Liverpool vs Chelsea Capital One Cup Semi-Final 1st Leg k.o 19:45

marklazarcovic

I meant at anfield lads... he may also get injured

5starpool

5starpool wrote: »

....... but Chelsea are rightly favourites over the 2 legs, possibly even favourites in the first leg alone...............

Liverpool are 13/5 to win tonight

5starpool

Augeo wrote: »

Liverpool are 13/5 to win tonight

Big price at home, but not that surprising really I guess.

Indeed, arguably strongest 11 out there except for Sturridge. I shall be backing them at that

monkey9

I just can't see Liverpool getting through this. If it was just the one match, then maybe. But over the two legs Chelsea should be too strong, especially with the second leg being at Stamford Bridge.

Knex*

For me to be remotely confident of getting through, I feel Liverpool need to win 2-0 tonight.

I don't see that happening.

OwaynOTT

I'm delusional and I'm feeling that Liverpool will go through with Chelsea and Mourihno claiming they weren't interested.
I just hope Gerrard doesn't try and do it all to make up for the slip last year. Hopefully he keeps his shots for penalties and free kicks.

GavRedKing

OwaynOTT wrote: »

I'm delusional and I'm feeling that Liverpool will go through with Chelsea and Mourihno claiming they weren't interested.
I just hope Gerrard doesn't try and do it all to make up for the slip last year. Hopefully he keeps his shots for penalties and free kicks.

I'd happily play the youngsters and go out if it meant the 1st team were fit and no suspensions going into the City game, which is a more important, it would be nice to get to a final but the league should be our ultimate goal, especailly given Citys recent slip ups.

City have 1 game before we play them on 31st January, we have 3 so the league cup and FA cup are distractions more than anything for me.

Milkers

The big worry for Liverpool is if both teams play at their best Chelsea will win easily. This run of results for Liverpool has seen a marked improvement in performance but still nothing special.

OwaynOTT

GavRedKing wrote: »

I'd happily play the youngsters and go out if it meant the 1st team were fit and no suspensions going into the City game, which is a more important, it would be nice to get to a final but the league should be our ultimate goal, especailly given Citys recent slip ups.

City have 1 game before we play them on 31st January, we have 3 so the league cup and FA cup are distractions more than anything for me.

The league is there for Chelsea to throw away.
I wouldn't be worried about City if I was a Chelsea fan.
Arsenal showed at the weekend that City can be stifled and Chelsea themselves really blunted their attack last year in Manchester.
If there's any manager in the league that can ensure his team wont concede, its Chelsea and that's all ye have to do against City on the 31st.
Do that and continue to do what ye are doing so far and the league is in the bag, unless ye throw it away like last year.
With the squad ye have, ye should be expecting to win this tie, whether all the 1st team plays or not and to say otherwise is only so ye can say that ye weren't bothered in the first place when the tie is lost.

5starpool

Chelsea making 6-8 changes is still probably stronger on paper than Liverpool's first XI truth be told. It doesn't mean there is no chance, but I reckon Liverpool have about a 30% chance of getting to the final overall.

OwaynOTT

5starpool wrote: »

Chelsea making 6-8 changes is still probably stronger on paper than Liverpool's first XI truth be told. It doesn't mean there is no chance, but I reckon Liverpool have about a 30% chance of getting to the final overall.

Exactly, so Chelsea should be expecting to win comfortably. I don't get this 'I don't mind if we lose' because of the City game that's nearly two weeks away.
Team like Chelsea should be expecting to win everything they are in and it's a failure if they don't.
I hope Ivanovic plays tonight, always like watching him play.

GavRedKing

I dont think we'll make 6 or 8 changes I reckon there wont be many from Saturdays game and the main changes will come in the Bradford game at the weekend.

Ideally I'd like to see

Cech
Ivan Cahill Zouma Luis
Matic Mikel
Schurrle Cesc Hazard
Costa

Thats three changes but Oscars form is good lately and Willian offers more defensively than Schurrle even though Schurrle is more of an attacking threat and I cant see Jose resting JT away at Anfield. I'd take a draw now anyway, set us up for a good return at the Bridge. Anything under a 3 goal Liverpool lead going to the Bridge and I'd be confident enough of turning it around.

