Everything's great now but next Sunday...

[S-RED]

Gerrard, Alonso, Masch, Lucas, Rierra

[Nick77]

possibly the biggest load of **** i have read on here

Yes obviously I don't want us to lose Elvoz, but I'm just saying the way that we start games, no Torres & Chelski looking unbeatable at home losing by 1 or 2 goals looks inevitable that's all. Obviuosly I want us 2 win but 2 do that we need 2 be firing from the 1st whistle, not from the 2nd half...

[Elvoz]

Yes obviously I don't want us to lose Elvoz, but I'm just saying the way that we start games, no Torres & Chelski looking unbeatable at home losing by 1 or 2 goals looks inevitable that's all. Obviuosly I want us 2 win but 2 do that we need 2 be firing from the 1st whistle, not from the 2nd half...

course it does mate

with us losing so many games already this season

are you high fella

[Fubar]

ha ha. this thread really has made me laugh. it is easy to say 'dont get carried away' but what is the point. this is football. we only live football for the good times so why cant we enjoy them.

"i'd be happy to lose"!!!!!!!!!!!!what i piece of ****ing cockspankingarsewiping ****e of a comment that is.
why not go for
"im going to support the liverpool reds all season. i know they will get beat by the other big teams who will eventually win the league but i will be happy to finish 2nd or 3rd but 4th is good as well."

****in cockspanner

[Elvoz]

ha ha. this thread really has made me laugh. it is easy to say 'dont get carried away' but what is the point. this is football. we only live football for the good times so why cant we enjoy them.

"i'd be happy to lose"!!!!!!!!!!!!what i piece of ****ing cockspankingarsewiping ****e of a comment that is.
why not go for
"im going to support the liverpool reds all season. i know they will get beat by the other big teams who will eventually win the league but i will be happy to finish 2nd or 3rd but 4th is good as well."

****in cockspanner

[Infadel]

it's feckin Chelski away & the way we r playing compared 2 them I would be happy 2 only lose by 1 or 2 goals. Kuyt played well up front but he's no Torres. I think we r gonna struggle big time next week, especially the way we start games, ie. only start playing properly in the 2nd half. I'm VERY worried!!

You must be one of the Doom & Gloom merchants that infest the match threads with massive negativity - just like your latest post!

[Woobus]

The only problem is the same one as we had before we signed Torres. We'll work hard, we'll battle and on the balance of play, we will match them. But in the final third, we rarely have enough to trouble what is a top class defence. We lack the cutting edge and quality required to score against them at their place. In the CL semi final, we had Torres and he produced a moment of class to score. Without him, we'll find it hard again.

Hopefully it should be a more open match this year compared to previous years. Both teams seem to be more attacking this year and with injuries Chelsea wont be as solid at the back.

[slimbimjim]

ha ha. this thread really has made me laugh. it is easy to say 'dont get carried away' but what is the point. this is football. we only live football for the good times so why cant we enjoy them.

"i'd be happy to lose"!!!!!!!!!!!!what i piece of ****ing cockspankingarsewiping ****e of a comment that is.
why not go for
"im going to support the liverpool reds all season. i know they will get beat by the other big teams who will eventually win the league but i will be happy to finish 2nd or 3rd but 4th is good as well."

****in cockspanner

I am continually delighted with the inventiveness and originality of put downs in these forums.

Fantastic response and yes the poster was a ****nut.

[ukfootballfan101]

I have a sneaky feeling that Torres might be fit...

But even if he's not we can turn in a performance like we did against man ure and control the midfield, we'll be fine!

[Angryred]

I have a sneaky feeling that Torres might be fit...

But even if he's not we can turn in a performance like we did against man ure and control the midfield, we'll be fine!

Exactamundo!

Have the same feeling myself. Luv it if he was available as that would put the ****s on Terry ...he cant run properly himself as his back injury will limit his pace so he will be looking to position himself a yard or so from Torres to impede his runs for the ball.

We are gonna need a good ref who's wise to the "art of defending" from Chelsea...Thanks Moruinho for teaching them the sly tricks!

[Nick77]

Fantastic response and yes the poster was a ****nut.

FFS have a look at my reply to Elvoz u ****!

[slimbimjim]

FFS have a look at my reply to Elvoz u ****!

Your response was **** and did nothing to explain your original statement of being happy at losing one or two nil.

It sounds like someone who was about to get a good thump to the head and has retracted it with a "Of course I hope we do win!"

[dww]

Also, it's spain, not Singapore...a 3 hour flight?? If that's gonna fatigue the players then something is seriously wrong.

I never really think that physical tiredness is what is being talked about in these situations. Simply that at times travelling can leave you feeling mentally less than focussed in my view. In most jobs that doesn't matter a great deal but for athletes/players for a short period of time they need to be highly focussed on the game. I don't think it is a huge effect but many top level games the differences are tiny and any little thing can tip the balance.

Having said that a good away win can have every bit (if not more) of a positive effect and there is sod all you can do about the travelling so we just have to man up and get prepare properly for the game.

[Joe King]

In these games where Keane won't see a lot of the ball (on the assumption he starts) we need Gerrard to play the free attacking role with a lot more intelligence than we have seen him play over the years especially against the big teams. One of the criticisms against Kazakhstan was that he kept going really deep to collect the ball which didn't help with the shape of the side when trying to retain possession. It was only when he was put in a more disciplined role with Lampard with Rooney off Heskey, he did more of a midfielder's role. The Belarus game where he started on the left and had the freedom to play anywhere behind Heskey somewhat worked however in defensive situations, Gerrard seemed uncomfortable with tracking back and his body positioning was totally wrong in terms of diverting players into narrow positions or forcing them out wide. It could have been lack of communication between Bridge and Gerrard or maybe he lacked that desire to work in a wide position, I hope its more the former as we know Gerrard is a very passionate footballer, I'm not sure how his priorities lay with England.

The key areas of threat are the wide areas. I have seen Chelsea play an awful lot this past season and they have brilliant. Bosingwa and Ashley Cole have both excelled brilliantly in their roles as attacking full backs, something we hope to see in the future. Ahead of them, you have the very wily Joe Cole and Florent Malouda. (I don't think Salomon Kalou will play) As I have said, they do like to play from the wing and try and stretch the opposition in order for the likes of Lampard or Ballack (if fit) to damage the opposition with scoring chances or through balls.

However their threat can also be their achilles heel depending on how the team and Rafael Benitez approaches it. Does he say to Keane or Gerrard, 'start from the wing and work your way inwards' in order to test Terry's pace and Alex's intelligence.

I suspect Rafa will approach the game as he usually does against Chelsea. Stay compact, don't concede too many corners, allowing Chelsea to keep possession and try and counter them with clever, intelligent passing whilst working with the free space. Chelsea have got to lose someday, I hope its us, something tells me its going to be a tactical bore draw.

[Craig_H]

Gerrard, Alonso, Masch, Lucas, Rierra

Lucas should be nowhere near the starting XI at Chelsea.