User:Rhys2k7
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Ite am rhys i av made dis page because i must tell u 1 thing HULSE LOVES LINDO.....................................................................BOON IS GAY AND LIKES DOGS.................................................GIFF IS A TRAMP..................................AND ED IS FAT.......I agree EDD 2K7 Liverpool vs Chelsea
Background: Match of the day this one, as Chelsea travel to Liverpool all set to inflict a 'double' over Liverpool, having won the reverse fixture earlier in the season 1-0 thanks to a wonder goal from Ivory Coast international Didier Drogba. Michael Ballack was sent off in that game, but no matter how much Liverpool pushed the issue, they were unable to break the then resolute Chelsea defence made up of John Terry and Petr Cech. Dirk Kuyt hit the woodwork and Steven Gerrard shot straight at Petr Cech when put clean through as Liverpool failed to overcome Chelsea in the Premiership yet again. Liverpool have beaten Chelsea on numerous occasions... just not in the Premier League.
Reds' unstoppable at home: Liverpool's home form is superb, to say the least. Thus, they should not feel too intimated by the visit of the Champions. Liverpool have played 11 home League games this season, and they have yet to lose. They drew twice and won the other 9, scoring a total of 23 goals in the process, averaging more than 2 goals per game. But it is not their scoring record that is impressive - it is their defence. They have conceded just 3 goals from that 11 games, and it should prove a tough task for Drogba and co to find the net today.
Blues' goals drying up?: Chelsea's away record has been good, but not lately. Overall, they have won 7 from 11, drawing 2 and losing 2. It is rather surprising to see Chelsea netting only 17 times away from home this season, because with the players they have got, surely they are capable of so much more. Perhaps, it is Mourinho's reluctance to drop Ballack and Shevchenko, or perhaps their oppositions just tend to have good games when playing Chelsea - but truth is that, Chelsea do not score too many away from home, and Liverpool's defence at home is super tight... get the drift?
Reds' decent run: Liverpool thrashed Watford 3-0 away last time out, with goals from Peter Crouch and Craig Bellamy. Bellamy in particular was in breathtaking form, scoring and creating goals, and he should prove a handful today. Liverpool have now won their last 3 Premiership games, against Tottenham, Bolton and Watford, and they would love to make it 4 on the trot after today's game. Yes, Liverpool were crushed senseless by Arsenal, twice, but those were cup games, and as we all know, the Premiership is a different ball game altogether. That notion was proved last weekend when they got back to business with that convincing win over Watford.
Blues' woeful run: As for Chelsea, they played poorly against Wigan, but somehow managed to win big, 4-0 to be exact, and they must think they are back on track. Lampard scored from a lucky free kick that bounced into the net after eluding a crowd of players, Robben ran onto a poor back pass and slotted home, Chris Kirkland scored an own goal by deflecting Robben's cross into his own net... all 3 goals were flukes at best. Only Chelsea's last goal was of some class, and it is no surprise that Drogba got it thanks to an equally impressive cross from John Obi Mikel. Before that game, Chelsea drew 1-1, 0-0, 2-2 and 2-2 with Wycombe, Villa, Fulham and Reading respectively... and in between they beat lowly Macclesfield in the FA Cup, which didn't mean much to be honest. All I am saying here, is that Chelsea's form has not been great.
Benitez to utilise wings: Mark Gonzalez is back for Liverpool, but I doubt that will have any bearing on Benitez's team selection today. Benitez is likely to have Aurelio playing down the left wing, because he did ever so well against Watford. Pennant should get the nod to play on the right, because with Terry out (more on that in the Chelsea section below) of the side, it might be a smart idea to just pump the ball into the area, as Chelsea lack height in that department... and who better to pump those balls in than Pennant, who is one of the best crossers of the ball in the Premiership? In the middle, it is pretty straight forward - Xabi Alonso and Steven Gerrard. Gerrard is a big-game player, and boy oh boy would Benitez like a big game from him today.
Good covers back and front: At the back, Benitez is expected to drop either one of Agger, Hyypia and Carragher - my tip is that Agger is to be dropped, because in a big game like this, experience is key, and Hyypia and Carragher have those in abundance. On the left side of defence should see John Arne Riise reinstated, whereas on the right, it should be Finnan. Upfront is where Benitez would be having the most headache - he has the option of pairing Kuyt with Bellamy, Crouch with Bellamy, Crouch with Kuyt or Kuyt and Bellamy. My tip is the Kuyt and Bellamy combination, because even though Crouch scored 2 goals last weekend, Bellamy created both goals, and with Bellamy's speed, Chelsea would be troubled more, compared to Beanpole Crouch who just occasionally towers over defenders and heads straight at the keeper. Kuyt, to me, is a must-start, simply because he adds another dimension to Liverpool's game with his high work rate.
Defence-less when Terry-less: Chelsea, to me, are a team in trouble. First off, they are without John Terry - and we have all seen what that had done to the team. They drew 4 out of their last 6 games, and won 2, against minor oppositions (ie. Wigan and Macclesfield). We must all agree here that Liverpool are not Wigan, nor are they Macclesfield. With Terry out, Michael Essien fills in, and he is not as composed as the England international - not as composed by a long way, mind if I add. Mourinho must surely be missing Robert Huth and William Gallas now, who joined Middlesbrough and Arsenal respectively. So today, Chelsea's defence will look a bit like this - Carvalho and Essien at the heart of defence, Ferreira on the right and Ashley Cole on the left. Petr Cech may be back as well... a big 'may be' though.
Makalele out: In the middle, Claude Makalele is missing through suspension, so John Mikel Obi steps in to partner Ballack and Lampard. Whether or not Robben starts is up to Mourinho to decide, because at this stage, no one could predict who Mourinho is going to play. There has been a lot of talk lately that Roman Abramovich has been pressing for the inclusion of Andriy Shevchenko, and if that is the case, then Shevchenko will get the nod alongside Drogba. Salomon Kalou has not been delivering, albeit starting a few games lately, and I think he will be dropped. Robben has hit a rich vein of form... so who knows, Mourinho may decide to drop Robben down to the left hand side of midfield, so then Shevchenko can be squeezed into his plans... and the world is round again!
Reds to not lose: With so many uncertainties surrounding Mourinho's future and Chelsea's defence, I have to favour Liverpool for at least a draw here today. Yes, they had a little blip that saw them whooped 1-3 and 3-6 by Arsenal, but they proved to everyone that the manner of those defeats was blown out of proportions, as they never looked in trouble disposing of Watford. Chelsea, on the other hand, have had a bad run of results - and like mentioned earlier, the win against Wigan was not impressive at all. Unless Chelsea find a solution to the Terry-void in defence, they will continue to struggle, I believe. Liverpool are unbeaten at home this season in the Premier League, and I do not believe Chelsea have the quality at this stage to be the first team to inflict a defeat upon Liverpool at Anfield this season.
