Morning all.
Despite hobbling around during the final stages of last weeks fixture against Crystal Palace, Mikel Arteta has been confirmed fit and healthy to face Liverpool tomorrow.
Jack Wilshere should be back in the squad too and there are no additional walking wounded after last weekend so all’s good..
As we know, Liverpool at Anfield will be a tough test. Perhaps the best attacking duo against the best defensive unit right now in the Premier League.
Martin Skrtel:
I am confident we can beat Arsenal because we definitely have the strength to do so.
They are the leaders at the moment but we can give them a hard time. It won’t be an easy game but I am sure we can do something in front of our fans.
Kieran Gibbs:
I think it would make a big statement if we won there – just like it did when we played Liverpool at home.
Whilst Arsene Wenger believes it’s simply about stopping the supply to their two front men:
[The key is] for us to dominate the game and leave them as few balls as possible. That will be one of our targets of course.
At Liverpool the task might be a bit more difficult but the philosophy on our side has to be the same – to master the ball and to have the ball and to dominate the game.
Liverpool have a strong offensive force with Sturridge, with Suarez, with Coutinho, with Sterling behind. All these players can score goals and make a difference. So what you want on our side is a strong defensive performance.
So it seems we are going to approach the game on Saturday in the same way we approach every other. I’d like to see us be a bit more direct because Liverpool don’t have the strongest of central defences right now but what they do have is a goal keeper who is in good form. Test him early and see what he’s truly made of.
Kieran Gibbs is right though, it would make a big statement if we can go to Anfield, put in a solid performance and come away with all the points.
History suggests we don’t like lunchtime kick-offs at the weekend and with Liverpool having dropped two points at home so far this season, it’s going to be a tough test for us…
But with Kolo at the heart of their defence, anything is possible….
That’s your lot for another day….
Morning all.
Morning Scott and all…
Not a good ko time for you tomorrow is it Scott?
Gibbs on Santi Cazorla.
”He is not of this planet. Just the way he plays. I have never seen anything like him before. He is a bit of a freak on a skill level.”
Not too bad, Rico.
Midnight here……i am heading down to the Armoury…our Arsenal pub…so will run on adrenaline 🙂
Gibbs is right…..i have never seen anything like Santi, either.
Think that you missed out another key factor, Gerrard playing much deeper to protect that defence. Our goalie has made too many mistakes recently, he shouldn’t have given the ball to Kolo.The result is that we struggle in the centre of midfield (West Brom away and Villa at home). Like many Liverpool fans I feel that we should play to our strengths, Suarez and Sturridge and not change things to support our defence. My mates and I are worried that if we play the formation and tactics we did at West Brom, you will control midfield and take us apart. We always say that you can tell in the first 5 minutes which Liverpool team has turned up, Villa and West Brom we didn’t turn up, against the bitter Blues we did. Could be a good game but what a waste to play it at 12.45. We won’t win the league so just hope it is you or city.
And alcohol I suspect Scott 😉
I agree re Santi too, super player…
Hi Andy. Always say the say about the first five minutes, it can tell a lot about which side seems up for it more..
Stupid ko time I agree but I guess they have done that because of the midweek fixtures, Sunday at 4 pm would have been so much better, at least we will get a good break before facing the mancs…
Thanks re the title by the way, I hope it’s us of course, but if not, then City for me too, don’t want Chelsea and Jose gloating all summer…
With Liverpool it is so true. Some games we start so quickly and others we just stroll about. We play better with a good tempo which seems obvious to everyone but not the players.
I don’t think that only applies to Liverpool, we are similar. One of the best games for us so far this season was Napoli at home, we started so quickly and Napoli didn’t know what hit them..
It’s going to be a tough game for both sides…
Agree about Jose. Having great fun watching Moyes at the moment. The blue half of the city are loving it because he pissed them off trying to take Everton players on the cheap and the red half have always chanted, ” David Moyes is a football genius!”. Saying that the Mancs will spend a fortune over summer and even Moyes will find it hard to mess that up.
Watched the Napoli game, you took them by surprise and destroyed them.
Boring Boring Chelsea
Morning All
Morning Rico, interesting post…
Hate the 12.45 starts, feel sorry for the away fans, will have to be leaving Holloway Road about 6.30’ish I reckon.
But hey, do BT care?
🙂 Andy, you share our thoughts on both…
A lot can happen yet at the Utd, if they don’t get top four, the better players may not want to go there….
Morning Kev,
I don’t like them either, silly time of day but like you say, BT won’t care….
Well that’s true. Be really funny if they didn’t make the top 4. Trouble is Everton might do it.
Why not Liverpool?
Not trying to be too negative but we’ve got a dodgy defence and a midfield that is average at best. But with Suarez and Sturridge we always have a chance. We’ve got most of the big team to come at home.
Nah, Rico.
A 90 minute drive down and back means no drinks for me 🙂
Well I hope you beat them all Andy, after losing tomorrow of course 😉
Bloomin heck Scott, you go steady driving – you’ll be shattered…
I have done it plenty of times, Rico.
Hey, it is easier than a 24 hour flight to watch the boys 🙂
That’s true, very true… Not long now though…
Yep.
Passport should be here monday or tuesday so i can book flights.
