Chelsea-Liverpool: Trying to Stay Positive

After going home utterly disappointed last night, I felt like writing an article where I lambasted Riise, the ref, Petr Cech, just about everyone who I thought cost us the game last night. 

Thankfully all I did was go to sleep. Upon awakening I had relaxed a bit and am now trying to look forward.  Liverpool last night played very well, they weathered an early storm of good play by Chelsea and from then on dominated the match, they scored a goal and on another day they could have had a few more. 

The defence was superb on the night and no Chelsea player was able to break through their defence. Liverpool was in control for 93 minutes and 50 seconds and it took 10 seconds of madness for Chelsea to burgle a goal.   

I don’t like looking for reasons why a team didn’t win I don’t like complaining about the past, so I am going to look at the future. 

Liverpool have to do something that they have never done before under Rafa Benitez and that is score at Stamford Bridge, easier said then done, they will have to be aggressive and not give Chelsea any time on the ball, basically they will have to do it all again. 

Tactically I think Benitez did a great job, He worked out Chelsea’s strengths and weaknesses and picked a team to match them. Losing Arbeloa was a blow and could hurt them in the return match. 

For the return I think it would be best to start with Crouch and not Babel, and play the way they did against Babel. Gerrard will have to have a license to roam.  Mascherano will have to jockey Lampard as he did last night. 

The back four is where the problem will lie as Arbeloa will more than likely still be injured, I think bringing back Hyypia and moving Skrtel over to the left would be a good idea, although it will weaken us in attack but the defence will be solid. 

I don’t think the counter attack tactic will work great against Chelsea, they have a superb defence, and will be well prepared. If we attack consistently we are bound to score, we must not restrict ourselves too much. 

Chelsea will be playing at home and have not lost at home in four years, a team does not have a record like that by luck, Stamford Bridge is a mighty beast and Liverpool has to tame it. 

Chelsea are definitely going to attack to try and secure their away goal, I believe it was a mistake not playing Anelka from the beginning, and they missed the suspended Essien, if they play those two players Liverpool will have to be very careful.

It will be a close game again with neither team giving too much away, the team with the stronger character will win it, last night it was Chelsea, next week it will hopefully be Liverpool.