LFC vs Chelsea - it's started

[m0e]

Benitez plays the Euro-card

By Derick Allsop

(Filed: 16/04/2006)

 

The serial rivalry that has been Liverpool v Chelsea these past two seasons has inevitably left its scars and Rafael Benitez, in his own dignified way, is cranking up the psychological conflict with Jose Mourinho ahead of Saturday's FA Cup semi-final at Old Trafford.

 

Benitez, the Liverpool manager, warns his Chelsea counterpart that his team no longer strike fear into opponents. The Spaniard also contends that his side's Champions League triumph last season could stand as the greatest of all time, knowing full well how much Chelsea's failure to land the supreme prize hurts at Stamford Bridge.

 

"The English teams know Chelsea better, their weaknesses and how to play against them," Benitez said.

"Each year it will be more difficult for Chelsea to win. This year Manchester United have proved it is possible to get closer to them. In the future maybe it will be Arsenal or us.

 

"Chelsea will have better squads because Roman Abramovich has a lot of money. But the other teams are progressing and they will have more confidence to get closer to them."

 

Benitez maintains he is content at Anfield, despite the financial mismatch against Mourinho and Chelsea.

 

"I am really happy and I like to do my job with what I have here," Benitez said. "I am focusing on how to improve my team with the money I have. I don't know how satisfied he [Mourinho] is, but I am really satisfied with winning the Champions League.

 

"I think he is a good manager. He is a good worker. You don't need to be the best in tactics or different things - sometimes you need to have a clear idea and good staff."

 

Benitez insists the baggage of previous encounters will not be a burden on his semi-final strategy.

 

"This will be the 10th time we have played them in two years," he pointed out. "They need to think about football, not other things, and it's the same for us."

 

COMMON REDMEN, LET'S BEAT THIS SHITE!!!

[xabi the red]

Benitez plays the Euro-card

By Derick Allsop

(Filed: 16/04/2006)

 

The serial rivalry that has been Liverpool v Chelsea these past two seasons has inevitably left its scars and Rafael Benitez, in his own dignified way, is cranking up the psychological conflict with Jose Mourinho ahead of Saturday's FA Cup semi-final at Old Trafford.

 

Benitez, the Liverpool manager, warns his Chelsea counterpart that his team no longer strike fear into opponents. The Spaniard also contends that his side's Champions League triumph last season could stand as the greatest of all time, knowing full well how much Chelsea's failure to land the supreme prize hurts at Stamford Bridge.

 

"The English teams know Chelsea better, their weaknesses and how to play against them," Benitez said.

"Each year it will be more difficult for Chelsea to win. This year Manchester United have proved it is possible to get closer to them. In the future maybe it will be Arsenal or us.

 

"Chelsea will have better squads because Roman Abramovich has a lot of money. But the other teams are progressing and they will have more confidence to get closer to them."

 

Benitez maintains he is content at Anfield, despite the financial mismatch against Mourinho and Chelsea.

 

"I am really happy and I like to do my job with what I have here," Benitez said. "I am focusing on how to improve my team with the money I have. I don't know how satisfied he [Mourinho] is, but I am really satisfied with winning the Champions League.

 

"I think he is a good manager. He is a good worker. You don't need to be the best in tactics or different things - sometimes you need to have a clear idea and good staff."

 

Benitez insists the baggage of previous encounters will not be a burden on his semi-final strategy.

 

"This will be the 10th time we have played them in two years," he pointed out. "They need to think about football, not other things, and it's the same for us."

 

COMMON REDMEN, LET'S BEAT THIS SHITE!!!

 

is that how rafa signed off the interview?? good lad.

[Captain]

I can't wait for this game. We're gonna twat those fuckers.

[Brownie]

I'm scared because the thought of losing to them is sickening. I'm confident but weary at the same time because the likes of Crouch and Gerrard have yet to really turn it on against them on the numerous occasions we've played them.

 

Obviously that's because the games have been really tight, but it suits them that way I reckon because we struggle to break them down and create chances. It's frustrating because if Fowler was available i'd like to see us go 4-4-2 and give them something more to worry about, with Fowler getting tight on Makalele when we don't have the ball.

 

With Gerrard playing as a second striker against them it doesn't really work that well and we lack his ability on the right. I think Sissoko can do the work of two people so him and Alonso could look after Lampard and Essien.

 

Having said all that, Fowler not being available takes that option away because I just don't trust Morientes or Cisse in such a big game.

[Guest Momo Sissoko]

Gerrard never dominates in these types of games. He's too scared to upset his Ingland mates. It's like playing with ten men at times.

[LiverpoolFreak]

Gerrard never dominates in these types of games. He's too scared to upset his Ingland mates. It's like playing with ten men at times.

 

Have to agree. He seems scared to play against Chelsea or somthing. Are they suppose to be intimidating?

[05 Milan]

Gerrard never dominates in these types of games. He's too scared to upset his Ingland mates. It's like playing with ten men at times.

 

Didn't Roy Keane refuse to have other prem footballers as mates? Seem to remember a story there..?

[05 Milan]

Have to agree. He seems scared to play against Chelsea or somthing. Are they suppose to be intimidating?

 

Well they certainly are the snidiest bunch of cunts I have ever seen. Forget Lucas Neill, William Gallas is the most horrible bastard I've ever seen on a football pitch. He's fucking vile.

[Guest Momo Sissoko]

Wouldn't surprise me. He was a bit of a twat, Keane, but he was a winner, and his club and team mates came first.

 

I still believe that Gerrard shouldn't be captain; it's too much of a burden for him. Apart from him not being a deep thinker about the game, which is vital on the pitch, he's the type of player who thrives without restrictions. Carra or Xabi should be captain. But it's too late now. Another fuck up by Houllier, imo.

