Can Liverpool beat Chelsea at Stamford Bridge? Almost Impossible. Here’s Why…
Liverpool ideally need to win by three clear goals gainst Chelsea next week in order to progress in the Champions League. It would be a fantastic achievement, but the club’s utterly abject record at Stamford Bridge means it’s almost a statistical impossibility.
Let’s just look at the cold hard facts:
All time competitive games at Stamford Bridge (Since 1907)*
Played – 75
Won – 17
Drawn – 16
Lost – 42
Failure to win in 77% of competitive games.
Last 10 years
Played – 17
Won – 2
Drawn – 3
Lost – 12
Failure to win in 88% of competitive games.
Last 5 years
Played – 10
Won – 1
Drawn – 3
Lost – 6
Failure to win in 90% of competitive games.
Champions League only
Played – 4
Won – 0
Drawn – 2
Lost – 2
Failure to win in 100% of competitive games.
Notice a pattern emerging here? The most compelling statistics are still to come: In 102 years of competitive games at Stamford Bridge, Liverpool have:
1. Only beaten Chelsea by 3 clear goals ONCE (5-2 win in 1989)
2. Only ever scored 3 or more goals TWICE (A 3-3 draw in 1987 and the 5-2 thrashing in 1989).
Liverpool may have beaten Chelsea at the Bridge this season, but that was only the 3rd time in 20 years!
Fans will no doubt point the 4-1 hammering of Man United at Old Trafford as some kind of evidence that Liverpool can achieve the victory, but such results are the exception, not the rule.
Taking everything into consideration, including Chelsea’s stunning home record over the last few years, I don’t think it’ s an exaggeration to suggest that – barring some kind of miracle – the probability that Liverpool will beat Chelsea by three clear goals next week is practically zero.
This is not negativity, it is realism.
Liverpool got their comeuppance at Anfield after weeks of smug, self-satisfied boasting in the press. Hopefully, Rafa and the players have learned their lesson, and the early exit from the CL will allow the team to *quietly* set about the task of trying to win the league.
Of course, it would be amazing if Liverpool could produce a miracle next week!
Realistically though, we all know it’s never going to happen.
For more critical analysis of Liverpool FC, please visit Liverpool-Kop.com and follow Liverpool-Kop on Twitter.
Topics: Chelsea, English Premier League, Liverpool, UEFA Champions League
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Liverpool will win. Chelsea 2-4 Liverpool
April 10th, 2009 @ 15:42stats mean nothing
we all know that
this article is worthless.
April 10th, 2009 @ 15:42agreed erwf. no team had ever come back from 3-0 down at half time to win in the champions league final either. I’m no sunshiner, and I definitely do not fancy our chances come tuesday, but writing useless stats to further discourage fans is no way to support liverpool. surely its not as unlikely as you say. If the team can find their form as of late and we can get some goals from unusual candidates (i.e. Agger, Arbeloa, Aurelio) then I see no reason why we cant score at least 3 goals. This not critical analysis, just negativity.
April 10th, 2009 @ 16:17CHELSEA FC are determine to beat any opponent, we all chelsea fans was very happy to be drawn with Liverpool in the quarter final, because we will want to fustrate them this season as we did in the last season. Other fans must have wrote off Chelsea FC from the CL, But we proved to those people that we are strong and they can compare CHELSEA FC to NOKIA PRODUCT, because we are strong and determined to meet any TEAM in th CL.
CHELSEA FC FOR LIVE…..AUSKYLO
April 10th, 2009 @ 18:07I can’t see Liverpool winning with the same tactic. I dunno how Benitez is gonna stop Essien from marking Gerrard. In the end. He is the Liverpool ultimate weapon like Hiddink said. I think if we are gonna win, other players have to step up. How many times are we gonna depend on gerrard. And I dont think Lucas Useless should be in the next team. No way. I think if Liverpool can get 2 goals before half time it will be interesting.
April 10th, 2009 @ 20:09Hah, fat chance.
