Champions League Semi Final - Liverpool v Chelsea

[onaed]

All selections here please (both legs)

Thanks

[fairfranco]

For me Liverpool over two legs are capable of beating most sides, it is why they do so well in Europe and why in the group stage they didn't do amazingly well.

I don't think this will be a thrilling game as most don't both teams play a tight game, Chelsea will look for an away goal without risking conceeding while Liverpool will will obviously be doing a similar thing to take a lead to Stamford bridge without giving away an away goal.

both teams will cancel out for most of the game I imagine and with Chelsea not really looking like scoring many goals in recent matches I see them struggling to score.

Liverpool have been scoring pretty well and having rested a few players at the weekend in a pretty comfortable win I don't think the extra 2 days off Chelsea had will make any difference.

the 2 important players missing for both sides in recent games are backni Gerrard and Lampard while Chelsea still appear to be missing Drogba who seems to be going through an "i've got an injury" spell!

My predictions for this game:

Liverpool to take a narrow lead or draw out of the game. 1-0, 1-1 or 2-1 liverpool.

Under 2.5 goals a fairly strong bet but 1.5 is even lower than I expecting, was expecting more like 1.6 so no bet there.

HT/FT - Draw/Liverpool looks like value at 5.9.

tough call on most bets and not a lot to be had.

My bet on qualifier would be Liverpool and as slight outsiders I'd say their value bet.

[Lampah]

This season Chelsea are unbeaten against Liverpool. I really fancy Chelsea to get a draw at Anfield and win the return at Stamford bridge. Plus they would want to put right what happened to them the last time the two sides met in this competition.

First Leg am going for Chelsea on the AH at +25 and under 2.5 goals. I see this as a cagy affair with not many goals in it.

My second leg selections will depend on what happens in the first leg.

[funkyav]

i think obviously this will be a tight game. I have a feeling that chelsea will score. 1-1 would be my prediction. Paddy Power has a money back special if the game end up 0-0 - which is highly likely.
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"Lets have a look at what you could have won!"

[Betfairalfie]

Chelsea played Liverpool in last years CL semi and the home teams won both games 1-0, both games having low bookings (1 and 3) and low corners (6 and 11).

History available here from the excellent uefa site. e.g. http://www.uefa.com/competitions/ucl/history/season=2006/round=2360/match=300136/report=st.html

So, in the hope of history repeating itself I'll back Liverpool 1-0 @6.80 and Lay 9pts+ bookings @1.97

PS - whoever spotted the 10/11 Boylesports price about Bar/MU having more goals than Liv/Che. Did you get on at that price? Cracking bet if you did

[Epic]

Could anyone explain to me what "Total goal minutes" bet means?

[tomario]

Liverpool v Chelsea

I think that Liverpool have the better manager when it comes to European matches.
So i think Raffa will be the reason Liverpool will win over the two legs.
Liverpool should be to mobile for the dour, boring Chelsea team.I think Chelsea will be run ragged and hopefully concede early on. If Chelsea score first god help us!

First leg
Liverpool 3-0 Chelsea @20/1
Liverpool 3-1 Chelsea @20/1

D Kuyt is a massive 9/2 to score anytime Top Man

As both Lampard and Gerrard are both a booking away from missing the next game they could be targeted. So do you back them to be booked first or the player most likely to put the foot in on them?
I vote for the latter so J Mascherano @14/1 or C Makelele @8/1 to be booked first.
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[tomario]

[onaed]

by ahzeff

My Pick - Over 1.75 Goals @.75(C.League: Liverpool vs Chelsea)
A big European at Anfield, with Chelsea looking to exact revenge over the Reds for previous exits. Chelsea are not at full strength, with Essien suspended and Drogba will face a late fitness test with a niggling knee injury. For Liverpool, long term absentee Agger means that Hyppia should continue to line up along side the very impressive Skrtel with Carra slotting in on right back.

Looking across both defenses, i can identify the left back positions as being very vulnerable for both teams.Rafa would be expected to start Aurelio over Riise(who have had a very poor season IMO), and while the Brazilain has a wicked left foot, the same cannot be said about his defensive prowess. A.Cole IMO is extremely overrated and tend to have lapse in concentration from time to time.

With this game expected to be tight(as we can infer from bookies opening odds for O/U at 1.75 Goals), Liverpool's recent weakness in defending crosses from set pieces could prove crucial. I expected Chelsea's Kalou/Cole to give Aurelio a torrid time today down the left and put in a few pin-point crosses for Drogba(this game is too big for him to miss IMO) to exploit.

With the form of Torres and Gerrard, its no exaggeration to say that the pair would be good enough for at least one goal for Liverpool tonight.

Not the highest payout for Over 1.75 goals @1.75, but bearing in mind the form of Liverpool's attack and the unpredictability of J.Cole who scores goals out of no where when on form, a punt here represents fairly good value for me.

[mansfield]

Im hoping that its going to be a bit of the mess and they said on sky sports that the ref has handed out 23 yellowcards in 5 games so I have put a bit on there being produced 5 or more cards

[bookers killer]

TEAM NEWS

Liverpool

Steven Gerrard is a doubt for Tuesday’s game after picking up a neck injury in training. A decision on the Reds skipper will be taken on Tuesday, with Lucas on standby. It remains to be seen whether Rafael Benítez will opt for the 4-4-2 used in the home quarter-final leg against Arsenal or stick to the mostly-used 4-2-3-1. Most clues will probably come from who didn’t play against Fulham.

Likely XI (4-2-3-1): Reina – Arbeloa, Carragher, Hyypia, Aurélio – Mascherano, Alonso – Kuyt, Gerrard, Babel – Torres

Chelsea

Frank Lampard will return having missed the last two Chelsea games on compassionate leave. He will probably start since Michael Essien is suspended. The Blues should be relatively fresh having had five days to prepare for this game and aren’t dealing with a lengthy casualty list. Wright-Phillips and Malouda will likely compete for a spot down the wing with Joe Cole set to get the other berth. It remains to be seen whether Didier Drogba will play an part but Michael Ballack (hamstring) looks set to miss out.

Likely XI (4-1-2-2-1): Cech – Ferreira, Carvalho, Terry, A Cole – Makélélé – Obi, Lampard – J Cole, Kalou – Anelka



PLAYERS TO WATCH

Liverpool – Fernando Torres (pictured)

The Liverpool striker scored a beauty of a goal against Chelsea earlier in the season, a fine way to get off the mark at Anfield, and will he hoping for the same again. The Spanish striker netted in both previous knock-out rounds of this year’s Champions League tournament and is bang in form having notched in Liverpool’s last seven home matches.

Chelsea – Frank Lampard

With Michael Ballack and Michael Essien both out, Lampard will need to be a tower of strength at Anfield on Tuesday night. Whether he's mentally up to it after missing the last two games for family reasons, only time will tell. The England international has netted twice against the Reds already this season, breaking the deadlock with a deflected effort in the Carling Cup quarter-final and slotting home that controversial penalty at Anfield back in August.


PREDICTION

In theory Liverpool’s freshness having rested their stars at the weekend and the fact that they cannot bank on a result at the Bridge mean this encounter should be more open than previous ones. Whether that holds true we’ll have to see, but I think Chelsea may be the happier side at full-time.

Liverpool 1-1 Chelsea

[betking]

That team news is out of date, Gerrard has been passed fit and will play.