GavRedKing

OwaynOTT wrote: »

Exactly, so Chelsea should be expecting to win comfortably. I don't get this 'I don't mind if we lose' because of the City game that's nearly two weeks away.
Team like Chelsea should be expecting to win everything they are in and it's a failure if they don't.
I hope Ivanovic plays tonight, always like watching him play.

Considering City are off for warm weather training over the next few days Id rather be in their position TBH.

dundalkfc10

If Chelsea dont win this comfortably over 2 legs il be shocked!

Not 1 Liverpool player would start for Chelsea!

dundalkfc10

GavRedKing wrote: »

Considering City are off for warm weather training over the next few days Id rather be in their position TBH.

You would rather your team was on a sunny training holiday than the semi final of a cup! This is further proof the modern football fan hasnt a clue!

niallo27

dundalkfc10 wrote: »

You would rather your team was on a sunny training holiday than the semi final of a cup! This is further proof the modern football fan hasnt a clue!

Priorities I suppose. When your in every competition you have to prioritise.

dundalkfc10

niallo27 wrote: »

Priorities I suppose. When your in every competition you have to prioritise.

Your squad is more than big enough to deal with 4 tournaments a season!

OwaynOTT

niallo27 wrote: »

Priorities I suppose. When your in every competition you have to prioritise.

With the squad Chelsea have and with only a few injuriy worries, they should be going all out to win this.

GavRedKing

dundalkfc10 wrote: »

You would rather your team was on a sunny training holiday than the semi final of a cup! This is further proof the modern football fan hasnt a clue!

Ya, I'd prefer our best players fit and available for a game we're we could go 8 points clear of our nearest title rivals over winning a semi final of the capital 1 cup.

Now, if we win it'll be a nice day out in Wembley but if its between a league cup trophy our the EPL its a no brainer. Of the 4 competitions we're in, this is at the bottom of the ladder in terms of importance.

noodler

Its nice only having the Bolton game sandwiched in between.

There is a real impetus to go for this as there are no real concerns about resting players for EPL games.

Hopefully it makes for a great game.

LFCFan

niallo27 wrote: »

Priorities I suppose. When your in every competition you have to prioritise.

Surely when you are in the semi final of a cup, the priority is making the final. Anything else is just pathetic :rolleyes:

GavRedKing

I'll put it in simple terms, if we win in the semi final and we lose one or two key playes through injury or suspension and lose to City and eventually lose the league but win the league cup, I dont think that is good enough personally.

If we play a weakened team and lose the tie but eventually win the league, nobody will care about the league cup in May.

dundalkfc10

GavRedKing wrote: »

I'll put it in simple terms, if we win in the semi final and we lose one or two key playes through injury or suspension and lose to City and eventually lose the league but win the league cup, I dont think that is good enough personally.

If we play a weakened team and lose the tie but eventually win the league, nobody will care about the league cup in May.

You want to rest your key players for Liverpool X2 and Bradford so you have a full squad to pick from for City

niallo27

LFCFan wrote: »

Surely when you are in the semi final of a cup, the priority is making the final. Anything else is just pathetic :rolleyes:

Course the priority is making the final. If I was a Chelsea fan I wouldn't mind the city game being the priority and rest players.

noodler

GavRedKing wrote: »

I'll put it in simple terms, if we win in the semi final and we lose one or two key playes through injury or suspension and lose to City and eventually lose the league but win the league cup, I dont think that is good enough personally.

If we play a weakened team and lose the tie but eventually win the league, nobody will care about the league cup in May.

What if you slipped on a bar of soap in the shower?

MY GOD, YOU'D BE KILLED!

dundalkfc10

noodler wrote: »

What if you slipped on a bar of soap in the shower?

