Lady luck just keeps smiling on Liverpool this season, and in one night, the Reds have received THREE pieces of great news that could have a massive impact on the this Sunday's Premier League title decider with Chelsea.
GOOD News: Chelsea 'keeper Petr Cech is almost certainly out of this Sunday's Anfield clash reportedly dislocating his shoulder during tonight's Champions League game with Atletico Madrid.
Sucks for him, but it's a big boost for the Reds.
GREAT News: In the second half of the Atletico game, John Terry - Chelsea's defensive stalwart - also went off injured, and could also be a massive doubt for the LFC game.
AWESOME News: Martin Atkinson is appointed to referee the Sunday's game with Chelsea, which thankfully means there's no chance of Liverpool being 'Webbed' again by Manchester's favourite son, Howard Webb.
Not that anyone needs reminding of Webb's calamitous performance during LFC's 2-1 defeat at Stamford Bridge earlier this season, but in that game, he abjectly failed in his duty to officiate fairly, and there were FOUR major incidents that could've changed the game:
* Eto’o should've been sent off for his awful studs-up challenge on Henderson.
* Penalty No 1: Terry was all over Suarez in the box and dragged him to the ground.
* Penalty No 2: Eto’o again. Deliberately and cynically barged Suarez over in the box.
* Oscar should've been sent off after a sickening two-footed 'tackle' on Lucas Leiva.
Admittedly, Chelsea were also on the receiving end of Webb's ineptitude. For example, Lucas possibly should've had a yellow card for lashing out at Oscar in the closing stages, but the Reds undoubtedly suffered the most. After the game, former referee Graham Poll slammed Webb's incompetence. He told the Daily Mail:
"At Stamford Bridge, Webb failed to make the right call too many times despite being in excellent positions to see incidents clearly. A poor performance by England’s leading referee, and he will not enjoy reviewing the game"
In my view, this was the worst decision of the lot:
That is a blatant penalty, and Webb had an absolutely perfect view of the incident, yet chose not to award a penalty, or even a free kick. Man United legend Gary Neville was incensed with Webb's decision, and during commentary, he raged:
"It's an absolutely stonewall penalty. Totally needless by Eto'o. I don't know what he was doing. Howard Webb was looking straight at it, but for some reason only he knows why he's chosen not to give it. He has to give that. It's madness from Etoo. I can't believe it"
They say good luck comes in threes, and that's definitely the case tonight :-)
Author: Jaimie K
GOOD News: Chelsea 'keeper Petr Cech is almost certainly out of this Sunday's Anfield clash reportedly dislocating his shoulder during tonight's Champions League game with Atletico Madrid.
Sucks for him, but it's a big boost for the Reds.
GREAT News: In the second half of the Atletico game, John Terry - Chelsea's defensive stalwart - also went off injured, and could also be a massive doubt for the LFC game.
AWESOME News: Martin Atkinson is appointed to referee the Sunday's game with Chelsea, which thankfully means there's no chance of Liverpool being 'Webbed' again by Manchester's favourite son, Howard Webb.
Not that anyone needs reminding of Webb's calamitous performance during LFC's 2-1 defeat at Stamford Bridge earlier this season, but in that game, he abjectly failed in his duty to officiate fairly, and there were FOUR major incidents that could've changed the game:
* Eto’o should've been sent off for his awful studs-up challenge on Henderson.
* Penalty No 1: Terry was all over Suarez in the box and dragged him to the ground.
* Penalty No 2: Eto’o again. Deliberately and cynically barged Suarez over in the box.
* Oscar should've been sent off after a sickening two-footed 'tackle' on Lucas Leiva.
Admittedly, Chelsea were also on the receiving end of Webb's ineptitude. For example, Lucas possibly should've had a yellow card for lashing out at Oscar in the closing stages, but the Reds undoubtedly suffered the most. After the game, former referee Graham Poll slammed Webb's incompetence. He told the Daily Mail:
"At Stamford Bridge, Webb failed to make the right call too many times despite being in excellent positions to see incidents clearly. A poor performance by England’s leading referee, and he will not enjoy reviewing the game"
In my view, this was the worst decision of the lot:
That is a blatant penalty, and Webb had an absolutely perfect view of the incident, yet chose not to award a penalty, or even a free kick. Man United legend Gary Neville was incensed with Webb's decision, and during commentary, he raged:
"It's an absolutely stonewall penalty. Totally needless by Eto'o. I don't know what he was doing. Howard Webb was looking straight at it, but for some reason only he knows why he's chosen not to give it. He has to give that. It's madness from Etoo. I can't believe it"
They say good luck comes in threes, and that's definitely the case tonight :-)
Author: Jaimie K
Well, Cech and Terry being unavailable for Sunday is big news, but I think the bigger news is that today is very likely what we should be prepared to see on Sunday. Chelsea will play a Mourinho version of catenacchio to keep a clean sheet and hope for the best on a counter. If he gets a draw so be it. At least it keeps us in sight and he can hope we draw one more after that.
