Chelsea Build Up

[Fosterbloke]

So much for the weakened team that most likely will not be featured anyway..

Apart from Salah, Shurrle, Matic and Cahill, that's a pretty **** team.

[Pablo]

So much for the weakened team that most likely will not be featured anyway..

Schurrie That's top class journalism.

[Sarb]

Cahill wont play if he says his weakened team is playing

[Corndog]

Schwarzer is still a decent enough keeper, i highly doubt his inclusion will change much.

[Pablo]

Schwarzer is still a decent enough keeper, i highly doubt his inclusion will change much.

He's way past his best and very rusty. I feel far happier knowing he's in goal instead of Cech.

[Yozza]

Luis Suarez deserves Player of Season award after taking Liverpool to next level
But Chelsea's 'weaker' team will still be a threat...

By Jamie Redknapp

Twelve months ago, Luis Suarez had just received a 10-game ban for biting Branislav Ivanovic in Liverpool's home match with Chelsea.

One year on, the Uruguayan is preparing to face the same opposition on Sunday, knowing a win will all-but secure the Premier League title for Liverpool - and he should pick up the PFA Player of the Year award later that evening, too.

If anyone doesn't vote for him I'd have to question who they've been watching because it's been a brilliant individual performance from him this season.

When you look at the other people in the running for the PFA award, there's no question he's the one who has had the biggest impact on his team this year - and by a long way. He's taken Liverpool to another level.

He's scored 30 Premier League goals, despite missing the start of the season and not taking penalties, and left the problems he's had before so far behind him. He's the same player as last season without the grief and the hassle.

I couldn't say he'd never do anything rash again because he plays more on the edge than anyone I've ever seen but this year his performances and conduct have been exemplary.

Liverpool manager, Brendan Rodgers, deserves a lot of credit for that; he's done a great job with Suarez. He had a tough situation at the start of the year, with his best player wanting to leave and Arsenal sniffing around, but he managed it really well and now it's a great situation for the manager and player.

There's nothing to say that in a couple of weeks' time Suarez won't announce: 'I've done my bit, I'm off', but not only is he perfect for Liverpool and idolised there, but crucially the club can fulfil his ambitions too - they'll be in the Champions League next season and potentially as Premier League title-holders.

Selection

Liverpool can take a giant step towards claiming the trophy with a win over second-placed Chelsea on Sunday.

Unfortunately the build-up to this game has been dominated by Jose Mourinho suggesting he may field a 'weaker' side because of Chelsea's Champions League semi-final with Atletico Madrid.

To be honest, I'm already bored of it. It's typical Mourinho - if he's not moaning about his forwards or blaming referees, he's telling us he's going to play a weaker team. Well, he wouldn't be playing a weaker team if he'd done better in the league, would he?

If Chelsea were winning the league by three points - and hadn't lost to the likes of Aston Villa, Crystal Palace and bottom-of-the-league Sunderland - he wouldn't be playing a weaker team. That's the simple fact. He knows it looks like their race is run and he's looking at excuses.

The other issue I have with his comments is it's not as though he'll be putting out the under-12s. You pick your squad of 25 at the start of the year and whichever XI he puts out will probably be worth more than Liverpool's XI and a team of internationals.

Whatever he does, it's his decision. If they get through against Atletico and go on and lift that cup, which isn't impossible, then we'll say good decision. But I'm not going to start feeling sorry for him because the only reason he's doing this is because he doesn't feel he can win the league.

Atmosphere

The important thing for Liverpool is that they concentrate on what they have to do and not worry about what Mourinho is saying.

They can't be fooled into thinking Mourinho's not going to play his best team because it wouldn't shock me if he did play his strongest side. Chelsea have strong players and are capable of shocking Liverpool so the home side need to be prepared properly.

The big thing in their favour at the moment, though, is the atmosphere at Anfield. I was there for a charity game last week and the place is absolutely jumping. I've never seen anything quite like it and I was up there for 11 years. It's fever pitch.

The fans are playing a huge part in this title challenge - the positivity they get into the stadium is intimidating opposition players and adding so much to what Liverpool are doing. It's been a team effort; it's not just about the manager or the players but also the fans.

Teams such as Manchester City are going to Anfield and in the first half it's like 'wow, we're getting hit by a tidal wave'.

Liverpool have started every game so quickly this year. They've scored more goals in first halves (58) than 16 Premier League sides have managed in total all season.