MY GOD, YOU'D BE KILLED!

grumpymunster

Can't see too many changes for us from Saturday myself, Saturday against Bradford yea pretty much wholesale changes. Would agree with Gav our defence is wafer thin can't understand why at least one extra defender was not bought last summer. We have 3 full backs and 3 centre backs, currently one full back is injured so we now have 5 defenders to fill 4 spaces. Of course there is Christensen and the like but this and the City game is not a match for them just yet I think. For me 2 or 3 nil win tonight would be fine and dandy let us rest Haz, Cesc and Costa next week

SlickRic

Milkers wrote: »

The big worry for Liverpool is if both teams play at their best Chelsea will win easily.

I've never liked this kind of thinking; it's a bit of a myth if I'm honest when it comes to teams near the top. if both teams play their best, and are both set up well tactically, it'll be a stalemate.

Liverpool could stop Chelsea from playing, frustrate them, figure out a way to stop them playing well, and it wouldn't matter how well Chelsea are playing, if we nullify their threat and impose ourselves, we can get a result.

Let's take the City/Arsenal game at the weekend. City could have been in good form in that game. Silva, in fact, looked like his touch was superb, and Aguero, though not 100%, had potential openings. the problem is, Arsenal completely nullified them because they closed the spaces and made it impossible for them to get through, no matter how technically gifted some of their players were. Crosses were cleared, shots were blocked, possession was kept when needed, and there was no way through.

if Liverpool are set up in a tactically astute manner, they can get a result tonight.

if we worry about whether Chelsea are going to be brilliant tonight, we have no hope. we impose our will on them, and they can play as well as they want, they will struggle big-time.

grumpymunster

SlickRic wrote: »

I've never liked this kind of thinking; it's a bit of a myth if I'm honest when it comes to teams near the top. if both teams play their best, and are both set up well tactically, it'll be a stalemate.

Liverpool could stop Chelsea from playing, frustrate them, figure out a way to stop them playing well, and it wouldn't matter how well Chelsea are playing, if we nullify their threat and impose ourselves, we can get a result.

Let's take the City/Arsenal game at the weekend. City could have been in good form in that game. Silva, in fact, looked like his touch was superb, and Aguero, though not 100%, had potential openings. the problem is, Arsenal completely nullified them because they closed the spaces and made it impossible for them to get through, no matter how technically gifted some of their players were. Crosses were cleared, shots were blocked, possession was kept when needed, and there was no way through.

if Liverpool are set up in a tactically astute manner, they can get a result tonight.

if we worry about whether Chelsea are going to be brilliant tonight, we have no hope. we impose our will on them, and they can play as well as they want, they will struggle big-time.

You mean if they park the bus

GavRedKing

Rodgers hasnt beaten Chelsea yet, I reckon he'll change that tonight.

super_furry

Don't see anything other than a Chelsea win. They're looking like the Mourinho Chelsea of old and Liverpool's mini-revival has taken place against some pretty awful teams.

Iused2likebusts

dundalkfc10 wrote: »

If Chelsea dont win this comfortably over 2 legs il be shocked!

Not 1 Liverpool player would start for Chelsea!

We often read this type of stuff here . Not many players in the league would get in the chelsea team yet they dont manage to win every week.
Go through the arsenal, utd and spurs teams and you'll find only 1 or 2 of their players would start for chelsea aswell. Id have sterling starting over willian personally. I wouldnt class them as weaknesses but willian and cahill are the 2 players that are a level below the rest of that chelsea team.

GavRedKing

GavRedKing wrote: »

Rodgers hasnt beaten Chelsea yet, I reckon he'll change that tonight.

What are you basing that on?

I'm guessing it's just being modest and playing down your chances.

Liverpool are 13/5 for a reason. Great price if you think they'll win

I expect Chelsea to score 2+ goals tonight.

Liverpool have improved recently albeit against average opposition. The frailties still remain.
Ie, suspect defense, suspect keeper and no goalscorer.

5starpool

I think we'll perform fairly well tonight, but that doesn't mean we'll win. Very non-committal, but it'll be close, so only a goal in it either way or a draw. I don't expect either team to win fairly comfortably, although if any team does it'll be Chelsea.

