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Okay, here is the official match discussion thread for the upcoming UEFA Champions League Semi-Final First Leg, between Liverpool Football Club and Chelsea Football Club. The match is taking place at Anfield (the home of Liverpool) on Tuesday 22nd April 2008 and is kicking off at 7:45 p.m. (B.S.T.) It will be live on this site, just check the homepage for streams! Before the chat, here is my match preview:

RECENT FORM: Last time out for Liverpool was on Saturday in the Premier League. They were away at Fulham and won 2-0. As for Chelsea, and they last played on Thursday 17th April 2008, when they won 1-0 away at Everton in the Premeir League. Back to Liverpool and their last home game was on Sunday 13th April 2008, when they were at home to Blackburn in the league. The result ended 3-1 to the homeside. And Liverpools last European game was in the Champions League at Anfield on Tuesday 8th April 2008. Liverpool faced Arsenal in the second leg of the quarter-final and won 4-2 and 5-3 on aggregate. As for Chelsea, and their last Champions League game was also on Tuesday 8th April 2008. They were at home to Fernerbahce in the second leg of their quarter-final and won 2-0 and 3-2 on aggregate. And, Chelsea's last away Champions League match was on Wednesday 2nd April 2008, when they were away to Fernerbahce in the first leg of the Quarter-Final. Chelsea lost 2-1, after taking the lead.

TEAM NEWS: Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard is passed fit for this one, and Chelsea midfielder Frank Lampard will also be available for the game. Goalkeeper Carlo Cudicini (hamstring) is out, while striker Didier Drogba remains doubtful with a knee complaint. Here are the Squads:

Liverpool (from): Reina, Arbeloa, Finnan, Carragher, Hyypia, Skrtel, Riise, Aurelio, Babel, Benayoun, Gerrard, Mascherano, Alonso, Lucas, Voronin, Crouch, Torres, Kuyt, Pennant, Itandje.

Chelsea (from): Cech, Hilario, Ferreira, Belletti, Terry, Alex, Carvalho, Ben-Haim, A Cole, Bridge, Makelele, Ballack, Lampard, Obi, J Cole, Malouda, Shevchenko, Drogba, Kalou, Anelka, Wright-Phillips.

PREVIOUS MEETINGS: The last time the pair met in a competitive game, was on Sunday 10th February 2008. They met in the Premier League at Stamford Bridge, and a 0-0 draw was the result. The last meeting at Anfield was on Sunday 19th August 2007 again in the Premier League, with a 1-1 draw the result. The last european meeting between the two was in the Chmpions League on Tuesday 1st May 2007. It was the semi-final second leg at Anfield and Liverpool won the match 1-0. Chelsea won the first leg 1-0 so the match went to extra time. The scores stayed level so penalties took place and Liverpool won 4-1 and reached the Champions League final.

MATCH FACTS: Since Rafael Benitez became Liverpool manager, the reds have played Chelsea eighteen times with Five Liverpool wins, five draws and eight Chelsea wins. This is the fourth successive season in which Liverpool and Chelsea have met in the Champions League, and this is the third champions league semi-final meeting between the two with Liverpool winning the previous two. Also, Chelsea have won only two of their five European away matches against English opposition - both defeats came at Anfield. So Liverpool seem to have the upper hand in this european first leg. The five times champions of Europe have also reached 14 previous euro semi-finals and have gone on to the final 11 times. Chelsea (who have won two Cup Winners' Cups) have a poor semi-final record in the champions league, never making a final from three attempts. They have also lost six of their eight overall european semi-finals. They face Liverpool who are undefeated in seven games in Europe and have lost just one of their last 14 in all competitions. However, Chelsea are second in the premier league and nine points above fourth placed Liverpool.

ASHVALE32'S VIEW: Once again Chelsea and Liverpool meet in a european semi-final. Liverpool ahve the upper hand over Chelsea in Europe, yet this year the second leg is at Stamford Bridge not Anfield, as it has been on previous occasions. Liverpool have never scored a goal at Stamford Bridge since Benitez took over, so a goal at Anfield seems crucial. Chelsea will be desperate for an away goal, although they would love a clean sheet to take back to London. The crowd at Anfield give Liverpool an edge on european nights, yet Chelsea should now know what to expect. I am going to predict a scoring draw of 1-1, and will leave the second leg prediction for the next match discussion!

