Topic: Liverpool vs Chelsea - Pre-match thread

[Hazell]

Liverpool vs Chelsea - Saturday 25th November 2017 at 5.30pm at Anfield

vs

After a solid few weeks in which we’ve put together our best run in terms of results of the season, comes a match against a side who, like us, have been inconsistent this season but have looked better over their past few matches.

Chelsea

Chelsea have a had a mixed start, defeats and poor performances against the likes of Man City and Roma, compounded with losses against sides like Burnley and Palace has meant their season hasn’t been as successful so far as they might have hoped, especially given that Conte won the league in his first season in charge. That said, their last couple of games against Man Utd and West Brom have seen an upturn in results. Unsurprisingly, these victories have coincided with their best players in Kante and Hazard returning after spells out. Their last match was a 4-0 thumping at West Brom although how much of that was down to Pulis' side's incompetence I'm not sure, I was too busy watching the Mohamed Salah show against Southampton.

Their transfer business in the summer has also been a bit of mixed bag, Morata's been a success and like Kante and Hazard, is also turning into one of their most important players. He’s come in and replaced Costa, done very well, scored goals and not brought any of the drama that Costa brings. Their other summer signings in Rudiger and Zappacosta haven’t fared so well. Ruidger hasn’t really made them that much stronger, although rumours are he’s now agreed to see self help guru Brad Goodman for some help with the mental side of things. And Zappacosta’s only recently been starting for them so. Still, it's early days for new signings - they can't all be Salahs. Ruidger and Zappacosta notwithstanding, they’re still a side with some outstanding players and we’ll have to play well to win, I don’t think anyone’s under any illusions about that.

Liverpool

As for us, well, we’ve been criticised a lot this season, some of it deserved, some not in my opinion but either way, it’s nice to write about us when we’re playing well and winning matches. Coutinho, Mane, Salah, Firmino and Sturridge are all now available, our midfield’s just gotten stronger with Lallana coming back, we’ve promoted two young players in Gomez and Alexander-Arnold who don’t look out of place in the first team and Moreno? He’s been excellent this season and is rightly first choice left back, I’m not sure many foresaw that in the summer and it’s credit to him that he’s done so. And we've won our past four matches but three goals. So yeah, things have been much better recently and these past few games have been relatively comfortable* so more of that on Saturday would be nice.

Past meetings

2012/2013 - 2-2
2013/2014 - 0-2
2014/2015 - 1-2
2015/2016 - 1-1
2016/2017 - 1-1

Since the Rafa days, this fixture hasn’t been as memorable (2013/2014 aside, unfortunately for us, for all the wrong reasons) and there hasn’t been anything hugely impressive for us at Anfield against these in a while. I would argue that the game in December 2010 under Hodgson (don’t laugh) is one of the best since 2010, probably due to the unexpectedness of the performance and result. Though those two charlatans had recently departed, we were still a mess on the pitch and went into the match not expecting much. But Torres, on the cusp of his transformation from goalscoring superstar to anything but produced a dazzling display, first collecting Kuyt’s pass to score early on and then receiving the ball on the left hand side of the box, shifting it onto his right and curling a superb strike into the far corner, leaving Cech flat footed. One of the best non epic swindle moments in an awful year.

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3icndhuQ4kY" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="bbc_link bbc_flash_disabled new_win">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3icndhuQ4kY</a>

Last season’s match finished 1-1, Hazard’s dive leading to Luiz’s fine free kick but Wijnaldum’s header in the second half earned a point and arguably, we could have won it in the end too. But by the end of the season, we just about got fourth while Chelsea won the league.

Right now though, it’s a lot closer in terms of league positions of the sides and performances. Our home record’s been solid and I’m sure Conte won’t have his side come flying out of the traps at Anfield. As such, I think how the match goes depends on us to a huge extent. We might have to face another team that’s happy to defend and give us the ball, albeit one which is dangerous going the other way, something we didn't really experience against Huddersfield and Southampton. That said, here's to another 3-0 victory!

*Written after the Southampton game but before Sevilla, hopefully we’ll be high from qualifying for the knockout stages of the Champions League.

[Corkboy]

Good stuff, Hazell.

