Morning all.
The fixture to dread, a stadium to fear but during these times of Coronavirus, the atmosphere at Anfield will very different than ever before for Arsenal tonight. No crowd to sway the officials, no twelfth man to get behind the home team.
How wrong was I…
Liverpool proved on Monday that no fans, no problem. The officials confirmed that Klopp’s men are the much loved team of the moment, their players pretty much untouchable. When is a foul not a foul? At Anfield, that’s when, not for the opposition anyway.
Jurgen Klopp is likely to field a very different team to the one which whipped our hides just a few days ago but it’ll still be strong. Klopp will want to win this competition, he’ll want to win every competition his team is involved in, just like Arsenal and Mikel Arteta.
I’d love for us to win this competition but as we all pretty much agreed before the Leicester fixture, the League Cup is probably low down on the list of priorities.
It’s a great shame we have so many injuries still because it’s likely that a few of those on the above list would have featured tonight. Mari, Cedric, Chambers and ESR especially. Possibly Mustafi too. Cedric was involved in training yesterday so there’s a chance he might yet start. The rest, barring Martinelli are expected to return after the international break. Although one or two might yet be plying their trade elsewhere.
What a night that was. 3-1 up at Anfield and we blew it. Not even Emi Martinez could be the hero back then but funny enough, Mesut Ozil played and ended up with the man of the match award. Will he play tonight I wonder, will Guendouzi?
My opinion is tonight’s fixture is about the future of Arsenal. A mix of younger prospects mixed in with a bit of experience in key areas. Leno could really do with more playing time but I expect we’ll see our new second keeper. Or Macey perhaps. Pepe is another player who needs minutes on the pitch. Forget his price tag and just play with freedom. Nelson is another who might get a start although rumours are that he’s heading out on loan. Tolaji Bola, inexperienced at senior level but he’s a physically strong looking left back might get minutes. Who knows, he might be seen as the player to replace Kolasinac. Might Folarin Balogun be thrown in the shop window, or be given game time to make him change his mind about his future?
Mikel Arteta has options that’s for sure and this is the one competition when changes are expected.
Whoever plays, just go and win.
See you in the comments guys.
Good morning all. That’s a proper “Rico” post, optimistic with reservations. 😉
I think Arteta will get the old tombola machine out of the cupboard to decide the starting line-up for tonight.
Not long to go before the deadline, Edu must be up to his neck in transfer dealings.
Well I did wonder what was going on first thing this morning when that other post popped up?
Did it make me want to go out and have a bet?
No…
But I do agree with Cicero, for a change 😄, this post is much more Ricoesque, finely balanced between optimism, pessimism and realism, yes all the ‘ism’s’ in one post, such good value. 😉
The questions are endless, will Leno start, is Soares fit, will Saliba get his debut, what players who played on Monday will play tonight, will Adam reveal his transfer sources, what has happened to GoonerStan, when will Scott elope with Aaron, is Sue really Amy Lawrence?
Fekken Kev.
I used to like you.
Well, I’d tolerate you, but you’ve changed bahaha
Morning all.
That other post was up at 5am Australian time so app. 15 1/2 hours ago lol
Ricoism is ok then?
Phew, I was having a worry 😂
There’s an interesting article in the Telegraph this morning about the chaos in refereeing hand ball decisions.
Former referee David Ellery, remember him? is now the man at IFAB responsible for overseeing law changes in football, and how!!
Since he took over the role from FIFA he has made 178 changes to the laws. It is an astonishing number, from the colour of the tape on the socks of players, to passing the ball backwards from kick-off, allowing goal kicks to be passed within the penalty box, to a complete revision of the handball laws that means the game finds itself in the handball chaos it does now.
So it’s not all down to Riley’s muppets at Stockley Park, they are just trying to interpret the flood of conflicting new laws issuing from IFAB.
I have absolutely no confidence in Riley’s ability to correct the situation, but do think the opprobrium should be shared out fairly between all those responsible.
There’s an interesting article in the Telegraph this morning about the chaos regarding the hand ball laws.
The man now responsible for law changes is the former referee David Ellery.
Since Elleray took control of the laws of football, at the start of the 2016-2017 season – when his organisation Ifab assumed that jurisdiction from Fifa – the man whose own on-pitch career ended 17 years ago has overseen 178 law changes.
It is a quite astonishing number, from the colour of the tape on the socks of players, to passing the ball backwards from kick-off, to allowing goal kicks to be passed inside the penalty to a complete revision of the handball laws that means the game finds itself in the handball chaos it does now. The former public school master who refereed his last game in May 2003 may yet be the most influential person in football.
So it’s not all down to Mike Riley’s muppets at Stockley Park, they are just struggling to interpret the flood of law changes issuing from Elleray’s pen.
