Stevie Me, Small Head Carragher, Thicko Rush, Dirty Souness, Thunderbird Hansen, Biter Suarez, Steve One Minute, Fatboy Molby, Idiot Lawrenson, Big Nose Thompson, Steve Boring Macnanaman. What unites them? Yes, they are all Liverpool greats but they are also media darlings and Complete Lemons to a man.
Since the 80’s Liverpool F.C’s is a history littered with broken dreams allied to the occasional banana skin, and the odd phenomenally lucky Cup victory. However, prior to “The Fall”, the Dippers were the best there was and I think we can date their demise back to May 26 1989.
No-one expected us to win that day and no pundits expect us to win this evening. Can Arsenal prove them wrong?
Under Klopp (who really should be managing AFC) they are playing lovely football and sans City, would be likely title winners. But we aren’t sans City and Liverpool, having spent an absolute fortune, will (IMO) remain also-rans.
I know a number of Danish chaps (saddos) who have YNWA tattooed somewhere on their body, such is their devotion. Liverpool have probably the largest foreign support of any team apart from MU and Barca. They are a massive club and finally appear to be matching performance to promise.
Klopp has created a wonderful team with quality in every area of the pitch. He has spent a fortune on defence, midfield and attack but without Klopp’s coaching genius L’pool would be another MU. And the massive difference between those two Northern giants is the demeanor of their managers which sums up the current state of both MU and L’pool.
Can our weakened and out-of-form defence stop the “best front three in the PL”? I doubt it. We have conceded 13 goals in the PL and are likely to ship more. this afternoon.
Can we score against a defence who have conceded just 4 PL goals this season? Yes we can.
If we start as we have been the game will be lost by half time, yet Emery cannot PTB and hope to score on the break …. actually he can, and that would be my tactics for the first 20 minutes!
My Team.
Bent
Hector Greek Bloke Holding Kolasinac/Monreal
Ramsey Terrier Xhaka Iwobi
Ozil
Lacazette
Yes, PEA on the bench. Unleash the Gabonese Goalgetter on 60 minutes. The team doesn’t, as yet, function with him out on the left and Mr Emery doesn’t seem to want him leading the line with Laca anywhere but central.
Iwobi will be important, he will need to cover his full back and be in place to attack down the wings.
Ozil??? If he turns up we have a chance, if not …
Mustafi has to be rested and instructed in the art of defending. His mistake at Palace was that of a player lacking in common sense; who dives into a tackle in the penalty area with a referee as whistle- happy as that comedian?
If we see Xhaka walk out to play at Left Back then we are screwed, Salah and Mane are much more dangerous than Zaha. I would prefer us to play Holding and go 3 at the back.
Bent has done enough to take Helmet’s first choice place as GK.
Are you confident we can win or even draw today? If so, you are a better man than I. If we continue our unbeaten run my confidence in the team and especially Mr Emery will soar.
That’s enough from me. Enjoy the game
COYRRG
Arsenal News 24/7
arsenalarsenal.net 
Good read
https://www.theguardian.com/football/2018/nov/02/pierre-emerick-aubameyang-arsenal-cutting-edge-lacazette
Superb pre-match report BR, superb.
Our defense is always a worry but we are better than the scousers its up to Emery to make the players believe it.
COYG!
Well done Raddy, It would be a wonderful surprise if we won the game – but I doubt it will happen. I’m hoping for a competitive game where we prove that we are not a pushover.
My Arsenal DNA desperately wants a win but being logical we have little or no chance.
First day back at
schoolblogging and a really delightful pre-match to boot. Had me laughing out loud!!Thank you Big Raddy — a real tonic.
(Ooo-er – Having slight problems trying to remember who I blog as??????) 🤡
[Maybe back tomorrow, if the
teachernursey lets me!] 👩🎓Flipping excellent, BR.
Not only funny as fuk but bang on the money, too.
I’m hoping we’ll upset the apple cart as we did in 89.
COYG.
Hi RA, good to see you back, I hope all is well with you and the school and/or nursery?
Chas unfortunatley there are at least 5 reasons we have little hope of emulating 1989.
O’Leary, Dixon, Adams, Bould and Winterburn.
RA. Good to see you back.
