Chelsea v/s Liverpool: Key Battles

The weekend’s most enticing clash is Liverpool’s visit to Stamford Bridge to face a Chelsea side just a point ahead of them in the league table. This is the first time the two sides are meeting since the infamous Luis Suarez bite on Bransilav Ivanovic which resulted in the Uruguayan receiving a 10 match ban. 

In hindsight, that massive ban might have been the impetus behind his tremendous goal scoring form this season. 

Luis Suarez bit Branislav Ivanovic in the sides' last meeting at Anfield back in April this year 

 Looking forward to today's clash, both sides are within reach of the summit of the league table and a win for either sides will go a long way in establishing their credentials for the title. Currently though, Manchester City sit atop, albeit with one more game than their closest rivals, while Arsenal can also move top with victory at St. James' Park against an in form Newcastle United.

18YB, here, has a look at the key battles which could be crucial in deciding which of the two sides comes out on top, and takes the bragging rights until next time. 

Luis Suarez v/s Gary Cahill

With Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho favoring Englishmen John Terry and Gary Cahill as the preferred center back pairing, it is likely that the two will start against Liverpool. To shackle Suarez though, the two will have to be on his back for the entire duration of the game. 

Cahill, in particular will need to be quick in reading the Uruguayan's runs and considering his dribbling ability, Terry, who has lost the agility to stick along with pacy strikers, will need to use his experience to organize the defense better. 

Gary Cahill will need to be on his toes to the stop free scoring Uruguayan 

In addition to taking on Suarez alone, the pair will also have to to careful about Suarez dropping deep and linking up play with Jordan Henderson and Joe Allen, both of whom have been in a good run of form recently. Their late runs into the box and creative play has been important for Liverpool in the absence of talisman Steven Gerrard. 

Raheem Sterling and Philippe Coutinho also tend to make diagonal runs which Suarez tends to find while linking up with the midfield and here is where Cahill and Terry will have to be on hand to protect their goal. While pushing up as and when a Liverpool attack is cleared, the distance between the midfield and the center backs needs to be to a measured so that while building up from the deep, Sterling and Coutinho don't find enough space in behind the Chelsea defense. Suarez too needs to be marked by Cahill till a certain extent while dropping deep, after which John Obi Mikel will need to take on the mantel so that not a lot of space is left behind Cahill for only Terry to protect. 

Frank Lampard v/s Lucas Leiva

Moving onto the midfield, while Liverpool will, in all probabilities deploy a tried and tested 4-3-3, Chelsea should use a 4-2-3-1 shape due to the absence of Brazilian Ramires. Mikel and Lampard should start as the holding midfielders with Lampard the one supporting attacks from the deep. 

His late runs into the box should be tapped upon by Lucas Leiva who will be deployed as the lone holding midfielder for the Reds. Considering they play a narrow midfield, which makes the midfield congested, Lampard will definitely have to be at his creative best to drive attacks from the center.

Lucas Leiva and Frank Lampard go head to head in a midfield battle

The two will need to counter the three midfielders of the Reds, two of which will tend to play like box-to-box midfielders. Defensively, Mikel will have to be on his toes to help out Terry and Cahill by keeping tabs on Suarez dropping deep to link up play with Henderson and Allen to create space for the wingers to run in. 

Eden Hazard v/s Glen Johnson

As much as their strike force grabs all the attention for the wrong reasons, Belgian Eden Hazard has been a rather consistent attacker for the Blues. Alongside Oscar, Hazard has been a creative mainstay for this Chelsea side under Mourinho. 

With 7 goals and 4 assists in 17 league appearances, the former Lille man has been more effective from the left hand side as compared to Oscar, who has grabbed more attention, which perhaps is due to the man he has been keeping out of the starting eleven.

Eden Hazard will have to get past Johnson to create chances for Chelsea not to mention keep his runs in check while defending

As for today's game,  Hazard will need to keep up his good form, tracking back to help out in congesting the midfield, and running with the ball while counter attacking with pace. Against Glen Johnson, who is a rugged defender, Hazard will need to be at his best, linking up play with Azpilicueta on the left. Not only that, but he will also need to be cautious in tracking back to keep tabs on Johnson's penetrating runs to support attacks. 