In fact, they've scored more in the first 45 minutes of HOME matches than Sunderland, Cardiff, Norwich and Crystal Palace have scored in total home and away. It's been brilliant to watch.

I expect another amazing atmosphere and quick start this weekend and reckon Liverpool will win 2-1.

That will leave them with matches against Crystal Palace and finally Newcastle at home - the match everyone wants at the moment - to wrap up their first Premier League title win in 24 years.

[Mostar]

This whole business about them fielding a "weakened" team is such a load of bollix. I mean really, unless they drop in a bunch of U21s they're all first team squad members. Their squad is built to compete on multiple fronts - any mention of a weakened team is purely mind games on their part. A thinly veiled attempt to get LFC to slack off and not take the game seriously. They might not all be first choice starters in Chelsea's squad, but any one of those players would be a guaranteed starter in most other PL teams.

Everything he does is intented to protect his methods, his approach to football and his reputation as a manager so it is typical of him to set things up for the excuse in case they do lose on Sunday not that I think he'll play that exact team.

Apart from Salah, Shurrle, Matic and Cahill, that's a pretty **** team.

I'd gladly take Ivanovic, Cole and perhaps even Ba as a squad option in addition to the 4 you mentioned.

That team is not that weak.

[Buzzo]

SSN Ramires 4 game ban.

[Mostar]

No Ramires, No Chech, No Hazard, No Terry.

Good.

[Shaggy]

**** you Ramires

If they appeal can he play at the weekend?

[Sarb]

**** you Ramires

If they appeal can he play at the weekend?

He didnt appeal the charge so doubt it

[Shaggy]

He didnt appeal the charge so doubt it

[Shaggy]

**** me

No edits in this, I promise. Not one

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2612124/The-view-Chelsea-The-cult-like-Liverpool-love-makes-sick-theyre-jealous-success.html

THE VIEW FROM CHELSEA: The cult-like Liverpool love-in makes us sick... they're jealous of our success

Why do so many Chelsea fans 'hate' Liverpool? It's an odd rivalry and certainly not as clear cut as our rivalry with Spurs.

But if you grew up in the 1970's you became sick of Liverpool winning at home and in Europe whilst we languished in mediocrity.

In those days a visit to Anfield was a grim experience, often met with bricks and other 'unsavoury' objects being hurled at you and a return journey hampered by a car now devoid of wheels.

Apparently it's an example of the 'famous' Scouse wit, humour and banter. As we'd usually been on the end of a sound defeat it only served to darken our mood further.

With Chelsea's recent success, the enmity on both sides has increased massively.

Liverpool fans constant whining about history and plastic fans in particular is what gets our goat - they seem to forget we won a European trophy before they did!

Every club has a rich history and Liverpool certainly do not have a monopoly on that - they also have more than their fair share of plastic fans and flags I might add!!

When you have supported Chelsea for as long as I have you appreciate the bad times as much as the good - it defines you more than success in many ways.

Unlike us, Liverpool fans have an overwhelming sense of entitlement that grates. Worse, this is supported by an unhealthy influence in the media (44 ex-Liverpool players as pundits at the last count!) bordering on religious fervour at best, brainwashing at worst.

They are like a cult.

And like every religion they have their own hymn, everyone's favourite football song (cough) - You'll Never Walk Alone. Well, it's not our favourite song and we delight in drowning it out when we visit Anfield, dispelling the myth of the 'spine-tingling' atmosphere.

Much of the venom aimed at us by Liverpool fans is derived from their sense of entitlement and a jealousy at our perceived undeserved success over the last 15 or so years, while they have under-performed.

There's an old Chelsea song that goes: 'we're the best behaved supporters in the land - when we win, but we're a right bunch of b******* when we lose!'

The reverse is true of Liverpool fans. Expect unseemly triumphalism and gloating from Anfield to Fleet Street should they win the title, not to mention the flagrant use of the word 'history'!

David ‘Stamford Chidge' Chidgey presents the award winning Chelsea FanCast every Monday at 19.00 at chelseafancast.com or downloaded from iTunes or YouTube. Follow us on twitter @StamfordChidge and @ChelseaFanCast.

[Fierce]

Ramires and Hazard being out is great for us

[Shaggy]

Ramires and Hazard being out is great for us

And Cech and Terry