With a sense of injustice still occupying some at the Bridge following last weekend’s 2-2 draw at Swansea – a match that the Blues dominated – Chelsea approach Friday night’s game against Liverpool with renewed determination.
Chelsea v Liverpool fixtures are always fruity, even if they don’t always result in a hatful of goals, but this floodlit feast on an unconventional night of the week sees the still unbeaten Blues take on a Reds team who also seem to be on a roll.
It’s another chance to compare managerial gymnastics, as Tony Conte and Jurgen Klopp rarely stay in their seats for long. Whether either remains standing in his technical area as little as recent visiting gaffers Sean Dyche and Slaven Bilic will soon become clear, but it does seem to be an increasing trend that coaches prowl, jump, pose and posture for every moment their charges are scurrying.
Diego Costa will again start up front, having become the sixth fastest player in Premier League history to reach 35 goals for his club, needing 58 games to reach the total.
His brace against the Swans included a spectacular airborne bicycle kick.
David Luiz expects to make his second debut for the Blues as John Terry is still getting over an injury to his left ankle, sustained in the dying moments at the Liberty stadium.
Conte is encouraged by his team’s possession play and crisp passing, but remains troubled by a recurrent inability to kill off games which are being bossed.
The Swansea match was a case in point; a one-sided affair in which refereeing lapses and frittered chances conspired to rob the Blues of maximum points.
‘Seeing a game out’ sounds such a gentle pursuit, but it actually demands twice the concentration and double the effort it took to get ahead in the first place.
Chelsea are not good at safety first, and have to add old-fashioned time-wasting to their armoury.
The views expressed in this blog are those of the author and unless specifically stated are not necessarily those of the London Borough of Hammersmith & Fulham.
