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TGL:CBKoE
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Joined: 12 Aug 2005
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LIVERPOOL VS CHELSEA
the 2nd big game of the weekend!
| Quote: |  Liverpool entertain Chelsea at Anfield in the first instalment of Grand Slam Weekend live on Sky Sports 1 on Saturday.
The two bitter rivals do battle on Saturday lunchtime with Chelsea aiming to close the gap on leaders Manchester United and Liverpool looking to record a rare win over one of the top sides.
Jose Mourinho enjoys a 100 per cent record against Liverpool in the Premiership having won all five of his previous contests, while Rafa Benitez will be looking to get one over the Portuguese tactician.
The Reds are unbeaten at home this season and they are currently the form team in the Premiership having lost just one of their last 11 league outings.
Petr Cech is set to hand Chelsea a massive boost by returning to the side for the first time since suffering his horrific head injury last October.
The Czech Republic international has been declared fit to face Liverpool and Mourinho must decide whether or not to throw the giant keeper straight back into the deep end at Anfield.
Chelsea go into the game without influential midfielder Claude Makelele as he is suspended, but Ashley Cole is available after serving a ban.
Andrei Shevchenko remains doubtful with a hamstring problem which forced him to miss last weekend's win over Wigan.
John Terry and Joe Cole remain absent for the reigning champions because of injury.
Benitez has a decision to make in attack after he started Peter Crouch, Craig Bellamy and Dirk Kuyt against Watford last weekend.
The Spaniard is expected to revert to two up front with all three players battling for the two spots.
Jermaine Pennant is pushing for a return to the starting line-up, while John Arne Riise is expected to replace Fabio Aurelio in the starting XI.
The Reds are still without long-term casualties Luis Garcia, Mohamed Sissoko, Harry Kewell, Bolo Zenden and Mark Gonzalez.
Skysports.com Prediction: 1-1
Honours to be shared at Anfield.
Player to watch: Craig Bellamy
Source : Sky Sports  |
i'll say 2-1 either way, drogba x2/x1 & gerrard/gerrard & crouch |
| Fri Jan 19, 2007 3:20 pm |
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doggiedog
Division 1 Rookie
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Joined: 25 May 2006
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| Quote: | LIVERPOOL v CHELSEA, 2-0 Sat 20 Jan 2007
Rafael Benitez claimed a first Barclays Premiership win over Chelsea since becoming Liverpool boss thanks to goals from Dirk Kuyt and Jermaine Pennant.
Kuyt fired the Reds into an early lead before Pennant's brilliant first goal for the club sealed victory - and still within the first 20 minutes.
An injury-weakened Chelsea side were for once outplayed as Benitez's side held on comfortably and could easily have extended their lead.
They were on top from the start and, after Jon Obi Mikel's weak shot had bounced into arms of Reina, Steven Gerrard gave Petr Cech - playing in a rugby union-style 'skullcap' after his recent fractured skull - a tame first test with a looping header from Pennant's cross.
Liverpool were soon ahead, though, with Kuyt's fourth-minute goal. A long ball from Jamie Carragher, playing his 450th Liverpool game, was flicked on by Peter Crouch and, as Paulo Ferreira lost his bearings, Kuyt darted in to finish calmly beyond Cech.
It should have been 2-0 three minutes later as John Arne Riise ghosted in behind Geremi but was unable to find the requisite finish on his weaker right foot and Cech saved.
The Reds continued to dominate, but Crouch's touch let him down moments later as Essien left him in acres of space.
The Ghana international made a much better contribution in his makeshift centre-half role when he blocked another Kuyt effort behind in the14th minute.
Pennant lashed home a spectacular second in the 18th minute as Liverpool's dominance was rewarded.
Gerrard's cross was headed half-clear by Essien, but the winger took one touch before launching a dipping 20-yard half-volley to open his Merseyside account via the underside of the crossbar.
Arjen Robben was then forced out of the action having picked up an earlier injury, and was replaced by Shaun Wright-Phillips.
Steve Finnan got an important foot in to deny Didier Drogba a shot at goal as Chelsea sought a way back into the game, and Michael Ballack headed Frank Lampard's corner well wide.
Crouch's attempt to outdo Pennant only picked out a stairwell deep in the stand, before Xavi Alonso was taken to the sidelines for a lengthy spell of treatment following an aerial challenge with Drogba.
