Liverpool vs. Chelski Live!
Chelski are in the driving seat having won without conceding an away goal last week. Here are the sides for today's Champions League semi final clash:
Liverpool: Reina, Finnan, Carragher, Agger, Riise, Pennant, Gerrard, Mascherano, Zenden, Kuyt, Crouch.
Subs: Padelli, Arbeloa, Hyypia, Fowler, Gonzalez, Alonso, Bellamy.
Chelsea: Cech, Ferreira, Essien, Terry, Ashley Cole, Mikel, Makelele, Lampard, Joe Cole, Drogba, Kalou.
Subs: Cudicini, Boulahrouz, Geremi, Robben, Bridge, Diarra, Wright-Phillips.
Referee: Manuel Enrique Mejuto Gonzalez (Spain)
posted by gatorbob @ 2:41 PM
59 Comments:
This match is poised in a fascinating position. Liverpool really do need to come out looking for a goal, but if they conceded early, they'll need to score three! It's mouth-watering stuff.
Interesting comment by Tommy Smyth about Sheva's absence. He reckons that this signals the end of the Mourinho/Abramovich marriage and that Jose is certainly moving on. We'll see...
Both sides just feeling each other out right now. Both keepers have had an early touch without really having been tested yet.
Good to see Crouchy on tonight, although I'd rather see him playing with Bellamy than Kuyt, who I think is vastly overrated.
Real mismatch between Essien, who's been pressed into service at center back, and Crouch. I notice that Drogba is marking him at set pieces.
Joe Cole's been thumped a couple of times already by Aggar - Macca won't be happy to see that.
Game's just starting to boil over now; the crowd is completely amped up.
It's starting to stretch out a bit with some longer balls over the top to Drogs.
Liverpool fans are booing a couple of Chelski players - particularly J. Cole and Essien - but why?
Mascherano is nothing but a water carrier. I do not like that guy. West Ham are well shod of him.
Gerrard's had a couple of nasty challenges so far, the latest on Mikel. Could be close to a card.
With Sheva not even dressed and on the bench, Chelski are a bit thin up front if they need a goal at any point. Only Robben and SWP to come on in a pinch.
Joe Cole's a lucky boy not to get a yellow there - it would've put him out of the final in Lisbon.
Dangerous free kick...and it's gone in!
Aggar with a left foot strike and it's snuck in Cech's near post. He won't be happy with the way that the Chelski defense set up there. They seemed to be napping.
Well, that goal changes the entire complexion of the tie. It's even Steven now with all to the play for. The Anfield faithful is roaring on their side.
Cashley picks up the first yellow of the night - he's out of the final.
The ref in truth has been letting a bit too much go. The tackles have been flying in.
The first real chance for Chelski. A sharp shot by Drogs but straight at the keeper. The angle was not so good for Drogs and Reina kept the angles tight.
Golden opportunity for Essien there. Drogs won the ball from a corner and Essien merely had to redirect a header into the goal. He didn't even make clean contact, just let it knock off his shoulder and lamely out. Big chance.
Half-time: It's all even here. Liverpool have done what they set their stall out for. Now can they build on it or will Chelski nick a goal. I don't see what Chelski have in the tank unless it's waiting for penalties.
Liverpool kick off the second half attacking the Kop end, which should give them a lift. You'd have to fancy them to go through now.
Very scrappy so far in the second period and played at a furious pace. Joe Cole looks puffed. I wouldn't be surprised to see him come out for Robben, who's also just recovering from injury.
Free kick from Lamps to come...and nothing.
First good chance for Crouch. Pennant's been threatening all night but it's his first good delivery, Crouch gets on the end of it, Cech claws it away and Terry clears.
Ooh, Dirk Kuyt nearly sealed it there. A great cross from Zenden on the left and Kuyt meets it with a thundering header that smacks the crossbar. Liverpool are really killing Chelski on the flanks.
Daniel Agger picks up a yellow for a seemingly innocuous challenge.
Chelski have clearly come out merely to grind out a draw. Their plan suffered an early blow, but for all of Liverpool's dominance, Chelski are still in it with half an hour left. Jose seems to be saving his weapons for extra time.
Oh, what a sitter missed by Drogs! A lovely ball threaded through on the left side of the box by Mikel, it's cut back from the by-line by Cashley and Drogba skies it over from about a yard out. Terrible miss.