ReplyDeleteCompletely agree AK, its just has to be Liverpool's year!.................YNWA
ReplyDelete4-1 to Liverpool (that said i would take a scrappy 3-2) 3 MORE POINTS please BR
ReplyDeleteI tend not to rejoice in players getting injured but for Terry I'll make an exception
ReplyDeletewe have not even heard from the FA regarding the Ramirez incident in the Sunderland game.
ReplyDeletedoubt he'll risk ramires anyhow, given that lampard/mikel suspended for 2nd leg
ReplyDeleteHopefully he gets three match ban and hopefully the FA take action against Mourinho for his comments about Mike Dean and Mike Riley. It's a pity Chelski managed a draw tonight, but they still have work to do in the second leg and have some bans for that game too.
ReplyDeleteWith all respect to athletico LIVERPOOL have a lot better forwards who pass the ball a lot quicker if LIVERPOOL score early or even go 1 up during the game chelsea will have to come out and when they do we will nail them ! I predict 2-0 for the reds !
ReplyDeleteBy the way Jaimie, you've just highlighted a game where LFC didn't get the rub of the green, thanks to Coward Plebb. This being a crucial '6 pointer' between title challengers, suggests that LFC have suffered, in terms of direct impact on points gained and denied from opponents, at least as much as the other top teams.
ReplyDeleteTake into account the appalling performance from Lee Mason, if I recall correctly, in the away game at City and you can see that we've suffered just as much as any of the top teams, from poor refereeing.
Arrrh it's only Tuesday. This season is taking forever to end....
ReplyDeleteYou wish injury on players? And feel gleeful about someone dislocating a shoulder? A disgrace to Liverpool supporters. Would you think it good luck if someone you were playing cards with had a heart attack and died, leaving you with the winnings? Would you like to attend a Wimbledon tennis final and have it end after ten minutes due to an injury, so your favoured player would win?
ReplyDeleteWe pay to watch sporting occasions contested by the best sportsmen, If you like watching opposition of a secondary level and grin at injury to opponents before the game even starts, why not wish Liverpool into the Championship League, where ALL the players will be less of a threat to your own team?
You are not a sportsman. Your only aim is to be a pub braggart. Why watch the game at all if you have no interest in seeing the best possible teams dueling? I hope you have not tempted fate into injuring a couple of Liverpool players this week. I want to see the BEST players in a contest to determine the best team. I hope you choke on your unsporting bile.
They can't give Webb anymore Liverpool games. There will be ugly scenes if things were to go pear-shaped because of him.
ReplyDelete4-0
ReplyDeleteWhy do some comments take sooooooo looooong to moderate? Come on, snap to it!
ReplyDeleteThe clip of Suarez being "brought down"... instead of looking at the players' feet, look at the upper body of Suarez. Look and see. Suarez deliberately places his upper body into the opponent, BEFORE any other perceived contact. You have the images there. Look at them. There's no denying the clear evidence that Suarez has DELIBERATELY initiated a contact by pushing into his man after losing the ball to another,, and THEN looks to go down. You have no argument to the contrary.
ReplyDeleteI think mourinho and his team have been such a let down , they really are turgid to watch . The childish and crass behaviour of his Assistant over the Sunderland pen I think sums up their attitude . I don't think we will ever see Rodgers or his team let us down like that
ReplyDeleteWhat are you on about.
ReplyDeleteDude, he's trying to run around an incoming Eto'o. I do it all the time, but normally the other guy isn't trying to impede me, just not paying attention to where he is running/ball watching. I mean it doesn't help that he jumped up theatrically after contact, but its still a PK.
ReplyDeleteAlso, there was very little contact at the body, so I still don't see your point. Almost all contact was at the hip/thigh, so where his body was is irrelevant. ALSO, if you look closer than what you were, you'll see Suarez bends his shoulder around Eto'o to avoid him. Then Eto'o turns and slams his side into Suarez.
