Liverpool F.c Fans Zone

I hope this Gerrard gist is just mind games o !

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/l/liverpool/7356746.stm

jairzinho, no need to worry. those are just one of the ways the enemy-press try to bring us down. GERRARD IS THE SOUL OF LIVERPOOL FC.



CHELSEA ARE REALLY SCARED. ALL THEY WANT IS A DRAW, AND WE WONT GIVE THEM A DRAW, LAI LAI!

Let us see if Chelsea gets a draw when they come to the Abatoir(old trafford) next weekend. What a defeat it will be from manchester united. ha ha

YOU'LL NEVER WALK AGAIN!!!

Stop living on past glory.History and records are there to be broken.This time the second leg is at the Bridge for a change, and we will have nicked an away goal at your place. RICARDO CARVALHO WILL BE TOO GOOD FOR TORRES BCOZ HE IS NOT BENHAIM OR GALLAS OR TOURE.

               GO CHELSEA!!!!

Yeah !!!!

We're going to teach those mercenaries how to play football.

Up Liverpool !!!!

The managers
The Champions League final in Istanbul three years ago awarded Rafael Benítez cult status among Liverpool fans. Avram Grant on the other hand has not had an easy task since succeeding Jose Mourinho last autumn, but his initial claims that Chelsea would play more expansively than they did under his predecessor have simply not materialised.

Indeed, there has been a certain ponderous air about many of their victories. The comparison with Manchester United's attacking flair has been a little unfair however. After all, Wayne Rooney, Cristiano Ronaldo and Carlos Tevez were all acquired for plenty of outlay, and not developed at Old Trafford. But Benítez - more interesting to the media, more active on the touchline and more reasoned in his tactical awareness - holds the aces when comparisons are made. His European club achievements place the doleful Grant in the shade, with the Spaniard's deployment of a 4-2-3-1 formation looking to suit and best use Steven Gerrard as an attacking threat, while Javier Mascherano and Xabi Alonso hold the centre field.

Grant still has uncertainties to deal with at right-back, but has settled for Joe Cole, Didier Drogba and Salomon Kalou as his first-choice goal hopes while in midfield Michael Ballack has enjoyed a new lease of life under the media's whipping boy.

Liverpool 9 | Chelsea 7

The goalkeepers
Petr Cech and José Reina both boast massive presence and, surprisingly perhaps when one considers the constant changes in each team's back four, they have made for impressive, consistent last lines of defence. These are goalkeepers who can turn defence into attack in a trice by spotting a forward colleague who has space to run into.

Reina tends to throw, accurately and quickly, to give his forwards more chance to control as the ball arrives at a lower trajectory. Cech has a massive and hugely accurate kick, but both these players have the ability to strike the ball with a side-kick technique action which is more accurate than a full volley. Cech is more elastic and more comfortable as a catcher, while Reina has great body strength for blocking shots and is brave.

Jan Richter, then general manager of Slavia Prague, recommended Cech to Spurs when he was 18, telling me he was the best young goalkeeper in the world. Tottenham did not act and, after an eventual move to Rennes where he was scouted again, we received an adverse report from our goalkeeping coach and did not follow up our interest. A sad day.

Liverpool 8 | Chelsea 9.5

The defence
Sami Hyypia's best days may have gone after a fabulous contribution to the club over the years, but what he does well is guide the defence. He is the controller-in-chief, ensuring that they stay solid

as a unit and follow the ball out of defence after clearances, catching lazy opposing forwards offside. Jamie Carragher, happier in the centre-back position, has a sizeable task in replicating the Finn's authority, but his support of the Slovakian Martin Skrtel has been crucial.

But while Benítez has put a back four together with an emphasis very firmly on the future, Chelsea's group has a more established and solid look - typified by the enduring excellence of John Terry and Ricardo Carvalho - and is laced with pace. Ashley Cole has not shown his Arsenal form at left-back but is still quick on the turn and possesses good balance.

Dirk Kuyt might present a problem to Chelsea coming blindside for headers, but he will not beat Cole for speed. In the absence of the suspended Michael Essien, at right-back either Paulo Ferreira or Juliano Belletti must contribute a performance - both, after all, are past European Cup winners, with Porto and Barcelona respectively. The visitors will want to go home without conceding more than one goal. They have the personnel in their back line to achieve that.

Liverpool 8 | Chelsea 9

The midfield
Benítez has taken a season to arrange his midfield group in a way which best complements his side's attacking talents. Javier Mascherano and Xabi Alonso provide a holding base to protect central defence and lock down the centre of the field and with Steven Gerrard at the head of the midfield trio, they form a formidable group to penetrate centrally.

The Argentinian has the bite, Alonso the calm head and Gerrard the acceleration to unsettle opponents. Benítez sets them out so the opposition are forced out wide. If they succeed in achieving that, the theory goes that any crosses can be dealt with and shooting opportunities can be duly restricted.

Grant will hope that Michael Ballack is fit to play alongside Frank Lampard and the reliable Claude Makelele. Lampard has to be covered closely by Mascherano as he starts deep at times and continues his run beyond Didier Drogba. Ballack, too, offers a potent goal threat. Outstanding in the air, the Germany midfielder will need to receive tight attention on set-plays in particular, although Liverpool's formidable midfield cage will be hard to break down.

Liverpool 8 | Chelsea 8

The attack
Both managers have rotated during the season, though both favour three spread across the front - two wide men coming in to support a lone front forward. The strategy demands that the wide forwards curtail the attacking movements of the opposing full-backs but, when possession is gained, provide good support in-field as well as attacking wide.

Some players are better suited to the tactic than others. Dirk Kuyt has more to his game than Jermaine Pennant or the sinewy Yossi Benayoun, while Ryan Babel's dribbling and speed will ensure he improves beyond his first season in English football.

Both sides boast outstanding front men. The in-form Fernando Torres is young, a darter of a player blessed with wonderful pace and an eye for a chance. For Chelsea Didier Drogba - brooding, powerful, forceful and stronger when holding up the ball - is also a natural goalscorer. It has taken both Grant and Benítez a season to understand which of their players suits their best combination.

Liverpool 8 | Chelsea 9

Liverpool 41/50 | Chelsea 42.5/50

http://blogs.guardian.co.uk/sport/2008/04/22/david_pleats_big_match_analysi.html

On d green grass we shall win
On d green grass we shall win
On d green grass
On d green grass
On d green grass we shall win 

Go liverpool, kick chelseas butt 
so man utd can kick urs in Final 

goallllllllllll ;d

?

Babel just went close !

Losers! I told you that Anfield will be slippery for you guys and YOU WILL NEVER WALK AGAIN!

Bluemugus,
Yes Riise disappointed us ,when it mattered most.

But Chelsea are our perennial whipping boys,

My friends have no fear. !!!

While I'll admit I was thoroughly dissappointed by the result, I believe we still stand a good chance of beating chelsea at the SB. In Europe, our away form in recent times seems very good. Its time for the boys to show what they are worth + won't it make eliminating Chelsea more of a thrill?


YNWA