It's Liverpool Again

[misschief 24]

So, here we go again then? It’s time for the Dippers annual mouth-off where we’re all subjected to a drone of “Kings of Europe”, “we’ve won it 5 times”, “history”, blah, blah, blah. Even Veronin, who apparently hasn’t got a clue what they’re saying because of the “peculiar local accent”, doesn’t need an interpreter for the traditional pre-CL drivel it’s so predictable. They’re so excited bless them. No wonder it’s so hard to contain themselves though, watching everyone else play out 38 games a season while they wait for the only competition Tubby’s ever let them enter. Little wonder they feel the need to be heard then, when their whiny voices are the only things likely to be above the top three during the course of the football year.

Chelsea forums littered with posts written in the style of your average 5-year old, complete with authentic grammar reliably informing us we might as well stay at home. Now, I could say something here about this being the sensible option as far as contents insurance goes while they’re in town, but that’d be as predictable as them telling us they have the best supporters in the land. Honestly, a spot of ground decorating – they’re the boys to do it, emergency service vehicles – they’re only too willing to give a little push, they’ll even offer to hold your ticket for you! So, while they’re busy having a go at us for being “prawn sandwich eating” dispassionates - clearly a much more offensive stereotype than bin-dipping, robbing, giro worshippers eh? – they feel obliged to inform us their tickets to Moscow are already paid for (or at least will be once sufficient household goods have been secured).

Self-righteous? Arrogant? Or just a result of knowing their first team will get the customary rest in preparation? Albeit not convincingly, they have beaten us in our previous meetings in this competition, but how much can be put down to them focusing solely on one competition a year? Certainly we looked dead on our feet this time last year but they hardly outplayed us over 210 minutes. So maybe the extra time off from competitive football is well spent practising penalties? Or better still, perfecting the art of keeping their halo’s firmly in place whilst assuming the correct position for officials to pucker up? Needless to say, if its the latter then they’re right – we just can’t compete – so should we take a leaf out of Rafa’s “Ten Steps To Becoming A Glorified Cup Team” manual instead? Answers on the back of a stamp please.

Personally, I prefer being a proper team prepared to fight on all fronts. Although dogged and somewhat less than attractive at times, we’ve consistently got the necessary results over the course of the season to give Utd the title race they thought Arsenal were up for. Ok, we might not play the sexiest football, we might not dispense with teams as efficiently as we’d like, in fact, we might even scrape more than the odd game but we can justify a place in the CL at the end of the season. Finishing with a points total more befitting a middle of the table side or having the rules rewritten to accommodate you isn’t quite as satisfying as actually earning your place I’d imagine. But then, that’s assuming ‘earning’ isn’t a totally alien concept of course.

So what can we expect from this year’s almost traditional fixture? Another bore-fest? Us standing off and giving them far more respect than they deserve again? Rafa relying on his back 10 and the infamous 12th man (must mean the ref surely?)? Well, the fixtures are reversed this time so that should have some bearing on how the games are played. Rafa will surely want to wrap it up at Anfield seeing as they have failed to score at SB under his leadership. But what about Grant, how will he play it? If we manage to get an away win, will he opt for the ten-man defence at home? We’ve already seen the chaos created by his defensive tactics this season so maybe we should try to keep it as tight as we can at Anfield and go for the home win? Rafa’s record against Mourinho of course counts for nothing here and his poor attempts at mind games won’t leave an impression this time. Despite my complete lack of faith in Grant’s abilities as a manager however, the one undeniable fact this season is that we have consistently got results. Personally I think that’s more down to luck than judgement though so I will definitely be hoping he steps in a rather large quantity of something prior to these games and comes up smelling of roses.

[Laylabelle 9,296]

Im sorry but we have to stop them lol.All we'll hear is 6 times should they win it we're the as said Kings of Europe.No sorry Madrid have won it 9 times!!!!

Second leg at home should help..then again depends on how badly we screw up the away one lol.We get a away goal should be more ooo but grr no Essien!!!

[BlueLion. 21,491]

Considering that we have seen Chelsea vs Barcelona every season for the past few years, maybe fate will see us drawn in the final.

[Ollie 4,400]

that post from misschief was awesome by the way.

Now i just need to post this because we need to avenge this. Everytime i see it, i get mad. The referee was not going to give a pen and send cech off if no goal was scored and of course, the ball wasnt over the line.

[BlueLion. 21,491]

Cunts. Unfortunately, the rest is history. So we've got to get over that and focus on crushing the cheating bastards this month

[Badboy 1,526]

I cant watch the match im at work

[SuperSheva7 0]

I never look forward to these horrible games v pool, they raise my blood pressure and make nervous as heck. It would be amazing if we got through, but I'll be happy when that week is over.

[misschief 24]

that post from misschief was awesome by the way.

Now i just need to post this because we need to avenge this. Everytime i see it, i get mad. The referee was not going to give a pen and send cech off if no goal was scored and of course, the ball wasnt over the line.

Yeah, revisited that argument myself last night. Baros went in foot high so surely that couldve been seen as a foul on the keeper? Whatever, its history and there aint much we can do about it. We know they're cheating scum - let's just hope we get our revenge this time round.

[Ollie 4,400]

Yeah its true, its all in the past etc and we cant do anything about it, but to be honest, if we knock liverpool out and win the CL this year, we can finally put that moment to bed after 3 years. These moments, the was it or wasnt it over the line in 2005 or that torturous penalty shootout in 2007 makes this one in 2008 much more than just a CL Semi Final rematch against Liverpool.

[misschief 24]

The way I see it, there's 2 sides to this. On the one hand, we're not as good a team as the one that's faced them previously, so that's pretty worrying. But, on the other hand, as bad as we're playing and as clueless as Grant clearly is, we are grinding out results somehow - god only knows how sometimes - but somehow, in spite of Grant's best efforts at substitutional sabotage, we're still doing just about enough. I just hope (and Im even prepared to pray) we get away with it a bit longer.

[Ollie 4,400]

And another thing......no matter what we are like now and how we're playing, who's in charge ETC, we ARE better than Liverpool. Theres no way players such as Joe Cole, JT and Lamps have forgotten the last 2 encounters. We'll want this more than them.

[Laylabelle 9,296]

As long as it aint a Stevie G goal that knocks us out...will be bearable...just..not at all

Hopfully getting tickets so wooo

With second leg at home..they're not gana wana let fans down..come on Chels!

Edited April 13, 2008 by Laylabelle

[Ollie 4,400]

No defeat will be bearable at all. Whatever way we get knocked out if indeed we do get knocked out will be unbearable beyond belief. This year, it just aint happening tho, no fukin way!

[James 5,140]

Pay back at last.

[Laylabelle 9,296]

Revenge is soooo sweet.