Liverpool vs Arsenal match thread

L'prof

everdead.ie wrote: »

I thought Arsenal were very poor and if Fabergas gets injured I would imagine things could get tough for them it was the lack of chances that they created which was the issue as you can't score if you can't create. Liverpool were very good in the second half defensively and also on the counter a few more games should tell us a lot about how hodgeson is approaching the season.

I thought we did well in his absence last season. Far too early too judge us, especially with all the injuries and International absentees, but I'm not too confident at the moment!

PHB

A point at Anfield is always a good result.

Frisbee

PHB wrote: »

A point at Anfield is always a good result.

Exactly. I would have jumped at it beforehand.

L'prof

PHB wrote: »

A point at Anfield is always a good result.

Yes, Liverpool should always be pleased...;)

monkey9

ntlbell wrote: »

Why do you bother posting comments that add aboloutley nothing to the conversation?

Why do you??

Carcharodon

SeanKev wrote: »

Spurs have a very settled team who've made little changes, the majority of the players returned early from the world cup. A lot not even featuring in international games, not too long ago.

Spurs deserved to win but c'mon, are Blackpool better then Wigan? One game in with a few left to play.

City on form v Spurs on form? City.

tony1kenobi wrote: »

City don't have form to go on....it's an almost brand new team.....unless pre-season counts as form......Spurs would still win.


You came back 4 years early there Bee.

What he said and currently Blackpool are four goals better than Wigan :pac:
To be honest I think you may be getting carried away with the whole Man City thing and maybe your a bit naive to get believe Man City will definitely be better than Spurs.
I watched a hell of a lot of Spurs games last season and they play quality soccer and are solid at the back. They more than justified their Champions League place.
Just because Man City spend millions on a player doesn't automatically mean he is world class, they are often a lot more overpriced than most players due to the fact City want them.
Also, most of these players are lured by the money, it is not a good basis to build a team. You could see the lack of respect Adebayor had towards Mancini yesterday, very poor behavior.

lordgoat

Both teams got what they deserved imo. Arsenal were on top in the first half. Had so much ofthe ball but no clear cut chance. Liverpool had little of the ball and created even less.

Second half, the goal knocked arsenal for a while and liverpool were on the up for the first 20mins. After that I think Arsenal shaded in. Towards the end Reina looked dodge, completely misjudged the flight of the ball before making his big boo.

Draw a fair result, althoguh given when and how arsenal scored i can see why liverpool fans feel aggrieved. Overall though no team carved the other apart to any great extent.

therokerroar

BumbleBee123 wrote: »

Imagine keeping your captain despite him wanting to leave for Barca.

Have a think about that and come back to me.....

Your captain was quick enough to hand in a transfer request when he wanted away though, wasn't he? :rolleyes:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/l/liverpool/4653041.stm

Mr Alan

jesus you're a barrell of laughs in this thread. did gerrard ride your mrs or something?!

flahavaj

Mr Alan wrote: »

jesus you're a barrell of laughs in this thread. did gerrard ride your mrs or something?!

Ah here, you haven't exactly been sweetness and light all Summer yourself Al.;)

Mr Alan

i have reason to be annoyed this guy just has a continent sized chip on his shoulder for some reason!

flahavaj

Mr Alan wrote: »

i have reason to be annoyed this guy just has a continent sized chip on his shoulder for some reason!

Sunderland fan in fairness. I'd be angry with the world too.:pac:

Frisbee

Just seen MotD/highlights so here's my thoughts on the game:

1) Cole's sending off. I can see why the ref gave it and by the rules of the game (never touched the ball, not in control of his body) it was a sending off. Personally though I think a yellow would have done, it was very soft. All that said, Koscielny is very lucky to get away from that without ligament damage, his ankle folded right under him.

2) Kosciely sending off. Can't really have any complaints. First one was a definite yellow, a stricter ref might even have give a red. The second yellow was 50-50 but certainly giveable.

3) Wilshere and Gerrard both should have gone, no question.

4) Why are people slating Almunia? As I've seen someone say on another forum: People are having a go at him because it's fashionable, I wouldn't really hold him at any fault for the goal. I've been as big a naysayer towards him as anyone else but the goal wasn't his fault.

5) Arshavin doesn't even look bothered anymore. Thought a new season might see a change in attitude but no, honestly wouldn't care if we shipped him out at this stage.

6) We need another CB. Badly.

mike65

Ditto the Joe Cole red, I didn't see it at the time (pesky streams) but if thats a straight red then things have got out of hand.

Less said about the OG the better. Ah well a point would have been taken before the game.

~Rebel~

therokerroar wrote: »

Your captain was quick enough to hand in a transfer request when he wanted away though, wasn't he? :rolleyes:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/l/liverpool/4653041.stm

Oh Roker. You're nothing if not consistent. Can kinda picture you in a room like this, except with anti liverpool slogans and pictures all over the wall instead of Dan Marino stuff...

mike65

I have him on ignore for a reason. Some Scouser must have nicked his bird (if he's old enough to have had one).