GN5. There are 6. Seaman
Raddy, Lukic was in goal that night.
great PM, Raddy. 🙂 COYG.
Great stuff yesterday, GN5. 🙂 It seems to me, if we deleted the first 8 years of that history lesson and started the clock from the 20th century, our record would look much more superb.
And if we had managed to chuck the Scousers out from the commentary and pundit box, the quality of our life would be so much improved. 🙂
Welcome back Redders. 🙂
Thanks Raddy
Super confident! 1-0 at half time. Dippers equalise in second half and we get a spawny set piece goal with five mins to go. 2-1 to the Arse, and a dreamy journey home. COYG.
LBG, I hope Arsenal give you that dreamy journey home.
Thanks Raddy, great rousing PM as always.
This is the first real test of the new Arsenal … I don’t think you can count the first two games. The players are growing in understanding of what the manager wants and you can bet your bottom dollar he will have prepared them meticulously for this game. Man for man they are better than us in most departments, but we’re at home and we’ve found a winning mentality. It will be close, but I fully expect us to keep unbeaten run going.
Like the team up there BR
I hope that is what is written on UE’s team sheet.
The only reason that I think that it might not be is that Big Sok and Holding have not played together or at least I can’t remember them doing so and as such I suspect that Mustafi and Holding will get the nod.
I got tthe impression from twitter that Big Sok and Nacho didn’t train yesterday.
MU are on an astonishing run of luck. Scoring after 90 mins game game
Since 1988,Pool have not won a single title.The win in 1989
was electrifying and hopefully Arsenal 2018 can replicate that win.
To be fair,the defence of 1989 was tip top.
If Arsenal defend and attack as ateam,there is no reason why Arsenal cant win
Again, another goal?
Well, if Monreal, didn’t train we need to call upon the Prince of Darkness to deal with Salah.
Machiavelli’s finest will need to be on the top of his game.
One of your very finest opening paragraphs, Erik
A very fine read, many thanks
Oh, and apparently I am a better man than you because we’ll win 🙂
superb looking XI. Cannot wait
Agree. A very good team. Let’s score early.
You cannot out guess this man.
I like it.
So true LB
It used to be a regular occurance for our Erik to get 10/11, now 7 is a good score and today the old git got an 8 🙂
Let’s hope Erik doesn’t feel the need to discuss currency fluctuations at oranges
Come on you Gunnnnners
Hope Marriner has a good game (unlikely)
Any links to watch the game please?
I’d say 0-0 is unlikely 🙂
RC
I’m afraid I’m on a paid stream
Here’s the link. £7 for 2 months. All games. V good quality
https://hd-streaming.tv
RC. Hesgoal.com
We are playing very deep.
hesgoal working
Big thanks to all
Mhiki should have scored, it was a very good opportunity
Started well….but slacking off now.
Would love to know why it’s not a penalty when keeper clears out forward after heading.
If that’s anywhere else on pitch and it’s a defender clattering a forward or vice versus it’s a free kick
Some idiot ref (and Steve Liverpool Mac), say L’pool’s was a good goal and not offside. But Mane is clearly interfering with play as our boys realised he was offside and stopped. And Mane is standing right in the face of Leno.
We are under pressure and need to retain possession for a few moments
This is a very exciitng half. Chances at both ends.
L’pool-s CB’s are excellent
Leno smh
Wow, great half of very exciting football
We got better as the half went on but had a few scares with Leno, Holding and for some reason a goal for LFC disallowed. I think Miky may be the x-factor tonight for us and Xhaka so far not so bad so let s hope he contibutes to play well.
Mustafi is flagged offside when we “scored”, Van Dijk isn’t when he hit the post. Crap decisions – both of them.
Really good half, perhaps the best first half we have played this season.
Terrier and Xhaka both superb.
That was way better than expected-really like Hold and Tor in the middle.
The announcers bleating about offside goal. It was from the first pass, what a bunch of fools.
Link up play, crisp passing with only a few bad touches, and runs at the pool D is great stuff to watch.
Let see in Emery makes some tactical changes or continues with the push forward when the Arsenal look to expose space,
Thought Mustafi correctly ruled off side so was Mane, it wasn’t like long period passed before he came active, he had massive advantage because he was offside.
Didn’t think Van Dyjk was off side Kolasinac playing him on at top of screen.