Problem for Atleti is they HAVE to score. 0-0 draw will go to Pks, which are 50-50, a draw other than 0-0 and Chelsea will get away goals... not a good situation.
ReplyDeleteI don't care about who plays as long as it's not Howard Webb!!!
ReplyDeleteEto takes him out plain and simple.
ReplyDeleteThe only argument against a pen is Suarez had no chance of getting the ball.
Am I missing something? First leg was in Spain, so 0-0 in Spain means any score draw favours Atletico on away goals, because they will have the only away goals.
ReplyDeleteAs you say, if it's 0-0 after added time, it goes to penalties, which is a lottery. Chelski need to score more goals than Atletico to win, either in normal play, or more converted penalties. Atletico just need a minimum of a score draw.
Take those Chelsea tinted glasses off and remove you head from the rear of Mr Mourinho - then look at the video again. Only then will you see the reality that Suarez is trying to go around Eto'o before being cynically scythed down.
ReplyDeleteIf Wiskie was still around, they certainly would have given us Webb. They know is penchant for making terrible decisions against us. Mourinho is not so special anymore. Ramires is not going to be in this game i don't think, one way or the other. We need to score as usual and make them work and open up
ReplyDeleteTotally agree.
ReplyDeleteI am also grateful for the checks and balances, when we've been given penalties (that were defo pens for me) but others have suggested were soft.
Also, aware of Skrtel holding shirts in the box way too often and never penalised.
OMG what a horrible display of anti-football, not even an attempt to get the away goal, or do anything noteworthy - which if your Westham struggling avoid relegation is at least somewhat acceptable, not when you have 300m worth of players on the pitch. What an ass!
ReplyDeleteSurely the little horse can't afford to pull up in his rickety bus and park it on Sunday, he has to play for a win, which will makes things a lot harder without Czech and Terry. Add to that Eto'o is out, Hazard might not be entirely fit, Luiz at CB? Should make for some errors.
I really hope they get bombed back to the stone-age. Which let's face it, they are already playing stoneage football.
And what good would two draws do him? He'd still be 5 points behind us after the first one so another one can only get him within 3 points. Considering our superior goal difference Chelsea has no use for a draw against us.
ReplyDeleteChelsea aren't remotely interested in the Liverpool game. Apart from Terry and Cech being out, Mourinho will not play Hazard, fit or not. Ramires will most likely be suspended. Cahill, Ivanovich, Azpilicueta will be saved for the 2nd leg. Schwarzer will not be risked and Hilario will be in goal. Torres might be on the bench, but Eto'o isn't fi and won't be risked. So Ba will play at Anfield. Van Ginkel will make his return from season-long injury in place of Willian.
ReplyDeleteThe only three first-teamers you'll see are the ones cup tied for the CL – Matic and Salah – and Ashey Cole who will make way for Ivanovich in the CL game.
Your Premiership title challenge will go down as a mockery.
Nice defense mechanism, you anticipate a loss and put it down to "no interest in the winning the league". So if our title challenge goes down as a mockery, what does that make for Chelsea's?
ReplyDeleteLoss? I said nothing of a loss. There will be nothing to lose for Chelsea. But imagine if Liverpool bungle the title by losing to a side full of novices and reserves! And win Chelsea might.
ReplyDeleteAnd in the event of an easy Liverpool win, people will be talking more about Man.city's objections, than Liverpool's victory.
But still our defense could be pressured to make mistake. Their winger Salah, Eden and Willian like to cut in to pressure. I think we need to worry this frist
ReplyDeleteLFC are 1st in the table on merit and winning the EPL will be down to one fact and that is LFC have been the best team over the course of the season.
ReplyDeleteWell that's debatable. Chelsea are out of it, but Manchester City would have the advantage if Liverpool were to lose against Chelsea, thanks to City's superior goal difference. You talk of "over the course of the season", but City would say the season has NOT yet run its course.
ReplyDeleteAhh...I added the points wrong. His only chance is to beat us and hope we lose the two after that. Without Cech it will be tough. Still his defense essentially gave Schwarzer nothing to stop and that was my main point. Park the bus and hope for the best.
ReplyDeleteI never said we have won it yet. My comment is based on us winning the EPL which makes you mockery reference null and void.
ReplyDeleteDefinitely not a mockery what a rubbish comment the mockery if any is Chelsea and City cheating FFP and are still winning nothing.
