Make yourself a legend

It is time for players to make themselves legends to the Club. True, Chelsea has not been beaten at home for 100+ games, but record is for us to break, and we will do it.

My Team Prediction:
Reina
Arbeloa
Skrtel
Carragher
Riise
Alonso
Mascherano
Kuyt
Gerrard
Torres
Crouch

Result 2:0

Match Report 080426 at Birmingham City: 4th place secured

2-2 and we are guaranteed at least 4th place now, thanks to Aston Villa. We didn't play well and was punished by letting in 2 goals. But then we wake up and never lose faith, and at the end we scored two nice goals to draw the game. The result is good enough to secure fourth place, and now we can focus on the next game.

Players Rating:
Reina: 6: No chance on both goals.
Finnan: 6.5 A normal performance.
Skrtel: 6.5 Not as impressive without Carra.
Hyypia: 6.5 An average performance.
Riise: 6.5 Try hard to recover the tragedy, and it is clear Rafa wanted to keep him fresh.
Lucas: 7 An impressive performance.
Plessis: 7 Another solid display.
Pennant: 7.5 Did well and so no mercy to his former Club.
Voronin: 7 Created the first goal.
Benayoun: 8 Almost grabbed us the point single hand.
Crouch: 7.5 Cool finishing.

Substitution:
Insua: 6.5 A nice performance.

Rafa: 6.5 Would be happy about the spirit to come back from two down.

Birmingham City: 6.5 Shown us why they may need to relegated by committing some suicial errors.

Man of the Match: Benayoun. Ready to turn it around at Chelsea.

Give kids a chance

We need one point to secure the 4th place, and this is a good chance to give the kids some taste of Premiership football. Birmingham may think it is easy, but let us prove them wrong.

My Team Prediction:
Reina
Finnan
San Jose
Hyypia
Insua
Lucas
Plessis
Pennant
Benayoun
Voronin
Crouch

Result 2:0

Match Report 080422 vs Chelsea: Focus on the second leg

1-1 and it was a disappointed result given we have been the better team for the whole match. In hindsight we failed to kill them off by scoring the crucial second and were then punished. But we know we need just one goal to go through. Difficult task, but we can do it and will do so.

Players Rating:
Reina: 6.5 Should have come out and catch the crossing.
Arbeloa: 6.5 Not many things to do.
Skrtel: 7 Solid performance.
Carragher: 8 World class defender.
Aurelio: 6.5 Did a nice job, and his injury proved crucial.
Alonso: 7 A good performance
Mascherano: 7 Solid display in destroying the Chelsea attacks.
Kuyt: 8 European expert.
Gerrard: 7 Not at his best but still posed some danger.
Babel: 6.5 Worked hard and had a nice display.
Torres: 6.5 Had two glorious chance saved by Cech.

Substitutions:
Riise: 5 Another poor own goal, but he had no right foot and thus no choice.
Benayoun: 6.5 A solid display.

Rafa: 7 Would be happy about the performance but not the result. But we still have 90 minutes to turn it around.

Chelsea: 6 Would be glad to come home with an away goal. And we will score ours.

Men of the Match: Carragher/Kuyt. Too bad it was still not enough yet.

Hat trick

We beat them twice at this stage, and we are confident to do it a third time. Chelsea also had the league champions in their mind, but this will still be tough. And a clean sheet will be crucial. Of course, the Kop will send us through once again.

My Team Prediction:
Reina
Arbeloa
Skrtel
Carragher
Aurelio
Alonso
Mascherano
Kuyt
Gerrard
Babel
Torres

Result 2:0

Match Report 080419 at Fulham: Closing in

2-0 and we need just two points to secure fourth place. Rafa rested a lot of players but we are too strong for Fulham. A nice win, and no one should complain.

Players Rating:
Reina: 7.5 Another nice clean sheet.
Finnan: 7 A good performance.
Skrtel: 7.5 Strong display.
Hyypia: 7 A good display in 1H.
Riise: 7 Did well to keep pressure on the left back post.
Pennant: 8.5 Scored one and made a nice assist.
Mascherano: 7 A good performance.
Lucas: 7.5 Great vision in creating the opening goal.
Benayoun: 7 A good display.
Voronin: 7.5 Did well but was unlucky not to score one.
Crouch: 7.5 Cool finishing.

