Liverpool v Chelsea, 12:45 K/O, BT Sport

GavRedKing

Unbeaten Chelsea travel to Anfield on the back of some underwhelming performances in the last few outtings to take on a Liverpoool team that havent yet clicked domestically but are well placed to push for a top 4 finish and maybe more.

Both were invovled in European action this week, Liverpool in Spain and Chelsea in Slovenia. The early Saturday morning k/o in Liverpool means Chelseas turn around from landing early Thursday morning until k/o is under 36hours.

Both sets of fans remember last seasons game pretty well, not that Liverpool will need or want any extra incentive to win this.

I do feel Chelsea are due a loss and I wouldnt be surprised if it came at Anfield, I'd be happy enough with a point to keep Southampton and City backfor the time being.

For Chelsea, Remy and Mikel are out so its likely to be

Courtois,
Ivanovic Cahill JT Azp
Matic Cesc
Willian Oscar Hazard
Costa

Score, Liverpool 1 - 1 Chelsea

Mr Alan

Going to miss this as I've an exam but I really can't see anything other than a relatively comfortable Chelsea win.

hots

Looking forward to this, always a feisty game at Anfield and especially after last season. Neither team really looking their best for the last few games but Liverpool definitely coming into it from a better midweek performance.

Hope Costa gets back on the scoresheet, hoping for a close 2-1 to Chelsea but could easily see 2-2.

Will I Amnt

One thing is for sure, the battle on the pitch will pale in comparison to the real battle... which version of the Stevie G song gets heard the most :pac:

GavRedKing

The REAL battle is whos going to cause more trouble for the mods on the day and aftermath of the match, here is my odds.

1/10 - Liverpool fans, J/Favs
1/10 - Utd Fans, J/Favs
Evens - Chelsea Fans, J/Favs
Other odds on request.

:pac:

I've a 30th so I'll be pretty much busy all day but I cant imagine its going to be a pretty match thread for anyone invovled.

dfx-

As a neutral, this match entices absolutely 0%. Drab, unambitious Chelsea and goal-shy, increasingly solid Liverpool.

SEPT 23 1989

hopefully a Liverpool win

GavRedKing

dfx- wrote: »

As a neutral, this match entices absolutely 0%. Drab, unambitious Chelsea and goal-shy, increasingly solid Liverpool.

So.......4-4 draw written all over this now :pac:

Connavar

GavRedKing wrote: »

So.......4-4 draw written all over this now :pac:

With at least one ridiculous penalty call

Cantona's Collars

The WWE are supplying a special guest referee just for Skrtl vs Costa.

Crash Bang Wall

Cant see anything other than a Chelsea win

dfx-

GavRedKing wrote: »

So.......4-4 draw written all over this now :pac:

1-1 would be a feast. The audacity to score four goals would be a personal insult to Mourinho from his own players and likely scorers to be dropped next week for bringing the club into disrepute..:p

GavRedKing

dfx- wrote: »

1-1 would be a feast. The audacity to score four goals would be a personal insult to Mourinho from his own players and likely scorers to be dropped next week for bringing the club into disrepute..:p

Hopefully

Next game after Liverpool is WBA, we scammed a draw against them last season, we'll have to park the bus and hope for a 1-0. :cool:

MD1990

I have a feeling Liverpool will get the win.

MD1990

Mr Alan wrote: »

Going to miss this as I've an exam but I really can't see anything other than a relatively comfortable Chelsea win.

Im shocked. Your usually so positive about LFC:P.

dfx-

GavRedKing wrote: »

Hopefully

Next game after Liverpool is WBA, we scammed a draw against them last season, we'll have to park the bus and hope for a 1-0. :cool:

Might even have to bring Torres back in January to teach these guys a lesson or two in front of goal :pac:

Mr Alan

MD1990 wrote: »

Im shocked. Your usually so positive about LFC:P.

And you're usually ridiculously positive when there is no reason to be other than blind hope.

MD1990 wrote: »

I have a feeling Liverpool will get the win.

You predict a Liverpool win?! What a surprise! :eek:

GavRedKing

dfx- wrote: »

Might even have to bring Torres back in January to teach these guys a lesson or two in front of goal :pac:

Its a bad state of affairs when the guy youre bought to replace (drogba) leaves, joins two clubs and comes back to replace you at the age of 36.

Harry Palmr

With Hodgson having announced the England squad, it might be safe to play Sturridge for the last 20

Harry Palmr

Harry Palmr wrote: »

With Hodgson having announced the England squad, it might be safe to play Sturridge for the last 20

I'd sooner not risk him at all tbh unless he's 100%,which if he is he should start.

I'd be surprised if he's risked at all seeing as he's made from glass

Looking at league form you'd have to say Chelsea are worthy favourites.

I'm holding out hope Liverpool will put in a much better performance than last weekend on the basis of an improvement midweek.

Can't say I'm optimistic though.


