Text here to move the logo across. please log in to view this image please log in to view this image Hello and welcome to the official match thread for Sunday’s Barclays Premier League encounter between Chelsea & Liverpool. The game is to be played on Sunday 11th November 2012 at Stamford Bridge with a kick-off time of 4PM. Sky Sports One will be showing the game and BBC Radio Five Live will have the radio rights to the game. Preview. The Barclays Premier League is in the 11th gameweek of the 2012/2013 season and after another entertaining Saturday afternoon of football, we turn our attentions to Sunday and the 4PM kick-off between Chelsea & Liverpool. Chelsea sit 2nd in the Premier League after an impressive start to the season. 23 points from 10 games is an impressive return for Roberto Di Matteo’s side despite picking up just the one point from the last two Premier League games. In fairness, those games were a home tie with Manchester United and an away tie with Swansea City. Those were difficult games so that won’t be a massive concern for Chelsea. Still a concern but not a massive concern... However, they will be looking to get back on track and collect the three points to move within one point of Manchester United who produced another excellent comeback to win 3-2 at Aston Villa. If Chelsea are to collect the three points today, they will need to continue the excellent attacking play they have produced. So far this season, it’s been a case of ‘We’ll score more than you’ with Chelsea’s attacking play of a high quality but they are conceding goals at the back. This makes for some great games of football (See Chelsea’s last 4 games which have seen 21 goals) but Di Matteo will be concerned with the defensive side of Chelsea’s game. This factor could be rectified somewhat tomorrow because Chelsea captain John Terry is available again after completing his four-match domestic ban. Di Matteo has said that no player is guaranteed a first-team slot after a question from a journalist about Terry but the Chelsea captain is still an important player for Chelsea and I believe we shall see Terry returned to the starting line-up for today’s game. I have already mentioned Chelsea’s attacking play and once you look at the attacking players, you can see why they’ve done so well in that sense this season. With a front four like this... Mata – Oscar – Hazard ..........Torres ... You can see why they’ve done so well in an attacking sense and this would give off the impression that there are goals in that side. Some of the focus will be on the front man of that attacking four. The ex-Liverpool striker Fernando Torres will be expected to lead the line and will be looking to get a goal against the club he left in January 2011. It’s been a slightly mixed season for the Spanish striker so far. Some of his performances haven’t been what he or Chelsea would have wanted but he is their top scorer with 7 goals (4 in the league) so he has the ability to get an all important goal. Whether he does or not is a different matter... The three behind him certainly have the ability to get goals and create goals. All three have been in good form this season with all three showing the Premier League why they are so highly rated and why Chelsea were prepared to invest serious into them. The away side, Liverpool, will have to find a way to stop them. Liverpool have had a mixed start to the season. 13th in the table isn’t what Brendan Rodgers would have wanted and it’s been a case of one step forward, one step back so far. The ex-Chelsea coach has been working hard to implement the style he wants and regular watchers of Liverpool will see that slowly but surely, you can see it being brought into the side. Goalscoring has been the big problem. Just 13 chances have been put away so far this season and this has significantly contributed to Liverpool’s early-season issues. The lack of senior strikers (Two on the books and one currently fit) haven’t helped this goalscoring issue and this means that there is a reliance on Luis Suarez to get the goals. Despite the lowly league position, there are some positives for Liverpool to take into today’s game. Liverpool are on a five-game unbeaten run in the league since a 2-1 defeat at home to Manchester United and that resilience will please Rodgers. In those five games, Rodgers & Liverpool could argue that they could and maybe should have taken a few more points but 9 points from 15 