Capital One Cup - Liverpool vs Chelsea

The semifinals of the Capital One Cup see Chelsea take on Liverpool at Anfield in a first leg tie that promises to be the first of two well-fought and competitive ones, if history is anything to go by...










Indeed, the two sides' history in Cup competitions against each other over the last decade is infamous. Dating back to the days of José Mourinho's old Chelsea side and Rafa Benitez's Liverpool, the pair, since and including the Final of this competition in 2005, have been pitted against each other in cup competitions a staggering total of 11 times: 4 in this competition (including this season's affair), twice in the FA Cup, and 5 in the Champions League.










Focusing on just the pair's history in this particular cup, the Blues have fared fairly well. 2 wins in 3, including the tournament's 2005 final, in the last decade, albeit the most recent one being an abject 2-0 loss in 2011 under the faltering André Villas-Boas, two stats which can give both sides their own reasons to be optimistic going into the day's clash.
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The sides, of course, contested this fixture already this season in the Premier League, in a match that ended 2-1 to the visitors. Emre Can opened the scoring on 9 minutes to put the hosts in front through a slightly fortuitous deflection off Gary Cahill. The Englishman would atone for his error, though, 5 minutes later at the other end, when he forced in a Cesc Fàbregas corner that Reds keeper Simon Mignolet had up till then done well to somehow keep out, and the Blues entered the break half an hour later on level terms. Diego Costa scored just over 20 minutes after the restart after some superb work from Cesar Azpilicueta down the left flank to put the visitors in front for the first time on the day, a result which would hold out to FT, handing José Mourinho's men their second 3 points at Anfield in 6 months after a series of defeats on Merseyside.










Martin Atkinson, who last officiated for Liverpool in their 3-0 thumping at the hands of Manchester United at Old Trafford in mid-December and for Chelsea in their 2-1 defeat by Newcastle United at St. James' Park a week earlier, has been appointed referee for Tuesday's tie.





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Will be interesting to see how we take this.

I think Jose will go for a tight 1 0 win here.

I also get the feeling Mikel will play.


Thats my pick for a line up. Perhaps even Ramires for Willian.

This is going to be nothing like our last encounter with them. They were shambles tactically and morally but now they've found a new and more suitable formation and are now one of the most in form and with confidence teams in the country. Plus, unlike us, this is going to be their only chance of getting their hands on a trophy so they'll go all for it.


Tactically, I expect them to park the bus and counter and with their 3 CBs against Costa it's going to be hard for him, the key will be Hazard, he needs to destroy Markovic to force the right CB to close on him and open up the defense and he and Oscar/Cesc should exploit the space they're going to find behind the double pivot and Ivanovic should not push forward a lot to be less threatened by their counters as Luis on the left and Willy on the right will provide the width necessary.

We should not press them high, I know that we created a lot of chances last time we played against them by pressing them high and forcing a mistake, but it was more due to confidence's error, now they're coming from a positive streak and with 3 men in the back they're going to find it easier to pass their way out having a midfielder in their backline as well. The only way they can be dangerous is from a counter, we've already seen in the 3 matches against Pool since Mou returned that we're able to withstand whatever they throw at us, so do not get caught in a counterattack, let them come forward and exploit the space they're going to leave us, especially if we get a lead.

Im just hoping Sturridge makes a cameo or the bench. You guys are superior, I hope we give you a good test.

Best of luck.

Nishy wrote:Im just hoping Sturridge makes a cameo or the bench. You guys are superior, I hope we give you a good test.

Best of luck.

I certainly expect the same.

Mourinho on the Gerrard song, via the Mirror:

“Our fans have a song (about him) that I don’t like, I don’t like it at all.”

“Maybe a couple of times it’s good fun, but to go on and go on, especially when a player like him deserves respect, I don’t think we need that.”

"We have so many other songs that we don’t need that one.”

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Sturridge not fit in time for tomorrow's game says Rodgers:

"It has obviously been very difficult for us, because he is a top-class player and he has been out since August."

"But he is working very hard on his rehab and we're hoping that somewhere near the end of this month he should be back. He is back here in the final stages of that and doing very well."

— via liverpoolfc.com

Borini/Sterling/Lambert as striker

Thats good news for us.

If Balotelli starts

Plz

Markovic vs Hazard
Please pick Coutinho from Matic's pocket after this match.

Yea, if Markovic starts as a RWB Hazard is going to eat him alive and that will force their right sided CM and CB to leave their zone and help him and that will leave space for Costa and Cesc/Oscar, huge mismatch. We need to exploit the left flank with Luis as well, while Iva should be more blocked than usual to be less exposed to their counters.

Too bad Rafa's Napoli got knocked out in the CL play-offs. Another Mou vs Benitez would've been nice

CHELSEA XI: Courtois; Ivanovic, Cahill, Terry, Filipe Luis; Matic, Mikel; Willian, Fabregas, Hazard; Diego Costa

Stronger than I expected.

LIVERPOOL XI: Mignolet, Can, Skrtel, Sakho, Lucas, Henderson, Gerrard, Moreno, Markovic, Coutinho, Sterling

What's with Cech starting in the PL and Courtois in the CoC? Hierarchies reverted?

Courtois was carrying a thumb injury. Evidently back to full match-fitness now.

50 seconds in and the Scousers already singing about their history.


*Shock*

I'll be following this one on my phone because I'm at home aka the gym

PENALTYYYYY

GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAAALLLLL!!!!!!


HAZARDDDD