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Liverpool roll on and Blues to bare their teeth in Transylvania

Phil Thompson Posted 30th September 2008 view comments

Sky Sports football expert and European Cup winner Phil Thompson looks ahead to Wednesday's Champions League clashes.....

Thommo on Liverpool v PSV
Thommo on CFR Cluj v Chelsea

Liverpool v PSV

Liverpool have had a great start because Marseille away is no easy game but it's so important they make it two wins from two.

Keane: coming together

Keane: coming together

PSV are a good outfit but the Dutch League is not as strong as it was and I think it's getting weaker with every top player that leaves - for that reason alone this should be a comfortable victory.

It might look like a gimme, but it is absolutely crucial Liverpool make it six points out of six. Rafa Benitez clearly loves the Champions League - it's where a lot of coaches make their name - so I just hope he gets the group stages wrapped up so it doesn't impinge on the league.

Robbie Keane is that clever player Rafa has been looking for to play off Fernando Torres and release Steven Gerrard and he might be what they need if PSV come to Anfield and defend well and frustrate - just as we saw Stoke do.

Phil Thompson
Quotes of the week

CHAMPIONS LEAGUE LIVE
Liverpool v PSV Eindhoven
6pm, Wed, Sky Sports 2&HD2
CFR Cluj v Chelsea
7.30pm, Wed, Sky Sports Xtra&HD3
INTERACTIVE GAMES
(Via the red button)
Bordeaux v Roma
Anorthosis v Panathinaikos
Internazionale v Werder Bremen
Sporting Lisbon v Basle
Shakhtar Donetsk v Barcelona
Atletico Madrid vs Marseille

That means all eyes will be on his choice of personnel. I want him to send his strongest side out. If Liverpool win this and get Atletico Madrid out of the way it's more or less over if they win the other home games - and then they can concentrate on the Premier League.

Hopefully Rafa has learned one thing and that is to take one game at a time. I know it's an old English saying, but if you follow it, you'll be alright. Start planning ahead, looking too far down the line and something will always come and bite you on the backside.

He needs to keep the confidence levels up and keep the team rolling along as well.

That means Robbie Keane starting because I think things are starting to come together for the lad. Look at the last three league games: against Man United he was outstanding, he looked like the Robbie Keane of old; in the Stoke game he had more chances but lacked that confidence in front of goal, but again played quite well; and then on Saturday by all accounts he was absolutely outstanding.

He is that clever player Rafa has been looking for to play off Fernando Torres and release Steven Gerrard and he might be what they need if PSV come to Anfield and defend well and frustrate - just as we saw Stoke do.

If Liverpool can get an early goal here though, PSV have to come out and if that happens I can only see Liverpool going along their merry way.

PSV are not the side they have been either. Any big players they might have are the ones that have been away and come back to Holland to finish their careers, and don't forget that 3-0 home defeat by Atletico has already put a noose around their necks.

Liverpool need to make it very uncomfortable for them and an early goal would kill them. If that happens it could well end up being three or four-nil.

THOMMO'S PREDICTION: 2-0

CFR Cluj v Chelsea

Cluj are one of these teams that have had a lot of money pumped into it and although we might not know much about them, there are some big people behind football teams in Eastern Europe - and they want to see something for their investment.

I don't think they will give Chelsea too many problems, but they just need to be aware of what they're up against here.

Luis Felipe Scolari cannot afford to take the Romanians lightly and I don't think he will. Looking at that side he put out in the League Cup last week, he can still field a very, very good side even when resting players.

I know Cluj had a great result in Rome - a fantastic result in fact - and they will fancy their chances in Transylvania, but although they might have the odd fright, I just can't see Chelsea getting bitten here.

I watched them at Stoke on Saturday and I would think it would be a similar sort of game. Chelsea have this knack of controlling potentially difficult games and I can see them doing that here.

With Michael Essien being out injured, John Obi Mikel just sits in there and does a good job and even though Deco and Joe Cole are missing, it's not all about what those attacking midfielders do.

Since Scolari took over the biggest difference has been the full-backs. Right-back has been a dodgy position for them in the past but in Jose Bosingwa they have got a fantastic player and Ashley Cole is playing as well as he did at Arsenal.

He is bombing forward as he did back then and Bosingwa is the same and that that gives them some fantastic offensive options.

Chelsea won't go there and defend either. Scolari is a wily old customer and he does have it in his make-up to be a little more cautious because they might come under a little more pressure, but he won't care about that. All he is worried about is getting his side right and winning games. And right now they are on a roll.

This might be tricky early on, because Cluj and their supporters will be up for it, it's a huge occasion for them, but I think Chelsea will come through, no problem at all.

THOMMO'S PREDICTION: 0-2

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