However key these battles prove out to be, one thing that is sure is a cracking game of football for both sides, with Mourinho being pitched against his former disciple Brendan Rodgers. 

Written by,

Aman Arora

Aman writes and edits articles for 18YB

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Manchester City v/s Liverpool: Player Battles

Table toppers Liverpool visit free scoring Manchester City in the a Boxing Day fiesta. 18 Yard Box takes a look at the two important battles on field tonight.

Manchester City have scored 51 goals in the season so far. However, Liverpool have not been behind either. With Suarez leading the title charge, the Merseysiders visit the Eithad with 42 to their name. Plenty of stars will be on the pitch but we have picked two such battles that could prove to be vital.

Have a read.

VINCENT KOMPANY V/S LUIS SUAREZ

The big Belgian centre half will not have it easy when pitted against the world’s most in-form player. Vincent Kompany has had a mixed season so far. Individually good but less number of clean sheets to show for his performances, the hefty Belgian international has led the Manchester City side brilliantly at home this season. A great header of the ball, Kompany is also an excellent reader of the game. He also has the uncanny knack of stepping up in the big games and when it matters the most. His pace is quite deceptive for a person of such a heavy built.  However, for him, this season has not been fruitful. With the absence of Nastasic and poor form of Lescott and Hart, Kompany has seen the goal behind him ripple 20 times.  And with the free scoring Liverpool side to come, this could worsen still. Kompany will definitely will have a task in his hand as he would be give the responsibility of marking Luis Suarez.  The Uruguayan hitman has become a hero for the Merseysiders after what looked like it could be the last season for him following the summer transfer fiasco. Signing a new deal and scoring a scintillating 19 goals in 12 PL matches, Suarez is leaving no stone unturned in the bid to lead Liverpool to their 19th title. The slippery striker has an uncanny knack of finding goals from situations you would hardly imagine. Following the injury of Daniel Sturridge, Suarez has taken the mantel of not only fufilling his quota but also the quota of the injured Englishman. It would definitely be interesting as how City decide to keep Suarez at bay. Kompany alone would not be the ideal solution and Lescott would also have to stay on toes. Its Suarez’s battle to lose. If he gets the ball in any position from where he can have a sight at goal, u can expect the net bulging.

YAYA TOURE V/S JORDAN HENDERSON

Liverpool were much criticized for signing Jordan Henderson from Sunderland few season ago. However in the absence of Gerrard, the young Englishman has improved his game to quite an extent. His vision coupled with his work rate for the team makes him one of the unsung heroes in Liverpool’s title charge. Having scored one and assisted five, Henderson has acted as a playmaker in the 3 man midfield which Liverpool have adopted off lately. He possesses the ability to get into clever positions and also see the pass before anyone else can. He certainly is filling Gerrard’s boots for now. However, it wont be easy as he will be against arguably the world’s most complete midfielder. Big powerful runs , slick passing and belter of a shot are the various qualities which Yaya Toure brings to the Manchester City midfield. He not only contributes to the offensive side but also to the defensive performances of the team. Stopping the Ivorian will be a tough ask and with Fernandinho helping him, it will be a difficult battle to win. Moreover, Henderson is not much known for his defensive work and this could well be exploited by the Manchester City duo. Although Lucas would be the man to look after them, giving the Brazilian a helping hand will surely be required. In this battle Toure seems to be the man to watch out for as his experience and powerful personality could be too much for Henderson.

Written By, 

Rishabh Ghai

Rishabh is a writer for Goal.com India, International, contributor for AIS and a writer and editor for 18 Yard Box.

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Preview: Manchester City v/s Liverpool

Top of the table Liverpool travel to the Etihad stadium in a bid to move clear of the chasing pack ahead of the New Year

Two of the league’s free scoring sides go head to head for the first time in the campaign with the Manchester based side having netted a smashing 51 times in the league alone. Their opponents of tomorrow, a side highly dependent on Uruguayan Luis Suarez, have notched an impressive 42 goals in an equal number of games, an astounding record considering the same stat last season.

