Liverpool vs Manchester City

Liverpool should feel upbeat about their chance of toppling Premier League leaders Man City at Anfield this weekend, and they look decent value at 2.63 with bet365 and Betfred to do just that.

Kenny Dalglish‘s side continued their unbeaten run with a good solid performance to beat Chelsea 2-1 at Stamford Bride last weekend and ran out easy 3-0 winners over the Citizens when the two sides met in this fixture back in April.

It was a tactical triumph for Dalglish at The Bridge, and Craig Bellamy, Maxi Rodriguez and Luis Suarez linked together well and  always looked capable of scoring.

There must be a chance however that the gaffer will change things around a bit for this one and give Andy Carroll a start given that he netted two in the aforementioned 3-0 win over City.

He is an 8.5 shot with Boylesports and Paddy Power to open the scoring and that looks a bit of value given his proven ability to unlock the City defence.

However even better value could be the 3.5 on offer with Boylesports for him to score anytime in the 90 minutes. he is as short as 2.75 to do so with other firms and the Irish boys offer looks too big to ignore.

This does look like a game that has goals written all over it, and City are sure to be keen to bounce back from their 2-1 midweek defeat at Napoli in the Champions League where Roberto Mancini admitted they let in “two stupid goals”.

However for the first time this season they looked to run out of ideas when things didn’t go according to plan, and if Liverpool can keep it tight early doors and frustrate them a similar scenario could be on the cards.

The Reds certainly have players at their disposal who are capable of causing their back-line plenty of problems, and my idea of the outcome is a 2-1 for Kenny’s men.

That score line can be backed at a top priced 12 with Betfred and definitely looks worth a small interest.

Betfred also go a standout 1.67 about both teams scoring and that looks a solid bet for those that like to play odds-on.

Match Preview: Liverpool v. Chelsea

It’s back to Stamford Bridge for Liverpool as they seek progression to the semifinals of the League Cup for the first time since 2005. The timing of the fixture makes it challenging for both sides—for Liverpool, who’ve sent out strong squads in each of their three wins in the competition, it’s cause for serious questions about who and what we’ll see. Selection might not be as challenging for the hosts, as Andre Villas-Boashas opted to use squads with clear second-string and younger players, but regardless, it’s going to make for an interesting meeting.

It’s doubtful this one will look anything like Liverpool’s trip to West London last weekend, when they spent the first half on the front foot and pressured Chelsea relentlessly before getting the winner in the final minutes. That’s not to say Liverpool can’t come away with the win; rather, I think they have a really good chance at advancing, but I’m guessing they’ll go about it differently. Or they won’t and they’ll still win, and I’ll come off looking like a moron, as per usual.

Whoever it ends up being, they’ll face a Chelsea side with highly touted youngsters rounding out what’ll likely look like a reserve squad. Their first time out in the competition was plenty nervy, as they survived a missed penalty from Fulham early in the second half and the sending off of Alex to win in a shootout. Against Everton in the last round they managed a 2-1 victory despite another sending off—this time back-up goalkeeper Ross Turnbull—as Daniel Sturridge got the winner in the second half of extra time.

As mentioned, Chelsea have used a fairly predictable mix of backups and youngsters; Josh McEachran, Ryan Bertrand, Romelu Lukaku, and Oriol Romeu started in both wins, but it’ll be interesting to see what Villas-Boas does given Romeu’s inclusion on Saturday and the fact that Fernando Torres hasn’t made a start since the draw with Genk at the beginning of the month. I’d guess McEachran and Bertrand are locks in the midfield and left-back respectively, but I wouldn’t be surprised if Romeu and Lukaku were on the bench to start. Some combination of veterans round out the rest of their eleven, with Branislav Ivanovic, Paolo Ferreira, Nicolas Anelka, Salomon Kalou, and Florent Malouda all getting starts across the two matches, while John Terry (suspension) and Raul Meireles (cup-tied) are both ruled out.

For Liverpool:

Who starts for Liverpool?

Reina
Kelly Carragher Coates Aurelio
Lucas Spearing
Kuyt Maxi
Carroll Bellamy

—Steven Gerrard remains injured, and Jack Robinson, who would have at least made the squad tomorrow, is out as well. As Kenny Dalglish mentioned earlier in the day, though, it’s likely there’s a whole host of fitness concerns given the fact that barely 36 hours have passed since the draw with City at Anfield.

