Liverpool V Arsenal Match Thread

[Lee]

joe cole made 7 passes today, for the link man that is shocking. its early days but pull your finger out mate

Shame we can't play teams like Rabotnički every week.

 

[Mike.]

wow that is woefull. although i did say early on that arsenal done quite well in closing him down, if cole has no space he cant play his usual game.

still, when you consider that nasri made 25 passes in the same period, either mascherano was slacking (which it didnt look like) or joe cole wasnt working hard enough

 

[Ride The Walrus]

still, when you consider that nasri made 25 passes in the same period, either mascherano was slacking (which it didnt look like) or joe cole wasnt working hard enough

The latter.

Though Nasri did play well today

 

[CJACKO11]

still, when you consider that nasri made 25 passes in the same period, either mascherano was slacking (which it didnt look like) or joe cole wasnt working hard enough

maybe he is actually a chelsea fan and has only gone to try and ruin pool lol. i dout it very much though.

 

[Jack Fulham]

personally i want to know why the commentators referred to liverpool as resurgent when they play like they were the away side, they played basically like a glorified fulham side. deep defending, long diagonal balls on the counter. yet had that been benitez they would have slammed him

Wouldn't say that, we never really counter attacked or played long balls under Hodgson because we didn't have the pace or passers to do so, it was more slow build up play launching are attacks from the wings via full backs. Liverpool today played nothing like we do, not sure how they were really set out to be honest. It was all a bit high tempo with no real shape, N'Gog often had little support upfront.

As for all this Arsenal baiting, I'm a bit confused, one game has been played by probably two of the better sides in the league. Considering Arsenal were missing key player in Fabregas, RVP and Song, a draw away from home at Anfield is a very good result. Arsenal did lack some composure today but they didn't have any real clear cut chances and Chamakh looked pretty isolated upfront. I am sure Arsenal will find goals when they go back to the Emirates and they usually come in flurries. As for the Chamakh/Reina incident, I think Chamakh did very well to get infront of Reina and had every right to do so, Reina should of come and collected it instead of waiting for it to drop.

As for Mark Schwarzer, Wenger apparently came out and said after the game that he is not in the market for a goalkeeper. It was certainly a game marred by two goalkeeping errors though.

 

[*Jones*]

I think what today proved, is Arsenal are fairly easy to defend against,
set up your two banks of four, fairly deep, and then defend narrow,

although it depresses me that we found that out when they were playing Liverpool :'(

 

[Joss]

As for Mark Schwarzer, Wenger apparently came out and said after the game that he is not in the market for a goalkeeper. It was certainly a game marred by two goalkeeping errors though.

That's not what i heard him say (to the BBC): He's always very coy on his transfer dealings, and just said that he a) didn't want to be accused of deliberately unsettling Schwarzer, nor his own goalkeepers, who wouldn't be best pleased if he came out and said i want someone to replace them...

That stat for Joe Cole is woeful. But quite funny... I thought today was a poor game, certainly the first half was, with neither team creating enough chances. I think Hodgson just gave them some encouragement in the second half, using their momentum from the end of the first, to immediately put pressure on Arsenal, they got the early goal, and then did well to close Arsenal down, and limit their chances. Neither side wanted to lose, and Arsenal looked a little complacent after a pre-season with plenty of goals, and maybe a little nervous without RVP, Song, and Cesc.

 

[Billy]

What bright young players have we flogged to fund new ones? Merida didn't sign a new contract. Wenger knows when the time is right to let a player go. Pires, Henry, Vieira, Flamini, Toure haven't done anything since leaving the club... Meanwhile, we've hung onto Fabregas. Arsenal's youngsters have been getting better and better, and we're playing beautiful football. A couple of seasons ago we were very much in the PL running, then Eduardo got injured, and our season collapsed. The year after, we struggled for fourth, then last season we were still technically in the race until we drew to a defensive Man City and a lucky Tottenham side. We're getting better and better, and the players are maturing. Yes its frustrating at times, but i'd never hate supporting my club... We will win the title again under Wenger, and you're already judging our season after one game.

Does that mean Birmingham are going to get relegated because they drew to Sunderland, a club with a similar reputation?