The home side boasts a potent attacking line up, which was strengthened in the summer with the acquisition of Alvaro Negredo, Jesus Navas, Stevan Jovetic in the particular department. However, the most impactful signing for the Citizens has been of Brazilian Fernandinho, who has paired up formidably with Ivorian Yaya Toure. The two have been the spine of the side, often winning midfield battles with their physical ability and apt reading of the game.

Brazilian Fernandinho has been a vital cog in the midfield for Manchester City

Fernandinho’s stats, in particular have been impressive defensively, having managed to make 49 tackles in all in the league alone. 36 interceptions and 31 fouls from along with 19 key passes in the final third have made him a key cog in the City machine. Often the one getting shadowed by his midfield partner, the former Shakhtar Dontesk midfielder has been a plug in their defensive game play, protecting them through his energy filled performances.

Shifting attention to their overall form, Manuel Pellegrini’s side have been top notch in home games, and here is where the problem lies. Their away form has let them down, which in all probabilities is the reason they are still not clear of the chasing pack in the league table. Just 16 goals in 9 games, having conceded 15, has led to them gaining only 3 wins and 2 draws in those away fixtures. Much of the credit needs to go to the way their opponents have played in these games, taking the game to the 2011-2012 league champions and not fearing the credibility they bring to the field on paper.

Pellegrini's side do need to improve on their away from though

At home though, they have been a strong force and facing Liverpool at this moment will be an appropriate test for their overall title credentials. The Merseyside based side have been consistent in their new style of play for which their manager Brendan Rodgers surely deserves a pat on the back. Slow, patient build up combined with short, penetrative passes has seen them awarded with a new sense of belief, although much of the applause for that should go to Luis Suarez and Daniel Sturridge to convert all that possession into goals. Rodgers has not only brought and implemented his tactical nous along with trimming the squad appropriately in the summer, but has also kept in mind the variations possible.

Their ability to play a 4-3-3 with Suarez atop, Philippe Coutinho on the left and Victor Moses/Raheem Sterling on the right with Jordan Henderson, Lucas Leiva and Steven Gerrard in midfield has reaped benefits considering how Suarez drops in deep to facilitate play alongside Gerrard from midfield. But with the England skipper out due to injury, they have certainly lost out on his experience in the middle of the park. Joe Allen, who has replaced Gerrard, has taken up his captain’s lead and has been a creative force from the midfield. Their ability to switch to a 3-5-2, however seamless it might be looks difficult going into this game considering Sturridge’s injury that has kept him out for a while now.

Sturridge, Gerrard and Suarez have been been crucial behind Liverpool's position in the table currently

As far as this table topping clash goes, a 4-3-3 with a narrow midfield with Henderson on the right and Allen on the left is most expected with Lucas Leiva the man to guard against the wading runs of Yaya Toure. With just one man going head to head against Toure and Fernandinho (who will tend to drive forward to support the attacks time and again) could be very hazardous to the Merseyside based club’s well being on the day which is where Henderson’s and Allen’s role could be crucial on the day. Playing with a narrow width in the centre of the park will not only protect their interests against the imposing City duo, but will also give space for their full backs to bomb ahead to support Coutinho and Sterling/Moses on the wings.

Jordan Henderson, Joe Allen and Lucas Leiva will have to win the midfield battle against Toure and Fernandinho

However might the tactics be implemented though, both side’s defense will need to be compact so as not to allow maximum utilization of free space by attackers hungry for goals on both team’s roasters. An end to end game, with Pellegrini’s team surely attacking their potential rivals for the title from the word go is the least expected.

Players missing due to injuries-

Manchester City: Sergio Aguero, Micah Richards, Stevan Jovetic, Pablo Zabaleta, Matija Nastasic
Liverpool: Steven Gerrard, Daniel Sturridge, Jose Enrique, Sebastian Coates, Jon Flanagan (subject to late fitness test)

Written by,

Aman Arora

Follow us at @18YB06

Drop in your comments below or discuss with the author at @18YB06

Build up to Arsenal v/s Chelsea (PART 2)- Mangerial Battle: Arsene Wenger v/s Jose Mourinho

18 Yard Box continues its build up for the mega clash between the Gunners and the Blues. With just less than 3 hours to go, its time to look into the manager's tactics.