I find it hard to hate Chelsea as much these days. John Terry and Maureen were my main outlets for disgust, and they're both gone, as is Fat Fwank, the Alonso ankle breaker. Naturally, their odious fans and their creepy kleptocrat owner still make it easy to dislike them, but the old passion for detesting them has waned.

I would argue that the game in December 2010 under Hodgson (don’t laugh) is one of the best since 2010, probably due to the unexpectedness of the performance and result. Though those two charlatans had recently departed, we were still a mess on the pitch and went into the match not expecting much. But Torres, on the cusp of his transformation from goalscoring superstar to anything but produced a dazzling display, first collecting Kuyt’s pass to score early on and then receiving the ball on the left hand side of the box, shifting it onto his right and curling a superb strike into the far corner, leaving Cech flat footed.

That was a superb Kuyt ball for the first. I still think his second took a touch off Ivanovic....

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/v/3icndhuQ4kY" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="bbc_link bbc_flash_disabled new_win">https://www.youtube.com/v/3icndhuQ4kY</a>

[Titi Camara]

Nice OP, cheers

[deFacto please, you bastards]

Havent beaten them at Anfield in the league since 2012 I believe?

[Crosby Nick]

Havent beaten them at Anfield in the league since 2012 I believe?

That’s right, a 4-1 win but even that was a bit hollow given it was a few days after they had beaten us in the Cup Final.

Since then:
12/13 2-2 (Suarez bite game!)
13/14 can’t bring myself to refer to it
14/15 1-2 (Can scored early)
15/16 1-1 (late Benteke equaliser)
16/17 1-1

Their attackers seem to have found some form so this will be tough. Hazard the cheating prick always seems to be a handful against us. Hopefully Salah has a point to prove.

[Tony19:6]

If memory serves we were the better team last season going behind against the run of play.

Think the Elephant man also missed a penalty for them, which would have been a real smash and grab.

I confident we'll be hurting from that debacle against Sevilla and go on to win this.

[theredguy03]

Any win will do, a boring 1-0 or a crazy 5-4

[Kelvinlfc]

Salah will score, just hope we can keep Hazard in check and that'll be a lot down to who starts right back out of Trent or Gomez. Hopefully Matip is back as we need him as Klavan or Lovren against Morata is going to be a nightmare.   

[sms1986]

Think we’ll continue our good form regardless of the Sevilla result. Salah to score and continue his great form, hopefully with a hat trick.

[Kashinoda]

Couple of gems from here last season:

Here's my prediction.  Game starts, John Terry is.on the line in his full kit.  David Luiz gets caught doing keepy ups on the edge of his own penalty area and tries to decapitate bobby firmino with a spinning tornado kick.  Red card for Luiz, milner pen.  One nil.red men.  Two nil reds Chelsea lose possession firmino scores a deflected goal of his top knot while lying on the floor getting treatment for a sprained eyebrow.  Liverpool dominate but miss a shit load of chances.  Costa getting frustrated as fuck decides to go in the away end and take on Liverpool's fans.  Red card for Costa.  The FA ban him for one game despite the fact that he's eaten 3 Liverpool fans.  Firmino takes the piss out of Chelsea defence despite looking half asleep.  Chelsea pull a goal back as mignolet gets distracted chasing a butterfly.  Klopp loses his glasses as he goes ape shit on the line.  Second half a chav fan behind the dugout who doesn't even know there's a game on celebrates winning 10 grand on aa online poker game on his phone, John Terry joins him in the celebrations.  Firmino still taking the piss out of Chelsea defenders despite being asleep since half time.  Mane seals the three points in the last minute with a worldy and Klopp loses his spare gigs in the resulting piley on.  John Terry gets changed into a.liverpool kit and joins in the reds after match celebrations.  Klopp gives him a hug cos he can't see without his gigs on.  Thousands of Chav fans who've been at the opera all night phone the after match moan in on talkshte after bearing the score and demand that Conte is sacked and replaced by Albert Steptoe.  Melvin from Margate who's never been to.a.liverpool match in his life phones in and gives his tactical masterclas
s on how Klopp is so much better than Benitez.  That pretty much covers it, come on the redmen.