What a laughable comment. <)

 

[Cloud~]

Arsenal have no ambition... how stupid is that statement?

One game where argueably our 2 best players didn't start. I don't know if people are underestimating how good Liverpool are or just being incredibily stupid. Chamakh just got to Arsenal, I'm sure he will do well, after cole got sent off they played very defensively and chamakh was a lone striker, its very hard to make any sort of impact in that situation. Koscielny played well and I'm impressed with him, bar the red card. As for the "Arsenal will never win anything again under Weneger" I shall just laugh.

---------- Post added at 11:39 PM ---------- Previous post was at 11:34 PM ----------

I think what today proved, is Arsenal are fairly easy to defend against,
set up your two banks of four, fairly deep, and then defend narrow,

although it depresses me that we found that out when they were playing Liverpool :'(

Well I would fear for Liverpool if they found it hard to defend with 9 men behind the ball...

 

[rephlex]

a lot of people seem to think winning th league is that easy, that all wenger need to do is go out and spend 35 million on two players, and he's gonna beat united and chelsea to the league. This isnt football manager it doesnt work that way. By that thinking city would be dead certs for the title, but they are not, they face a fight just to finish in the top 4. Far too much these days is made of the individual, and not of the team.

Agree with this. I've been an Arsenal fan for many, many years now (getting on for 20) and for the past few seasons the question marks definitely exist in defense and goal. I'm not too fussed about attack as even though Eduardo went, we can do well with a 6 man midfield which pushes up to score goals, but the organisational issue from defence and goal is huge.

Gallas had massive experience and will be missed in this area over all others, he needs a good keeper to talk to the centre backs, and they need to talk with each other. In recent seasons there has been a little too much bungling at the back for my liking, which ultimately costs us in the big games against top players (esp physical ones). While the new CB is a step forward alongside Vermaelen, there doesn't yet seem to be a cool head in the side who'd talk to each other and calm a game down if they need to.

Obviously Arsenal have more financial control than other clubs, if we didn't we'd have picked up Schwarzer already (and tbh with Van der Sar playing until 40 I can't see why 3 solid seasons arn't a bargain for a player of that quality, when he used to play for Middlesbrough he used to win games by himself).

Don't get me wrong, Almunia isn't awful, he's a solid reflex save keeper, but his positioning seems dodgy and he doesn't reassure the defence very much. Given would be ideal, but I can't see him being in our price range.

 

[Cloud~]

Oh and about the why don't we get Akinfeev, he will cost a lot more than schwazter, the 14m that the media is saying is bullshit, I can't see CSKA selling him for less than 20m.

Sorry last off-topic

 

[Calum]

Obviously Arsenal have more financial control than other clubs, if we didn't we'd have picked up Schwarzer already (and tbh with Van der Sar playing until 40 I can't see why 3 solid seasons arn't a bargain for a player of that quality, when he used to play for Middlesbrough he used to win games by himself).

That comment is so true never thought about that

 

[Ben]

Hard game to give a review on tbh. Both teams were pretty poor. Not sure how people can say Cole's sending off wasn't harsh, Wilshere made a challenge not long before Cole's sending off and for me it was much worse, he was showing his studs and was even later than Cole. Still a point isn't bad with 10 men for 45 minutes, I'd of took it at half-time. It is just disappointing when it is in the 90th minute.

We defended far too deep, especially in the last 30 minutes, giving Arsenal too much possession. We played too many long balls and N'gog was far too isolated. I wasn't impressed with Cole at all and the red card just added to my dissapointment at his performance. Johnson was another one who never played well although Carragher was brilliant at the back. Reina was also good, that was until the 90th minute of course :'(

If we play how we did today for the rest of the season I reckon we're looking at a 5th/6th place finish but we were without Torres today so he will hopefully help the situation. Funnily enough went to the Stanley after the match and saw Steven Gerrard's Dad. My Dad knows him pretty well so he asked him whether Gerrard was thinking about leaving over the summer. Gerrard's Dad reckons Steven had/has too much pressure on his shoulders and finishing 7th hurt him. It led to Steven wanting to get away from Liverpool in-case of a backlash from the fans, thankfully he decided against it and stayed

 

[Joss]

Agree with this. I've been an Arsenal fan for many, many years now (getting on for 20) and for the past few seasons the question marks definitely exist in defense and goal. I'm not too fussed about attack as even though Eduardo went, we can do well with a 6 man midfield which pushes up to score goals, but the organisational issue from defence and goal is huge.