The war of words had begun well before the day arrived. With Mourinho trying to play mind games with the Arsenal manager by stating that his team are still behind Arsenal in this match, Wenger has regarded Chelsea one of their toughest opponents. However, it remains to to be seen what tactics the the two managers chose to employ in order to get closer to the title.

18 Yard Box discusses the tactics which the two teams have used to so far.

ARSENE WENGER V/S JOSE MOURINHO (TACTICAL ANALYSIS)

Its unusual to include managers in a battle section. However, this battle needs mentioning.  Where Wenger has been relying on the brand of ‘sexy’ football, Mourinho prefers to adopt a more functional approach to the game. Both managers rely on a 4-2-3-1 formation.  However, both differ in the style of play. Arsenal’s philosophy sees the implementation of a 5 man midfield (or usually a 4 with one winger) and a central striker. The striker holds the play and waits for his men to arrive in support. There is always one player who would try to make the penetrative runs behind the defenders. The Gunners follow a philosophy of ‘total football’ where each player can play in a variety of positions. The Blues on the other hand play more of a false 9 instead of a proper 4-2-3-1. As greatly described by Ancelotti, Chelsea rely heavily on their midfield 5 to grab the goals. Two box to box midfielders in the form of Lampard and Ramires followed by the creative triplet of Oscar, Schurrle and Hazard has seen Chelsea win plenty of games. The only cause for concern is that despite having three quality strikers, Chelsea have not been able to bring either of them into play much. Moreover constant rotation of his midfield has seen the Chelsea side struggle in between. Both sides consists of a quality defence not living upto its potential. Lapses in concentration, leaking silly goals and faulty marking techniques in set pieces have caused both sides to leak in goals. Although Arsenal’s defence has improved under Steve Bould, the 6-3 drubbing against City has surely shown that it is possible to go past their defence with ease. When it comes to on field tactics, Mourinho is never the one who would shy to make changes in the first half or even just after half time if he feels that the game needs changing, When it comes to Wenger, he usually adopts a holdback approach and makes the substitutions usually around the 65th minute mark. Mourinho usually turns out to be the aggressor amongst the two.  We could very well see a defensive approach by Mourinho with Oscar, Hazard and Schurrle starting behind Torres. Ramires and Lampard could make the cut for the two remaining midfield position. Arsenal on the other hand could include Cazorla, Ozil and Waclott behind Giroud with Ramsey and Flamini making the midfield numbers. Injury to Koscielny will see Vermalen take the captain's armband. Having not won once in his previous meetings with Mourinho and top spot at stake, Arsene Wenger will not get a better opportunity to ruin his counterpart’s flawless record against him. With Chelsea side struggling to get goals and kill the games off, this provides Arsenal the impetus to take the game to the Blues at the Emirates.

Written By,

Rishabh Ghai

Rishabh is a writer for Goal.com India, International, contributor for AIS and a writer and editor for 18 Yard Box.

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ALSO READ OUR PREVIEW OF THE GAME BY CLICKING HERE

Build up to Arsenal v/s Chelsea (PART 1): Player Battles

An inconsistent Chelsea side visits the Emirates searching for a win which would take keep in the title hunt. 18 Yard Box takes a look at the two battles on the pitch which could prove pivotal in deciding the fate of the match.

It does not take a second invitation for Jose Mourinho to start playing mind games with the opponents. The rather outspoken manager, however, had nothing but respect for Arsene Wenger. With both declaring that this game is not a personal war, it remains to be seen as how the teams battle it out in the centre.

