Rodgers' radical selections cloud the punting picture
THE Premier League weekend starts with a bang although I'm not sure if Brendan Rodgers sees it like that.
Liverpool's home game against Chelsea probably isn't an important enough fixture for Brendan to take seriously.
He may well play Martin Skrtel up front or Joe Allen in goal, just to ensure that his charges are fresh for their crucial trip to Crystal Palace on November 23.
Forget competing with Real Madrid at the Bernabeu or trying to outwit Jose Mourinho – this season is about one thing and one thing only for Liverpool: avenging that ridiculous 3-3 draw at Palace in May.
Rodgers will probably go for another funky selection against Chelsea but I'm feeling a bit wary of kneejerk punting reactions to team news.
First there was the shock victory for Newcastle reserves at Manchester City in the Capital One Cup when the only winners were those who backed Bunter to have heard of under 3.5 Newcastle starters.
Then everyone rushed to back Real Madrid minus lots and lots of goals when the weakened Liverpool team was announced on Tuesday night. Brendan's stiffs ended up playing better than the first team have recently and foiled the gamble by only losing 1-0.
Some people are suggesting that this is all part of a masterplan by Rodgers (and by “some people” I mean Brendan Rodgers) but I can't see Liverpool causing an upset at Anfield.
Everything's going so smoothly for Chelsea that Mourinho was forced to whip up a bit of manufactured controversy by criticising the subdued atmosphere at Stamford Bridge.
Presumably he was also livid that Blues fans had failed to throng the streets of west London to welcome their heroes back from that magnificent 1-1 draw at Maribor in the Champions League.
Even Chelsea's jaded supporters should have something to celebrate today, though, and I'm eager to back Mourinho's men to take all three points.
That's assuming Rodgers picks his first 11 – if he puts the reserves out again then I'll have to have a serious rethink.
There's plenty of space for Diego Costa, Didier Drogba and Eden Hazard to join Cristiano Ronaldo in Kolo Toure's back pocket.