Gallas had massive experience and will be missed in this area over all others, he needs a good keeper to talk to the centre backs, and they need to talk with each other. In recent seasons there has been a little too much bungling at the back for my liking, which ultimately costs us in the big games against top players (esp physical ones). While the new CB is a step forward alongside Vermaelen, there doesn't yet seem to be a cool head in the side who'd talk to each other and calm a game down if they need to.

Obviously Arsenal have more financial control than other clubs, if we didn't we'd have picked up Schwarzer already (and tbh with Van der Sar playing until 40 I can't see why 3 solid seasons arn't a bargain for a player of that quality, when he used to play for Middlesbrough he used to win games by himself).

Don't get me wrong, Almunia isn't awful, he's a solid reflex save keeper, but his positioning seems dodgy and he doesn't reassure the defence very much. Given would be ideal, but I can't see him being in our price range.

I agree with most of this.. I think we'll miss Gallas this season, but hopefully Koscielny can show his physical side, he does like to mark opponents tight, and his best performance was against Milan, when he did exactly that, so i hope he'll be good.

I can't really see why Given isn't realistic.. He'd cost about £8 million maybe, and he's their number 2 keeper atm, we have a lot to offer him, including guaranteed games, and CL football - Mancini wants to keep him and Hart, but i think if we make an offer we can tempt Given if not Mancini.

 

[Zebedee]

I can't really see why Given isn't realistic.. He'd cost about £8 million maybe, and he's their number 2 keeper atm, we have a lot to offer him, including guaranteed games, and CL football - Mancini wants to keep him and Hart, but i think if we make an offer we can tempt Given if not Mancini.

As seen with Bellamy, Manchester City have the financial resources not to need to sell a player even if he wants to go. Same with Robinho. I doubt Manchester City will sell anyone to the top 6 in England if they feel that the sale would strengthen their rivals. Not that they'd be alone in doing that kind of thing.

 

[Jack Fulham]

Man City have already said they won't sell to rival clubs and Arsenal fall into this bracket.

 

[Calum]

when do we play each other again ?

 

[RobsonUtting]

Agree with this. I've been an Arsenal fan for many, many years now (getting on for 20) and for the past few seasons the question marks definitely exist in defense and goal. I'm not too fussed about attack as even though Eduardo went, we can do well with a 6 man midfield which pushes up to score goals, but the organisational issue from defence and goal is huge.

Gallas had massive experience and will be missed in this area over all others, he needs a good keeper to talk to the centre backs, and they need to talk with each other. In recent seasons there has been a little too much bungling at the back for my liking, which ultimately costs us in the big games against top players (esp physical ones). While the new CB is a step forward alongside Vermaelen, there doesn't yet seem to be a cool head in the side who'd talk to each other and calm a game down if they need to.

Obviously Arsenal have more financial control than other clubs, if we didn't we'd have picked up Schwarzer already (and tbh with Van der Sar playing until 40 I can't see why 3 solid seasons arn't a bargain for a player of that quality, when he used to play for Middlesbrough he used to win games by himself).

Don't get me wrong, Almunia isn't awful, he's a solid reflex save keeper, but his positioning seems dodgy and he doesn't reassure the defence very much. Given would be ideal, but I can't see him being in our price range.

"Supports: Barca" oO)

 

[rephlex]

I'll side track a bit. Yeah, I was silly and put my 'FM team' into the supports thing. To be fully honest, I support Barca from the De Boer brothers days when they never really achieved at the highest level, Arsenal (as I have forever) and Darlington (as my former local side, now in the Blue Square with a 20,000 seater stadium...).

 

[Billy]

Liverpool have decided not to contest Joe Cole's red-card, and the three game suspension will therefore stand.

He will miss the games against Manchester City, West Brom and Birmingham.