Chelsea: European Cup Semi-Final First Leg

[johnb]

Bundle it all in here: hopes, fears, doubts.

 

I'm shitting it already.

[StevieH]

Very excited & we should have nothing to fear.

 

Strangely enough I think it may work to our advantage to have the 1st leg at home this time. If we can get a 2-0 victory like we did against Inter in the 1st leg then I think we have a great chance of getting through.

[George Costanza]

I'm confident going into tuesday moreso than the quarter against Arsenal. My only concern is not that we won't win but that Chelsea will sneak an away goal from a set-piece. We've struggled recently in that department and they will probably have Ballack, Drogba, Terry and Carvlho who are all good in the air.

[kopitegaz]

I'll be ok until morning turns into afternoon on Tuesday, and I'll be wondering what the fuck I'm doing in work and clock watching until 5.30. Then its off to meet my mates for something to eat, (but in case the TLW Hierarchy is worried (for my health and sanity), it will not be shite chips), a few bevvys and then off to the ground. We WILL win.

[@rnt]

We will win 2-0 at home..

Goals from Kuyt and Torres...

[RedAdmiral]

The power of Anfield will make sure they are already a beaten side going into the second leg. Something just happens on European nights at Anfield, the players feed off the emotion of the crowd and it makes them feel invincible. I always go into these games nervous thinking surely we cant do it again, but we always rise to the occasion and get the job done. I cant wait! Its gonna be awesome!

[WaltonRed]

Cant wait for some strange reason.

 

Cant wait to see how 'the Cardiff' of the champions league do against the biggest club team in world football...

[G Richards]

It will be a tight game, quite different to the Arsenal feast. We should beware a Ballack header on set pieces.

 

I'm going for a tight 1-0 at home and I fancy us to score away, especially with the attacking capability we now have. In fact, we might find it easier at Stamford Bridge than at home if we take a slender lead down there.

 

Plenty of people are going for the 'we'll smash them at Anfield', and while I'd love that to be the case, I'd take a 1-0 win going down to Stamford Bridge right now.

 

Can't wait. This is why we're fans.

[Flying Pig]

The power of Anfield will make sure they are already a beaten side going into the second leg. Something just happens on European nights at Anfield, the players feed off the emotion of the crowd and it makes them feel invincible. I always go into these games nervous thinking surely we cant do it again, but we always rise to the occasion and get the job done. I cant wait! Its gonna be awesome!

 

Exactly what I think. I been waiting for the loss but it never came.

[WaltonRed]

It will be a tight game, quite different to the Arsenal feast. We should beware a Ballack header on set pieces.

 

I'm going for a tight 1-0 at home and I fancy us to score away, especially with the attacking capability we now have. In fact, we might find it easier at Stamford Bridge than at home if we take a slender lead down there.

 

Plenty of people are going for the 'we'll smash them at Anfield', and while I'd love that to be the case, I'd take a 1-0 win going down to Stamford Bridge right now.

 

Can't wait. This is why we're fans.

 

Dont get me wrong, id take the 1-0 if it was offered now but I just think we are going well and they have been mouthing off again.

 

I think if we get out the traps early doors and with the crowd rocking we can do them.

 

They never learn there lesson.

[rebel23]

massive game

 

let's hope the crowd are in fine voice and we push for 2 or 3 nil and practically end the tie

[grazywalker]

Starting to get nervous already.

I fast forward and think of the elation I will have if we get to the final but then the despair if we do not. I am all over the place.

[lebron]

My bet is a tight 2-1 (Kuyt, Drogba, Torres) win at home, making us all nervous wrecks for the coming week culminating in a 0-0 at the bridge after a Pepe penalty save from Lampard 4 mins into extra time:whistle:

[Kev Saunderson]

Bricking it myself, but I get nervous when I hear YNWA..

 

2 Nil in the first leg should do it for me. They aren't all that these days. Where we have moved up the last few years I beleive they have stalled. WE CAN DO THESE CUNTS. COME ON!!!!!!!