April 10th, 2009 @ 21:14Chelsea will do to Liverpool, what liverpool do all the time to teams in the CL, play on the break, lets face it playing on the break is the only way Liverpool have ever played
April 10th, 2009 @ 21:30im sorry liverpool fans, the opponent is chelsea. and scoring three goals against chelsea and stamford bridge while players like essien,drogba,lampard and ballack doing nothing that’s crazy. i won’t say it’s impossible everything is possible in football but 99% it’s chelsea going throught.
April 11th, 2009 @ 00:35and by the way statistics and evidences, it’s no coincidence liverpool lose most of times in away games.
to be fair i think Chelsea will prolly get a 1-1 draw with Pool.
April 11th, 2009 @ 01:11One reason why Liverpool will not beat chelsea: E-S-S-I-E-N. And that is final.
April 11th, 2009 @ 01:50As a utd fan I don’t really care but as a football fan unless Gerard can shake off Essien; Liverpool are fucked (sorry for stating the obvious!!)
April 11th, 2009 @ 05:013. crouchytime- if you tak eaway the Gerrard dive then the lucky rebound from the penalty, do you honestly believe that liverfool cwould ahve won against Milan?
April 11th, 2009 @ 16:037. bobmagee – you ar eabsolutely right. that is how they bet their big wins in big matches
April 11th, 2009 @ 16:04ye just fuck off. i notice all the united fans r gettin all luvvy duvvy with chelsea, even though they hate ure guts, n would actually rather do without it. Wednesday was a blip n 2day we smashed blackburn it was just no contest. Ill admit its unlikely liverpool will beat chelsea by 3 goals, but it aint impossible. well see how u united fans feel after weve won the title.
April 11th, 2009 @ 17:43Football i not a game of stats. If Bolton can score three goals in under 10 minutes at the break why cant we do it during 90 minutes?
My gut tells me it will end 3-1 and go to penalties. Screw the stats!
April 11th, 2009 @ 19:18Edit: Aaah I see the infamous “Jamie-K” has written this brilliant piece.
April 11th, 2009 @ 19:21Good to see that Liverpool’s most pessimistic supporter is still as pessimistic as ever.
There are lies, damned lies and Statistics.
Anyways if Bolton can score three goals at Stamford bridge I don’t see any reason why Liverpool can’t. Moreover, look the brighter side, Terry (their backbone) won’t be playing .
April 12th, 2009 @ 08:50you have to admire liverpool fans optimism. while it’s not impossible, its very unlikely. gerrard will have to do some climbing to get out of essiens pocket, and as already stated, the rest of the players will need to step up, and i really can’t see that happening against such a strong chelsea side.
and on another note i predict arsenal to go all the way as cheeky outsiders.
April 12th, 2009 @ 12:37OK 3 goals at chelsea, that pretty tough. But this is liverpool and they are always unpredictable. The odds don’t look good and to ignore that would make you a fool. But in the end it doesnt matter. Liverpool needs to play 90 minutes of football. With a little luck, Im sure liverpool can keep it close. Gerrard is the captain and the messiah, but its time for the world to see the quality in the other players.
YNWA
April 12th, 2009 @ 13:47the stats dont mean anything if chealsa can socer 3 we can socer 3 or even 4 come the reds
April 12th, 2009 @ 14:58Liverpool can defeat chelsea at stamfordbridge with 3 goal difference , all those old stats r nothing . how much chance was there to score 3 goals against the chamipons milan in Champ.league final …well evryone would have thought 0% and liverpool scored 3 goals and in penalties won the champions league . so y cant they do that agian .. anything can happen ….
April 12th, 2009 @ 15:10I don’t think this is going to be an easy one for Chelsea. Even though the stats are in their advantage, Liverpool is a great team and they are capable of great things. Remember the Champions League final against AC Milan?
I like stats. It´s always very interesting. But you can´t predict the outcome of a match with stats.
April 12th, 2009 @ 15:23Chelsea’s a good team, it will be tough to score 3 goals at Stamford bridge, but if there is a team that can do it , it’s Liverpool
YNWA
April 12th, 2009 @ 18:33All football fans should know that stats mean nothing in a single game.
Statistic-obsession is chiefly an American phenomenon, and is typically good for nothing.
