------------------------------------------------------ please log in to view this image V please log in to view this image Season greetings ladies and gents. Liverpool look to bounce back from an unlucky defeat away to Manchester City by doing something no team has done, beat a Mourinho Chelsea team at Stamford Bridge in the PL. Liverpool go in to this one sitting in fourth place, after an encouraging display against Manchester City and arguably deserved at least a point at the Etihad. Liverpool took an early lead through a Phillipe Coutinho goal early in the first half after neat play by Raheem Sterling taking it around the keeper, for the Brazilian then to fire home from a tight angle. Man City fought back, levelling things from a Kompany header directly from a corner. On the stroke of half time Negredo put City ahead after going through on goal, which ultimately proved to be the winner. Chelsea on the other hand sit second in the table boasting a very good home record. Mourinho's men haven't performed to their full potential yet this season, but as their placing in the table indicates they are very good at getting the results when perhaps they're not at their best. They go in to this game on the back of a comfortable win against Swansea, while also getting a good point away to Arsenal the previous week. The Blues have an incredible record at home under Mourinho, in the PL they have not lost a single game (though were seconds from losing against West Brom earlier in the season). Liverpool, though, were the team to break their incredible home record last time out courtesy of a Xabi Alonso goal in 2008, Chelsea were managed by Scolari on the day. One of the key stories for both teams has been the options up front, both for contrasting reasons. Luis Suarez and Daniel Sturridge have been in fine form since the season started, but since his return Luis Suarez is setting records by the week thogh some encouragement for Chelsea fans is that City's defence were able to stop him from scoring last week, but the man will always be a danger. On the other hand, Chelsea's options (or lack of) upfront has left the Chelsea faithful a tad disgruntled, Torres, Eto'o and Ba with 5 PL goals to their name this season. please log in to view this image Date and kick-off: Sunday, 29th December. 16:00 GMT Venue: Stamford Bridge Links: To be added one hour before kick-off Previous two meetings - Liverpool (Sturridge, Suarez) 2 - 2 Chelsea (Oscar, Hazard' pen.) Chelsea (Terry) 1 - 1 Liverpool (Suarez) ----------------------------------------------------Injury news Chelsea: Ramires Knock Bertrand Knock M Van Ginkel ACL Liverpool: S Gerrard Hamstring Injury D Sturridge Ankle/Foot Injury J Enrique Knee Injury S Coates ACL Knee Injury J Flanagan Hamstring injury please log in to view this image ----------------------------------------------------Team News Chelsea: To be added one hour before kick-off Liverpool: To be added one hour before kick-off -~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ please log in to view this image Have a good one lads.
Despite outplaying city for large periods of the game, I think the guys will be a bit down. Add to that an undefeated chav side under jose at the bridge. The chavs are possibly one of the most boring teams to watch, so I see a bore draw or narrow defeat. We need to recover well in January.
OptaJoe‏@OptaJoe3m 9 - Philippe Coutinho has attempted more through balls (9) than nine entire Premier League teams this season. Precision. #fact
I'm optimistic. If we play like we did at city we should be good enough to take away at least one point.
IF Rodgers can keep up the positive spirits despite the loss, this is another game we could come away with points from. If the lads are too busy licking their wounds, Chavski will shut up shop and defend.
Well they had the day off ( apart from probably recovery stuff: Ice baths, Stim machines, yoga, streatches, etc) so hopefully they will be rejuvenated.
I agree the chavs will set out to defend and be difficult to break down, we will have to keep our shape and take any opportunities.
It will be very difficult and they have a lot of midfilders who can cause us problems. Not too sure how we will react to the City game. We need at least a point really. I'll be positive and go 1-2 Pool.
Can't see anything but a Liverpool win, think Suarez,Striling and Countinho will pull Terry and Co all over the place. Lucas and Allen will look to stamp out the midfield threat Chelsea obviously carry. But from what i've seen of Chelsea they are very one paced, slow,slow and slow in the way they play. They don't seem to be able to get in behind teams. Liverpool to win 0-2
This is a totally different game. City was far more of a shoot-out. This game is more about who blinks first. For us I think this will be the more difficult of the two games. Maureen and his crew will expect us to play the same way as we did against City. Their hopes will rest upon our attacks foundering on their strong back 4 and fast counter-attacks. If we give them their way they will win quite easily. I'd love to see Brendan ring the changes - not necessarily in personnel but in style. Leave Suarez on his own and pack the midfield. Stop the thrusting Hazard runs and you take a hell of a lot out of Chelsea. This might be just the game to rest Sterling (his pace might just prove instrumental later in the game) and play Alberto.