“Alright guvnors, show me what you got so far”
“Well at the moment  boss we just got Chelsea…”
“Nice one geezer, Bit short though init? How about we do a bit more like?”
“Alright yeah. We could maybe sing Chelsea again?”
“What would that sound like?”
“Well it would be something like Chelsea…Chelsea…”
“Nice one guv yeah. Still could do with some cushty improvements.”
“I know what you mean geezer.”
“Is there anything stopping us maybe singing Chelsea again for a third time?”
“Nothing at all mate. Yeah sounds good”.
“So what we got so far?”
“Well guv so far we got Chelsea…”
“Yeah then…”
“Chelsea…”
“Uh huh, yeah then”
“Chelsea”
“And all together that sounds like what mate?”
“Chelsea…Chelsea…Chelsea”
“That’s proper jubbly guv.”
“I like the way you’ve gone all up the notes like. Proper cushty that”
“Yeah I proper think it’s diamond as well, but maybe…”
“What geezer?”
“I dunno, sounds cushty, but what if we maybe sing Chelsea again?”
“Mon Dieu mate mon dieu!”
“Yeah and seeing as we already gone up the notes, maybe when we sing Chelsea again, we could proper go down the notes”
“Diamond!”
"So let me hear what that would sound like..”
“Chelsea…Chelsea….Chelsea…Chelsea”
“Sorted Guv”
“yeah maybe mate maybe.”
“What’s your grief geezer?”
“Hmmmm. It’s proper jubbly like but, well guv don’t want to push the boat race out too much, but maybe we could sing, well, err, sing Chelsea again?”
“Again?.”
“Yeah geez”
“Well, if we sing it again, what’s stopping us singing it again for a sixth time on top of that, you know, to proper make it really crystal what we’re trying to say guv?”
“Hold all the dogs and bones, that’s quality proper cushty diamond that. So altogether we got what then guv?
“Chelsea…”
“then…”
“Chelsea”
“then…”
“Chelsea”
“then…”
“Chelsea”
“then”
“Chelsea”
“then”
“Chelsea”
“………….”
“Really makes you use your loaf that”

[Alonso_The_Assassin]

If memory serves we were the better team last season going behind against the run of play.

Did our best to throw it away towards the end. Remember Henderson bailing out Dejan quite a few times.

In any case, it will be a tough game. Could go either way to be honest.

Really need to the crowd to step up and get behind the boys tomorrow.

[Qston]

Really tough game this. It seems Hazard is just hitting one of his purple patches which is always a worry - fabulous player when he is in the mood. I think it will be a close run thing. We are in decent form though - we haven`t lost for a while and are scoring plenty. They will be very wary of us. I suspect they will do what most teams do and sit back and soak up the pressure trying not to concede in the first 30 mins. On paper we have enough and I really hope Lallana gets some time on the pitch - he could be the key to unlocking their defence.

[RogerTheRed]

Come on Redmen!!
A few are mentioning Hazard and last weekend he did get fired up after getting kicked. Hope we casn keep him quiet and wonder if that is Can's role. Suspect Can and Henderson behind the fab four with Lallana ready to come on in sexcond half.
Milner likely I guess too. Glad Matip is back for this.

[Chris~]

Could probably do with rotating a few having basically kept the same side twice already this week but hard to see Klopp changing. Mario in if fit and maybe can for wijnaldum if there are any changes would be my guess.

[Sinyoro]

Could probably do with rotating a few having basically kept the same side twice already this week but hard to see Klopp changing. Mario in if fit and maybe can for wijnaldum if there are any changes would be my guess.

Klopp has a systematic way of playing that depends on choreographic movements, hence the accusation that he doesn’t have a plan B. Once he settles on particular players, you can bet that these are the players who best express the way he wants the team to function. It becomes quite difficult for other players to break in unless there are injuries or catastrophic errors over a period of time.

I expect very few, if any, changes for tomorrow

[QR350]

Hendo to score another belter like last year please. To make up for Tuesday.

[telekon]

Chelsea selling Matic is the worst piece of business in the league since Leicester couldn't keep a hold of Kante. For me, Matic is one of the best players in the league, he also seem to bring out the best in players around him. Chelsea's league chances pretty much went out the window when he left. And selling him to a rival? Idiotic bordering on bizarre.

Will be an interesting game. If our front three is up for it, we can get a good victory here.

