Why Chelsea fans should support Liverpool this evening

It’s one of those counter-intuitive things that feels wrong; that just isn’t done. Like gravy with chips, wearing a hat indoors or not pointing fun at the French. Or maybe drinking red wine with fish, complementing another man on his appearance or publically admitting Cristiano Ronaldo is a half-decent footballer. Regardless of how it feels however, there is a good argument for Chelsea fans to support Liverpool tonight as Gerrard and Torres (and a few other players) look to overcome a 2-1 first leg deficit in their Europa League quarter final tie against Benfica.

Chelsea and Liverpool have had too many bitter clashes over the last few years for it to be a friendly rivalry. But a crucial game at Anfield awaits Ancelotti’s men on the weekend of 1 May – just 48 hours after the Europa League semi finals are currently scheduled. It’s a game that, going on current form, Chelsea should win, but we’ll take all the help we can.

Like Man Utd, Liverpool haven’t had the greatest of records so far this season in league games following European fixtures. Of those 11 league games, Liverpool have a record of winning just five, drawing three and losing three.

Admittedly, the fixture calendar hasn’t been kind to them. Of those eleven games immediately following European fixtures, five have been against current top four opposition (two against Utd, one against each of Chelsea, Arsenal and Man City) and obviously the forthcoming game against Chelsea also falls into this category. Of those games against top four opposition, Liverpool only won one – against Man Utd at Anfield.

The Anfield game – which would probably be rescheduled for the Sunday if Liverpool were to progress in the Europa Cup – could be pivotal in Chelsea’s challenge for the title. Just like Man Utd were a little jaded when we played them on Saturday, having a slightly off-colour Liverpool can only help when the penultimate game of the season comes round. For information, Chelsea face Stoke at Stamford Bridge the weekend before Liverpool.

And another thought has occurred: how much do you think Liverpool want Utd to win their 19^th league title, eclipsing their record? Hmmm. Maybe they’ll be rooting for us, too…

Comments

[irish red]

lol as a red i'm rooting for you guys, cant stand the arrogance of arsenal even after being hammered off the pitch...twice! the idea that wenger has a footballing 'philosophy' is just ludicrous and an over statement...united, er well the less said about that bunch the better...as long as chelsea dont cost us 4th place i'd be happy to see you guys lift the trophy (except JT of course ;)

[Joe]

I'm another red rooting for Chelsea. To be honest I'm very surprised Fergie has managed to get his team this close to the PL because on paper Chelsea look so much stronger. So for United to win 19 is bad enough but to do it with some of the crap they have out there would be too much for me to take. As for our game with Chelsea, if we are still in the Europa league the Chelsea game will move to Sunday afternoon. I obviously will still want a Liverpool win but I wont be too displeased should Chelsea turn us over.

[Red4Ever]

Like the guy before, I'm a Red rooting for your guys in the title race. However, I have to take umbrage at your line: "It’s a game that, going on current form, Chelsea should win..."
Yeah, we've had a mare overall this season, but our home form is pretty handy - W12 D2 L2 in the league so far, and we've won the last 8 at home in all competitions, with an aggrgate score of 18-2!

[Deirdre St John]

Ok, seeing as my best mate is a Liverpool fan and always wants Chelsea as long as it isn't to the detriment of the Reds, I'll go along with it ... just this once mind! lol

[Paul]

Liverpool fans want Arsenal or Chelsea to win the Premiership as Slur Alex/Rat face Neville only smile when they have won something!

[Ian Carr]

As another Red, I personally believe Man Utd will get to number 19 well before we do be it this season, next season or any other season.

Think back many years ago when Blackburn ( under King Kenny) came to Anfield while Man Utd played West Ham. Everyone thought we would roll over and let Rovers win and stop the mancs winning the title...WRONG!!

We beat Blackburn but the mancs failed to beat West Ham so Blackburn were crowned Champions.