is what they got. Liverpool also have players returning from injury and that will be a big boost to their chances. Goalkeeper Pepe Reina will have a late fitness test and could return to take the ‘keeper slot back from the Austrailian international Brad Jones. Ex-Chelsea right-back Glen Johnson is also expected to get some game time for Liverpool as he has recovered from a muscle spasm and is now fully fit. The full-back was a vital player for Liverpool in this fixture last season as he got a late winning goal when Liverpool left Stamford Bridge with a 2-1 victory. Johnson has also performed well for Liverpool this season so his return will be a welcome boost for everyone. So, an intriguing game in prospect! Can Roberto Di Matteo collect the three points to keep the pressure on Manchester United? Can Brendan Rodgers kickstart an inconsistent Liverpool side with the three points at one of his former clubs? You’ll find out all of this, and more, on the official match thread on the Not606 Liverpool board! Injury/Suspension News. Chelsea. Ashley Cole: Hamstring Injury. Frank Lampard: Calf Injury. Liverpool. Lucas Leiva: Thigh Injury. Martin Kelly: ACL Knee Injury. Fabio Borini: Foot Injury. Pepe Reina: Hamstring Injury.* *Indicates player will have a late fitness test and could be available for today’s game. Chelsea 1 - 1 Liverpool Goalscorers: Chelsea... John Terry: 20th minute. Liverpool... Luis Suarez: 73rd minute. Chelsea: Cech - Azpilicueta Ivanovic Cahill Bertrand - Mikel Ramires - Mata Hazard Moses - Sturridge SUBS: Turnbull Ferreira Terry Romeu Marin Oscar Torres - Chelsea Substitution: John Terry comes off to be replaced by Gary Cahill. (39th minute) Chelsea Substitution: Oscar comes off to be replaced by Victor Moses. (77th minute) Chelsea Substitution: Fernando Torres comes off to be replaced by Daniel Sturridge. (82nd minute) - Liverpool: Jones - Wisdom Carragher Agger - Johnson Suso Gerrard Allen Enrique - Sterling - Suarez SUBS: Gulacsi Coates Henderson Sahin Downing Assaidi Cole - Liverpool Substitution: Nuri Sahin comes off to be replaced by Suso. (60th minute) - YNWA.
Great thread as usual, Chris. Interesting game in prospect. I've predicted a large Chelsea win, but I'm hoping my prediction is dead wrong. A win would be brilliant for us. If Suarez and our defense have a blinder we could conceivably get a result, but it looks unlikely. Here's to a good game and hopefully a victory. COYR!
please log in to view this image please log in to view this image please log in to view this image please log in to view this image
Before our decline, I would have gone as far as to say ( especially during the rafa era) that Chelsea were our biggest rivals. We played them at leat 6 times a year it seemed!!
Hearing Skrtel has a virus and is out but Pepe and Jonno are back Reina. Jonno Wisdom Carra Agger Jose. Allen Sahin Gerrard.Sterling Suarez.Apparently we are playin with wing backs
Tough fixture for anyone at present, Chelsea look capable of scoring plenty of goals against anyone with the midfield 3 of Oscar, Mata & Hazard as good as it gets in the EPL. Whilst your record there is good, I can't see beyond a home win today.
Going for a draw and hoping for a good performance. We have generally played well all season (when using senior players!) but our lack of regular goal scorers is terribly evident. I like pretty football but prefer to win
3:03am Chris? That's dedication for you... I'd like to see us play 3 at the back. I think Coates will be gagging to make up for his mistakes against the Russian Chelsea.
If we play with wingbacks today we will get cricified! It will turn into a 541 system with an invite to apply constant pressure. We need to play our normal system and make sure when we have possession, we maintain it! Reina Johnson Coates Agger Enrique Gerrard Allen Sahin Suso Suarez Sterling PS: @ Chris, not got the time this morning
I agree, I think if BR changes the style we have been playing it will be the first sign that he losing faith in it. 4-3-3 all the way, let's get at them!
Gerrez - you looked a lot more secure with 3 CB's in the second half of the derby, so maybe he's going to set you up to be more solid & look to hit them on the counter, as they'll be vunerable to pace on the break with Terry back today......
Absolutely. Teams have already shown that Chelsea are suspect if you attack them. Sitting back will be playing into their hands, 541 will result in us sitting back.