[Crosby Nick]

Hendo to score another belter like last year please. To make up for Tuesday.

Without being a dick that was in the Away game last year. Gini headed an equaliser.

[killer-heels]

Its going to be a tough game as they have improved their form.

I think we can win but I would take a draw.

Maybe Lallana comes in for Mane?

[Klippity Klopp]

Hendo to score another belter like last year please. To make up for Tuesday.

The whole team need to score to make up for Tuesday? Come on!

[The Final Third]

Presser:

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/v/0-w9SKsFuUU" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="bbc_link bbc_flash_disabled new_win">https://www.youtube.com/v/0-w9SKsFuUU</a>

[4pool]

Referee: Michael Oliver
Assistants: Gary Beswick, Simon Bennett
Fourth official: Craig Pawson

[El Lobo]

Ruidger hasn’t really made them that much stronger, although rumours are he’s now agreed to see self help guru Brad Goodman for some help with the mental side of things.

I got that reference 

[So… Howard Philips]

Good stuff, Hazell.

I find it hard to hate Chelsea as much these days. John Terry and Maureen were my main outlets for disgust, and they're both gone, as is Fat Fwank, the Alonso ankle breaker. Naturally, their odious fans and their creepy kleptocrat owner still make it easy to dislike them, but the old passion for detesting them has waned.

Agree with your sentiments about the hatred. I think Mourinho and his snide, sour face had a lot to do with it. I couldn't even work up much emotion over Costa, who showed his true colours when he shit on them during the summer.

To be honest this is pretty much the perfect match to wash away any Seville hangover.

[sinnermichael]

Love how the press have Chelsea as favourites off the back of wins against dross like West Brom and Qarabag and our result in midweek. United didn't attack them at all. The last team to go at them were Watford and they cut them open at will and should have been 4 or 5-1 up.

[Chris~]

Klopp has a systematic way of playing that depends on choreographic movements, hence the accusation that he doesn’t have a plan B. Once he settles on particular players, you can bet that these are the players who best express the way he wants the team to function. It becomes quite difficult for other players to break in unless there are injuries or catastrophic errors over a period of time.

I expect very few, if any, changes for tomorrow

Don't care what the reasons are it needs to change were not going to suffer badly over the winter period for a 3rd year in a row.

[Wilmo]

Referee: Michael Oliver
Assistants: Gary Beswick, Simon Bennett
Fourth official: Craig Pawson

It shouldn't matter, but for me he's the best ref in the league.

I think we'll put in a mature performance here, carrying on from our recent league run. 3-1.

[Ciara (with a capital "C")]

I hope the night in Seville, instead of travelling straight back, serves us well. I thought our forward line looked so jaded in the second half on Tuesday, and all over we looked leggy and unable to cope with the Sevilla momentum.

I worry about this opposition, as I think they have qualities that we struggle against - they have a striker who is dangerous in the air, direct runners from the midfield and they just seem able to win when they need to. Conte is tactically brilliant and is a danger himself.

Really worried about this one.

Hope we get a response from the CL game midweek, and their travelling and playing a day later is present in their legs.

[sinnermichael]

Conte moaning about the fixture scheduling. Yawn.

[El Denzel Pepito]

Yup, my hatred for Chelsea has gone down a lot since Mourinho's days. A lot of their fans are fucking bellends, a higher majority than other clubs, but seeing this fixture on the list doesn't bring out the same emotions as it used to in the Rafa/Mourinho days. Saying that, they've had our number at Anfield for years now really, beat us in the cup final, beat us 0-2 at Anfield when a win would've meant we probably would have won the league (I don't believe the Palace result would've happened, had that game gone well for us). I guess I'm just not that excited about facing them anymore, since they've really halted our progress on many a occasion since our CL semis with them.

I don't think Klopp will rest any of Mane/Salah/Coutinho/Firmino. But at the same time, I think he'll pack the midfield as he did against United, or atleast go into the game with similar tactics. He won't want to concede first, since scoring 2-3 against a compact Chelsea defence is pretty hard work. Coutinho was dreadful midweek, but as long as he's fit, he starts for us. Just depends where. Think there's 0 chance of the below side featuring, but if I were the manager, I'd probably put a side like this out:

Mignolet

Arnold - Lovren - Matip - Moreno

Can - Wijnaldum

Firmino - - Coutinho

Salah - -  Mane

Subs: Karius, Klavan, Milner, Henderson, Lallana, Sturridge, Oxlade-Chamberlain.