—The back line seems to be the only area where there’s a fairly predictable set, with Martin Kelly and Jamie Carragher certain to make their returns, and Sebastian Coates likely to get another start. Coates has played in two of the three matches so far, sparkling last time out against Stoke aside from the lapse in judgment that led to their opener. That leaves left back as the only question mark, and with Robinson injured and Jose Enrique yet to make an appearance in the competition, a possibly fit Fabio Aurelio is the best guess. Outside shot that he pushes forward to the midfield alongside Spearing, in which case I’d bank on Danny Wilson’s involvement.

—Spearing’s a near-lock to start, and his partner will either have to be Lucas or Charlie Adam. If it’s one of these two I’d guess Lucas, but it’d be nice to get him some rest on the front end of a four week stretch that sees Liverpool play six matches. Further forward I’m sure Maxi returns, and Dalglish will have Jordan Henderson, Stewart Downing, or Dirk Kuyt to choose from. Given Kuyt’s inability to get tired, ever, I’d pick him, even though the other two might be just as likely.

—Andy Carroll’s got to start up front, and if Craig Bellamy’s ready to go, he’ll provide support either alongside or just off the number nine. A start for Luis Suarez would be suprising but not necessarily a complete shock—he’s started every League cup match so far and scored three in the competition, although for the amount of running he does, on the back of a busy summer, 48 hours just seems too short a recovery time.

What’s the most important factor for the Reds?

Dalglish has made no secret about how much importance he’s placed on this competition, and so far he’s been rewarded with three mostly solid displays. Tomorrow’s easily the biggest test, and regardless of who he ends up picking, and despite the fact that I don’t think they’ll approach it the same way they did last Sunday, they’ll need to continue to play confident, aggressive football. I think top to bottom, any eleven Dalglish picks can give Chelsea a run for their money. For all the inconsistencies that we’ve seen this season, the one thing we haven’t questioned is the commitment of whatever squad is selected, and that’ll need to continue tomorrow.

Right now there’s no listing for UK viewers, and Fox Soccer Plus is the only viewing option stateside, but I’m sure Australian supporters are basking in the sun, drinks in hand, waiting for their HD glory to appear. The rest of us will have to rely on streams, which will be linked in the matchday thread a few hours before kickoff. As usual, team sheets will follow shortly after as the opening whistle approaches.

So while it might be challenging for the squad, and yet another cock-up by the English footballing bureaucracy, this many matches in such a short period of time is something to be relished, particularly with the club seemingly on the up. See you all back here in a bit.

Chelsea planning another raid on Barcelona

Chelsea are keen on landing yet another Barcelona kid as they prepare a swoop for Sergi Roberto.

Chelsea manager Andre Villas-Boas landed Oriol Romeu in the summer and the midfielder has made an instant impression at Stamford Bridge.

He was handed his first league start of the season against Wolves on Saturday and impressed in midfield – and now Villas-Boas is keen on another product of Barca’s famed academy.

Roberto, 19, also plays in midfield and is highly regarded at Barcelona – but Chelsea are ready to tempt them with an offer.

Roberto, a Spain Under 21 international, would be available for around £5m but Barcelona would insist on a buy-back clause if they did part with him.

Marouane Chamakh ‘nearing Arsenal exit as PSG plan £10million bid’

Marouane Chamakh could soon be leaving Arsenal as Paris Saint Germain are understood to be readying a £10 million transfer bid.

The Moroccan forward, whose promising early performances in an Arsenal shirt have given way to a series of ineffectual bit-part displays, looks set to be offered a chance to restart his career with the ambitious French club.

Gunners captain Robin van Persie has been in devastating form this season, netting 17 goals in all competitions, leaving Chamakh with few opportunities to prove his worth.

Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger still considers the 27-year-old to be an important part of his plans, but accepts that the player may wish to move on in search of regular games.

‘We have (Marouane) Chamakh and Park Ju-Young, who I think are quality, but at the moment they are not getting the opportunities because Robin is in such fantastic form,’ Wenger said.

‘It will be up to them to show they can take the relay when needed because the season is long and we play in many competitions, hopefully for a long time. Everybody will get a chance.’

Chamakh has started just one game so far this season, and having signed from Bordeaux in the summer of 2010 on a free transfer, £10 million may prove to be good business for a forward who will be 28 in January.