Substitutions:
Carragher: 7 Did well when called up.
Alonso/Aurelio: 6.5 Not enough time to impress.

Rafa: 7 A nice win without moving into second gear.

Fulham: 5 Simply not good enough and is heading down.

Man of the Match: Pennant. Could be an impact player for the Champions League.

Do our best

Although Rafa will rest lots of players we still need to do our best to prepare for the Chelsea game. We have not win at Fulham for 3 seasons, and this will no doubt be another difficult game. But most important of all, we need to play well for the fans and not get injured.

My Team Prediction:
Reina
Finnan
Skrtel
San Hose
Riise
Lucas
Plessis
Pennant
Benayoun
Voronin
Crouch

Result: 2-0

Match Report 080413 vs Blackburn Rovers: For the Hillsborough fellows

3-1 and this is a nice way to pay tribute to the Hillsborough fellows and forgot the off the field civil war. We were a bit sloppy in the first half but once Stevie G opened the score, we took control and cruised to another victory. We are now 5 points ahead with 4 games, so we are closer and closer to the fourth. And we may take over Arsenal if they keep on play like this.

Players Rating:
Reina: 7 Was denied another clean sheet at the very last moment,
Arbeloa: 7 Solid display.
Skrtel: 6.5 Error lead to the goal conceded, and was a bit lucky to only receive a yellow card.
Carragher: 7.5 Lead the troop as usual.
Aurelio: 7 Another nice display.
Alonso: 7 A good performance.
Lucas: 7.5 Superb skills to lead to the first goal.
Kuyt: 7 Another hard working game.
Gerrard: 8 A nice taken goal and a superb assist for his 300th league game.
Babel: 6 Was not at his best.
Torres: 7.5 A superb header for his 30th goal.

Substitutions:
Benayoun: 7.5 Called up and changed the game.
Voronin: 7.5 A lucky goal.
Riise: 7 Superb crossing for the goal.

Rafa: 7 Would be glad the team is not distracted by the civil war.

Blackburn Rovers: 6 Did not do much to challenge us.

Man of the Match: Gerrard. Great goal and assist.

Forget the off the field problems

Once again, the on the field glory is clouded by the off the field problems. Players need to be focused to secure fourth place as soon as possible. Blackburn will be a tough opponent and we need to be physically strong to win this game.

My Team Prediction:
Reina
Finnan
Skrtel
Carragher
Riise
Alonso
Plessis
Kuyt
Gerrard
Babel
Torres

Result 2:0

Match Report 080408 vs Arsenal: Ghost of 89 finally dies

4-2 and we have finally killed off the ghost of 89! Twice we were out of the tie, but twice we fight back and at the end we are through. This is an absolute superb result to the Club, and now we are marching on to face Chelsea once again.

We started the match with 4-4-2, but was full beaten by Arsenal, and they fully deserved to take the lead. After that they sit back a bit and we hit them back with a nice Hyypia header. In the 2H Rafa converted it to 4-2-3-1 with Crouch up front and Torres on the left, and it paid off with a nice flick on from Crouch to set up Torres. We hang on, but then a Stevie G error lead to Walcott ran the whole pitch before passing the ball to Adebayour to score. But we hit back at the next attack, and Toure's clumsy challenge on Babel gave us a penalty, which Stevie G took brilliantly. At the closing minutes we hang on, and Babel took his chance well to kill off the game completely. Brilliant.

Players Rating:
Reina: 6.5 Should have done better on the first goal conceded.
Carragher: 8 Superb performance.
Skrtel: 7 A good display.
Hyypia: 8 Scored a brilliant header to give us hope.
Aurelio: 7 Did well especially in the first half, but couldn't cope with Walcott.
Kuyt: 7.5 Did well as he always does.
Alonso: 7 A whole hearted performance.
Mascherano: 8.5 Run the field up and down.
Gerrard: 7.5 A bit poor in 1H on the left, but became better when moved back into the middle. A great penalty that's down to his nerve.
Torres: 8 A nice taken goal that bring us the lead.
Crouch: 8 Would be happy about Rafa's faith on him.