Not a huge fan of early Saturday kick offs for these big games tbh

GavRedKing

I'd be surprised to see Sturridge play any part in the game.

If hes fit and starts he'll cause us problem, especailly if he links with Sterling, the pace of those two is pretty hard to match.

I'd happily take another 2-0 if it meant breaking out the bus, somehow I cant see it being used from the start though.

GavRedKing

rarnes1 wrote: »

Looking at league form you'd have to say Chelsea are worthy favourites.

I'm holding out hope Liverpool will put in a much better performance than last weekend on the basis of an improvement midweek.

Can't say I'm optimistic though.


Not a huge fan of early Saturday kick offs for these big games tbh

5.30 would have been perfect.

When you consider City played at Home wednesday and they get the late k/o its a bit of a bo**ocks.

I know its all down to BT who own the early k/o slot but its really annoying playing this game on the back of a European away trip on Wednesday.

sky88

A sneaky liverpool win i sense and i have no idea why i think this, form says anything but a liverpool win

grumpymunster

dfx- wrote: »

As a neutral, this match entices absolutely 0%. Drab, unambitious Chelsea and goal-shy, increasingly solid Liverpool.

Ah classic gibberish fair play "Drab, unambitious Chelsea"

Most league goals season to date
Scored in every game played
3rd highest shots on goal season to date
Scored more than 1 goal in 80% of our league matches season to date
Won the highest scoring game of the season so far

Yea really drab and unambitious - never let the truth get in the way of personal dislike

Ganymede Glow

Think Emre Can needs to start this one for Liverpool, we'll need his physical presence in the midfield against Matic and co. He's still a bit raw but he's starting to show a bit of fearlessness in the middle he's always looking for the ball, he doesn't hide and he'll run at Chelsea if he gets the chance. I'm torn on Gerrard at the moment, if I were picking the team i'd be half tempted to start with a midfield of Lucas, Henderson and Can with Gerrard coming on at the hour mark. That being said he'll have a serious point to prove after what happened last year and knowing him he's probably desperate to make up for it. Tough one this but I think Liverpool might get something from this

Barr

2-0 Chelsea , Gerard at fault for both.

MD1990

I would go

---

Mignolet

---

Manquillo---Toure---Lovren---Moreno

---

Gerrard

---

---

Henderson

---

Can

---

---

Coutinho

---

---

Balotelli

---

Sterling

---

Lucas unlucky but Gerrard won't be dropped.

Rayne Wooney

Chelsea should win and if they go out to win they will.


3 losses in 7 days would have some fans frustrated with the Brend I'm sure

Turtyturd

Chelsea should pick up the win but lesser teams have gotten results against them this season.

4-0 Liverpool.

Hierro_4

1-0 Chelsea.

Chelsea in patchy form but should do enough to get the job done. Liverpool will huff and puff but ultimately create next to nothing.

Pilsbury Doughboy

It'd be nice to see Liverpool at least score a goal, albeit it's never easy to score against Chelsea.

Haven't a clue how the game will go in all honesty, mainly because I have no idea who'll start for Liverpool.

RayCon

Early Chelsea goal from a Liverpool f**k up .... Chelsea then sit back and spend the remainder of the game absorbing toothless attacks from Liverpool, waiting to hit on the break resulting in a 3-0 win.

I'm a pessimist.

klose

Hopefully Lovren doesn't start and our Ivorian overlord keeps his place.

MaroonAndGreen

Chelsea's last 4 games havent been up to scratch performance-wise... would definitely take a point, though Chelsea should control the game and create more chances you'd feel.

Even though Chelsea's form isnt great, Liverpool's is worse so its hard to see them winning. But on any given day at Anfield you never know.

Ill say 1-1 or 1-2 Chelsea. Any result wouldnt shock me though.

weiland79

Hopefully after the no show game on Wednesday we go out and slap Liverpool. Costa looked like he was up to go on the rampage when he came on, so hopefully he'll continue in that mood.

MaroonAndGreen

Costa is due a goal...... its been over a month since he got the clincher against Arsenal..... if he doesnt score tomorrow then the next opportunity will be on the 22nd so that will have been 6 weeks since he scored for Chelsea.

Oscar, Hazard and Drogba have done brilliantly and taken the pressure off him though by scoring 8 of our last 14 goals since the Arsenal game.

Utopia Parkway

Kolo Toure last minute winner. For what side I don't know.

MaroonAndGreen

Utopia Parkway wrote: »

Kolo Toure last minute winner. For what side I don't know.

To be fair to Kolo, it'll be hard for Rodgers to leave him out after how he played in the Bernabeu... just thinking though.. Costa and Hazard getting turned and running at Kolo Toure has possible penalty written all over it!

GavRedKing

MaroonAndGreen wrote: »

Costa is due a goal...... its been over a month since he got the clincher against Arsenal..... if he doesnt score tomorrow then the next opportunity will be on the 22nd so that will have been 6 weeks since he scored for Chelsea.

