Liverpool vs Chelsea Pt. 3

For the third time running the Blues and the Reds go head to head in the semi final stage of the most lucrative club championship in the world, the UEFA Champions League.

The price, a chance to play in a third Champions League final in five years for Liverpool and for Chelsea, a first final for the overtly ambitious billionaire owner Roman Abramovich.

The incentive, a most likely chance for the two teams to pick up a trophy in a season that has proved to be the best for English football clubs in the Champions League.

The air is filled with the boast of another triumph for the men from Merseyside and the cry for revenge from the Blues faithful.

As was expected, unlike when the enigmatic Mourinho was in charge of the Chelsea team, the usual banter before match day has been at its bare minimum, with everyone concentrating on their own problems and the effect it would have on the games as it is a two-legged tie.

The wrangling at the top in the Boardroom of the Reds has drawn to its peak over the last two weeks, with several issues coming to the fore. The issue of who should sell his stake and who should not, the very embarrassing details of an approach made for Jurgen Klinsmann to replace Rafa Benitez and the call for the resignation of the chief executive of the club, Rick Parry by one of the owners.

It is interesting to note that in this period the results have actually been coming through for the boys who strut their stuff at Anfield. The question now is, would this be too big a problem at what must be the biggest game for the Reds this season or would this spur them on to achieve what most term as their birth right?

The inability of Avram Grant to woo the die-hard of Chelsea F.C. fans and the insistence of Roman to stick with his friend could come to play at this exciting moment.

Grant has achieved what would not be referred to as a rare feat by taking the club back to the top side of the Premier League and this stage of the Champions League, this being said because of the lack of support from both the fans and a good number of players who seem to find it hard to play good football as is the aim of the man in charge.

It must be said that he has done well and a lot of kudos should be passed in his direction for the consistency he has managed.

On the night though at Anfield, it would be the main characters that would determine which side this tie goes. The presumed absence of big players like Didier Drogba, Michael Ballack for Chelsea and the unimaginable doubt to the fitness of Captain Marvel, Steve Gerarrd, could in its own way allow for a more open and interesting game as it would cause for change to usual team tactics that has led to some very boring football when these teams meet.

It must also not be taken for granted that the quality of these players previously mentioned would be missed as they remain some of the best in the world at this time. This said though, it is expected that Fernando Torres, Javier Macherano, Nicholas Anelka, Frank Lampard and a couple of other players would give this tie its befitting quality.