Chelsea post match thread...

[dww]

I feel a lot now like I did after the Blackburn game earlier in the season - that we had rediscovered our way of playing and that Rafa had reasserted his personality in a positive way on the team. I'm slightly less disappointed with the result but slightly more worried that we have a/ had to do this twice in a season and b/ we are now in a much more precarious league position in terms of getting CL qualification.

I hope we manage to build on this in the way we initially did with the Bolton game - adding goals to a solid base. However we are going to have to sustain a similar level of performance until the end of the season now in the league no matter what happens in the CL.

[Red_Polo]

It was a boring match, DJS. The referee did not help none whatsoever. Too stop start. The best action was the Manc lover being dropped by Mascherano. Great stuff. Only two shots on target from both sides, tells the story. We went in with the mentality of not losing and they didn't try to go for it in the last 15 minutes.

Can't agree with that, we set out to play with the right balance for this fixture, we just didn't have the quality to do the business in the final third. It wasn't a classic by any means but it was a fairly absorbing and competitive contest from a fan pov, plus Riley fell over and Avram threw a wobbly. I've seen far worse.

[Craig_H]

Can't agree with that, we set out to play with the right balance for this fixture, we just didn't have the quality to do the business in the final third. It wasn't a classic by any means but it was a fairly absorbing and competitive contest from a fan pov, plus Riley fell over and Avram threw a wobbly. I've seen far worse.

Totally agree, i found it quite absorbing too, just the right amount of 'tense' without being totally horrible to watch due to tension (like manc/blue****e games).

[Red_Polo]

Yep. A few stomach churning moments toward the end, but when Avram had his hissy fit I knew we'd bag at least a point.

[Shaggy]

Steven Gerrard: We must be more ruthless

Feb 11 2008 by Tony Barrett, Liverpool Echo
Steven Gerrard

STEVEN GERRARD today hailed his Liverpool team-mates for producing a performance which could have seen them become the first away side to win at Stamford Bridge in the league for four years.

The Reds had to settle for a point against Chelsea after a 0-0 draw despite being the better side for long spells.

Although disappointed with Liverpool's failure to turn dominance into goals, Gerrard was delighted with a display which was a vast improvement on recent outings.

He said: "It was definitely a big improvement on how we've played of late.

"We looked more solid defensively and I thought we were the better side over the 90 minutes and if anyone was going to win it was us.

"Certain players who have had a bit of criticism of late performed really well and I think it was a good team performance against a side that have been playing very well lately.

"There are definitely a lot of positives to take out of this game.

"I've been here before and we've been dominated for large periods of the game but I think we controlled the majority of this game and it felt as if we could have snatched it."

With Man City, Everton and Aston Villa all winning at the weekend, the single point they picked up meant Liverpool lost ground on their rivals for fourth spot.

And Gerrard believes everyone at Anfield now has to recognise they are in a battle for fourth and must meet the challenge head on.

He said: "We realise now that we're facing a big challenge to finish in the top four and we've got to forget about the title and focus on fighting for fourth place.

"There are a lot of teams around us who are in good form and playing well so it's important that we don't let our standards drop."

Yesterday's draw means Liverpool are still to win away against any of the other three members of the big four under Rafa Benitez.

But the Reds captain believes that long sought-after victory could come this season at either Old Trafford or The Emirates – if Liverpool play like they did at Stamford Bridge and show a more ruthless streak in front of goal.

He said: "When we do go to those places we've got to perform like we did yesterday and maybe an extra five or ten per cent could see us nick a win.

"I just thought we lacked that cutting edge in the final third but I can't fault many other things because it was a good performance.

"I don't think you could fault any player. In interviews a couple of days before the game I said you need every player performing close to the maximum and I think we got that."

Martin Skrtel picked up a sprained wrist during yesterday's game but the injury is not expected to keep him out of Saturday's FA Cup tie at home to Barnsley.

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[Nic83]

We deserved the win and played like the home side.We just dont have enough top class attackers to put away our chances.If Rafa had Chelsea's squad he would win the lot with them IMO

You should use spaces after fullstops to protect our dear eyes.

[Morten_nogamst_Pedersen]

Was alonso not on the bench because of too many yellows?

[Reece]

Yep - suspended.

[JPK]

You should use spaces after fullstops to protect our dear eyes.

You should dye your hair blonde to protect people's eyes

[Nic83]

I do. .................. Thanks anyway.

[Redspin]

We just had little in the final third, which was to be expected.

We may have had little in the final third but Chelsea had much less. They looked like the away team and rarely can Reina have been so under-employed in any Premier League away game

[El Jefecito]

We may have had little in the final third but Chelsea had much less. They looked like the away team and rarely can Reina have been so under-employed in any Premier League away game

[CAD]

You should dye your hair blonde to protect people's eyes

No. He should just stop posting...

[JPK]

No. He should just stop posting...

[Craig_H]

We may have had little in the final third but Chelsea had much less. They looked like the away team and rarely can Reina have been so under-employed in any Premier League away game

I wasnt saying it as a criticism of us. Chill winston