Manchester City face Chelsea tonight in a titanic Premier League clash, and with Liverpool only three points behind the Blues in the table, a City victory would clearly be advantageous to the Reds. Manuel Pellegrini's side are literally invincible at home this season, but despite the strength of City's squad, LFC legend Alan Hansen believes Chelsea can still get a result.
In his column for The Telegraph today, Hansen highlights Man City's defensive weakness (26 goals conceded in 23 games); noted Chelsea's success in 'grinding out draws', and claimed that Jose Mourinho's side have the 'advantage' due to Hazard and Oscar being 'so comfortable on the ball'.
Hansen conceded, however, that City are superior in one particular area of the field:
"What Chelsea lack, however, is the sheer power and driving force that City get from Touré. Ramires will run up and down the pitch all day long, but he is not as powerful as Touré, who is unbelievable both on the ground and in the air".
£22m-rated Toure - ironically a transfer target for Chelsea last year - is precisely the kind of player missing from Liverpool's squad: a big, strong, athletic box-to-box midfielder, with the power, skill and stamina to regularly make an impact on games.
Toure is the type of player Liverpool (arguably) should've prioritised during the January transfer window, but once again, Brendan Rodgers ignored the club's obvious transfer need, which is not even more acute given Lucas's latest injury.
Joe Allen and Steven Gerrard can cover for Lucas, but neither is as mobile and athletic as required (IMO), and Allen, in particular, is never going to dominate games in the centre of the field.
As for tonight's game - what result would be the most beneficial for LFC? When all is said and done, the Reds are only 8 points off the top of the Premier League, which is not an insurmountable barrier by any means, but I don't think anyone realistically believes that Liverpool have the squad strength to win the title.
Second place is definitely achievable, though, and a draw tonight would probably be the best result for Liverpool. Both Chelsea and Man City have to come to Anfield before the season ends, and if the Reds take points off them in those games, anything is possible.
Author: Jaimie K
In his column for The Telegraph today, Hansen highlights Man City's defensive weakness (26 goals conceded in 23 games); noted Chelsea's success in 'grinding out draws', and claimed that Jose Mourinho's side have the 'advantage' due to Hazard and Oscar being 'so comfortable on the ball'.
Hansen conceded, however, that City are superior in one particular area of the field:
"What Chelsea lack, however, is the sheer power and driving force that City get from Touré. Ramires will run up and down the pitch all day long, but he is not as powerful as Touré, who is unbelievable both on the ground and in the air".
£22m-rated Toure - ironically a transfer target for Chelsea last year - is precisely the kind of player missing from Liverpool's squad: a big, strong, athletic box-to-box midfielder, with the power, skill and stamina to regularly make an impact on games.
Toure is the type of player Liverpool (arguably) should've prioritised during the January transfer window, but once again, Brendan Rodgers ignored the club's obvious transfer need, which is not even more acute given Lucas's latest injury.
Joe Allen and Steven Gerrard can cover for Lucas, but neither is as mobile and athletic as required (IMO), and Allen, in particular, is never going to dominate games in the centre of the field.
As for tonight's game - what result would be the most beneficial for LFC? When all is said and done, the Reds are only 8 points off the top of the Premier League, which is not an insurmountable barrier by any means, but I don't think anyone realistically believes that Liverpool have the squad strength to win the title.
Second place is definitely achievable, though, and a draw tonight would probably be the best result for Liverpool. Both Chelsea and Man City have to come to Anfield before the season ends, and if the Reds take points off them in those games, anything is possible.
Author: Jaimie K
Unfortunately players like Toure do not grow on trees. So whilst I agree we and probably every other team out there could do with such a player it was a tall order to expect us to get one in January (even if we could afford it)
ReplyDeleteAllen not mobile and athletic enough? Now I have heard it all!
ReplyDeleteApparently the Toure tree does not produce fruit of equal quality.
ReplyDeleteWe will not win the league, IMO, so a City win is most advantageous to us, fingers crossed,,,,,,,
ReplyDeleteFor the long shot I want a draw.
ReplyDeleteBut I can say I would be very disappointed to watch Mourinho whine and moan for yet another press conference.
Win or draw it's all good.
Last thing we need is to see Chelsea win, brings it much closer, let City win, and bring Chelsea back to within a few points of us, a win against them at Anfield and we, right up their asses. IMO
ReplyDeleteDamnit, it looks like the super-suarez powers from the super-suarez bite are just starting to kick in!
ReplyDeleteThat he may be but his footballing attributes are questionable.
ReplyDeleteCan somebody explain to me how a team with all that money has to play a centre-back as a makeshift (and incredibly ponderous) midfielder???!!
ReplyDeleteThe only difference to what Chelsea did to them tonight and we tried to do to them on Boxing Day was that they have Gary Cahill :(
Which ones exactly? I don't get it. You may not like the price we paid for him, but I've not heard anyone serious question is ability as a player. He's a very good midfielder.
ReplyDeletePellegrini had some big problems to solve, playing without Aguero and Fernandinho, but still had some good answers like Milner, Clichy and Rodwell (all of them stay out, warming the bench). For me he lost the battle in the midfield area, playing with two heavy bodies (Toure and Demichelis) and his decision to play with another two heavy attackers (Dzeko and Negredo), was a false one. Rodgers will have a difficult enigma, playing with the "big boys", because he has two attackers that always play (Suarez and Starridge) and very little power in his midfield. Without any disrespect to our great talisman Stevie G, our only midfielder that can have a future in teams like City, Chelsea or even Arsenal is Henderson (after working a lot with his attacking parts) and maybe Coutinho, (after many hours in the gym). We have to steal this games and not be naive. I don't want to be a pessimist, but I don't think that we can be so canny right now...
ReplyDeleteHad a feeling Chelsea would win tonight & put my money where my mouth was & backed them to win 1 nil, I still think City will take the title though, Chelsea have rode their luck in a fair few games this season & from a purist point of view i just hate Chelsea, their fans & their style of football
ReplyDeleteI don't understand why LFC didn't go all out for Romulo. He is a lot like Toure. Boundless energy skill and vision. I was excited when rumored LFC were interested in him. He really would have made a difference.
ReplyDeleteNot to mention their transfer tactic of stockpiling players just to the detriment of other teams rather than to strengthen their team. C*nts
ReplyDeleteWho constantly gets caught in possession,bundled off the ball and when he does have it looks only for a sideways pass.Can't seem to find a penetrating pass and has alarmingly poor accuracy.IMO is that enough?
ReplyDeletePOGBA DID HAHA. I thought that man city had another TOURE/VIERA mold, ivory coast fellow that signed for anzi and loaned to west ham.
ReplyDelete