[jaycooper88]

I think that if they play anything like they did at The Pit then we will have no problems as they dont look much at all. I think if we go for the jugular early on typical Liverpool style we will be fine. I predict 2-0 Torres and Dirk might even have a flutter on that!

[AndMjaa]

BRING ON CHELSEA!

[Tom R]

We're going to win and win very well, both home and away.

 

Man U in the final.

 

That worries me much, much more. I genuinly don't think that I could even watch it.

[Unrighteous]

If they are missing Essien AND Ballack or Lampard then we'll piss them as they won't be able to keep possession, IMO.

 

Drogba hasn't played in a while as he's been fighting with injury, no?

 

Anyway... We are going to piss 'em. 3-0.

[Jose Jones]

I'm worried, mainly because the second leg is away. If it was at home I'd be much more confident of getting a close result at the bridge and then battering them at Anfield. Chelsea have also been under the radar this season - they've been shit, their manager is shit and yet they're only three points off the top of the league?

[RedinSweden]

From the BBC gossip column:

 

"Chelsea will make a third attempt to sign Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard if Frank Lampard, as expected, leaves at the end of the season. (Various)"

 

It's almost like we are playing them soon...

[Paco]

with Gerrard:

 

--------------------------Reina--------------------------

 

Finnan-----------Carragher-----Hyypia-------------Aurelio

 

 

----------------Mascherano----Alonso-------------------

 

 

Kuyt---------------------Gerrard------------------Babel

 

 

-------------------------Torres-------------------------

 

without Gerrard

 

 

---------------------------Reina-------------------------

 

Finnan------------Carragher-----Hyypia------------Aurelio

 

 

Kuyt-----------Mascherano------Alonso------------Babel

 

 

----------------Torres--------Crouch-------------------

 

It's hard to leave skrtel out but i feel we need more from the full backs playing the home leg first and then revert to carra at right back for the second leg

[Jose Jones]

with Gerrard:

 

--------------------------Reina--------------------------

 

Finnan-----------Carragher-----Hyypia-------------Aurelio

 

 

----------------Mascherano----Alonso-------------------

 

 

Kuyt---------------------Gerrard------------------Babel

 

 

-------------------------Torres-------------------------

 

without Gerrard

 

 

---------------------------Reina-------------------------

 

Finnan------------Carragher-----Hyypia------------Aurelio

 

 

Kuyt-----------Mascherano------Alonso------------Babel

 

 

----------------Torres--------Crouch-------------------

 

It's hard to leave skrtel out but i feel we need more from the full backs playing the home leg first and then revert to carra at right back for the second leg

 

I agree with those Paco man, but I reckon Rafa will have Carra at right back.

[Kopite]

From the BBC gossip column:

 

"Chelsea will make a third attempt to sign Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard if Frank Lampard, as expected, leaves at the end of the season. (Various)"

 

It's almost like we are playing them soon...

 

It's uncanny...

[Dirk]

I don't feel ready for this somehow.

 

I think it's the lack of clips of Luis' goal from '05. I don't think I've even seen one today. If Hosay was still there I don't think I'd have seen anything else.

 

Get ready, mate. Tomorrow is nigh. My IBS is brewing up nicely. Woohoo.

[Rex Banner]

Rafa on Gerrard :D

 

Meanwhile, Liverpool are expected to be at full strength. There has been concern over Steven Gerrard after the Reds skipper suffered a stiff nick but he was able to train on Sunday without any obvious discomfort.

 

"The player will say he wants to play, but there's an easy way of finding out whether he's fit," said manager Rafa Benitez. "I will come up and tap him on the left shoulder and if he turns to face me without any pain, we will know he can play. The other day he wanted to play but I would have had to have played him on the left wing as he could only look to the right."

 

Benitez's major selection dilemma is whether to partner Fernando Torres with Peter Crouch, a move that would, regardless of the state of his neck, require Gerrard to move to the left of midfield.