somze:

My point exactly, we can not afford to waste millions on otherwise cheaper players.

Who else would buy them at that outrageous price?

nateevs:


1. Playmakers never came to the premiership, hence why you think it's never worked.

2. These players are not wingers. They are rather players that can adapt to the wings because they are good. These players can adpat on the flanks of a 4-3-3 system and that does not make them wingers. Messi was play maker for the You-21 team and there's no 4-3-3 play in Argentina so no wing play for Messi as u suggest.

3. Chimbonda. My goodness we made a signing this summer in Ivanovic this season and do not think we should look away from that policy.

4. Kalou. he will gorw. I believe that.

5. There are some other issues you have not solved. Anelka can't head. So what's the use of good wingers when or strikers can't jump? Who takes free kicks? Corner kicks? That's why the team you've chosen is good but defective of two world class personalities. For me, Klass Huntelaar and Diego.

Ibime:

They better take Petr Cech off and bring Cudicini on if we get to penalties.

bluehorizo:

Liverpool goalkeeper Jose Reina has confessed he is preparing for penalties ahead of Wednesday night’s Champions League semi-final second leg with Chelsea.

nateevs:

1. The play maker role is far going extint? I really will not want to believe that. In the premiership, it is non-existent. in the spanish league however, it is the bomb. you have in barca alone 4 players that can play the role. Deco, Iniesta, Xavi and Dinho. Real have Sneijder. I don't think it is a wise idea in football to have a play maker be a winger. A play maker is meant to operate and make play function. The offensive link between the defence and the attack. The wing makes it too narrow to operate from as everything is predictible.

We best prepare for penalties too

dayokanu:

I used to know one Dudu is CSKA moscow who could play good too.

Grant defends Drogba following Rafa jibe

Chelsea boss Avram Grant insists star striker Didier Drogba is not a cheat and accused Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez of playing mind games ahead of their return Champions League semi-final at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday night.

Benitez claims to have compiled a four-year dossier of Drogba's 'diving' antics and the striker came in for more criticism following the 1-1 first-leg draw at Anfield.

But Grant is adamant Drogba is not a diver and claims the Liverpool boss was trying to influence the officials ahead of their crucial return leg.

'I don't think he is a diver at all,' insisted Grant.

'He's a good player. He's a powerful player, so the referee needs to look at what happens to him more.

'If you look at the video and see what Jamie Carragher did to him in the first game, you will see the referee was very polite.

'Because he looks so powerful, defenders think there are other ways to stop him.

'I will not speak about the players of Liverpool and what they do. I don't like it when others speak about mine.

'In the first half of the first game, the referee could easily have given a yellow card to Carragher to get him banned for this match.

'It could have been offside for Ryan Babel in the build-up to their goal, even if he was not involved in the goal. I think he (Benitez) is trying to take attention from this.

'Rafa can say whatever he wants to say. I say what I think. Ask him why he's saying that. I think the reason is clear. One way to stop him is to use power more than ever. I think he has tried to affect the referee so he does not do his job.'

While Liverpool had the relative luxury of resting players ahead of on Wednesday's game when they took on Birmingham at the weekend, Chelsea fought hard to overcome Premier League title rivals Manchester United on Saturday.

But the fact that some of Liverpool's players will be fresher than his does not bother the Israeli.

Liverpool have to score or they are out and Grant, in a veiled dig at the Merseysiders, says he was happier fighting for the title on Saturday instead of going through the motions.

'First, I'm very glad that we had a game that was important for us and we didn't need to rest players,' said Grant.

'Of course, it's sometimes an advantage, but I don't think it will disturb us when it comes to the game.

'On Saturday we wanted to show that we can play like champions. We wanted to do that. But this is another game, a Champions League semi-final. We want to do it in this game.

'We started the game really well in Liverpool and deserved one goal. Then they played well but, in the end, we showed good character and were better at the end. We scored in the last minute. You can say whatever you like but it is 1-1.

'The dream of everybody is the Champions League. This is the top. We've gone a long, long way. It has not been easy up to this game.

'The target is the Champions League, for sure. You cannot say it's more important than other competitions, but it's very important for the club and I'm here to sell the club.

'Chelsea wants to be a big club. When you want to be a big club, you need to win the Champions League. It's very important for the club to create history for Chelsea.'

Chelsea's England midfielder Frank Lampard played in the first leg at Anfield last Tuesday but missed the 2-1 win over United on Saturday after the death of his mother in between.

Lampard has since returned to training and is likely to be in the squad for the game but Grant will leave it to the player to decide if he is mentally and physically fit enough to play in such a high-profile affair.

'Frank is doing everything to be available for the game,' said Grant.

'We always take decisions after the last training session.'

Captain John Terry is a yellow card away from missing the final in Moscow on May 21 but Grant does not think that will affect him in any way.

He added: 'You know him like I know him. He'll play to win like he always does. He won't play any differently.'