Agree with this, but i thought we where brilliant on the counter attack at Citeh. Do you think Alberto is ready to start?
If we are looking to bottle up the midfield rather than looking for killer balls then I would hope that Alberto could do a good job for us. Chelsea are playing in the same way that Forest did under Clough. We kept losing until we learnt to merely kick the ball along the halfway line and make them come out to us. With Chelsea make them play in the midfield and swamp them! So, as a body in midfield - yes Alberto can play as we aren't asking anything of him but to fill space.
http://www.liverpoolfc.com/news/latest-news/152080-rodgers-they-have-strength-in-depth Brendan Rodgers has pinpointed the one game this season which emphasised the sheer strength of Chelsea's squad ahead of the Reds' trip to Stamford Bridge on Sunday. It came on October 29, 2013, against Arsenal at the Emirates in the Capital One Cup, when Jose Mourinho dismantled his starting XI and sent out a makeshift side in its place. Chelsea were convincing 2-0 winners at the home of the league leaders, with Cesar Azpilicueta and Juan Mata finding the net to help demonstrate the wealth of quality that exists within their ranks. And with a hectic Christmas schedule already in full swing, Rodgers believes such depth will allow Mourinho's men to be at full strength for tomorrow's showpiece clash. "Chelsea have a lot of quality," he told reporters gathered at Melwood. "They are a club that over the last 10 years has been up there as one of the most successful in the country and in Europe. "How they've been building up that squad and that team and how they've changed it has been remarkable really. "I think we saw it earlier on in the season, when they changed the team for the cup game against Arsenal. It was a totally different XI, but it was a really good performance which got them a result there. "So it shows you the strength of the club that they can do that. But they've got a host of talented players and a world-class manager. So we understand how difficult it'll be." Rodgers will lock horns with Mourinho for the first time as a manager tomorrow afternoon, having worked under the guidance of the former Porto, Inter Milan and Real Madrid boss during his time at Chelsea's Academy. The pair first crossed paths shortly after the Portuguese was appointed at Stamford Bridge in 2004 - and Rodgers believes the meeting had a hugely profound effect on his career. "I probably wouldn't be sat here today if it wasn't for him," admitted the Northern Irishman. "When I speak and hear about Jose, it's first and foremost as a friend. "From the first time I met him, one evening in September 2004, he had come into the club earlier that summer, and when I was invited to speak to him about my role, we hit it off straight away. "From that moment in time he gave me the self-esteem and the confidence that has prepared me greatly for the role that I am in today. I've been fortunate enough to work with a lot of good people in football and I've learned a lot from many people, but the one thing I got from Jose was the details. "I described him at the time as the best day-to-day organiser in world football and I was very fortunate to have worked with someone of that calibre for just over three years. I really learned from him. "He probably didn't know it, but I used to stand at the back of press conferences for a couple of years to see how he dealt with media." Mourinho's side are currently one point clear of Liverpool in the Barclays Premier League table - and Chelsea have dropped just two points in front of their own supporters all season. However, unlike Manchester City, who have been formidable at the Etihad, plundering 37 goals in nine games, Chelsea have endured some close-fought encounters in the capital. Reporters put it to Rodgers that there was room for improvement at the Bridge, but the manager offered a pragmatic response. "They are getting the results and that's all that will concern Jose and the supporters," said Rodgers. "I think every team will always look to improve their performance level and with Jose coming into a new group of players, it will have taken him a wee bit of time to understand the method of how they work. "But they're picking up results, they've got world-class players and a talented squad. They're up there in that top four, where they will expect to be."
1. moses is a chump. why did we put him on in any games recently.. 2. why is alberto given zero chance and now we are with no midfield options and not wing option as he's untired. fine if he's muck but we don;t know yet. we can geuss mind. 3. when aspas returned (i think he is muck) he got zero pitch time to get any go even when the awful moses came on and we were beating lesser sides... result.. cameo v city where he might have touched it... once? now he is the only sub for chelsea. In short we all know we are short of options but all 3 above are summer signings in one form or another... mistakes? yup.
