Morning all.
Other than their style of play, Liverpool are pretty much the same team of last season with only Chiesa arriving in the summer and even he’s not been fit enough to play. Jota has been ruled out today’s game through injury as have Alisson, Elliot and Bradley.
The fast and furious football Klopp used to play has changed to a more steady approach under Slot. Not defensive by any means but better equipped to deal with opponents who like to hit them on the break. Like so many teams, they’ll press our defence but usually, only two players are committed to this unlike under Klopp. Liverpool have conceded just 3 goals this season in the Premier League compared to our 8 but, they’re not blowing opponents aside with ease either.
Obviously they still have pace up front which can hurt any side when it’s Liverpool who are breaking away from defence but these days, they are more about possession football which kind of follows the Man City way of playing. Their fullback’s wander into midfield in a way both City and ours tend to do, especially when Oleksandr Zinchenko plays which could be the case today if Riccardo Calafiori or Jurrien Timber are ruled out. Unless of course, Mikel Arteta opts for Myles Lewis-Skelly, assuming Jakub Kiwior will play centrally in the absence of William Saliba. Ben White is another option of course but then who plays at right back? Thomas Partey perhaps. Thankfully, it’s Mikel Arteta who has to worry about that.
Midfield is less than a problem for the Spaniard to solve, certainly defensively as Mikel Merino, Declan Rice, Jorginho and Thomas Partey are all available but when it comes to our attacking side of the game, we’re struggling to find creativity. It’s only my opinion but I’d like to see Leandro Trossard in the middle with Kai Havertz as our “striker”. Left and right is likely to be Gabriel Martinelli and Bukayo Saka but if the latter isn’t in the squad, I guess it’s a toss up between Raheem Sterling and Gabriel Jesus. Of course, Mikel Arteta could shock us all by starting Ethan Nwaneri.
Ten Hag has been quoted as saying injuries are the reason for his teams mixed start to the season:
Yeah, that holds us back in our levels. And also in our position in the league. When you don’t have the players available you can’t line up the best team and that is what’s holding us back in this moment and we need more players more often available.
This is Mikel Arteta on Arsenal’s injuries:
Get on with it, show your teeth, show how much you want it, the amazing opportunity for other people, the amazing opportunity for us as a team to rebel against certain situations, we need the crowd more. On Sunday, we need them even more, I’m sure they’re going to do that and let’s keep going.
He’s right, it is an opportunity for others when injuries hit the squad. A case of when one door shuts, another opens. Imagine if Myles Lewis-Skelly starts this game and by the time his minutes are over, he walks off the pitch, head held high and with Mo Salah in his pocket. Or if Ethan Nwaneri causes the Liverpool defence all sorts of problems and scores a goal which helps us win the game. It’d be stuff dreams are made of and right now it probably is both of those two players dream.
So yes, as Mikel Arteta said, it is a time for every Arsenal player to show they want to win this game. The fans will be in full voice from the off and after that, it’s up to the players to keep them that way..
COYG’s…..
Catch up in the comments.
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Hi Rico! Another great preview. Nothing would give us more of a thrill than to see the two youngsters Lewis Kelly and Nwaneri starting and us ending up as match winners with them sharing the man-of-the match awards. Wow! Imagine that. Gunners forever!
Morning all, inspiring post rico, I’ll only be ‘half’ behind the sofa watching!
Saka and Timber at team hotel last night, so fingers crossed.
Morning Mark, Andrew, all.
I didn’t know that Andrew, fingers crossed eh. Both Saka and Timber fit would be a huge boost.
Thanks Andrew, Mark (sorry to change your id but it’s easier 😂)
Probably the biggest loss is Saliba regardless of the options available .He and Gabriel have been pivitol in securing such a good back line .
I don’t think Trossard plays as well when he starts as opposed to coming on as a sub
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Havertz needs to play further forward and Martinelli best to his back would be a real bonus .
As far as I am concerned Jesus shouldn’t even be in the squad but he will be.Nwaneri a better option so,why not play him. ?
I reckon we could be stronger than Liverpool think and looking at some of there matches, they are not unbeatable, we must score as I can’t see this match a nil all score line,
As Andrew said there is a photo of Saka and Timber arriving at the hotel.
The Question is are they fit enough but Artta didn’t want to let the cat out of bag or is he up to his old tricks again by bringing them along, makes Liverpool uncertain about there team selections.
Saliba is a massive loss, especially against this lot.
Sterling, Jesus – I really hope they can recover some form. I’m betting 50p one of the two will score today.
Geoff, interestingly, both players have been kept out of the training photos so either Arteta is bluffing or they’re fit. I pray it’s the latter.