Despite what could be at stake when Chelsea visit us, regardless of how it COULD help Man Utd to their 19th title, don't believe for one minute that Liverpool will 'take it easy', I for one am rooting for a Liverpool win no matter who they play and any Red hoping we lose is not fit to be a supporter of LFC.

If Chelsea come and do a job and leave with 3 points to secure the title then fair play to them and they'll deserve it.

Arsenal can not be ruled out just yet and it would be a great season for me if they won the league as I backed them last August.

[redscouse]

be prepared for the officials to have big big say in the run in you chelsea fans - the odd blind eye to an offside here, the odd pen fo nothin there etc...dont say you havent been warned, and oh yeah, as the only alternative to a utd '19th' I`ll be rootin for you too...only coz theres no-one else

[magnumopus]

I would like to see Chelski win the league but not the match against us no matter what it means to their finishing place with the Manure!

[Trader]

This is simple. If we have no chance of 4th place, which we probably wont, then I want us to lose to Chelsea. If we do have a chance of 4th then I want us to win, while hoping United lose as well.

[5european cups and 18 leagues]

If the mancs win the league we will be more gutted than chelsea, I'm hoping they are champions before they come to anfield then we can go for the win and show our appreciation to you for stopping red nose and rat boy.

[m kop]

I'm a Liverpool supporter too... Not to many Chelsea fans are comenting, probably becouse most of those "fans" couldn't name one first team player aside of Lampard and Terry, but still.

I must say if Liverpool were able to win a football game this season, they wouldn't be there were they are now.
If this game is to be deciseve for both teams, Chelsea will win, as I have sean too many important games lost for Liverpool this season.

But the game is unlikely to be important for Liverpool, City or Tottenham should secure the fourh spot until than...
So if Chelsea are unable to win El Zhar, and rest of part-time bench players Benitez will undoubtfully use, I will have a good laugh about it.

But dont worry you Chalsea faithfull, yes you who are actually reading this... United should be off your way withaut Rooney...
Go Blackburn, go Kalinic!!!

[Paul W13]

m kop - Judging by your use of the English language, would it be fair to suggest you're a Liverpool fan from abroad?

if so, I would suggest you cut the barbs at Chelsea fans. Instead, spend a little bit of time educating yourself on Chelsea's historic attendances. We may have had poor attendances in the 80's and early 90's (let's face it, who didn't?) but we're something like the 5th or 6th best supported club in England based on all-time attendances.

If you're still not convinced that Chelsea have plenty of genuine and passionate fans then I suggest you come to somewhere like Shepherd's Bush, Ealing, Wandsworth or any of the other countless working class areas in and around West London and see for yourself. You might not need to actually; I know plenty of clued-up, match-going Liverpool fans who remember our excellent travelling support in both good times and bad. They'd probably tell you for themselves.

[Paul W13]

...actually, further to my post above, I would suggest that if you judge the quality of a football club's support on the basis of how many of them are writing on internet blogs that probably says more about you than us!

[Benihill]

Paul - I live in Ealing and work in Hammersmith and shop in Shepherds Bush.

Judging from football tops and pub visits, I'd say that the most supported club in West London in order are as follows: 1) Arsenal, 2) Man U, 3) Liverpool, 4) Chelsea (by some distance) 5) Spurs 6) Fulham 7) West Ham 8) QPR 9) Newc Utd. 10) Brentford.

To be 4th most supported in your own 'town' against teams which are more than 300 miles away is quite sad.

[Paul W13]

Benihill - 'Shop in Shepherds Bush', brilliant!

Even ignoring the fact that I think your list is utter nonsense (for example, QPR have far more fans than Fulham) I don't think there's anything particularly shocking about it. I would suggest that Liverpool and Manchester United probably have as many supporters as the local clubs wherever you go in the country (certainly the case for my time spent living in other cities). However, the kind of Liverpool and United fans you tend to meet in those areas are likely to not be particularly passionate - in fact, they're more likely to be the pub-dwelling, replica shirt wearing kind.

