Barnes: Reds can conquer Bluesby RivalsDM

[Sir X]

Barnes: Reds can conquer Blues

by RivalsDM




addthis_pub = 'foxSports';Updated: October 24, 2008, 5:00 PM EST 9 comments

add this RSS blog email Print
//document.getElementById('number_of_comments').inne rHTML = commentCount+" Comments"; if(fanid.length > 0 && typeof(nflDefaultLeague)!= "undefined") { leagueId = nflDefaultLeague; //find teamId of default league (if exists) for(var i=0; i < teamsInfo.length; i++){ if(teamsInfo[i][4] == leagueId){ defaultTeamId = teamsInfo[i][0]; } } var fantasyLeaguePlayerJsPath = 'http://msn.foxsports.com' + '/nugget/200002_' + leagueId + '|||' + fanid; } John Barnes believes Liverpool have "every chance" of overcoming Chelsea when the Premier League pacesetters lock horns this weekend.

Barclays Premier League

Sat., Oct. 25Everton vs. Man Utd PreviewSunderland vs. Newcastle PreviewWest Brom vs. Hull City* PreviewBlackburn vs. M'brough* PreviewSun., Oct. 26Chelsea vs. Liverpool PreviewMan City vs. Stoke* PreviewTottenham vs. Bolton PreviewWigan vs. Aston Villa PreviewWest Ham vs. Arsenal* PreviewPortsmouth vs. Fulham Preview*Airs on FSC or Watch on demand
VIDEO: Highlights of every game. Premier League Fantasy Challenge





The Reds have only beaten Chelsea in their own backyard once since last winning the title back in 1990, but they are not the only team who have struggled in west London with the Blues currently unbeaten at home in 86 league matches.
The last time Chelsea failed to pick up at least a point at home was in February 2004 when they lost 2-1 to Arsenal.
However, former Liverpool winger Barnes feels that record could be under serious threat this weekend when Rafael Benitez's side roll into town on the back of an impressive run of 12 wins and four draws from their last 16 competitive matches.
"There's every chance that Liverpool can win," said Barnes. "Chelsea will obviously be favourites because they are at home and are on that long unbeaten run, but Liverpool can win, particularly as they are playing with confidence."
Liverpool will be without star striker Fernando Torres for Sunday's clash due to a hamstring injury, but the Spain international was also missing for the match that Barnes believes could have marked a major mind-shift for the Anfield club.
Torres, along with talismanic skipper Steven Gerrard, were both missing from the starting line-up for the September 13 encounter with champions Manchester United, but Liverpool still managed to hit back from going a goal down to defeat their arch rivals 2-1.
That was a rare recent triumph over United and Barnes feels it helped Liverpool get a monkey off their back.
"I think the result against Manchester United without Gerrard and Torres has given everybody a belief that they can actually compete and win without those two," said the former England international, who played over 400 first-team games for Liverpool.
Premier League on FSC


Sat., Oct. 25, 10 a.m. (LIVE) -
West Brom vs. Hull City
Sat., Oct. 25, 12.30 p.m. (LIVE) -
Blackburn vs. Middlesbrough
Sun., Oct. 26, 12 p.m. (LIVE) -
West Ham vs. Arsenal
Sun., Oct. 26, 6 p.m. -
Man City vs. Stoke City
All times ET, subject to change.Full Schedule >



"There is a new belief about Liverpool in the league now, the same that fans and everybody surrounding the club have in Europe.
"It's not so much the players and the staff, it's the fans.
"The fans can transmit their feelings on to the pitch, and whenever Torres and Gerrard haven't been there, it's been a bit doom and gloom for the fans, which then goes onto the pitch.
"So after the result against Manchester United, even the fans have the belief in the squad, whether Torres and Gerrard are playing."
Another attribute Liverpool can be proud of this season is their ability to fight back from deficits.
They have been forced to stage comebacks four times already this season after going behind, the last two being the 3-2 victories over Manchester City and Wigan.
Barnes, who was recently appointed the new coach of Jamaica, added: "Obviously going behind a few times this season isn't ideal, because I don't think you can go 2-0 down to Chelsea and come back and win, but nevertheless they are playing with a lot of heart and a lot of resilience. "Chelsea still will be favourites but this is probably the best opportunity Liverpool will have of winning there in the last four or five years."