MY PREDICTION: 1-1

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PLAYERS: STEVEN GERRARD: v FRANK LAMPARD:

MANAGERS: RAFAEL BENITEZ: V AVRAM GRANT:

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REFEREE: MANUEL MEJUTO GONZALEZ (SPANISH):

Results

Saturday 19th April 2008
Barclays Premier League
1) Fulham 0-2 Reading - Half Time: 0-0 - Craven Cottage - Kick Off: 3:00 p.m. (B.S.T.) - Fulham: Yellow Card: David Healy (Northern Irish) - Captain: Brian Mcbride (American) until he was substituted and took the Captain's armband - Manager: Roy Hodgson (English) - Liverpool: Scorers: Jermaine Pennant (English) 17", Peter Crouch (English) 70" - Captain: Sami Hyypiä (Finnish) until he was substituted and the Captain's armband was given to his replacement Jamie Carragher (English) - Manager: Rafael Benítez (Spanish) - Man of The Match: Jermaine Pennant (Liverpool - English [Source: BBC Sport Player Rater on 90 Minutes]) - Referee: Martin Atkinson (West Yorkshire) - Attendance: 25,311 - Match Review

Tuesday 22nd April 2008
UEFA Champions League
Semi-Final
First leg
1) Liverpool v Chelsea - Half Time: 0-0 - Anfield - Kick Off: 7:45 p.m. (G.M.T.) -

well im not lookin forward to this one at all probably another boring meetiing....however i see liverpool wrapping this one up with the home leg leaving no chance for chelsea to get back into it in the second leg....hope im wrong tho

isnt it nice to see two Evertonians begin a discussion on Liverpool in the Champions League

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disclaimer - its a joke, so keep your effin and blindin in your shopping trolleys
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you call it boring - Mourinho (we do miss him dont we), Benitez and every manager across Europe (outside Britain) call it tactical.
It's why English clubs have not been very successful in the last 20 odd years with only 2 winners in that time - and only one of them who played tactical .
Cautious may be a more suited word - Chelsea would love to keep a clean sheet, and nick the away goal...Liverpool will most probably sit back and bide their time, and try and force openings. We might see two of the best strikers in the world on display in Torres and Drogba and it might take a moment of genius from either of those to break the deadlock - I think Benitez wont be overly disappointed with only a one goal lead, even if its 2-1, as he will be confident of playing for a 0-0 away from home - Chelsea do have a home advantage (even if it less to do with the fans) - and that could play into their hands as they have a mental edge over anyone who comes there (except Charlton and Barca that is ).
Who knows - a penalty shoot-out again - no love lost as usual between the two sets of fans.
I predict a tight win for Liverpool - nothing like the Arsenal tie thats for sure.

yeah we do miss jose :'( lol ......and btw i just commented on it didnt start it

Well i think we all know which semi final is going to be the best anyway , Man utd v Barca
I think this game will be a dull 0-0 scoreline at Anfield, I then think liverpool will go to the bridge with confidence and with that securing a final place in getting a 1-1 draw at stamford bridge which would take liverpool through on away goals!

Alexander26 Wrote:I think this game will be a dull 0-0 scoreline at Anfield, I then think liverpool will go to the bridge with confidence and with that securing a final place in getting a 1-1 draw at stamford bridge which would take liverpool through on away goals!

never....lol jk mate couldnt resist

This one will be a draw i reckon but Chelsea will not get beat in 2nd leg nowww way

It would be interesting to see what happens in the second leg if Liverpool needed a win - that would take something special. I reckon Liverpool NEED to take a lead to the Bridge. Also with Carra and Gerrard on yellows - they will need to be extremely cautious in both legs - not good for Carra.

I think this will be a tight one, it's hard to call it could go any way. I think Chelsea would be the favourite in any other competition but Liverpool has something special in the Champions League and will scrape through into the final.

lol nobody voted for Chelski