Another Red Letter Day

For a good few years, Liverpool have seemed content to get a point on any trip to Stamford Bridge.
Maybe that negative thinking has always worked against us, as our sitting back approach has immediately handed the initiative to Chelsea and has earned us nothing except for a string of defeats.
Now, we've got to go and score a goal. Simple as that. My suspicion is that we may need to score two goals to go through.
We've not done that at Stamford Bridge in a long time. But in a strange kind of way, the Riise gaffe has made our minds up for us.
For the frst time in ages, we'll go out and really have a proper go at Chelski at their place.
And this is where the selection dilemna comes in.

Defence largely takes care of itself. There's some argument about whether to play Hyppia, but his lack of pace up against Drogba, and possibly Anelka, will probably mean its Arbeloa, Carragher, Skrtel and Riise.
Midfield is where we have the big decisions to make.
The first option is to play the same formation that was picked for the Arsenal return leg with two strikers, the three centre midfielders and Kuyt on the right.
So that would mean Crouch starting with Torres.
Benitez, however, seems to prefer the one up with Gerrard joining, but I always think playing one man on his own immediately hands the initiative to the opposition.
Any ball played up to the centre forward comes back far too quickly and before you know it, you've had 30% of possession and you're struggling.
With two up front, however, Benitez can't accommodate his obvious five of Gerrard, Mascherano, Alonso, Kuyt and Babel.
We've managed to make the slightly lob-sided system (two strikers, no discernible left winger) work at home to Arsenal, but we were still short at times on the left.
What's more, Gerrard was asked to plug the gap at times which sends him away from the central areas where he does most damage.
Also, we had Aurelio fit and playing well on that occasion who could bomb on at will. But with him out, can Riise perform a similar job when his confidence is so low?

The best balance would be to play a genuine left midfielder or winger, so that's why Babel is likely to get the nod even though he's unpredictable.
There might be an argument for Pennant, he seems in half decent form after the Birmingham game, but I don't think Reds fans would want to rely on Jermaine.
He's not disciplined enough, that idiotic free kick he conceded at the Emirates i the league game was a case in point.
Kuyt must start on the right side of midfield as he's been a revelation there.
Gerrard and Mascherano are must starts, so one option to achieve a balanced formation would be to demote Alonso to the bench.
There's an argument for this, Xabi hasn't been great of late, but I don't think Benitez will do it.
As much as we need to throw everything at them, Chelsea remain very strong in central midfield with people like Essien, Mikel and possibly Lampard and I think Rafa will want to stifle that area as much as possible.
Plus, credit where its due, Alonso was a contender for Man of the Match on Tuesday and if we want to win on Wednesday, we'll have to keep the ball, and more than anyone else, that's what he can allow us to do.

For what it's worth, my preference would be Torres and Crouch, Kuyt, the three central midfielders with Gerrard asked to keep an eye on the left, and Babel on the bench.
But I suspect, Benitez will go with one up front and Babel and Kuyt on either wing and three in the middle.
At the end of the day though it's about players performing rather than formations. Riise 35 yard blockbuster to send us through anyone?

- Anyone see the Chleski-United game over the weekend and the the increasing number of examples that Didier Drogba is an extremely loathsome footballer?
Fresh from his cheating antics on Tuesday, he was at it again against the Mancs at Saturday lunchtime.
This brick outhouse centre forward dived, moaned, feigned injury, gesticulated, clutched non-existent pains, clenched his teeth in mock agony and even got a strop on with his teammate Ballack because the German had the audacity to want to take a free kick on the edge of the box.
Cristiano Ronaldo step aside. Robbie Savage's well chiselled crown goes to you Didier.