Just a brief prematch today as I’m in a rush.
Our progress this season has been mostly positive after the dreadful start of losing the first three games.
Key partnerships in defence, midfield and attack have gradually taken shape and given us grounds for optimism.
However, we are still unconvincing at times and can make heavy weather of games we should be dominating.
On paper Liverpool will be strong favourites today and a defeat for our boys is likely.
However, I watched the Scousers’ recent defeat at the hands of West Ham. They were pretty unconvincing at times in that game and looked vulnerable at the back. We certainly have the attacking personnel to hurt them if we play to the best of our abilities.
But with their in-form attackers we’ll have our work cut out to keep a clean sheet. We need Ramsdale to be on top form and for the White-Gabriel axis to continue functioning as well as it has done in many games this season.
There are late fitness questions about Aubameyang and Partey. Let’s hope they both get the nod to play.
Predicted line up:
Ramsdale
Tomayisu – White – Gabriel – Tierney
Partey – Maitland-Niles
Saka – Lacazette – Smith Rowe
Aubameyang
Even if we go down to defeat, the manner of losing is important. If we get thrashed there’s a danger it will damage our recent momentum; if we end up second best in a close-fought game we’ll be able to take pride and credit from it.
But I’m going for a sneaky 1-2 away win for the good guys.
Come on you Gunners!
RockyLives
Arsenal News 24/7
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Morning Ricky, thanks for the quick preview.
I don’t know why but I sniffed in the air an feel we could cause an upset in Anfield today.
Oh that match in 2012, Diabys best ever performace before breaking his leg. Also Arteta and Cazorla playing full throttle. What a game that was!
COYG
(First) 🙂
Las
I remember that game so well. Diaby was an absolute monster – positively Vieira-esque but with a big dollop of Fabregas-like attacking creativity on top.
Such an unlucky player, Diaby. Could have been one of the best in the world but for his injuries.
Dan Smith – what a nasty piece of work 😡
Thanks Rocky. Sorry to start with a moan! Cant believe even you start with a “dreadful start” comment. Will it still be the opening sentence at the end of the season if we get a top four finish? Probably, because it pleased so many in media, newspapers, and Manure, Dipper pundits, as well as all our so-called supporters who wanted Mikel out immediately. Look at the record since start of 2020. Irritating lack of assessment of what has really happened.
Rant over and nothing personal, Rocky.
Agree absolutely with the comment regarding “how” we perform today being most important.
Have a feeling no Robertson on left for Liverpool, with Saka perhaps coming out of his recent shell, might be significant today. Hope for a win, money on 2-2 and Arsenal at halftime, draw at 90mins.
Looks good Rocky,
But the skipper put in Sambi instead of AMN.
Might have played Martinelli up top too..
Let’s go!
Mane is both a diver and a dirty bastard when things dont go his way. Tomi had him in his pocket and so his tactic is try to rough up. And Klopp’s reaction sums up Liverpool when they are getting their own way.
aren’t
Let’s hope Mane gets the second yellow he deserves.
Pretty pleased with that performance overall so far, but I’d like to see us keep possession in MF a bit more. Partey has been quiet whereas Fabinho has been breaking up all our attempts to play through MF
Not a bad half really, even though we barely had the ball.
Actually, had the ball in the net first, but Auba strayed off.
pools serial fouling on full display here, towards end of half ,two fouls in the span of 1 second, and a bad one on White out of bounds by Sane.
Not really sure Arteta has a lot of options at the moment, as unless he puts on Martinelli or Pepe to draw fouls near the box, if AFC can get the ball near the oppositions box.
Oh, and Klopp can go take a swim…
Come on AFC!
And why are you not analysing the Mane incident, Sky? Even Souness would see a lead with the without looking to win the ball. This is where VAR is useless. The TMO in rugby would point out the foul and Mane would have been booked and now off.
“arm”. Sorry fired up, because football is so weak at the crucial moments in a game.
And Partey is the one not working to position not Sambi.
Following on from your comment Aaron, why are Liverpool repeated fouls not picked up by Oliver,, but ours are? This is now hari kari and all we need is to lose Ramsdale.
Well, all that pie in the sky outlook can be stowed for a while now, eh?
Could have been 6-7 nil.
No creativity, laca and auba together make less than zero.
Creativity problems period.
Midfield was obliterated, and so many errors in the center of the pitch in our 1/3rd.
Another site had Arteta at 69 EPL games v Wenger and it did not look good at all.
Can make anything look good if one slices it where you wish too.
What is our record when we concede first, horrible, and normal service has been resumed.
Would have preferred 3-4-3 today or just try and hold the ball for more than one pass or second.
Grrrr.
manure going to get Zidane, and we have had so many opportunities to get a proven coach…sheeesh….
The definition of insanity is doing the same thing time after time……Mikel.