Saliba is a huge loss and there is no one reliable to replace him.
Tossard proved that it is more useful to enter than at the beginning.
It seems to me that all players should have the coach’s trust to play. That’s not what happens and Arsenal can’t refresh the team.
Good chest thumping post Rico and yes Mikel and the boys will need the crowd behind them, let’s hope they have plenty to cheer about…
The bookies and the pundits are writing us off so there’s no pressure is there, it’s sh*t or bust?
I just hope that our forwards come to the party for a change because they have let us down recently, the defence will be under the spotlight of course due to the chasm that is Big Bill but our forwards can switch the narrative by rediscovering their finishing power. It’s in their court…
Time to man up.
With a full strength team I would feel confident,without Saliba,Odegaard and possibly (probably?) others Liverpool will fancy their chances.
I see Paul Merson and Tony Adams have both said Arsenal can forget the Premier league if they lose.
Hopefully it will be a day for our squad players to step up.
Come on Arsenal.
Both Saka and Timber start for Arsenal today.
It’s being reported that Partey will be right back,Ben White moves over to centre back. Massive boost to have Saka and Timber.
Thanks Kev.
Saka and Timber fit is great news…
Let’s beat these scousers 💪
Looks that way Limey if the lineup is anything to go by.
18 year old Josh Nichols on the bench…
Man Utd and Totts lost..
Chavs beat Newcastle 2-1
But are they really prepared?
they will play scared, without “training” and subject to getting injured again.
On the other hand, there will be a high probability of being replaced during the game.
They might have been training Jm, in fact they probably have. Arteta isn’t stupid, he wouldn’t risk either if they weren’t 100%
What a ball from White and brilliant from Saka..
COYGS!
back to square 1
How long VAR?
Great header from Merino..
tried their hardest to find a reason but couldnt
Exactly…
If Dias keeps going through the back of Partey, Taylor might eventually produce a second yellow for him..
youve heard about flying pigs havent you
gabriel oh shit our only in position defender
65 minutes . All decisions going one way and not ours
Yep, I guess it was only a matter of time..
Bollox!
I wish Havertz would stay on his feet…
need a point from this but I fear the worse
Just thinking the same.
Was there a foul? Nope.
Shocking, that was a corner!
jesus got booked for pointing that iut
Yep, shoddy second half from Taylor..
Taylor settled for a draw
Kudos to Thomas Partey and Ben White, I thought Kiwior did ok when he came on and Timber was excellent until he ran out of puff. Gabriel and Timber can put their feet up now until next weekend. Can’t fault Lewis Skelly, that boy is going to be big player for us..,
Our forwards again didn’t make the most of their opportunities?
Two more yellow cards for “stupidity”. It’s just not clear why Van Dick went unpunished after a very visible attack…
Arteta needs, in my opinion, to change the way he reads the game.
He doesn’t make substitutions, he “shrinks” the team, he lets the opponent grow, but luck is not always on his side. When it comes to reacting, it is often too late and the players are exhausted.
Essentially, I conclude what I have thought since the beginning: he has no confidence in the players he has on the bench. And obviously he can’t assume that he always have all the players available.
Midfield and defence was superb I thought.
Liverpool perked up when Gabriel went off and I think we struggled to sort ourselves out a bit.
Agree Kev, we weren’t clinical enough..
Rico, maybe we should have won 3-2?
The referee awards a soft free kick when our bloke jumps for the ball and heads it forward and the Liverpool guy doesn’t try to jump so our bloke goes over the top of him in classic Harry Kane style. Havertz scores but Taylor had already blown, he had a very average game…
Kev, I’d imagine that had White done to Salah what Konate did to Martinelli, I’m sure Taylor/VAR would have awarded a spot kick.
I certainly didn’t think there was a foul before Jesus scored. But, we were so wasteful in and around the box.
Not the worst out outcome, not the best either.
Gabriel’s injury looked serious, but we have Saliba back for the next game.
I hope Saka and Timber were taken of for precautionary reasons rather than actual injuries.
Partey did his best, but he’s not a central defender in the best traditions of Adams and Campbell.
At least we didn’t have to put up with watching Sterling flounder around and fall over at every opportunity.
Having ice on his knee suggests bruising doesn’t it? I think if it was serious he’d have stayed behind the scenes. Or maybe I’m being optimistic.
Timber was cramp I think Cicero and Saka was just because he’s been injured.
Would like to have seen VAR draw lines for Salahs goal , they spent so long over Merino’s goal but hardly a look at the equaliser and the photo’s I have seen suggest that it was very close.
A draw is better than a lose to Pool, I said yesterday they are not unbeatable. as for Salah he allways gets looked after by the refs.
New post up.