18 Yard Box takes a look at the two battles on the pitch which could prove to be the game changing ones.

THEO WALCOTT V/S CESAR AZPILLICUETA

The return of Theo Walcott has added an extra dimension which the Arsenal side lacked in the past games. His pace and pin point crosses would be the key for Arsenal in the run for the top 4 in the previous seasons. Previously to the return of the English man, the Gunners lacked an out and out winger who could threaten the full backs. The young Serge Gnabry was often used as a deputy when the game went out of hands for the Gunners. However, the return of the 24 year old has added an assurance in the Arsenal front line. Walcott had an amazing last season, scoring 14 goals in the Premier League. His movements have always been the difficult for the defenders to track and with his searing pace, he has the habit of leaving the defender in his wake. What makes Walcott a complete hitman is his ability to find the net from tight situations. His finishing has greatly improved and he would be looking to make a mark on the big stage. However, it wont be easy for the Arsenal winger as he will be up against the young Spanish full back Cesar Azpillicueta. The 24 year old joined the Blues from Marseille last season for a reported 7 million Euros but had found breaking into the starting XI difficult last season. The tables have turned this season as the ‘Special One’ prefers the Spanish right back over Ashley Cole in the left back position. Although unaccustomed to this role, Azpillicueta has done quite well to adjust. However, lack of concentration and being a part of an inconsistent defence has seen his resume being spoilt. It certainly wont be easy for the young Spaniard to mark Walcott and he needs to be absolutely switched on. He needs to be wary of the runs which Walcott could make off his shoulders and also to track back when Arsenal hit on the counter. One area which the former Osasuna man can exploit is the fact that Walcott is uni dimensional. Running in straight lines and cutting inside is all the Englishman has shown so far. This could well be stopped if one of the wingers help Azpillicueta out. Walcott edges this one as his experience in the Premier League will come into play greatly. Moreover, Azpillicueta, being a conventional right back, might struggle against Walcott’s pace.

MATHIEU FLAMINI V/S OSCAR

Probably the biggest surprise of the season has been the emergence of Mathieu Flamini. The 29 year Old Frenchman had left the Gunners on a sour note to join AC Milan in 2008. However, an injury raven spell at the Rossoneri had seen his appearances restricted to 96 in five seasons.  The former Marseille man returned to the Gunners this season for a free transfer. It was greatly speculated that Flamini would not do much to bolster the Gunners’ defence. However, he has done quite well do drown his critics. Flamini has been the rock in the central midfield. Flying tackles, great physical strength, excellent passing accuracy, ability to break the play and a knack of popping in places to grab occasional goals are the attributes which Flamini brings to the Arsenal midfield. He has been the much needed defensive minded mifielder which Arsenal needed since the times of Gilberto Silva. He, alongwith Aaron Ramsey, have forged a stable midfield partnership. However, his job is not going to be easy as tracking Oscar is no mean feat. The Brazillian has been in scintillating form ever since his arrival at the Bridge. His intricate passes and his ability to spread the play when required has seen him being touted as one of the best midfielders in the Premier League. With Mourinho having bundles of  praise for the former Internacional man, the 22 year old also has added the defensive side to his game by tracking back and helping the defenders. He also possess the tricks to get past men and also can be deployed deep in the midfield to control the play. Flamini needs to be on his heels if he needs to track his man as Oscar, Schurrle and Hazard have been formidable this season. Flamini also needs to be wary of over committing and getting himself booked in the process. Oscar leads the battle between the two as his pace and vision could just see him getting fouled too many times by the Frenchman and eventually getting booked.

Written By,

Rishabh Ghai

Rishabh is a writer for Goal.com India, International, contributor for AIS and a writer and editor for 18 Yard Box.

Follow Rishabh Ghai on Twitter

Follow Us on Twitter and Facebook

ALSO READ OUR PREVIEW OF THE GAME BY CLICKING HERE

Preview: Arsenal v/s Chelsea

In a top of the table clash, Arsenal welcome Jose Mourinho's Chelsea in a clash that will determine the side heading the league table on Christmas day.

Liverpool attained top spot in the Barclays Premier League with a 3-1 home win over Cardiff City, in the process sending Arsene Wenger's men third in the table. With Manchester City also gaining three points away at Fulham, both sides will attempt to get back in the mix with wins for themselves. 