ReplyDeleteAnd I would say we beat you earlier in the season. So this will only draw the head to head or we will do the double. Bear in mind you have had no cup run this year....your league credibility is a farce. Liverpool are a big club and were bound to win at some point. It's only a surprise it's taken over a decade. Next year the liverpool will be below 5th again with the added games. They will never be able to compete with the financial muscle of CFC. Get used to reality, we say what we want...
ReplyDeleteSilly me...for some reason thought it was at the bridge today... whoops
ReplyDeleteSo if its so easy to go from 7th to 1st without any distractions why isn't it done more often?
ReplyDeleteDonaldduck
ReplyDeleteYou are not serious. Nobody knows about next year except God Almighty. Think about your team
Who says it is so easy?
ReplyDeleteu sir are the only mockery I see here. If LFC win the league it's because they are the best team in it. I'm tired of people saying Chelsea are the best when patently they are not. I hate their brand of anti-football and their rabid manager and vicious fans. I hope Roman gets his wish to have a Formula 1 team and you are consigned back to the mediocrity you so richly deserve.
ReplyDeleteur pathetic excuses don't wash on this site. another trophyless season for Chelsea coming up.
ReplyDeleteHaha! Who would've expected that much passion from Gary Neville regarding Liverpool?
ReplyDeleteF*** you're ignorant. You, like other Liverpool doubters, carry on as if we won't even bother trying to increase our depth to cope with extra games...
ReplyDeleteAnd what if we win 14 games in a row to clinch the title? What will people talk about then? City's ineptitude, or Liverpool's miraculous, universally unexepected form, and as a result, title challenge? Go away you plastic chav.
ReplyDelete@Sir Cecil, were you knighted for your services to the new age phenomenon of dumbing down football discussion? Or was it for your services to being a shining example for all chelski chavs?
ReplyDeleteDon't underestimate Schwarzer! Aussie legend!
ReplyDeleteOn the flip side, if we beat Chelsea and Palace beat City, we need one point from our two remaining games.
ReplyDeleteYou think you know about THIS year? You've won NOTHING yet.
ReplyDeleteYou still have the "distraction" of some more games before you can talk about being 1st. Chelsea were first a couple of weeks ago. So what. It's only at the end of ALL the games that it matters. Count your chickens and you risk being made to look and feel preposterous.
ReplyDeleteAnother?
ReplyDeleteThe lie about Chelsea having a far more expensive team is a nonsense. Wenger is always saying the same rubbish.
ReplyDeletePROOF:Chelsea's team for their last league game cost LESS than Arsenal's in their last game. Fact:
Chelsea v Sunderland
Schwarzer FREE
Ivanovich 9m
Cahill 7m
Terry FREE
Azpilcuta 7m
Ramirez 18.3m
Matic 1.5m / 22.75m
Oscar 25m
Willian 32m
Eto’o FREE
Salah 11m
TOTAL:109.3m (with Matic at original 1.5m)
130.5m (with Matic at subsequent re-buy at 22.5m)
Hull v Arsenal
Szczesny FREE
Sagna 6m
Mertesacker 10m
Koscielny 10m
Monreal 8.3
Arteta 10m
Ramsey 5m
Cazorla 20m
Ozil 42.5
Podolski 11m
Giroud 13m
TOTAL: 135.8m
So we overlook the 50 million for Torres 20 mill for Schurrle or the fact that you pay massive wages for Eto'o and the rest or the fact that youve spent huge amounts on loaned out players.
ReplyDeleteAll this because they didnt play Arsenal LOL.
You're hilarious. Bet you have wet dreams about Roman every night. Brilliant entertainment to see how concerned you are about our rise. Muwahaha.
ReplyDeleteSir, we have won back a lot of respect, not fom the likes of you obviously, but from many others who appreciate good football. When Jose was reappopinted it was said that Chelsea would be difficult to beat and even more difficult to watch and so it has turned out.
ReplyDeleteSpot on, mate
ReplyDeleteWhy are you/us even reading and/or replying to 'Cecil's' 'post's'?? Trolls perish if left unfed. No need to lower the tone of our great site by entertaining these idiots
ReplyDeleteComment of the day!
ReplyDeleteMoanrinho has become a joke! He slaughtered Big Sam for his, "19th Century football"...yet trots out his own brand of 17th century football whenever he's scared of the opposition.