Fifteen minutes left - surely one or both sides will make changes soon in order to try to kill this tie off.
Liverpool have Fowler and Bellamy in reserve while Chelski have Robben and SWP.
And here comes... Xavi Alonso? Bizarre move - are they playing for pens?
Chelski are still capable of a late goal here - and it would be a killer blow as it would be an away goal.
Drogs tries to Mortenson the keeper into the net - ref's not having any of it.
Free kick for Chelski from a long way out...and Lampard lamps it into Row Z.
Drogs nearly latched onto a cheeky lob from Essien but Reina was wise to it.
Five minutes left and still no move from Jose - what's he playing at?
A raking drive from Bolo Zenden and Cech makes a hash of it. He hasn't looked secure tonight.
Chelski free kick with less than a minute on the clock. It's floated toward Terry but cleared.
Two minutes have been added - we're heading toward extra time.
Less than a minute now....surely we're going toward extra time and probably penalties at this rate. Liverpool looked dominant in the first hour, but faded badly in the last period.
Extra time starting. Can either side break the deadlock?
They must be thinking about penalties at this rate. Here are the first five I'd pick for each side:
Liverpool:
1. Riise
2. Finnan
3. Gerrard
4. Kuyt
5. Mascherano
Chelski
1. Cashley
2. Essien
3. Makelele
4. Ferreira
5. Lamps
Jose's up off the bench for the first time tonight. He's been strangely subdued - and no moves from the "Special One" yet.
Kuyt races through but is flagged offside.
Finally Joe Cole makes way for Robben...and Joe is booed off by the Anfield crowd - wtf?
Kalou has made no impression at all tonight - surely he'll be replaced by SWP at some point.
GOAL! Dirk Kuyt!
No, wait a minute, he's been called offside again. Not too many protests there too; looks like a good decision.
We've reached the half way mark of extra time and still no breakthrough.
Bellamy is up off the bench chatting with Rafa, so it looks like he may be the final roll of the dice. He might be good for a sharp pen. too.
Bellamy's on and we're off again for the last period. It's almost 10 p.m. GMT, so it'll be a late night for the punters at Anfield.
Robben floats a ball over and Terry impedes the defender.
SWP is coming on for Kalou. That's a smart move, albeit a bit late. My penalty takers are still set.
Useless free kick from Alonso in a dangerous position.
Zenden picks up a yellow for a cynical challenge on his fellow Dutchman Robben and rightly so.
We're down to ten minutes. It'll take a dramatic strike to break the deadlock now.
Big chance there for Drogs; SWP drove a sharp ball across the area and it only needed a touch from the Ivorian to kill the tie.
Surely we're coming down to the penalties now. It'll be the first semi final to have gone to penalties in the history of the Champions League. We've had several penalty shootouts in finals, including the Liverpool win in 2005 in Istanbul.
Kuyt could have sealed it there; he took his time but then struck it at the keeper. Cech did well.
Geremi and Fowler have come on for their respective sides, presumably to take penalties.
A minute left now plus stoppage time.
Gerrard drives a hopeful Hail Mary strike at goal but it's well wide. No heroics from Stevie G. today.
And that's it! We're set up for pens - let's see how well I predicted the takers.
There seems to be some conflict between Gerrard and the ref here over the end that they'll be taking the penalties into. He wants the Kop End but the ref isn't going for it.
So, they'll be heading for the Anfield Road End.
Zenden is first up.....and it's 1-0
He wasn't on my list but it was a clinical left-footed finish.
Arjen Robben up next....and he's missed! 1-0 Liverpool.
Alonso up for Liverpool...and just sneaks it in past Cech. Cech might've done better.
Liverpool 2-0
Lamps is striding up to a chorus of boos...and he strikes it home with authority. 2-1. Wish he could take those for England.
Stevie G. readies himself...and he slides one home, totally wrong-footed Cech.
Liverpool 3-1.
Geremi comes up...and Reina saves well!
Liverpool 3-1 and almost home and dry.
Dirk Kuyt to win it for Pool...and he makes no mistake...a clinical penalty into the left corner. No chance for Cech. Liverpool are heading for Athens!
As I said before, the red team always wins on May Day!
I'll be expecting some more company from you comrades tomorrow.
Post a Comment
<< Home