Chelsea V. Liverpool: Champions League Quarterfinal Analysis

(Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images)

Chelsea has a lot of quality to spring from the bench on paper. Florent Malouda, Ricardo Quaresma and Salomon Kalou, whose cross helped knock out Liverpool last year, are a few examples.

Chelsea’s players though are playing under par. Michael Ballack seems to delight in one touch passing even when they do not end near a teammate. Malouda refuses to show his supposed quality and the team as a whole is finding scoring against teams resolute in defending difficult.

The lack of penetration against a team with the usually hapless Gomes is a case in point. The Chelsea lion is currently toothless, against a team as well organised at the back as Liverpool, and that is concerning for the Blues’ chances.

Chelsea’s famed organisational and defensive qualities also look shaky with sloppy defending at fault for Tottenham’s winner.

Chelsea’s strengths mean they cannot be discounted. Frank Lampard is a consistent goal-scoring midfield player, John Terry is a defensive rock, and Chelsea possesses arguably the world’s best goalkeeper in Petr Cech.

The return of Michael Essien is a huge plus for the Blues’ with his drive and desire. Didier Drogba, when he is not acting up, is a handful and one of the worlds’ deadliest strikers.

And Chelsea’s manager Guus Hiddink guided PSV, arguably a team not as strong as Chelsea, to the semi-finals of the Champions League four years ago.

If Tottenham was simply a blip in the Blues’ Hiddink inspired upturn since Phil Scolari’s departure, then Chelsea will be a huge threat to Liverpool. Chelsea can also afford to go for broke in Europe now the league has gone.

Key Battles:

Jamie Carragher/Martin Skrtel vs Didier Drogba/Nicolas Anelka

Didier Drogba and Nicolas Anelka still find it awkward to play together upfront for Chelsea, at times fighting over the same blade of grass. However, for these two games the temptation to play Drogba alone upfront must be resisted.

Previous attempts at this tactic against the Reds failed. As much as he is a handful, Carragher and his central defensive partner-usually Skrtel, can team up and nullify the Ivorian.

However, if Anelka can drag one from the other by drifting deep or slightly wide of centre, leaving Drogba one-on-one, the Ivorian needs to dig deep and show his strength and desire.

A few early tough tackles form Carragher/Skrtel to leave Drogba on his bottom however, will push him to his petulant rolling and moaning, and the Reds will successfully contain Chelsea’s danger man for the rest of the game.

Ballack has been handed the defensive midfield role previously held by out-of-favour Mikel. The German needs to follow Gerrard like a limpet, harass him, and prevent him from passing and his late surging runs into the box.

If Ballack can do this and keep his side of the game simple; short passes to Michael Essien and Frank Lampard to drive forward, then Chelsea will nullify a huge part of Liverpool’s playing dynamic.

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