Do think there should have been two pens, their keeper cleaning out Mikhi after header andLeno clearing out Van Dyjk Both nowhere near ball. Don’t understand why not a penalty when anywhere else on pitch in modern game it is regardless of where ball goes.
Can the same XI keep this up for the full 90?
Guess Ramsey, Iwobi and M-N could come on, but tricky not to upset the superb attacking balance
GIE. You are way too even handed. 😀
🙂
Bollocks
Leno’s got to push that away at pace
Bolleaux. Terrible from Leno
Think that may be first time I’ve tried to see him catch anything
So, ref unilaterally decides to stop play when Arsenal really pushing and it was pools own players..sheeesh.
Why aubameyang and not lacazette getting hooked
Fred. Who knows. I think we are more likely to score with PEA but I trust Mr Emery.
Perhaps PEA was getting tired
Running out of ideas round box
Laca has a better all round game than Aubemayang, but needs to get some finishing confidence.
That’s a stick em all up top substitution. Need to get ball up there quicker.
That’s why he is still on!!!! Get In!!!
Another Wrightyesque finish
Get in ……………………….
so good
Wonderful finish.
Now we need to concentrate
Wow! That was top notch!
I love the shift Laca puts in, bloke never stops running
And I wanted him to be taken off instead of aubameyang
Don’t worry Fred, I wasn’t a fan of Iwobi coming on at left back and he sets up laca for the winner 🙂
Superb match. Torreira rightly MOTM but Unai runs him close.
So many good things to talk about but it’ll have to wait
Enjoy your evenings Gents, things are really looking up
Fantastic performance by our lads … very proud … we’ve come a long way since the start of the season … and we’re scoring great goals
and so it ends…good game and we got a bit lucky but to be fair, 1-1 sums up the balance in the game. We had good spells, they had good spells. The difference is that they create better chances than us and defend better than us as a unit too BUT in terms of intensity, overall passing and pressing, we matched them…So a very positive draw for me and here are my ratings:
Leno – 5
Bellerin – 6
Mustafi – 6
Holding – 6
Kola – 6
LT – 7
Xhaka – 7
Mikhy – 7 in first half / 6 in the second- 7
Ozil – 6
Auba – 6
Laca – 7
Iwobi – 7
Ramsey – 6
Wellbeck – 6
So Leno had 2-3 moments in the game hence the 5
We have to get better on set-pieces on both end of the pitch. They had 2 great chances on corners in the second half, both times we didn’t jump 😦
guys for all their crappy season…Man Utd is only 3 points behind us 😦 but we are only 4 away from Liverpool…
Gentlemen – we now have a team with big balls and it shows. That was as good an Arsenal performance that we have seen in several years. They displayed a new found energy and enthusiasm that was contagious throughout the team – well done Unai and well done Arsenal!!!.
RC you are a hard man to please, if we were playing Palace I’d say you were about right, but we weren’t it wasLiverpool so every man had a job to do attacking and defensively.
That we Limited Liverpool to so few chances surely should mean the back 4 get better ratings. Especially Mustafi who i am normally very critical of but thought he had a solid 7 today if not pushing 8.
In fact there’s only two players I’d score under 7 and that wasRambo and Leno (for the goal).
Leno is young, if Emery manages him right he will be ok, he can save shots, and he is good with ball at feet. The problem comes from crosses mainly. Remember a Liverpool gk like that (Mignolet), he was dropped but also crowd got on his back, his aerial game ebbed further away and he was never same.
Sometimes keepers need a chance and a run, look at Fabianski, high praise at Swansea despite their relegation and now doing well at West Ham.
Rambo because impact wise he did not come into the game like Iwobi and Welbeck, ok Iwobi had a few funny moments when he was finding pace of game but kept showing and played a decisive pass. Welbeck came on and upset Pool. Ramsey not so much.
And yes I’m an Ozil fan, but you just have to watch the space he takes up, the touches the simplicity, he keeps the ball ticking.
Hear hear GN5, totally agree. That performance should be judged in the light of progression. To be playing this well after so few games with a new manager and seismic changes in the back room staff is fantastic. Just think where we could be at the end of the season if we keep improving at this rate.
I think we played the best game of the season and deserved to win.
MotM. Terrier with Xhaka not far beind.