Oscar, Hazard and Drogba have done brilliantly and taken the pressure off him though by scoring 8 of our last 14 goals since the Arsenal game.

He got robbed of a winner on Wednesday, bloody Italian officials. :rolleyes:

Hes also missed the last few EPL games so I wouldnt worry about him in the long run, not being called up to the Spanish squad and allowed to rest for the next 2weeks means he can go full tilt on Saturday, hopefully to devasting effect.

OwaynOTT

fcuking BT sports!

Don't have and won't pay for it. Couldn't even watch it on sky player in work if I wanted to because they ain't on it.

And I was told this was on TG4, which I have and can watch online in work!

Dickerty

OwaynOTT wrote: »

And I was told this was on TG4, which I have and can watch online in work!

It's not on the TG4 schedule...

2-2 draw for me, Liverpool to salvage a draw in a frenetic last 15 mins.

GavRedKing

OwaynOTT wrote: »

fcuking BT sports!

Don't have and won't pay for it. Couldn't even watch it on sky player in work if I wanted to because they ain't on it.

And I was told this was on TG4, which I have and can watch online in work!

Even though I started the thread and found out it was on BT, its only dawning on me that I'll have to listen to Michael Owen.

Thats my weekend ruined, regardless of the result.

grumpymunster

Wont see the game sadly but might catch some on the radio with luck.

If we get an early goal should be OK if not well anything could happen as I would expect fatigue to creep in as the match progresses.

My team would be

Courtois, Ivan, JT, Cahill, Dave, Matic, Cesc, Oscar, Haz, Ram, Costa.

Petr, Luis, Zouma, Aki / Obi, Willian, Schurrle, Remy / Drog

Of course biggest irony would be 0-0 last 10 minutes Remy comes on and scores the winner..................

GavRedKing

Is remy fit now ya? Missed the press conference, I thought Mikel and Remy were both still out?

If I was picking a team I'd probably throw in Ramires

Courtois
Ivan Cahill JT Azp
Matic Cesc
Ramires Oscar Hazard
Costa

Worse case scenario we can go 4-3-3 with Ramires tucking in and Oscar pulling wide right when we're defending, on the counter or when we ge the ball, Ramires can do the inside out role and head out to the right wing.

MaroonAndGreen

GavRedKing wrote: »

Is remy fit now ya? Missed the press conference, I thought Mikel and Remy were both still out?

If I was picking a team I'd probably throw in Ramires

Courtois
Ivan Cahill JT Azp
Matic Cesc
Ramires Oscar Hazard
Costa

Worse case scenario we can go 4-3-3 with Ramires tucking in and Oscar pulling wide right when we're defending, on the counter or when we ge the ball, Ramires can do the inside out role and head out to the right wing.

I'd definitely play Ramires, the form of Schurrle at the moment doesnt even warrant him coming off the bench... id like Willian to be that option on the bench... hes perfect to bring on if we are soaking up pressure and counter attacking and he'd be an attacking upgrade on Ramires if we needed a goal.

Actually a nice player to have on the bench.

GavRedKing

Ramires was like a wing back on Wednesday night but if the squad is all fit and available I'm pretty happy going there.

If the team is the above the bench will probably be

Cech
Zouma, Luis
Mikel,
Willian,
Remy, Drogba

Remy can play wide as well if needed and Willian can replace any of the supporting 3 if it goes to pot, its a pretty strong 7 on the bench actually.

MaroonAndGreen

GavRedKing wrote: »

Ramires was like a wing back on Wednesday night but if the squad is all fit and available I'm pretty happy going there.

If the team is the above the bench will probably be

Cech
Zouma, Luis
Mikel,
Willian,
Remy, Drogba

Remy can play wide as well if needed and Willian can replace any of the supporting 3 if it goes to pot, its a pretty strong 7 on the bench actually.

Ive not paid much heed to our bench all season, but looking at it there.. thats very very strong

Cookiemunster

OwaynOTT wrote: »

fcuking BT sports!

Don't have and won't pay for it. Couldn't even watch it on sky player in work if I wanted to because they ain't on it.

And I was told this was on TG4, which I have and can watch online in work!

TG4??? Do you mean Setanta? They're showing Utd on Saturday. There's never been and never will be live PL football on TG4.

Sgt Pepper 64

GavRedKing wrote: »

Is remy fit now ya? Missed the press conference, I thought Mikel and Remy were both still out?

If I was picking a team I'd probably throw in Ramires

Courtois
Ivan Cahill JT Azp
Matic Cesc
Ramires Oscar Hazard
Costa

Worse case scenario we can go 4-3-3 with Ramires tucking in and Oscar pulling wide right when we're defending, on the counter or when we ge the ball, Ramires can do the inside out role and head out to the right wing.

Everyone is fit....even Mikel!

mikeym

Hope Mourinho slips up.