Chelsea enjoyed an overdue spell of pressure against their 10-man opponents and Geremi's teasing cross almost picked out Drogba, but Finnan won a crucial header before Fabio Aurelio completed the clearance.
Ballack's ball in then narrowly cleared Lampard before Alonso finally returned to the fray to bring Liverpool back to full strength. Long-range efforts from Lampard - a free-kick - and Drogba then cleared Reina's crossbar by some distance.
Riise's excellent ball found Kuyt in acres of space on the right flank as the second half clicked into gear but the Holland frontman's first touch for once proved hopelessly inadequate. When Finnan eventually delivered a pinpoint cross, Crouch's header was straight at Cech.
At the other end, Gerrard denied Ballack at the expense of a corner from which Drogba headed wide.
Mikel again lashed wide after a scramble following another flag-kick, before Riise thundered an effort against a scrambling Cech's crossbar from fully 40 yards, Crouch again unable to make the best of a follow-up header under pressure from Essien.
Riise's cross then picked out Kuyt arriving late, but he steered the ball into the side-netting before the Norway full-back launched another long-range strike high into the Kop.
Finnan was then played into trouble, the full-back's attempted clearance ricocheting off Lampard into the arms of Reina, enjoying a reasonably comfortable afternoon.
Ferreira earned the first yellow card of the match after bringing down Riise in full flight, and Gerrard's free-kick slid through the wall but wide of Cech's goal.
Drogba failed to make meaningful contact with Lampard's clever free-kick and Ballack headed Ashley Cole's resultant cross wide. Andriy Shevchenko was then introduced in place of Mikel.
Crouch launched an opportunist strike which flashed wide after Geremi's poor clearance before Wright-Phillips' jinking run and cross forced a corner off Agger, the flag-kick coming to nothing.
Ferreira made an excellent interception as Kuyt looked to kill the game from Gerrard's cross, before Carragher slid in to prevent Drogba reaching another Wright-Phillips centre.
Kuyt curled a long-range effort straight at Cech before Craig Bellamy replaced Crouch. Pennant and Gerrard then combined neatly to set up Kuyt, who drove over the bar.
VOTE NOW FOR GOAL OF THE WEEK |
 liverpool win and if man u win it opens up a 9 point lead |
| Sat Jan 20, 2007 3:18 pm |
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nakamura
Division 2 Novice
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Joined: 15 Apr 2006
Posts: 597
47994 ODpoints
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lol a little ambitious are we =) im saying 2-1 arsenal goals from Henry and RvP |
| Sat Jan 20, 2007 5:23 pm |
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doggiedog
Division 1 Rookie
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Joined: 25 May 2006
Posts: 1310
11152 ODpoints
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| nakamura wrote: | | lol a little ambitious are we =) im saying 2-1 arsenal goals from Henry and RvP |
wrong topic mate this is livepool vs chealsea |
| Sun Jan 21, 2007 4:17 am |
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nakamura
Division 2 Novice
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Joined: 15 Apr 2006
Posts: 597
47994 ODpoints
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no cuzu said if man u win... lol nvm |
| Sun Jan 21, 2007 6:10 am |
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Z[i]zou||
Division 2 Novice
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Joined: 09 Dec 2005
Posts: 512
51389 ODpoints
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go liverpool !!!  i find it hilarious wit all there $$$$ chel$ea r havin problem wit depth in thier squad... but liverpool did have it easy that match with no makalele... and essien and the RB both playin as CB and the RB gets caught out of position aswell in his natural role aswell.. but playin the hard ( i use the word lightly) tacklin essien as a cb is very dicey wit his crazy tackles... he woulda given away a pen.. and that woulda made things easier for liverpool and it was obivous that both CB's were caught out with the first goal.. |
| Sun Jan 21, 2007 9:34 am |
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TGL:CBKoE
Moderator
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Joined: 12 Aug 2005
Posts: 986
Location: At Home
24642 ODpoints
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WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
HOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
, 2-0.....get in there.....i heard the game on the radio....& it was brilliant....& what am shot bye riise....that should of been in....40 yards & hit the bar? wow....all i can say is.....drogba nutmeg of ballack is best i've seen!, skill was needed, what a beauty....the pennat goal....well that was pure brilliant....
ooops......that was VERY long! |
| Sun Jan 21, 2007 3:12 pm |
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seiya
Soccer Expert
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Joined: 05 Apr 2005
Posts: 4975
53222 ODpoints
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Too bad we are still third, sucks  |
| Thu Jan 25, 2007 9:57 pm |
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