Width coming from the full-backs, which also allows us to hopefully pen back Hazard and Pedro/Willian. Chose Trent over Gomez as I think he can provide better width and Gomez didn't seem so assured against Sevilla when he was targeted for parts of the game. Let Can and Wijnaldum protect the back four and if our full-backs go up to provide width, our defensive mids need to fall back and cover the space left. Put Firmino on Kante when we haven't got the ball. With Salah and Mane looking to break in narrower positions and attack their back three directly, rather than going up against their wingbacks. Coutinho to work in a free role behind those two. I think Firmino/Coutinho's press would be ideal behind Salah/Mane, although it's a bit unconventional of a system. Both of them have the ability to find a pass or create space for themselves and others. With Salah and Mane constantly on their back three, it means they would have to fall back, which hopefully gives the rest of the midfield more time and space too.

Think I've been playing too much FIFA, but that's the line-up I'd go with.

[SamAteTheRedAcid]

Could probably do with rotating a few having basically kept the same side twice already this week but hard to see Klopp changing. Mario in if fit and maybe can for wijnaldum if there are any changes would be my guess.

Fucking hell don't tell me Balotelli is back?

[AndyMuller]

We'll twat these 4-0.

[Ciara (with a capital "C")]

Chelsea selling Matic is the worst piece of business in the league since Leicester couldn't keep a hold of Kante. For me, Matic is one of the best players in the league, he also seem to bring out the best in players around him. Chelsea's league chances pretty much went out the window when he left. And selling him to a rival? Idiotic bordering on bizarre.

Will be an interesting game. If our front three is up for it, we can get a good victory here.

He was dreadful the season before last, 2015/2016, when Chelsea crumbled under Mourinho. He was seen as one of the weak links in that side by teams such as ourselves, who targeted him. He really struggled when anyone with a bit of pace ran at him and opposition teams flooded the midfield.

I wasn't massively surprised when Chelsea sold him. Think Kante brings a lot more - not exactly the same type of player, but I think he's a good player for someone like Mourinho, a player you play when you are playing not to lose, rather than playing to win. Whereas Kante is in the team to win. I don't believe Chelsea fans were massively unhappy when he left. I'm not sure he's the player you want in a progressive side, where you want mobility in there and legs.

He doesn't become one of the best midfielders in the League playing a handful of games in a Jose Mourinho side IMO. He suits their needs, but he isn't a player who would successfully transition to a City or Spurs side.

[Phil M]

              Mignolet

Arnold  Matip Klopp Moreno

   Can Wijnaldum Coutinho

   Salah   Firmino   Mane

[hassinator]

those plastic fuckers have done a great job of establishing the narrative:

we're going to be exhausted from fixture congestion.

also: isn't salah an amazing player?

definitely trying to take the sting out of it.

[Tony19:6]

Id like to see..

                Mignolet

Gomez Matip Lovren Robertson

               Can

Henderson     Coutinho

   Salah   Firmino   Mane


Despite some of the criticism I like Coutinho in MF but feel he needs someone stronger alongside him, which Henderson (again despite the criticism on Tue) clearly is..

Im confident there will be a positive reaction to Tue night and think we'll win this one.

[Gerry Attrick]

It'll probably be Mignolet, Gomez, Matip, Lovren, Moreno, Henderson, Can, Coutinho, Mane, Salah and Firmino. I'd replace Moreno with Robertson, play Can as the 6 and play Oxlade-Chamberlain instead of Coutinho.

[diegoLFC7]

With every top side in the league that we have played we have always taken possession. No one has ever taken the game to us, they just plow on our defensive mistakes. This game is the perfect game to knick an early goal, and let chelsea move the ball themselves. We got plenty of pace to expose them, and so do they. This game will be a good watch.

[Ciara (with a capital "C")]

I thought Can was missing?

[Funky_Gibbons]

I hope we play Lovren on the right and Matip on the left, Lovren has looked better that side and Matip has played LCB before.