So here we are again, the third semi-final meeting of Liverpool and Chelsea in the UEFA Champions League in the past four seasons. Liverpool and Rafa Benitez won in 2005 and 2007. Can Avram Grant succeed where Jose Mourinho failed and take Chelsea to the UEFA Champions League Final for the first time in their history?
I’m pretty sure the first game tonight at Anfield will be a very tight and cagey affair with the strong possibility of both sets of players cancelling each other out. I only hope it doesn’t stagnate the game and will be hoping for an early goal to keep the game alive.
There are some great individual battles to look forward to, not least the pitbull terriers John Terry against the slinky skilled Fernando Torres and Javier Mascherano against Frank Lampard; and it’s a shame that Michael Essien will miss the first leg because of suspension following a needless yellow card in the quarter final for decent, as he too isn’t shy of a hard tackle or too.
Daniel Agger played well against Didier Drogba in thier previous encounter. But with Agger not fit to play I wonder if Jamie Carragher will play in the central defence and not right-back to take care of Chelsea’s biggest threat.
I think it will be a tight game and predict a 1-1 draw, Joe Cole and Fernando Torres to score. If you fancy a bet, roll over the banner at the top of the page to see the latest odds.
As for Liverpool, Steven Gerrard has been playing exceptionally well in a more advance midfied role supporting Fernando Torres. It is my prediction that Chelsea will look to the experience of Claude Makele to keep Gerrard quiet.
I think it will be a tight game and predict a 1-1 draw. If you fancy a bet, roll over the banner below to see the latest odds.
2 comments so far
1 Football Betting King // Apr 22, 2008 at 12:24 pm
The prospect of Liverpool v Chelsea may not whet a neutral’s appetite, but for fans of the teams involved they should be something exceptional; a thing to savoured.
Obviously any Champions League semi would get us excited. What is so special about Chelsea-Liverpool?
For me, it is knowing we are squared off against a team built and crafted with meticulate precision. Grant may now call the shots, but Chelsea very much remain Mourinho’s team.
And Mourinho, for all his detestable character traits, among all managers has a tactical philosophy that most closely resembles Rafa’s. That means his creation resemble the closest that we will see to Rafa managing against himself (or Mourinho against himself).
And so we await a tactical showdown of the highest order. Truly, Liverpool-Chelsea is a game that turns on the “smallest details”, no? That is how it should be at this point of this competition. That’s why Rafa’s building his team the way he is; it’s why Mourinho built his team as he did.
Rafa said something that echoes these thoughts in the press conference,
“People always like a 5-5 draw. For a manager, if you concede five goals, something is wrong. In terms of the manager, [the previous Liverpool-Chelsea meetings] were good games.”
2 Tom // Apr 23, 2008 at 2:48 am
1-1!
I was an incredible match!