Chelsea-Liverpool Preview

I am torn about today’s game. Chelsea-Liverpool could turn into a cracker if we get a goal early, or it could be a nightmare of Chelsea trying to hold onto a nil-all draw. I am hoping for the former, so we’ll stay with a 2-1 Chelsea line. I’d say goals from Joe Cole and Ballack for Chelsea, Torres for Liverpool. Key to the game for Liverpool is whether Mascherano plays a Claude Makelele game, simply good tackling and square balls, or whether he plays a Michael Essien game and actually adds something to the offense. Key to the game for Chelsea is getting the ball wide to Cole, Malouda, and/or Kalu, and taking it at the Liverpool fullbacks, especially Carragher or Riise, whoever plays with Arbeloa. The best case scenario is that then Kuyt has to go back and play some defense and slows up any Liverpool attack.

I have yet to see official teams, so here is who I would put out:
Chelsea: Cech, Belleti, Carvahlo, Terry, A Cole, Ballack, Essien, Lampard, Malouda, Drogba, J Cole. I am sure that Grant will probably choose Makelele over Essien or Lampard, but I think this is their strongest lineup.

Liverpool: Reina, Carragher, Hyypia, Skrtel, Arbeloa, Mascherano, Gerard, Alonso, Babel, Kuyt, Torres. For his sake, I hope he leaves off Riise; he has not looked good, even before the header deep into injury time last week.

Enjoy the game, let’s hope the familiarity of these two teams with each other doesn’t produce a boring, defend-at-all-cost game much like we had yesterday. I sort of like both of these teams; Liverpool of course for the Spanish connection, but I am not clear why I find myself rooting for Chelsea so often. It is probably because they can actually challenge Man U, whom I despise with the intensity of a thousand suns. It really doesn’t matter to me who wins, just that some nice football takes place, and we aren’t treated to long ball after long ball like some English games can become.