In one game your insistence has destroyed all the recent confidence. A plan B, dropping back with five across the nidfield, and not given them the space behind was required. Tomi, White, Gabriel and Ramsdale were let down by you and ALL the rest of the players.
There are levels to this football malarkey, and it’s fair to say that Liverpool are above ours right now. On a positive note, we were still in the game at half time, which hasn’t always been the case at Anfield! We’ve had teams in recent years that have gone on good runs, but the way they reacted to defeat was weak. This side looks a lot stronger mentally and a lot more intelligent than previous squads, so I’m expecting us to bounce back quicker. How this squad overcomes this setback will show us far more than anything we’ve seen in the last 10 games.
It’s a process.
FGG,
Yes, surely a measured response.
We are on pace for 41 goals this season, extrapolated out, we will score more, but not many.
3rd season in a row of 8th acceptable to trust the process- not in my lifetime.
We have now lost 5-0 and 4-0 to top clubs. Are we even in the game for 90 minutes? Not a chance in hell.
The Auba and Laca up top is futile, as has been for a while, Eddie did not even make the bench, and our midfield was smashed.
And our fearless leaders want to offer Laca an extension, can’t help these people.
Lest we not forget josh’s smoke and mirror press conference, like that golden spoon dud has a clue…
Yes, AFC is a young club, youngest in the league I believe, but I do not really see Arteta taking our youngsters forward.
My lousy 2 cents…
Arsenal more or less gave them the first two goals. After that it was just too tough. To make this loss some kind of proof for Arteta being bad is silly. I think. Arsenal is not near as good as Liverpool, but that is not his fault.
Do NOT press
Do NOT create
Set the team up to NOT make a mistake
Do NOT take chances or step outside of your lane.
This is without European futbol and we only play one game a week.
Arteta needs to be canned if we get 8th again-period.
100 games in charge as the skipper and not his fault.
F me………
Well Man Utd lost 4-1, to Watford, and West Ham lost so that leaves us in 5th, not a disaster given our start to the season.
Not many teams will come away from Anfield with more than what we’ve got to show from our visit today this season. I thought we competed until their 2nd goal, then our inexperience seemed to show and it wasn’t pretty. Anyway, dust yourselves down and go again.
I thought I would visit just to see whether any of you have opened your eyes to reality, but it seems that my optimism rather like that displayed by so many of you before the game, was misplaced.
See you again in a few weeks.
PS. Wasn’t Partey great? First on the team sheet for the next game?
What worries me is that Auba and Partey – that ought to be our most important players – is just mediocre. That must be a big question for Arteta… Will any of them give the team a push this season? I’m afraid the answer is no…
If AFC lose to Palace, Villa, Newcastle and manure, Arteta should be fired on the spot!
What a class player Leed’s Calvin Phillips is. Centre back😯 today and oozing class against Kane and Son. Oh sorry….not much opposition actually.
Genuinely a class act!
We lost a game so sack everybody! 😂
3 points behind the CL places after 12 games. That’s despite losing our first 3 games, playing the top 3 and playing 6 of the top 10.
As someone said previously, you can slice it anyway you want to suit your own narrative. Personally, I think we’ve recovered really well after that poor start. I didn’t expect anything from Anfield and we saw just how far behind we are, but that shouldn’t have been a surprise to anyone. We have one of the youngest, if not THE youngest side in the league, so there is far more hope for the future than there was 2 years ago.
It’s each to their own but I don’t really understand this desire to see the negative in every situation. Where’s the joy in that? Losing is frustrating, but it’s a part of the game. No manager is going to come into Arsenal Football Club and win every match. Takes the positives and move on.
fgg,
Always like your posts, mostly:-)
Yet, honestly, I would rather watch Leeds play 7 days a week out of 7 than watch what we have been served these last few years. It is just the way it is, they are entertaining and were middle of the pack last year despite spending 1/10 of what we have, and had come from a division below us.
Stated earlier I appreciate wins and entertainment, and have been fortunate enough to be a lifelong AFC fan. Yes, the clubs has had it’s ups and downs, mainly ups and have been very entertaining most of those years, I am a spoiled brat.
However, I am paying penance now for sure with what I am witnessing. The wins lately have been hard earned, yet most of them were only mildly entertaining.
If not for our youngsters, and some smart buys, Arteta would have already been canned, and he did not choose them, he was forced through injury or such an abysmal performance level from his favorites that he had no choice.
Like I said, if we lose to those teams with new coaches than he is done, not just one game, but a pattern of averageness that should not be rewarded, especially against teams that are falling like a rock and brought in new coaches.
Arteta has had time, and if he makes it to seasons end in 4th or better I will stand up and admit I was very wrong.
Will others do the same if it goes the other way?
Thanks to Peaches, Rasp, my Bros, Rocky, RA, RC, Fgg, and the many, many positive other contributors to this site.
Prefer to die with glorious memories than read more bile from jigsol or ” told you so” from Aaron.