[Monkeywool]

Wouldn't surprise me. He was a bit of a twat, Keane, but he was a winner, and his club and team mates came first.

 

I still believe that Gerrard shouldn't be captain; it's too much of a burden for him. Apart from him not being a deep thinker about the game, which is vital on the pitch, he's the type of player who thrives without restrictions. Carra or Xabi should be captain. But it's too late now. Another fuck up by Houllier, imo.

 

Yet it is Rafa who refused to let him stand down after he offered it.....

[Guest Momo Sissoko]

Because he knew deep down that it would badly affect him and would create plenty of unwanted outside attention.

 

He's an emotional guy, Stevie, and he needs an arm around the shoulder and to be told how great he is every now and again. Not captain material for me.

[05 Milan]

Because he knew deep down that it would badly affect him and cause too much friction and plenty of unwanted outside attention.

 

He's an emotional guy, Stevie, and he needs an arm around the shoulder and to be told how great he is every now and again. Not captain material for me.

 

To be fair, he deserves massive credit for turning things around in Istanbul.

 

Stripping him of the captaincy would be pointless. We have more to gain by letting him keep it. Basic economic theory.

[Guest Momo Sissoko]

To be fair, he deserves massive credit for turning things around in Istanbul.

 

Stripping him of the captaincy would be pointless. We have more to gain by letting him keep it. Basic economic theory.

 

I agree.

[Monkeywool]

We have different types of captain, we have the inspirational players such as gerrard for Liverpool, Beckham for England etc who are given the captain armband not for decision making, but for the fact they seem to revel in big situations.

 

Then you have the real captains who will always do what it takes to stick up for the team, like Keane and Terry of which if they were not captain of their club would still do exactly the same and the players will listen to them.

 

Look at the team, is there any doubt that 10 guys who take that field every single day listen to the one wearing number 23? Yes they look up to Stevie and take his lead in the standards he sets as a captain, but the guy they listen too and are terrified of is our Carra.

 

Why take away the armband from our most inspirational player who seems to revel in it and plays out of his skin because of it?

[El Rojo]

The way I look at it he's due a really great match against them, and why not next week? I think it's almost certain he'll start on the right or as the second striker - Alonso and Momo should have no problems handling the centre, and Stevie's not really excelled there against them.

 

Would love to see him charging at del Horno, he's a definite weak link.

[Monkeywool]

Del Horno would shit it and run away. I think Maureen knows this and will play Gallas or somethin

[derykw]

Rafa has to come up with master plan this time.chelsea have definately got our number.I deffo agree about Gerrard,he owes us a massive performance against these cunts.

[BENIRL]

Gerrard never dominates in these types of games. He's too scared to upset his Ingland mates. It's like playing with ten men at times.

 

Do you really believe that? Do you think we should drop him them?

 

Maybe it is because chelsea have a decent team(fucking wankers every one of them) and he finds things a bit tougher. I don't buy this shite about him not trying because of engurland.

[m0e]

Do you really believe that? Do you think we should drop him them?

 

Maybe it is because chelsea have a decent team(fucking wankers every one of them) and he finds things a bit tougher. I don't buy this shite about him not trying because of engurland.

 

Agreed.

 

If it were true, we could use the same reasoning behind Lampards consistently dire form against us.

[m0e]

Del Horno would shit it and run away. I think Maureen knows this and will play Gallas or somethin

 

I think it will be

 

REINA - FINNAN CARRA SAMI RIISE - GERRARD MOMO XABI HARRY - LUIS - CROUCH

 

vs

 

CECH - FERRIERA TERRY CARVALHO GALLAS - MAKALELE LAMPARD ESSIEN - COLE ROBBEN - DROGBA

[Kurt]

Do you really believe that? Do you think we should drop him them?

 

Maybe it is because chelsea have a decent team(fucking wankers every one of them) and he finds things a bit tougher. I don't buy this shite about him not trying because of engurland.

 

Exactly...

You very rarely see players really dominating in games like these. If you think of it, Cantona never really played blinders against us, Van Nistelrooy have only scored penalties against us in the league( i think), but it doesn`t mean they`re bad players. Gerrard in many matches had Keane neatly tucked away in his pocket. This attack on him only surfaced after his flirtation with Chelsea. There are so many top players around the world you can label such crtisism at, but the fact is that when you play against other very good teams you dont see players really dominating games.

[ritchie]

Gerrard owes us a performance against them and I hope he'll deliver on Saturday. Not upsetting Lampard shouldn't come into it because he'll want to show that he's the main man in midfield for England and will want to outshine the fat cunt. If he is in the mood where he's strolling around then we'll be looking to Momo and Xabi for inspiration in the middle because the midfield battle will be crucial.

 

Gerrard should certainly be fresh because since the derby (which he only played 18 minutes of) he's only played 90 minutes against Bolton and he didn't get out of stroll mode for most of it, so wouldn't have used up much energy, so hopefully he's saving it for them chav scumbags.

[Guest Momo Sissoko]

Team almost picks itself these days...

 

Reina

 

Finn

Carra

Sami

Riise

 

Gerrard

Xabi

Momo

Kewell

 

Garcia

Crouch

[m0e]

I can't believe none of you have picked up on a quote from Rafa (see original thread).

 

He says of Jose:

 

"I think he is a good manager. He is a good worker. You don't need to be the best in tactics or different things - sometimes you need to have a clear idea and good staff."

 

Obvious dig there me thinks!

 

Huth up front when going out the Champs League, anyone? Twice?

[Red Nick]

We will thrash them by at least 2 goals and as the famous Norweigan commentator says Jose your boys are gonna take one hell of a beating.

 

Were gonna leave our mark on them for next seasons, Scars from which they will never recover.

 

No disputed goal this time just one hell of a beating