Liverpool Review

Well, its off to Liverpool on Saturday - for the team anyway. I'll be in a warm pub clutching a glass of extremely cold Guinness and trying to put on a brave face, much like the Chelski game although this time I'll be paying in Pounds Sterling and not them silly Euros things.

I spent that game in a very different city, even if the pub looks the same, and I can recall being pleasantly surprised at the number of people who acclaimed our draw even to the extent of getting very excited at the point of Darren Ambrose's late burst into the box. There was the usual Chelsea fan, no he wasn't Russian, enjoying life after all those wasted years as an under-achieving bunch down the Kings Road. Well, he was enjoying it until the second half and then he became strangely quiet. Thats what happens when you build up your expections, you're invariably disappointed.

That was a good point earned but what will happen in todays match. Will we continue our usual away form of late, especially when playing in the north-west, of conceding 3 goals? Seems we're lost 9 out of the last 10 up there, pretty shocking. Our recent home win over Liverpool sounded a bit lucky reading the reports and I don't think will have any bearing on todays result and with Darren B a bit tired ( unhappy? ) after all that depressing running on Wednesday who can be hopeful of anything today?

Rumours of impending departures in the summer will not improve the teams chances and Curbs will have to be at his best in picking todays formation. Unfortunately, I can't see him changing anything from last weekend so expect another Everton/Man. City/Spurs first half. Depending on if and when the goals go in we can expect him to change tact and switch to 4-4-2 from our dependable 4-5-1 but by then it may be too late. A bit predicable, it seems to me but thats Curbs for you. We haven't got where we are today by any other course expect by being dependable.

So its all down to hoping that Liverpool have a bad day and after lots of International games last week and the very, very important Benfica game next week maybe we can surprise someone, most of all me. Having seen Benitez in action a few times, its usually the away formations where he surprises everyone but given the importance of the Champions, and seeing our recent away form he may well decide to give key players a rest, at least initially, by leaving them on the bench.

So my forecast - I was going for a Home Win 1-0 but seeing cynicathletic going for the same, I praying for the opposite - an away win 0-1. (bent)