Chelsea 1-2 Liverpool

[ulsterchelsea 3,221]

How great would it be if this was the game Torres hits a hat trick. Priceless

[francozola 2,040]

Ugh we have to win this. I don't think I can survive if Queen Kenny and those scouse cunts get the win again

[Jusek 2,031]

How great would it be if this was the game Torres hits a hat trick. Priceless

It would be more epic at Anfield.

[LDN Blue 7,903]

Torres shouldn't start.

Anelka - Mata

Sturridge

[Tomo 21,751]

Kenny's record against us is worrying, only 1 loss in 21 as player or manager and that was when he was Newcastle manager.

[LDN Blue 7,903]

Kenny's record against us is worrying, only 1 loss in 21 as player or manager and that was when he was Newcastle manager.

Lol come on, a loooooooooot's changed since then

[steve5221 91]

Torres shouldn't start.

Anelka - Mata

Sturridge

Whats your reasons for that?

[LDN Blue 7,903]

Whats your reasons for that?

This whole "confidence" story. If he's really that affected by confidence, I don't see him pulling out a good shift vs his ex-employers. I also still see him in that "1 step forward, 2 steps backwards" light & we really do need a win in this game.

Sturridge is in fine form currently & Anelka is always a hidden danger. The great thing about Anelka is, he'll work with anyone! Where we see Drogba and Torres failing to adapt with a co-striker Anelka's got form in creating good link-up play.

[steve5221 91]

This whole "confidence" story. If he's really that affected by confidence, I don't see him pulling out a good shift vs his ex-employers. I also still see him in that "1 step forward, 2 steps backwards" light & we really do need a win in this game.

Sturridge is in fine form currently & Anelka is always a hidden danger. The great thing about Anelka is, he'll work with anyone! Where we see Drogba and Torres failing to adapt with a co-striker Anelka's got form in creating good link-up play.

I agree with the Anelka part - he has impressed me this year (but I still have a sour taste in my mouth for his performances under Grant and Carlo's last year).

How much longer though can we keep Torres wrapped up in cotton wool for??.....at the end of the day we paid the British record transfer fee for him and he pushed for the move..also he was under huge pressure for the televised game at Old Trafford. He was still on a blank for the season at the time and he did not hide and gave possibly his best performance in a Chelsea shirt and that was away from home. For me the ability is still there, he just needs to up his work rate. Unless we change our style of play he is the best central striker we have (Drogba and Lukaku are ineffective in the AVB style).

I also think that with Sturridge being so left footed, it hurts him in the central role..Maybe we could leave him on the bench for later in the game and play Mata and Anelka on the flanks??

[Madmax 9,219]

This whole "confidence" story. If he's really that affected by confidence, I don't see him pulling out a good shift vs his ex-employers. I also still see him in that "1 step forward, 2 steps backwards" light & we really do need a win in this game.

Sturridge is in fine form currently & Anelka is always a hidden danger. The great thing about Anelka is, he'll work with anyone! Where we see Drogba and Torres failing to adapt with a co-striker Anelka's got form in creating good link-up play.

Sturridge has hardly been great in the last two games, Anelka has been really poor in all games he's started.

[DYC. 7,542]

Torres shouldn't start.

Anelka - Mata

Sturridge

Anelka starting in a big game? Haven't you learned by now..

[Kojo 4,676]

Given Drogba's form and seeming lack of fitness I think Torres starting is a pretty safe bet.

Torres's form?, i still don't think he can work in our team till we actually get the players suited for him. At most he will score about 9 goals a season with the team we have, and that's with him starting most games.

[Kojo 4,676]

Sturridge has hardly been great in the last two games, Anelka has been really poor in all games he's started.

He hasn't been really poor, he's just didn't do anything special in any of those matches he started in, he didn't give the ball away all the time or anything. But he's much better coming off the bench, but because we lack options almost everywere in our team, it seems we have to start Anelka.

[Tomo 21,751]

True LDN bout football changing but their is also a mental side to it aswell, IE if Jose came back in 20 years to manage us with Didier as assistant we would probally beat Arsenal even if they had a superior side.

ALthough smasing the Scousers twice will put a end to all that.