Special mention in the dispatches for Bellerin, Holding and Mustafi, all of whom played well. And Laca for a wonderful goal.
totally agree with GN5 7:47
GiE – I agree that we did well and we are showing progress and also agree with all that we played with heart but the facts remain:
– Leno made 2-3 mistakes, 1 leading to goal
– Twice in the second half our defense didn’t put an effort on corners
However, we played well overall and deserve all the good comments.
On Ozil, I liked that he played fine but I did not think that Mustafi played great at all.
I really liked LT, Xhaka and also Iwobi’s entrance and Lacazette heart.
Now I hope that we can keep the same energy against all team.
Based on tonigh’t performance, I think we can look ahead with more optimism and we can agree that Emery is fixing the team little by little
Strange as it may sound, win, lose or draw that was a team I can be prod of, they fought for every ball and are deserving of our full respect.
A huge step in the right direction, not well, going to bed, night, night.
get better soon LB
Didn’t see the game so no match report from me, soz.
Match thoughts anyone?
Another word on Leno, I think if Cech started today we would have looked similar to the side that lost to City at the start of the season, the confidence with which he receives and plays the ball means that today we could escape Liverpool’s press.
For me that is a large step in the right direction of how Emery wants to play.
wow! what a game, 🙂 Xhaka and Laca my joint MOTMs, And 3 cheers to Emery for bold team selection and subs. Onwards and upwards.
Sparkling performance with, most importantly, gonads!
And the atmosphere was electric!
Staggered at RC’s player ratings. Feel Holding was majestic and the transformation of Hector is staggering. The wardrobe was solidly disciplined in general, and that was one of the best ‘defensive’ performances from Lino that I have seen
Terrier would have been a 10 for me if he had pumped his chance into the top corner. Laca is the most natural finisher since, the comparison was made by someone else, Ian Wright. And Mesut was driven, and on the ball, against ” one of the big teams”.
Agree wholeheartedly with GIE re goalkeepers penalties and Allison should have been sent off for his early on. Marriner is Marriner ( Mr Play On), but he should also have sent off Fabinho for his blatant last man foul on Mesut with a second yellow.
Two further comments from me. Dick’s decision to ask Iwobi, who was coming on anyway, to play left back, was an immediate response to them bringing off Firmino and I think was inspired reaction to what’s happening in front of him. Something we rarely saw from AW. And, my favourite few minutes was from a lad behind us towards the very end, who set off on a rant towards scumbag Merson “3-0, you ***********…… Go boil your head. We’ve got our Arsenal back.
I had lost my voice by the end and wandered home ……..contented, at the very least.
Chas
When you miss a game worth watching like yesterday, how/where do you catch up? Do you watch the whole thing or just odd clips?
Interested in GIE’s opinion on Leno’s decision to come out in the run up to their goal.
Disagree, as always, with the fake Irishman Cascarino, this morning. ” Leave the Cab’s to do their jobs”. Well sir IMO, if he had let the cross come over, Salah would have scored at the back post. His error was either not catching ( very difficult in this case given pace) and/or not clearing wide. He even had the misfortune of a slight deflection that took the ball perfectly into Milner’s path. ( Is there a more effective midfielder in the job he does than Milner…..hate him?)
CAB’s ffs…….CBs.
Morning All
Strange to feel so satisfied after dropping two points
The mood is positive, the performance was positive and now, let us take in the good feeling and look for improvements and also for an easy win on Thursday night.
For Th night, I d play a strong team again:
Cech – Lichten, Jenks, Sok, AMN – Ramsey, El Neny, Guendouzi – Miky, Iwobi – Wellbeck
Let us finish the job at half time and then bring in Smithe-Rowe and Nketiah
If you watch Miky’s games, he is really doing well. I think it is just a matter of time before his assists or pre-assist tally raise dramatically and I believe he has got a few goals in him as well.
Morning guys, I’m still buzzing after yesterday’s performance, I haven’t felt this excited about Arsenal for years.
The crowd are beginning to respond as well, much more vocal and positive.
I’m sick of hearing this nonsense about pool having a goal disallowed … it is a matter of judgement whether Salah was active whereas for our disallowed goal Lacca was level with the defender so the goal should have stood … the sooner we get VAR into the Prem the better.
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