Chelsea have been inconsistent in the league to say the least, with a rather unreliable defense to be blamed apart from the goal scoring problem. They have tried various combinations in defense, with Gary Cahill, John Terry the preferred pair at the heart of their back line. Having been unable to entirely depend on the two experienced defenders, Mourinho has been unable to build up play from the back as his teams usually do. Ashley Cole has been out of the side in recent weeks with injury and then being frozen out by his manager for Spaniard Cesar Azpilicueta who he now considers the number one left back at the club.

Gary Cahill and John Terry have been entrusted with defensive responsibilities for Chelsea

Their midfield looks the saving grace for games although no best combinations are yet finalized. Andre Schurrle, Eden Hazard, Willian and Oscar look to be front runners to claim starting spots tomorrow with Juan Mata, a substantial contributor to their potency used sparingly. 

The intricate passing in between the lines has continued with insistence on fellow midfielders making those runs which eventually freezes out the lone striker, forcing them out of goal scoring positions to participate to make play rather than finish of chances which should be the case ideally. The situation was nicely put across by former manager Carlo Ancelotti's statement in which he mentioned that the London side are more or less plying a "false 9" with no early balls released to players like Torres who need to use their pace and trickery to bamboozle defenders. 

Although going by Mourinho's experiments with 4-4-2 when needing goals, playing Oscar or Mata as creative central midfielder who would try to release strikers early so that they get the ball facing the net and not their own half hasn't yet been considered.

Samuel Eto'o, Fernando Torres and Demba Ba have just managed a combined total of 5 league goals

Their three recognized strikers, Fernando Torres, Demba Ba and Samuel Eto'o have managed to bag a combined 5 goals in the league this term with the tactics of pool of attacking talent in midfield not really helping their cause. Sending out Romelu Lukaku on loan now doesn't seem like a great decision and Mourinho surely has a lot to ponder on with the transfer window coming up. His crucial decisions have not gone in his favor, another major one being freezing out Mata, and probably going into the hectic Christmas period, being in the title chasing mix is enough at this given point in time. 

It is perhaps obvious that the team needs a consistent source of goals, either from midfield or from the forwards, and no solution to resolve this problem will leave their Portuguese manager not so special any more. A younger player with no expectations could perhaps do the trick with Islam Feruz an obvious mention in this category. The U-21 player finished as top scorer of the NextGen Series with goals against Barcelona, Juventus and Arsenal and could be given a few minutes to see whether he can be a future first team player at the club.

Arsenal, on the other hand have been impressive in their bid to land the title for the first time since 2004. A consistent midfield made up of Aaron Ramsey and Mathieu Flamini has been the backbone of their title charge alongside their central defensive partnership of Per Mertesacker and Laurent Koscielny. But with the French defender now injured, there could be questions about their stability at the back as his replacement; Belgian Thomas Vermaelen has been an inconsistent figure at The Emirates this season. 

Apart from that though, the only fears Arsene Wenger should have about his squad are of tiredness since he has been playing and depending on a small set of players for all competitions. Add to that their lack of depth in the attacking department where they only have Oliver Giroud as a striker they can truly depend on. Nicklas Bendtner has been given opportunities at times, but the Dane is nowhere near a level he should be. 

The Englishman will miss his sides clash against title rivals Chelsea The Gunners, though will have the expressive Jack Wilshere out due to suspension which the Premier League have handed him for an offensive gesture at Manchester City fans last time out. The Englishman has been a regular on the left of the midfield and although that is not his ideal position, his consistency has been admirable.

Wenger’s side will welcome back Lukas Podolski after a long time out due to injury and the German will be a much needed variation with capabilities of playing both as a striker and a winger.

They have been reliant overly on Giroud, and that needs to be changed considering he won’t be able to play each game over the hectic festive period. Podolski coming into the side at such timing is ideal, as he could very well form a partner or a back up for Giroud up front. Theo Walcott, who returned from injury last week against Manchester City will also inject much needed pace and agility down their wings with Santi Cazorla and Mesut Ozil options to play in the hole behind the striker.

Whoever makes the grade for the starting XI though, Wenger will surely be hoping for a big performance from his players at home against a side that has fared consistently better than them in such fixtures. This time though, the stakes are much higher as going into end of December, this is probably the first time in many years that Arsenal are serious contenders for the Premier League trophy.

Written by,
Aman Arora