I have absolutely no confidence that Riley and Co. can correct the present chaos, but I do believe the opprobrium resulting from the current round of law changes should be shared out fairly between those responsible.
Rico, two comments I have just posted seem to have disappeared. I repeated the first one as I thought I may have pressed the wrong button, but it happened to the second one too.
Don’t worry Rico, I’ll make sure that I won’t be responsible for Special Branch knocking on your door…. 😄
Scott have you watched an Australian drama called Mystery Road, it’s pretty good?
We’re watching it, on series two now. It takes a bit of getting used to but it’s pretty good.
Haven’t seen it Kev, but I’ll ask the missus and she will show me how to find it.
Not sure why Cicero but occasionally certain comments go straight into the bin, I just found yours there.
Ha ha Kev
Reports that the Aouar deal is pretty much done.He looks lightweight to me but people said the same about Eden Hazard so it goes to show you never can tell – in the words of the song.Partey looks ideal but overpriced,I would have loved Arsenal to sign Doucoure but hey you can’t always get what you want (at it again)
Maybe we will see some of our England boys tonight ( A new England)
I’m looking forward to an Arsenal double tonight,first the women in the semi final,then hopefully wipe the smile of Klopps face.
COYG
Nice one, Rico…. apart from the clip 😂 Never wanna watch that again!! Willock’s goal worthy of winning any game, so close yet so far 😫
Hopefully tonight will be different! Don’t want to see any teeth tonight! So let’s get the job done and send Klopp home with a face like a smacked arse!!
At least that little 💩 Ox won’t be about 😂 Just have to deal with the other little 💩Jones!!
I’m nervous already…..COYG
Thanks for sorting that Rico.
Arsenal XI vs. Liverpool: Leno; Cedric, Holding, Gabriel, Kolasinac; Ceballos, Willock, Xhaka; Pepe, Nketiah, Saka.
Arsenal subs: Runarsson, David Luiz, Tierney, Elneny, Maitland-Niles, Nelson, Lacazette. #afc
Good to see Nketiah starting, not so sure about Pepe, just hope he can up his game and make a significant contribution. I’ll be interested to see how Gabriel does.
Half time, pretty even both teams missed chances .
Going back to earlier Elleray was just as pedantic as Riley If not a bit more fussy . Ex school master didn’t like industrial language I remember
Liveroool
Handball in the box-nothing to see here ffs!!!
Leno MOTM no question.
I hope that boosts Leno’s confidence moving forward.
Limey, I reckon his confidence is fine.
Just hope it silences his critics.
Job done, a little piece of revenge and thank goodness the missed handball didn’t bite us.
Good shot stopping tonight by Leno ,all credit to him . Still not sure about him playing out . If there is no 5 yard ball on he tends to put it out
In the previous game, Mane must have been sent off.
In this game, it seems to me that there is a penalty (handball) almost at the end, an offside taken from Pepe badly marked and a few more dubious questions, always in their favor.
Arsenal played well in the first 15-20 minutes; then it disappeared.
Ceballos stopped playing for the rest of the time and in the 2nd half until he was replaced. When he is tired (or exhausted?), he is oblivious to the game, do not attack or defend (which is not strong). After his substitution, we balanced the game again.
I cannot understand why iwe not shoot, whenever the opportunity arises.
Yeah Cicero, it’s a really good series, a bit slow at times but I guess a film critic would say that it’s atmospheric.
Loved Maitland Niles’s penalty, I just laughed when I saw him ambling up to take it and never doubted that he’d score….
Happy Days
Adrian was giving him/them sh1t! He, Adrian deserved AMN’s penalty piss take and Willock’s too! I’d say they were training ground ‘fun penalties’ , the squad seem to think so too.
Good result bir a poor game, from both sides.
Only downer the Ladies lost 2-1 to cited and missed the final. Shame
Bir = but!
Any match against Liverpool at Anfield that is 0 – 0 after ninety minutes is a result for the away team.
I thought our defensive play was much better tonight than on Monday. Gabriel and Holding did well and we held our shape throughout the game.
How sweet it was to take it on penalties. AMN’s was brilliant.
The reward is a home tie against Manchester City. Oh goody!!
Good night Gooners ….everywhere. 😴
AMN is a damn good player and he certainly does not lack confidence lol
Loved it and loved beating that lot.
Ainsley Maitland-Niles turns into prime Pele when he gets to the penalty spot. Cold as ice 👌
Arteta on AMN penalty: “I told him in the dressing room, ‘I’m going to have a heart attack’, because with his body language it was like ‘Jesus Christ!’… and then he puts it in the net.”
🤣🤣🤣
Hiya Sue,
It was sublime Hahahahahaha
😆👍 Scott… what a night! Fantastic result!
Morning guys.
New post up now.
In my opinion, the performance wasn’t better, Was the score. Not the performance.