With that being said, it will be difficult for Liverpool because of the circumstances.
April 12th, 2009 @ 19:11Oh please! I too admire Liverpool’s optimism, but realistically they do not have a hope in hell! Theoretically, a team could win all games 100-0 throughout the season, but it just will not happen. You all seem to forget that although Liverpool are up for this, so are Chelsea. In an ordinary game, you wouldn’t like to bet who would win, but when Chelsea already have such a massive advantage and have time to prepare, there is only an inconceivible chance that Liverpool can get through. Of course people are likely to argue with this comment, but mathematically, it is almost certain Chelsea will win. Not the result I am looking for, however!
April 12th, 2009 @ 23:27Look, Liverpool players don’t WHINE like Chelsea players (especially Drogba) and they don’t GLOAT like Untied players. That is why LFC has the most die-hard fans in the world. So what are we looking for on Tues? Well, just like in the 2nd half of the 05 final. One goal at a time. I am sure our players are thinking of the same, because even if we lose, our players are gonna fight til the end for the fans and deliver a memorable performance.
YNWA
April 13th, 2009 @ 09:14Hiddink will play with two holding midfielders.Essein will once again cancel out gerrard while Mikel will sit back infront of the defence.
April 13th, 2009 @ 09:33Liverpool will be so desperate to attack all the time that chelsea will have numerous chances to score on the counter-attack.
Sorry pool,u aint winning the Champions league,and certainly not the league.It’s all over for u
Mascherano was missing last week. Will play this week. Essien will have far more work to do if Chelsea think he’ll be able to cancel out Alonso/Masch/Gerrard (if Gerrard plays). Don’t rule out Liverpool.
April 13th, 2009 @ 16:02I totally agree with you on this one Ash. It sounds impossible, it seems impossible but below I’d just like to explain why I still think there can be a Liverpool vs Barcelona semifinal.
1. First of all, liverpool is a team that never takes defeat as an option. We all saw that in the the final against AC millan. If we can heal a wound of 3-0 after 45 minutes then we CAN (no matter what the stats say) overcome a 3-1 loss.
2.Now for the coach. Guus hiddink, as we all know is really extremely talented. Has the ability to improve a team real fast. But… his way of coaching is the tactical way. He figures out the weakness of a team and then plays according to that (like blocking Gerrard-toress) with Essian. And he admited the whole thing. Now I’d like to remind you people what happened in the Euro cup last year. An unexpected 3-0 win against Netherlands put Russia into the semis. Now Holland was a team with tactics and gameplan. That’s why they were able to find a weakness in it. But lost against Spain 4-1 cuz spain was unpredictable and flexible with there gameplan. Now if Benitez can only realize that and watch how the goals of bolton on Saturday were scored, then I’m pretty sure he can figure out the weakness in Hiddink’s plan and use it to his advantage. That’s his bad side, when you play by tactics only, don’t focus on improving the team on a firm and permanent basis, then even the slightest of unpredictability can take the team down with a loss like 4-1. Now I know Chelsea’s not like Russia, but still I’m talking bout the coach here.
3. When cornered Liverpool is at there best. When they never scored a goal before in stamford bridge under Benitez, they scored twice last year against chelsea in the Semis. Liverpool is in a much better form now then they were last season. I’m not ensuring a win but I can say this
This WILL NOT be an easy match for Chelsea.
April 13th, 2009 @ 17:26i know and believe that liverpool can defeat chelsea. believe it or not
April 13th, 2009 @ 17:44bolton scored 3 past the chavs so am sure we will score 3 torres hatrick !!!
April 13th, 2009 @ 22:30Been a pool fan for more than 30yrs. Win is posible, by 3 goals – improbable. Lets face it guys, be realistic. However we must have hope, cos in football anything can happen.
April 14th, 2009 @ 07:07Theres nothing we can’t achieve this season.
April 14th, 2009 @ 09:48Can’t wait to see fat Frank cry when there out
something will happen tonight…
April 14th, 2009 @ 16:04you damn right rashu !!
April 14th, 2009 @ 21:19