ReplyDeleteHilarious, hypocritical and an indictment of Moanrinho being the worlds most overrated manager.
Substitute Big Sam in and no-one would notice the difference on the pitch.
EVERYONE would notice the difference in the interviews, though!
Why not he's not been offensive just stupid.
ReplyDeleteIf I stopped speaking to everyone moe stupid than me I'd have no one to talk to.........:-).
Even with the injuries and the possibility of saving players for the 2nd leg, Chelsea are still a good team and pose a very real threat.
ReplyDeleteDefensively they are very good, they have the best defensive record in the prem so it will be difficult to score against them. A early goal will be very important.
They have the players who are more then capable of hurting us on the counter.
If we score early on then I believe the game will be ours as it will force chelsea to open up, the longer the game goes on 0 - 0 the stronger I believe Chelsea will get.
Mourinho defended his decision to field a defensive line-up in Madrid, saying:
ReplyDelete“Nobody starts a game, nobody, thinking of a 0-0"
Lol, he's a liar as well as a hypocrite as well as a bad loser as well as a bully as well as an idiot as well as a coward.
Keep it up Moanrinho, comedy gold for the neutral!
Aren't u forgetting to add in the bench warmers too, sheesh what a numpty, an lets be honest, why u comparing chavs to gooners on an LFC site, think u got off the bus at the wrong stop....
ReplyDeleteI don't even want to think about the last few games. Feeling pretty nervous about them.
ReplyDeleteBut Cech out and Terry possibly out, is a good boost. Although Suarez, didn't really seem to bothered by Terry last season.
I think I'm more worried about the Palace game.
Mirror, mate...use the mirror, best sense you'll ever get ; )
ReplyDeleteWhy read his post? Well I had to read his post before I decided if it was a troll or not, didn't I?
ReplyDeleteNothing to do with playing Arsenal. The teams were the last sides put out by the two clubs in their most recent Premier League games, against Sunderland and Hull respectively. Funny how one never hears sides like Hull or Sunderland or Palace complaining that Arsenal (or Liverpool) has a huge financial advantage over them. Arsenal and Liverpool are happy enough with having a financial advantage over 80% of the rest of the Premiership. They just whine about the few clubs that are even better off than themselves.
ReplyDeleteESPN is reporting that both Terry and Cech are out for the rest of the domestic season (does that mean they play the CL matches...and how do you do that with a separated shoulder?) and that Mourinho will rest his big guns if he can't get the Liverpool match moved to Saturday. I think the key here for our guys is to be totally deaf to all that stuff and just concentrate on preparing for a match this weekend sometime. This may all be part of the usual Jose smoky mindgames to throw off an opponent.
ReplyDeletewe say what we want? Talk is cheap...See you at Anfield this weekend and then we'll see.
ReplyDeleteQUESTION - HAS RAMIREZ BEEN BANNED BY FAFR HOBL EBOW CHALLEGE AGINSTSUNDERN - IF NOT -WYNOT ????????
ReplyDeleteWe don't know yet...that's why we have to play the matches.
ReplyDeleteBAN RAMIREZ -
ReplyDeleteWE NEED SEVEN MORE POINTS
ReplyDeleteHope so...multiple offenses like this every season. He's a dirty player and doesn't even try to hide it. I hope the FA doesn't look at the injuries to Terry and Cech and decide to go easy on Ramires because of it.
ReplyDeleteI dont think atkinson is a good news, it is comparing to rat webb but clattenburg or marriner would of been better, atkinson has his mad moments very often! I stayed down on earth until today but really if we win this the title should be there. A draw at palace and a newcastle smashing will do, but if we lose city have a massive chance then, very dangerous, must at least draw but then must beat palace which looks too tricky fixture now. The guys have been brilliant so far, hope they dont screw everything up in these final games.
ReplyDeleteLo and behold......Mourinho is charged for his comments.....so happy. :-)
ReplyDeleteAnd Jaimie said he hadn't said anything to get him into trouble!
He has been charged. Has until 6pm tonight to appeal. If he does he will be able to play but may get a longer ban which will roll in to next season.
ReplyDeleteWhat century was that from? Mouinho criticising Fat Sam was like him having a go at a circus mirror. They don't quite look alike but when you think about it they are the same bloody thing.
ReplyDeleteFunny how you mention Arsenal whose form this year against top 5 is equal to a 3rd division outfit.
ReplyDeleteAnd the fact you added 108 million pounds in talent in the off season and youve done squat.