Essien trumps Gerrard

Is there really much else to say? I guess we could have played back and come to think of it, probably should have after the early goal, but, uh, we didn't. Not having Mascherano didn't help either. We're done in the Champions League. Let's get over it.

Some may say Benitez was out-coached by Hiddink and frankly I have to agree, especially on set pieces. Our attack was futile at best. Not even on our own set pieces could we penetrate the Blues' defense.

The only thing in our favor next Tuesday is that we have Masche and they won't have Terry, but with Evanovich all of sudden becoming a great goal-scorer, who knows.

Chelsea was the worse possible draw

I would have much preferred Barça or Man U to the Blues. Sure we've beaten them twice in the league this season, but that was without their best player, Michael Essien. Now that he's back, we cannot enter thinking these matches will be anything like the previous two. Being one of the best players in the world, he is a large enough factor to push them past us. It will take a monumental effort to overcome the Blues and I hope our boys approach them with tremendous respect, because without it, we won't advance.

Styles, Xabi catch breaks, Liverpool sorta screwed

Both Rob Styles and Xabi Alonso received favorable decisions in regards to their recent qualms.

The Football Association has announced that Styles will not receive any further punishment for doing a Graham Poll and giving Michael Essien two yellow cards in the Liverpool-Chelsea match earlier this season. Uh, looks like he gave him two yellows to me.

Meanwhile, Xabi had a game knocked off of his three game suspension which makes him eligible for his country's Euro-qualifying match in Madrid against Sweden on November 17th. Great, one more player on international duty to worry about.