[francozola 2,040]

I do realize that Anelka is a very poor starter but he has the eye for a pass that Torres loves - as shown by the pass in the Utd game which led to Torres' goal. Sturridge is still learning and it would be a bigger risk to start him on the wing on Sunday IMO because he's been quite bad as a team player

[Kojo 4,676]

I do realize that Anelka is a very poor starter but he has the eye for a pass that Torres loves - as shown by the pass in the Utd game which led to Torres' goal. Sturridge is still learning and it would be a bigger risk to start him on the wing on Sunday IMO because he's been quite bad as a team player

That pass is something we lack in this team, and we have no players who can do that consistently, including Anelka!, Anelka would probably only pull that pass out 3 times this season if that. Anelka is a good technical player who offers something, though he's very weak mentally, if his head isn't in the game, then his skills wont be there either, and Anelka is a nervous player i think, that's why he shits himself in big games.

For example last season Van Der Sar made a mistake and came out of his box for the ball where Anelka was closer to it, Anelka had the chance to get the ball before VDS and kick it in an open goal, it was on an angle, but he had time to go round him or at least take a damn shot. However he shit himself and just let Van Der Sar get rid of the ball, Anelka was playing poor the whole game and looked like he was shaking when he had the ball. But he's our only option in my opinion against Liverpool, Sturridge isn't ready, i think Sturridge should be the one coming on later game and let him know he has to put on a performance.

[steve5221 91]

Plus Sturridge was crap and looked out of his depth against both Man U and Arsenal.....

[Krypt 241]

Plus Sturridge was crap and looked out of his depth against both Man U and Arsenal.....

True , but you don't know which Anelka will turn up , this is the problem he can sometimes be up for it and sometimes not.

[steve5221 91]

True , but you don't know which Anelka will turn up , this is the problem he can sometimes be up for it and sometimes not.

True , but you don't know which Anelka will turn up , this is the problem he can sometimes be up for it and sometimes not.

True , but you don't know which Anelka will turn up , this is the problem he can sometimes be up for it and sometimes not.

The right wing will be up against Enrique, who is a good player but don't think he is that quick..certainly not as quick as Glen Johnson on the other side....I think we should start with Sturridge and try to attack him at pace, if this does not work could bring Anelka on, as you rightly say he is unreliable but has been pretty effective this season and Torres seems to play better when he is in the side.....

[francozola 2,040]

The right wing will be up against Enrique, who is a good player but don't think he is that quick..certainly not as quick as Glen Johnson on the other side....I think we should start with Sturridge and try to attack him at pace, if this does not work could bring Anelka on, as you rightly say he is unreliable but has been pretty effective this season and Torres seems to play better when he is in the side.....

Oh damn I didn't even take into account that their LB is Enrique. He's class imo. Johnson is quick but he's brainless and a good winger would destroy him.

That pass is something we lack in this team, and we have no players who can do that consistently, including Anelka!, Anelka would probably only pull that pass out 3 times this season if that. Anelka is a good technical player who offers something, though he's very weak mentally, if his head isn't in the game, then his skills wont be there either, and Anelka is a nervous player i think, that's why he shits himself in big games.

For example last season Van Der Sar made a mistake and came out of his box for the ball where Anelka was closer to it, Anelka had the chance to get the ball before VDS and kick it in an open goal, it was on an angle, but he had time to go round him or at least take a damn shot. However he shit himself and just let Van Der Sar get rid of the ball, Anelka was playing poor the whole game and looked like he was shaking when he had the ball. But he's our only option in my opinion against Liverpool, Sturridge isn't ready, i think Sturridge should be the one coming on later game and let him know he has to put on a performance.

I see what you're saying and agree with it, but like you said, Danny isn't ready. He's still selfish - he should be as he's originally a striker - and doesn't have the abilities to pass to teammates because that has never been his role. If he had had more experience, Torres would have had a tap in against Arsenal but Sturridge could not make the pass quick enough because he isn't used to the role yet.

I wasn't saying that Anelka is the answer to our problems, but he provides more to the team than Sturridge. And yeah, I think Danny would be really good coming off the bench.