Once i lock them in, i will advise you all of dates so you can head south 🙂
🙂 Scott, I’ll be braving another trip to London…
Very quiet here today…
So you are coming down for a game or a meal??
Or both?
She won’t be coming up for a drink that’s for sure…. Eh Rico 😀 lol
Hi all. hoping for the usual, i mean pool rarely scares me like the mancs and maureenho/ borinho’s bus….
3-1 to the gunners i say.
Not sure yet Scott, will see what gets planned..
🙂 Wat, I may just be tempted yet, as long as someone gets me on the right tube out of London 😉
Lol Wath.
I am off to bed.
Work again tomorrow…..bloody slavedriver is what i married 🙂
Saying that Scott, I won’t have a ticket so looks like a meal only…
Not sure it’s going to be that easy Fg..
Night Scott…
Cheers Scott,
Rico, you wanna tkt…?
Citeh game……see you all before, during and afterwards.
Night, guys.
What for the City game Wath? Mme, give me a second to think about that 😉
Hi Rico,
it always appears hard before the game but when we step on the pitch, the whole pool team seems to freeze. anyone remembers suarez’ contribution in our last game against them?
just waiting for kick off.
SAS is always good against lower opposition. how may goals have they scored against top six teams this season?
I don’t believe this! Just checked to see when we play City, and I am actually on holiday by the coast. Will be driving back on the 29th…
🙁
Fg, let’s wait and see, could be very different in front of their own fans..
Afternoon Goonerdom Sphere,
L’Pool will be a tough nut to crack me thinks. Probably the 2nd half to be the decider. A battle of physiques.
Netting will either be a goal of the month thunder strike or a fox-in-the-box-toe-poke.
Meaning joined at the hip confrontations per position.
Afternoon Dg, how’s you?
If it’s a thunder strike, that counts us out, we don’t shoot…
Off for a while now, laters…
Hiya Madam,
Doing well. Tnx for asking my lady.
Hope Arteta straps on his fire boots. I take anything that goes even a lucky fluke. LOL
Good afternoon Rico and the House.
I have been offline for afew days and have spent this morning catching up. For those that are intrested in the U21 team Sanago is playing for them against Soton this afternoon behined closed doors at London Colny More later.
🙂 Dg, me too tomorrow..
Afternoon Rick, that’s good news on Sanogo, be interesting to see how he gets on…
Afternoon Rico
That’s interesting Rick, let’s hope he has a good run-out…
Monaco-PSG have £103m strikers Cavani & Falcao injured…
who thought only cheap buys got injured…
Afternoon all…
Hello Dg… long time buddy…
Thanks Rick… I was awaiting your info on the game so…
Just checked on Twitter…
Doesn’t sound a great game, 0-0 at half-time.
Sanogo has had one chance…
H/T no goals.No indication how he is playing.
What I find interesting Kev is the fact that the game was brought forward and is behined closed doors. Was it so Arsen could watch him before heading up north.
Don’t know Rick…
Could be I suppose?!
Wonder if Wenger has Sanogo in mind for the FACup tie vs L’pool?
2nd 45 underway…
Austin Lipman on for Sanogo on 61 minutes…
Still 0-0…
Lata
Finished 0-0 I am told not a very good game.
afternoon all!
I expect a Liverpool completely diferent from the last match at Tthe Emirates.
In consequence, our tactic must change under the risk of be a bad score.
We haven’t the same players; our squad is not so fresh how was in that game; Liverpoll has also change is team; they are much more confident; thier targets still in their minds, etc.
And at the moment, we haven’t a deep squad…
A statue of Dennis Bergkamp will be unveiled at Emirates Stadium on February 22… finally!
Stoke away fro me on the Ist of March…
Evening all..
Sanogo got through an hour, Ryo missed a great chance after beating three players but…
Raining again….
Surprised the club didn’t unveil him in the January transfer window tsgh, missed a trick there.
Stoke away……..nice ! Could take in a tour of Old Trafford and make a weekend of it.
😆 Micko….
Good to hear Arteta is fit rico, would hate to see Michael Oliver running past him tomorrow, he hasn’t been looking himself lately.
Sorry Micko, had a bit of nasty stuff falling from above with a bit of a light breeze, knocked my internet out…….
Can’t think what you mean 😉
Its like the end of the world over here rico, never seen weather like it.
I’m wondering if Arteta is carrying an injury and soldiering through it, only Arsene knows.
Catch ya tomorrow for the game, laters.
It’s shocking stuff Micko, really feel for the folk who are going through the worst…
I too worry about Arteta, but then I do when he’s not carrying an injury..
Have a good night….
It’s quiet so I’m off..
Night all…
One of the striker’s I wanted Aw to buy is joining BVB 09… Adrián Ramos.
Micko how is is the cushty life going? lol
Life….don’t talk to me about life !
I’ll let you know at 14.30 hrs tomorrow tsgh.
Nite matey.
Mick I do hope you’ve got yourself some good water-proofs and wellies, good luck over there on the windy-isles…
Morning all….
Nice breezy day for a game of football…Brrrrr
Jose and Pellegrini are at each others throats, good time for us to quietly go about our business and get three points…
New post will go up just after 9.30, see you there in a bit..