuutroy wrote:

I think he means the atmosphere as opposed to the scrappy game.

He'd better. If this is a match between two of the EPL's top sides, it's no wonder there are still those who believe La Liga and Serie A have better football. Kick and rush tbh.

PHB

What a boring game, long ball teams both of them.

mike65

Its the nature of the game, ultra-tight. One error could decide it all.

Fupp your la liga/serie a nancy-boys, this is blood and thunder!

Mike.

GuanYin

In fairness, Liverpool tried to pass it a bit. Chelsea have set up their tactics to basically make it a scrappy game and stop any football being played.

They're awful to watch.

RasTa

I'm enjoying it.

Zapp Brannigan

Fair play to Mascherano. Started off poor but has been putting himself about with tackles, passing still isnt there though.

A Dub in Glasgo

A poor game so far. One bit of quality for the goal that has brightened up an otherwise poor game

mike65

Pool need to concentrate on the right side getting Finnan and Pennant overlaps with a good quick cross at the end.

Mike.

BaZmO*

mike65 wrote:

Its the nature of the game

It's the nature of Chelsea's game.

Not the best match footballing wise but a fantastic match for pure intensity and atmosphere.

Penos all the way!!!!

~Rebel~

Half time; Im actually happy enough with Zenden, he's putting in plenty of tackles and has learned from last week and crossing sooner rather then lashing it at ferreira.

Maschero has been massive, fantastic so far getting on top of everything. Gerrard has been his usual self running at everything, earned the freekick for the goal. In the second half when he's calmed down a little and realises he's part of a central pairing he might start looking for the little slid killer ball through to feet. We need him creating more chances for other players, we need to get playing closer to the chelsea goal, to really put pressure in. Pennant has played well as well.

And Agger, Agger you beauty!

scojones

Chelsea are awful. Everyone expected Liverpool to pile on the pressure and they have done that well. This long ball lark by Chelsea won't work at all. It's as if they don't want to play football. Liverpool are winning the long balls and attacking them. If Chelsea don't want Liverpool to get into a rhythm then they should concentrating on keeping the ball, not giving it away. A goal by Chelsea could really turn this around.

el rabitos

riise sucks. hoofs the ball up constantly, i'd shoot him in the knee if i could. its FOOTBALL your supposed to be playing football ffs, its played on the ground, not in the air! constantly giving chelsea the ball.

chelsea are just superior right now, their players are bigger, stronger and better footballers, liverpool need to be smarter, so far they are just giving the ball back to them far too often, retain possession and hope for another set piece.

BaZmO*

:eek: Christ!! I just noticed that Mike has nearly 24,000 posts!!! :eek:

When to do you find time to do stuff like work and sleep etc.??

Brendygg

Poor game. Drogba's dive was hilarious. Chelsea to score and it will be all over.

~Rebel~

id be quite happy for Chelsea to keep playing their long ball, hope for the best football, as it totally negates the strengths of Kalou, Joe Cole and Lampard. The ball has been lashed long, won and put back up the field before lampard can be around the box for chances to feed off. So long as Chelsea continue to not bother keeping the ball down and using the actual ability of their players im quietly confident.

mike65

BaZmO* you slacker! (whoops another one).

Mike.

BaZmO*

mike65 wrote:

BaZmO* you slacker! (whoops another one).

Mike.

Haha. So that's how you do it!

Pepe LeFrits

Pretty awful game.

Cracking goal tho!

We want penos! We want penos!

~Rebel~

Hmmm that does look easy alright Mike, let me try..
..Hey it works!

Come On The POOL!!!!

Raskolnikov

Chelsea have been poor. I expect them to come out of the blocks in the second half.

PHB

Chelsea and Liverpool have been hoofing the ball up the pitch, it's just woeful. Both sides are just as bad as each other currently

KdjaCL

PHB wrote:

Chelsea and Liverpool have been hoofing the ball up the pitch, it's just woeful. Both sides are just as bad as each other currently

It is painful to watch, this is the best league in the world playing a CL semi, blasphemy :eek:

Its called winning football these days.

kdjac

PHB

Oh that was close, Liverpool piling on the pressure

joe.

Kuyt off the bar with a header.

PHB

With this tempo, if Liverpool go to extra time, they'll be ****ed. Hell, they could start to get tired soon enough

scojones

Jesus Chelsea are a bunch of fouling feckers. It's like the have 11 Paul Scholes and they can't tackle.

Sizzler

KdjaCL wrote:

It is painful to watch, this is the best league in the world playing a CL semi, blasphemy :eek:

Its called winning football these days.

kdjac

When does playing kak and winning become acceptable

KdjaCL

Sizzler wrote:

When does playing kak and winning become acceptable

When your winning.


kdjac

Sizzler

KdjaCL wrote:

When your winning.


kdjac

LOL. If thats what football is all about Id say Chelsea fans must find it tough to watch them week in week out.

joe.

Extra time it is! Neutral but want to see Liverpool through. United to beat pool in final would be a night to remember.

KdjaCL

Sizzler wrote:

LOL. If thats what football is all about Id say Chelsea fans must find it tough to watch them week in week out.

Would imagine its easy when you have lost about 7 games in 3 years.


kdjac

mike65

Aghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh1 :eek: I canna take it anymore captain!

Mike.