Doesn't change the fact that Chelsea have, and have always had, an excellent and historic ban abse across working class areas of West and South London and into Surrey.

[Paul W13]

'ban abse' is, of course, my Friday afternoon way of writing 'fan base'.

[Redshadow]

Nope can't say I'm with you I'm afraid. I'll root for nothing except my own team. I don't particularly like or hate Chelsea - not as much as I truly HATE United (now that IS a hatred)but neither will I sacrifice my principles for some defeat to us JUST to stop United getting a 19th title when it COULD be the rocket up the backside my club need (as England FINALLY being humiliated by Croatia 3 years back drove them to hire Capello so such a disaster could spur us to OUR 19th).

As was already mentioned - we didn't sacrifice our support for our team against Blackburn back in '95 when the Manc's COULD have won the title - so why should we do so now? Put it this way - IF Chelsea losing at home would deprive Arsenal of the title and stop them equalling United's treble would any of YOU jeer Chelsea or want them to lose against say.....West Ham or Fulham? JUST to stop Arsenal getting their glory and rubbing your noses in it? Of course not - there's a little thing called pride in your team and what on earth would LFC have become if we whore our support out to whoever can stop THEM? Nothing more than the Yank Vampires in charge of us that's what - we'd be shameless hustlers and should that day EVER dawn. I'd be ashamed to be a Red.

Anyway, I happen to think you broke the back of United's resistance last week at THEIR dump anyway - that and the twin blows of losing Rooney for Blackburn (where YOU dropped points let's not forget) AND going out of the CL are savage blows for a team as makeshift as United have become's morale. I honestly think that Chelsea have it in them to win the title BEFORE coming to Anfield so making this whole post irrelevant but if not?

Are you sure? A game that ''going on current form, Chelsea SHOULD win''? What the Chelsea who capitulated dismally TWICE to a pathetic City side? The Chelsea who've lost lots of away games this season? At our fortress where we've smashed in damn near 20 goals and won our last 8 games in a row? I think you'll have a harder time than you think my friend - A:) We won't surrender like United did. B:) We have one of the world's best strikers in our ranks unlike them and C:) Benitez knows Chelsea inside out so if ANYONE can beat them (again) he can. Ancelotti or no Ancelotti;

Mourinho mastered Ancelotti and Rafa's had Jose's number more than once in the past so I don't doubt he could do the same to Carlo before the season's out either. I don't think Chelsea will ''going on current form'' claim a certain victory at Anfield - maybe back in the dark days of October, December or January but certainly not now and if they DO think that victory will be theirs for the taking in that infuriatingly arrogant looking down their noses at the rest style that Chelsea sometimes display?

Well in that case and considering that Chelsea have had something of a glass jaw on their travels this season, they just MIGHT have the ultimate sucker punch waiting to land on that chin which if they're not VERY careful? Could shatter said glass jaw entirely and knock them clean out..................

[Paul W13]

Redshadow -

Interesting points in there, though I do think you're making a little bit much of a throw-away comment made by the author of the post about Chelsea being in better form. Bear in mind that this is a Chelsea blog - most Chelsea fans will be more familiar with Chelsea's improved form and the fact Liverpool have had a disappointing season overall, rather than Liverpool's current run of (admittedly excellent) form at Anfield. I don't think arrogance plays a part in it.

By the way if you think Chelsea fans are arrogant, you don't know the ones I do! I've been at every Chelsea-Liverpool Champions League game, home and away, and I can honestly say each one was unbearably tense. In fact, I often think the reason Chelsea fans aren't as loud in those sort of games as, say, Liverpool fans are is because we are such a nervous bunch. We don't have the track record of glorious victories ingrained in our history like you do; we are far more used to bizarre and awful capitulations and defeat rescued from the jaws of victory!

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