[Sir X]

Scolari savouring Liverpool clash

Posted 9 hours 57 minutes ago
Luiz Felipe Scolari believes Chelsea can win this weekend's clash of the invincibles against Liverpool and go on to become his dream team.
Scolari's side has yet to lose in 12 games since the Brazilian took charge, while Liverpool travels to Stamford Bridge undefeated in all competitions this season.
After the anguish of missing out on the Premier League and Champions League to Manchester United last season, Chelsea has started the campaign filled with a renewed sense of purpose.
The Blues look the team most likely to end United's two-year reign as English champions, but Liverpool can make its own case to be taken seriously in the title race after its best start to a Premier League campaign.
With Chelsea ahead of Liverpool at the top of the table on goal difference, Scolari claims the stage is set for the match of the season so far.
"The clubs have the same spirit. They fight until the last minute to win the game," Scolari said. "They don't accept that they might lose.
"Sometimes they have been in bad condition in the last 10 minutes but changed the result. This is the best thing. They have spirit. They play as a team.
"This is what I want from my team as well and it is what they give me. That's why Sunday will be a fantastic game - a clash of the invincibles.
"I know it's more difficult than other games, maybe. But it's the same three points as when we played against Stoke, Hull or Fulham."
Former Portugal and Brazil coach Scolari, whose club are unbeaten at the Bridge in 86 league matches, believes Chelsea are quickly maturing into the best team he has ever managed.
"This team I'm coaching now, I think it's one of the best teams I've worked with in my life," Scolari said.
"Maybe they can even play better than the games we've played up to now.
"We play and we think about winning. One day, maybe we'll lose. But we don't think about the home record. We must think about the competition and think about winning trophies."

Benitez understated


While Scolari is focused on making his players believe they are invincible, Benitez was taking a typically understated approach to the game of the season so far.
Liverpool has gone 18 years without a league title, but expectations at Anfield are growing that this is the team to finally end that drought.
Benitez, who has won just four of 19 meetings with Chelsea, accepts that success in west London would be seen as further evidence of Liverpool's burgeoning title credentials, but the Spaniard has no intention of talking up his team just yet.
"It is too early to talk of titles, but we have the confidence to beat anyone," he said.
"We could go top, which would be a good problem for me then having to keep expectations down.
"Before the game to talk a lot is not good, afterwards maybe we will have to keep our people calm."
With Fernando Torres set to miss out through injury, Benitez will not make any bold predictions that leave him a hostage to fortune.
But the Reds boss knows his team have already beaten Manchester United without Torres this season, so it has no reason to fear Chelsea.
"Everyone knows Torres is a key player for us, he scores and we win games," Benitez said.
"But we have won plenty of games without him, and we have enough confidence in our squad to do so again.
"Without him it will be a different style of play, but we know we can manage. I believe we have the firepower to beat Chelsea.
"We have the mentality to win this one, maybe after so long unbeaten at home for Chelsea in the league, it is time.
"We are at the top of the table with Chelsea having not played our best yet."
Liverpool midfielders Steven Gerrard and Xabi Alonso are expected to be fit after suffering injuries during the midweek Champions League draw against Atletico Madrid, but Irish striker Robbie Keane faces a late fitness test on his groin strain.
Ashley Cole is set to return from a hamstring injury for Chelsea, while Didier Drogba, Michael Essien and Michael Ballack remain sidelined.
-AFP
Tags: sport, football, english-premier-league, united-kingdom, e

[Raggs]

he needs to concentrate pon de job at hand....