Manchester United went to Anfield at the weekend and nicked a point. Utd never really looked like scoring and had Liverpool been more efficient in front of goal, they’d have won. For Utd, the point was probably something to celebrate as they’re going through turmoil on and off the pitch. The Radcliffe investment is yet to be finalised, talk is that ten Hag has lost half the dressing room and their football has been pretty dire. We’ve been there so as fans, know what it’s like. No, that doesn’t mean I feel sorry for them.
Arsenal go to Anfield this weekend, but if you had a choice, would you like to see Mikel Arteta’s team be more pragmatic in its approach to a very attack minded Liverpool team or just go there, play our own game and go for maximum points? I’m not suggesting we should sit back and defend for ninety minutes by the way but perhaps be more conservative when and how we attack.
2012 was the last time Arsenal won at Anfield thanks to goals from Lukas Podolski and Santi Cazorla who’d joined the club that summer. Abou Diaby, who was superb that day, was in midfield alongside Mikel Arteta. In fact here’s the team/squad’s in full.
Crikey, there’s a whole lot of average players in both lineups. A few great players too in Santi Cazorla, Lucas Podolski and Abou Diaby when he was fit which sadly for him and Arsenal, wasn’t very often. Arsenal must have kept Suarez quiet that day. Merts was an excellent defender just a bit slow and the same could be said of Giroud as a striker. Anyway, that day was a long time ago. Since then, Rogers and Arsene Wenger are gone from the Premier League, we’ve won an FA Cup under Mikel Arteta and Liverpool have won the League and Champions League but I don’t think Klopp’s current team/squad is as good as it was back then. They’re winning matches alright but sometimes very late in the game.
Tonight Liverpool play West Ham in the League Cup at Anfield. Hopefully Klopp will field a strong team which is made to suffer physically by David Moyes side. Liverpool certainly can’t take West Ham lightly if it’s a cup they want to win.
Transfer news/gossip:
Brentford have admitted Arsenal and Chelsea target Ivan Toney could move “very shortly” (The Sun). However, Arsenal are reportedly keeping an eye on Dominic Solanke’s Bournemouth situation in the event that they are priced out of a deal for Ivan Toney. (Daily Express) The Express go on to say, Ivan Toney is reportedly excited about the prospect of joining Arsenal in the January window.
Aaron Ramsdale “absolutely has to leave” Arsenal according to former player Emmanuel Petit, who can see he is “miserable” (Daily Mirror). The same paper reports that being axed at Arsenal has made him a better goalkeeper… by the man who has taken his No.1 shirt!
A lot of news outlets are reporting that despite links away from the club, Arsenal will not be letting Jakub Kiwior leave next month.
Catch up in the comments.
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Morning Rico
I expect Arteta will try to nullify Liverpool with possession. They are suspect in defence, but dangerous in attack. I feel we could have some chances on the counter-attack when they push forward in numbers. Jesus could be crucial in these positions.
It will be a tough game. Anfield isn’t a happy hunting ground for Arsenal. A draw would be a positive result for me.
Morning Pete, I too would take a point. Sometimes it doesn’t matter how we play either in my opinion. This is one of those times, a bit like the City FA Cup semi final…
If we want to win the league we have to get something from t
his game . The big question is how to go about it.
Going forward they play with 5 in the midfield as A.Arnold and Tsimikas come forward from full back which just like us when Zinchenko leaves left back and White goes up the right they are open to a fast break. Where we suffer in this is that we tend to overpass in our build ups and give teams time to reorganise and crowd us out and we go back to endless square passing in front of their central defence.
We do have pace in our wingers but too frequently as they make runs we choose to pass inside and often Saka and Martinelli get half way there and stop to bring in Odegaard . I believe that if you run Liverpool they are susceptible to getting pulled out of position . Then all you have to do is hit the target but that’s another problem .
Agree re the over passing at times. VvD is one to get at imo, he’s not as quick as he once was and can be clumsy. Havertz could put him under pressure on set pieces I think.
Liverpool’s full backs have to get forward in order to support their midfielders who are not very good. They lost Fabinho and Henderson last summer as well as Milner, although they bought three replacements, I don’t think they are of a similar quality to those who have gone.
Liverpool’s centre back pair are good in the air, so we need to keep the ball on the ground and keep it moving quickly.
Liverpool are not the team they were, I see no reason to, or likelihood, that Arteta will radically change our style of play.
At least Saka won’t be a target for that evil little git Milner.
I’m sure someone else will be tasked with stopping Saka, Martinelli too.
Didn’t Martinelli run Alexander Arnold ragged last time they met?
Liverpool two nil up against West Ham only one booking between them, doesn’t sound like a particularly competitive match.
Afternoon Rico and all.
There no reason why we can’t beat Liverpool, they have been lucky to win there last couple of games, all we need to do is watch our short pass out from the keeper and play our normal game and maybe add some quick extra long kick in from our keeper.
Forest, sacked Steve Cooper and hired Nuno Santos, is this the start to the managers merry go round.
He did Cicero and then Xhaka had a mad moment…
Hi Geoff.
As he so often did Rico. 😕
Chelsea have apparently dropped their interest in signing Ramsdale, they wanted him as an injury to their number one ‘keeper will keep him out for a while longer. Now Edu has stated the Ramsdale will not be allowed to leave in January. Personally, I don’t think a move to Chelsea would have been right for Ramsdale as he would have been only a stand-in until the Chelsea man regained fitness.
Indeed Cicero…
I think Ramsdale will stay put and in time, regain the number one spot. Personally, I see no point whatsoever in signing Raya. Negative as this might sound but I think Liverpool will expose his weaknesses.
There really is some b******s in this world!
Prague – why??
I still would not be surprised to see Man U, enquire about Ramsdale
Good morning all.
The spectre of the European Super League has raised it’s head again. So far of the original English “Big Six” only Arsenal and Liverpool have not yet publicly rejected the new plan.
Here is a statement issued by the Arsenal Supporters Trust :- Arsenal should immediately reassure their supporters by joining all the other clubs and major footballing bodies in rejecting any form of ESL. Arsenal fans are as one on this issue. KSE must demonstrate they put guardianship over investor self interest.
Hear hear say I
Sorry, that should be custodianship over guardianship.
Arsenal.com
Arsenal Football Club notes the judgement by the European Court of Justice on Thursday, 21 December 2023 and our position in relation to the European Super League has not changed.
We will continue to play in UEFA competitions and continue to work with fellow European clubs and the European Club Association (ECA).
New post up.