Wenger sympathy for Arshavin

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger admits he has sympathy for Russian ace Andrey Arshavin having to try and slot back into first-team action.

Arshavin was restored to the side for Arsenal’s weekend draw with Fulham, his first start since their defeat at Blackburn over two months ago.

And Wenger admits it is tough for any player to bounce straight back into the swing of things after being out for so long.

“I believe it is difficult for a player when he doesn’t play regularly to be absolutely exceptional,” Wenger told the club’s website.

“I don’t think he had a bad game but I think he suffered a little bit from the fact we were not as sharp as we might have been.

“Your confidence is not at the top as well when you don’t play for one month. You need to play regularly.

“He will come back. He works hard in training and has a good attitude so we just have to keep him tight.”

FRENCH YOUNGSTER AIMS FOR THE TOP WITH REAL MADRID

Raphael Verane completed his £8.5 million move to Real Madrid during the summer, having played just 23 first team games for French outfit, Lens.

He had also only just completed his high-school economics paper.

After being pursued by Manchester United for months, as well as being monitored by many more top sides across Europe, it was Zinedine Zidane – now an ‘advisor’ for Madrid – that actively encouraged the move to theBernabeu. The French legend convinced Jose Mourinho and Florentino Perez to make sure they made the youngster wear the famous white shirt.

Highly-rated he may be, but in terms of experience, Varane is a complete novice. So, the question as to whether he can make the huge step up is very much on the agenda.

At 18-years-old, with just a handful of league games under his belt, many are asking if Verane made his first big career move too soon.

The fact that Real already have an abundance of options in central defence; Pepe, Carvalho, Sergio Ramos and Albiol – means he may have limited chances of playing regularly in the immediate future.

Varane’s rise to the top began after impressing the Lens coaching staff with assured performances beyond his years. He ascended through the youth teams, even playing for the club’s under-19s despite being two years younger than some of his team mates. Lens’ youth coach Eric Assadourian described Varane as a “truly first class player” who is “comfortable on both the tactical and technical level.”

Such praise from his youth mentors convinced first-team manager, Jean-Guy Wallemme to call him into the senior side’s training sessions. In November 2010, the French youngster with Martiniquais heritage got his break when Lens suffered a defensive injury crisis.

Verane made his debut against Montpellier, earning praise from his team mates for his impressive performance. He continued to start for the side, even moving into defensive midfield and looking equally as comfortable.

In his first season at Lens, Varane had shown that he was more than capable of becoming a truly special player. Possessing strength in the air, speed, positional awareness and elegant grace on the ball – he has been likened to former France captain Marcel Desailly.

These qualities show just why Real Madrid made their move. But just how successful can he be?

You would have to say that, with playing time, he could go on to be one of the world’s top defenders. However, with regular football unlikely at present – he has made only two appearances so far – there are question marks about the wisdom of moving to a club with so much competition.

After all, he has stepped up from a failing French side to one of the world’s leading football clubs – that is not an easy thing to do, and the pressure is on.

A likely option for both parties is that Varane makes a loan move to another club to help aid his development as a player. This, currently, seems to be the best outcome for the French under-21 international. He needs game time if he is to continue progressing as he has done over the past year or so, and that seems to be the only way he will achieve that.

To add to the dilemma however, Spanish daily Marca have reported that certain Real youth coaches are unhappy that Varane is leapfrogging home-grown defenders such as Nacho and David Mateos. Despite this, it is clear that Real Madrid and Jose Mourinho have faith in him.

When he signed for the club, it was on a six year deal – highlighting just how highly regarded he is for the club’s future.

Whether he stays and fights seasoned internationals for a first-team place, or makes a loan move, Varane simply needs to be playing football. He is far too talented to sit on a bench week in, week out wasting his talent.

Jose Mourinho will have plans for him, that is certain.

Verane’s former coach Wallemmesummed up the player’s situation perfectly when he said: “Real Madrid are not crazy, they would have looked at the market for young central defenders and decided that there aren’t many of Varane’s calibre.

“Apart from his tremendous abilities, he’s amazingly calm, intelligent and a great listener. He faces a huge challenge at Real, but if anyone can make it, it’s him.”

There is a feeling that he can’t be held back much longer, and wether it is at the Bernabeu or out on loan, Raphael Verane is sure to  carry on his meteoric rise to the top of the game.