Chelsea v Liverpool Preview

taken from: eurosoccerweb.com

The last match of the week pits Chelsea up against Liverpool. Chelsea will be looking to keep up the pace with leaders United after their win yesterday while Liverpool desperately needs all three points to ensure that they are still in the hunt for the European places.

Mata's importance for Chelsea has only intensified this season and him being fully fit will be crucial for the team. In the case of his absence, Moses is likely to take his place. A better case scenario in my mind is if Mata can play as that will free up Moses. Even though Fernando Torres has been the center of attention prior to the game, I believe Moses will be a better choice for the striking role in this game. Torres has not been in spectacular form and Moses will definitely pose a problem for the Liverpool's defence. What Torres can do, Moses can do better, with his dribbling and tricks coming off more times than the former Liverpool hitman. Moses will also provide that extra bit of running that will be helpful against Liverpool when they attempt to pass the ball about the defence. The return of Luiz and Terry should form the core of the defence but the more important return to the starting line up should be that of Ivanovic. His marauding runs should pose a problem to Liverpool and test Enrique who has yet to cement a place in the team and doubts linger about his ability.

The front three of Liverpool has impressed in terms of their ability yet the wingers have been unable to garner much results in terms of goalscoring. They have largely relied on Luis Suarez to produce the goods, with his 7 goals accounting for more than half of the team's goals. The performance of midfielder Sahin has as of yet unable to reach the heights that his loan move promised. The return of Lucas will be a very welcome move but this match should too early for that. Brad Jones' continued presence in goal should be a cause for worry for Liverpool fans. He just simply does not have the quality to perform in the EPL. Luckily for them, Chelsea is not a team that focuses on long shots or crosses and the possibility of Jones making major mistakes in the game might not be that high.

Predictions:
The styles of both teams should make the difference in this match. Liverpool prefers their slow patient passing game while Chelsea adopts a more incisive swift attacking style. The possession might not show much, but Chelsea will be the one having all the penetrative powers. Expect Chelsea to wrap the game up in the first half with a 2-0 scoreline at odds of 15/2. With Suarez in the form that he is in, it is hard to envision him drawing a blank today and the final score should be a 3-1 to Chelsea. Also worth considering is taking Chelsea on the handicap, which should pay dividends though the odds on offer are not exactly attractive. Honestly, there does not seem to be any value bets on this game and it might be wise to steer clear of this game completely.

Liverpool v Newcastle Preview

Both teams would have looked to challenge for the Champions League positions this year and while their forms have slightly picked up, that seems to be not a very realistic possibility.

Brendan Rodgers has to choose between his two goalkeepers today, with Reina probably being fit to play in the match. However, both him and Brad Jones are not in tip top form and I will pick Reina to start the match as he has shown he has the quality to make a difference in matches. The rest of the squad should not throw up much in terms of surprises. As for Alan Pardew, his selection headache is up front, where he might have to do without his injured top scorer Demba Ba. Lucky for him, Cisse finally broke his duck in the last match(though it came off him unknowingly) and that might provide the confidence for him to continue scoring. He should be joined up front by Shola Ameobi, which might just be the physical presence required to unsettle Liverpool's shaky defenders. Anita will also be a good bet to start in midfield, replacing James Perch and giving the Newcastle team a more combative outlook.

The tactical aspect of the game looks set to be most interesting, with Alan Pardew constantly changing his formation between a 3 and 2 men forward line, sometimes in the middle of the match. Liverpool also showed in the Everton game that they have a 3-5-2 trick up their sleeves and that they can pull it off well. Also worth pointing out is the fact that both managers have a variety of options on the bench. The quality of the substitutes might not be very high but the important thing is they offer a different dimension or style for the managers instead of purely being like for like changes to the first eleven. In downing, Rodgers has the option to go for a more attacking full back and the Henderson can be an option on for Suso if he requires greater tracking back by the wingers. Assaidi as an exciting and unpredictable player can also be thrown up if Rodgers run out of ideas. On Pardew's bench, his secret weapon will be Bigirimana, who has really impressed me during his Europa League starts. Another dimension will also be provided by Marveaux, who has recorded the best passing completion rate among Newcastle midfielders and can be relied upon to keep the ball and slow the pace down.

Predictions:
In a match likely to be heavily influenced by the managers' decisions and tactical battles, expect a low scoring affair as both managers try to neutralise each other. One or two goals seem likely in the match, with the tie being decided by a moment of individual brilliance or a set piece. Taking Newcastle on the Asian handicap seems a safe bet and I will also take a small punt on Papiss Cisse scoring first and in the 21st to 45th minute at a cool 25/1.