Chelsea Ready for the Anfield Cauldron
Champions Champions
By BlueBlood
May 3 2005
If the match tonight is half as good as the pre-match build up then we are all in for a classic. The mind games between Mourinho and Benitez are top notch.
Respect between the two is never too far away, but this 'We're gonna win or We're gonna win' is absolutely brilliant. Both teams have advantages they can claim will see them prevail. Liverpool - home advantage and The Kop. Chelsea - Newly crowned Premiership Champions and any score draw will see them through to the final in Istanbul in just over three weeks time. Even Jamie Garragher has joined in the mind games by declaring that Chelsea are slight favourites. Jose Mourinho has publicly stated that his players are heroes whatever the outcome of tonight's match. Jose said 'We travelled North with two objectives. The first to win the title and the second to win through to the Champions League final. The first objective has been completed, we wait to see the outcome of the second.' Whatever the outcome at Anfield tonight my own dream has been fully realised and come Saturday at home to Charlton, I will be there to see the Premiership trophy lifted high into the Stamford Bridge sky, a scene that I truly thought I would never see in my lifetime. I can't help wondering if Liverpool are not as confident as they might like us to believe. After all a lot has been made of the Anfield noise cauldron that Chelsea will walk into tonight. If Chelsea thought that the noise and atmosphere was bad in the New Year's Day game, then the decibels tonight will undoubtedly double and the fans become Liverpool's 12th player, but if the players freeze or are not up to it, then no matter how much noise is made its going to be extra difficult to have the desired effect. (Observation and not a criticism!! Ed) Don't forget also. Chelsea will take 3,000 plus fans and with the high that they will be on, it will not only be The Kop that will be in full voice. Whether Duff and or Robben make it to the starting line-up remains to be seen. Reports suggest the Duff is fit, not fit. Robben is, he isn't fit. Player power has been suggested that Robben let the club and team mates down for the first leg and the players have told Robben that he is starting, whether he likes it or not. Believe that or not. Whatever, probable starting line-up Cech, Johnson, Terry, Carvalho, Gallas, Makelele, Tiago, Lampard, Cole, Gudjohnsen, Drogba Dangerman for Chelsea. No doubt there. Steven Gerrard. This is a night made for him COME ON CHELSEA KEEP THE BLUE FLAG FLYING HIGH