Mourinho won't be parking any bus anyhow as he isn't facing a team in the same same form we were in last season (although improved lately) and we don't have Suarez and Sturridge.

GavRedKing

rarnes1 wrote: »

What are you basing that on?

I'm guessing it's just being modest and playing down your chances.

Liverpool are 13/5 for a reason. Great price if you think they'll win

I expect Chelsea to score 2+ goals tonight.

Liverpool have improved recently albeit against average opposition. The frailties still remain.
Ie, suspect defense, suspect keeper and no goalscorer.

I've put my free €2 bet on Liverpool winning, I'll be annoyed but I'll be up money.

Never under estimate a teams ability to improve and up their game when theyre the underdogs.

Rayne Wooney

Either by accident or sheer football genius of BRod Liverpool have played some decent stuff as of late (but against poor enough opposition to be fair)

Depends what team Chelsea put out, a strong one and I can't see them not scoring a few

grumpymunster

I have no idea of who this chap is and if he is reliable but here is his Liverpool team tonight

Mignolet – Emre Can, Škrtel, Sakho – Marković, Henderson, Lucas, Moreno – Gerrard, Coutinho – Sterling, if everything is ok with Gerrard.

http://sabotagetimes.com/reportage/leaked-liverpool-team-will-face-chelsea-tonight/

5starpool

Same lineup as was leaked last night. Going by recent evidence on the accuracy of the leaks and the general formation then that seems about right. The only change from the weekend is Gerrard back in for Borini, so Sterling will play up top again.

gafferino

5starpool wrote: »

Same lineup as was leaked last night. Going by recent evidence on the accuracy of the leaks and the general formation then that seems about right. The only change from the weekend is Gerrard back in for Borini, so Sterling will play up top again.

Has there been any leaks of the Chelsea team?

5starpool

Not that I've seen.

GavRedKing

gafferino wrote: »

Has there been any leaks of the Chelsea team?

The last leak I can remember was when we played Napoli under AVB and got trounced in Naples, although it wasnt really down to the team being leaked.

Story goes the team was written down on a piece of paper and thrown in a bin and found and released by an Italian journo who got his hands on it.

What I'd probably guess would be a strong team with minimal changes from Saturday.

Cech/Courtois
Ivan Cahill/Zouma JT Luis
Mikel Matic
Willian Oscar/Cesc Hazard/Schurrle
Costa/Drogba

Positions in bold are the most likely to be changed I'd imagine.

gafferino

GavRedKing wrote: »

The last leak I can remember was when we played Napoli under AVB and got trounced in Naples, although it wasnt really down to the team being leaked.

Story goes the team was written down on a piece of paper and thrown in a bin and found and released by an Italian journo who got his hands on it.

What I'd probably guess would be a strong team with minimal changes from Saturday.

Cech/Courtois
Ivan Cahill/Zouma JT Luis
Mikel Matic
Willian Oscar/Cesc Hazard/Schurrle
Costa/Drogba

Positions in bold are the most likely to be changed I'd imagine.

Whatever man we will beat any lineup you throw at us! :P:P

slingerz

Is Lallana still out injured?

marklazarcovic

spurs put 5 past Chelsea recently...they can have off days like every other team.. its not gonna b a cakewalk for Chelsea but they should go thru over 2 legs..ya never know tho

gafferino

slingerz wrote: »

Is Lallana still out injured?

He was on the bench on Saturday so he should be in and around the squad Id imagine. He wasnt expected back this early but made a quicker than expected recovery apparently.

gafferino

marklazarcovic wrote: »

spurs put 5 past Chelsea recently...they can have off days like every other team.. its not gonna b a cakewalk for Chelsea but they should go thru over 2 legs..ya never know tho

Ha yeah thats their quota of off days full for the season Id imagine.

GavRedKing

gafferino wrote: »

Whatever man we will beat any lineup you throw at us! :P:P

We dont travel to well so you never, no matter who we put out could have a poor game.

slingerz

Looking forward to this now this evening breaks up the week nicely!

niallo27

Liverpool have never lost a semi final at anfield. I can't see it happening tonight either.