Substitutions:
Babel: 9 Provided us different options in pace and earned us the vital penalty and scored the goal that killed off the game.
Riise: 7 Did well in defending the league.
Arbeloa: 6 Didn't touch the ball.

Rafa: 9 Superb tactic and great changes to win us the game.

Arsenal: 7 Would be gutted to have lost, but they proved they know nothing about European games.

Man of the Match: Babel. Great contribution to the victory.

Win this one

After two consecutive away 1-1 draws with Arsenal and now it is the last round of the Trilogy. A clean sheet will do, but we need to score to avoid any back slash from Arsenal. And as usual first goal is important, and the Kop will guide us through.

My Team Prediction:
Reina
Finnan
Skrtel
Carragher
Aurelio
Alonso
Mascherano
Kuyt
Gerrard
Babel
Torres

Result 2:0

Match Report 080405 at Arsenal: Good momentum

1-1 and we maintained our momentum into the final episode. Arsenal was frustrated, and we have more determination to win this game then they are. At the end the scoreline remains the same and all is now set for the Final Episode when Anfield roars again.

Players Rating:
Reina: 6.5 Still a bit nervous but Kop will help him on Tuesday.
Finnan: 6.5 A good display.
Skrtel: 7 Solid display
Carragher: 7.5 Another marvelous captain display.
Arbeloa: 6.5 Solid display.
Lucas: 6 Another nervous display.
Plessis: 7 Solid debut.
Pennant: 7 Did well on the side.
Benayoun: 7 A master stroke that helped created the goal.
Riise: 6.5 Finishing let him down.
Crouch: 8 A nice taken goal. We still love him and want him to stay.

Substitutions:
Gerrard: 6.5 Good warm up for the final game.
Voronin: 6 Poor finishing.
Torres: 6.5 Not enough time to impress.

Rafa: 7 Game plan worked in round 2. Now we need a clean sheet.

Arsenal: 6.5 Got frustrated again but chase for title still on for them.

Man of the Match: Crouch. Give him chance and he will score.

Do our best

Round 2 of the trilogy is a game that we can afford to rest some players. To prepare for the final round, we definitely need fresh legs and this is a perfect time for the other players to prove themselves. Crouchy to do a hat trick again?

My Team Prediction:
Reina
Arbeloa
Carragher
Skrtel
Riise
Alonso
Leiva
Kuyt
Gerrard
Pennant
Crouch

Result 2:0

Match Report 080402 at Arsenal: Slim advantage

1-1 and this can be considered as a good, if not great result. Arsenal is very strong at home and we managed to score one goal immediately to make the tie in balance. The 2nd leg won't be easy, but at least we know a clean sheet will see us through.

Players Rating:
Reina: 6.5 A bit nervous but in general not much to do.
Carragher: 7 Played at right again to contain van Persie and then Walcott.
Skrtel: 7 Solid display in general.
Hyypia: 6 Was at fault in the goal conceded.
Aurelio: 6.5 Solid display but was exposed a lot.
Alonso: 6.5 Ran across the field.
Mascherano: 7.5 Tackle after tackle.
Kuyt: 8 Scored the vital goal and helped out defense a lot.
Gerrard: 7.5 Drove the team forward with determination.
Babel: 6 Frightened and didn't play well.
Torres: 7 Played upfront without much supply.

Substitutions:
Benayoun: 6 Can't do much as we were defending.
Lucas/Voronin: 6 Not enough time to impress.

Rafa: 7 Spot on with his tactics.

Arsenal: 7.5 Couldn't kill off the game and will regret.

Man of the Match: Kuyt. For his determination.

Round 1

So now the trilogy begins. A good result in the first game will no doubt have a good impact on the remaining games. Both teams will be facing a make or break period, but we know how to play in Europe better, and this may be a slightly edge to us.

My Team Prediction:
Reina
Arbeloa
Skrtel
Carragher
Riise
Alonso
Mascherano
Kuyt
Gerrard
Babel
Torres

Result 2:0