_Bella_

Frisbee wrote: »

J

5) Arshavin doesn't even look bothered anymore. Thought a new season might see a change in attitude but no, honestly wouldn't care if we shipped him out at this stage.
.

I really hope that he was playing through injury like some people are suggesting because if that is how he is going to perform all season then I'd take Vela who actually seemed to be linking up very well with Clichy in pre-season.

Kess73

mike65 wrote: »

I have him on ignore for a reason. Some Scouser must have nicked his bird (if he's old enough to have had one).

Hey she was not nicked, she was more than willing to call over.


As for his hubcaps, well that's a different story..........

copacetic

Frisbee wrote: »

Just seen MotD/highlights so here's my thoughts on the game:

1) Cole's sending off. I can see why the ref gave it and by the rules of the game (never touched the ball, not in control of his body) it was a sending off. Personally though I think a yellow would have done, it was very soft. All that said, Koscielny is very lucky to get away from that without ligament damage, his ankle folded right under him.

2) Kosciely sending off. Can't really have any complaints. First one was a definite yellow, a stricter ref might even have give a red. The second yellow was 50-50 but certainly giveable.

3) Wilshere and Gerrard both should have gone, no question.

4) Why are people slating Almunia? As I've seen someone say on another forum: People are having a go at him because it's fashionable, I wouldn't really hold him at any fault for the goal. I've been as big a naysayer towards him as anyone else but the goal wasn't his fault.

5) Arshavin doesn't even look bothered anymore. Thought a new season might see a change in attitude but no, honestly wouldn't care if we shipped him out at this stage.

6) We need another CB. Badly.

Sounds about right to me. I can see that Coles tackle was stupid, diving in when there was no need to. However it wasn't two footed and you see about 4 or 5 similar tackles in every game. If refs are going to be consistent thats one thing, but justifying a sending off in one game for a 'reckless' tackle and letting them go in every other game and even the same game is crazy.

There would have been 5 red cards yesterday if he was being consistent imo, in a game that was played in a good spirit.

Dave!

"But I thought he played well considering he didn't have an awful lot to do - and what he did have to do came very spasmodically. His concentration was good, his kicking was excellent." - Roy Hodgson
http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11669_6315156,00.html

Terrific word!

NabyLadistheman

Frisbee wrote: »

Just seen MotD/highlights so here's my thoughts on the game:

4) Why are people slating Almunia? As I've seen someone say on another forum: People are having a go at him because it's fashionable, I wouldn't really hold him at any fault for the goal. I've been as big a naysayer towards him as anyone else but the goal wasn't his fault.

I think people are having a go at home because we all no he's a liability. How Wenger has got to a new season without getting a new goalie beggars belief. The guy's a nervous wreck. Even yesterday, flapping at crosses - he should have done something about the goal as well

LuckyLloyd

I don't think it is ideal goalkeeping to be beaten on your near post side from the angle that N'Gog was at tbh. Far from a big error obviously considering how well struck the shot was - but I don't think the top tier of goalkeepers get beat there.

Frisbee

torresistheman wrote: »

I think people are having a go at home because we all no he's a liability. How Wenger has got to a new season without getting a new goalie beggars belief. The guy's a nervous wreck. Even yesterday, flapping at crosses - he should have done something about the goal as well

Massive liability, I agree. But I just can't understand how people are saying the goal was his fault. Shouldn't be beaten at his near post fair enough but the shot was a rocket.

LuckyLloyd

Frisbee wrote: »

Massive liability, I agree. But I just can't understand how people are saying the goal was his fault. Shouldn't be beaten at his near post fair enough but the shot was a rocket.

It's just another product of the elements Almunia falls down on relative to the best goalkeepers: concentration, focus, positioning, decision making.

I think he's always been a great athlete to be fair, and he definitely has talent / makes plays. He just lacks that edge to be in the zone for an entire game.

Evil_Clown

Frisbee wrote: »

Massive liability, I agree. But I just can't understand how people are saying the goal was his fault. Shouldn't be beaten at his near post fair enough but the shot was a rocket.

I think the point is that Reina, VDS, Cech, Given would prob have saved that shot imo. I know other players made mistakes on the lead up to the goal but then thats why you need a top class keeper to dig you out when you really need it. I'm not sure any team has won the PL with an average keeper and we won't with Almunia.

Mister men

Lol at folks blaming Almunia for N'Gog goal. It was a fantastic shot tbh and i doubt if most keepers would have stopped it. Not saying the guy's a good keeper but it's laughable to blame him for that goal in particular.

Frisbee

Evil_Clown wrote: »

I think the point is that Reina, VDS, Cech, Given would prob have saved that shot imo.

I'm fairly sure Torres scored essentially a carbon copy of a goal like that on VDS a few years back?

LuckyLloyd

Mister men wrote: »

Lol at folks blaming Almunia for N'Gog goal. It was a fantastic shot tbh and i doubt if most keepers would have stopped it. Not saying the guy's a good keeper but it's laughable to blame him for that goal in particular.

It's more nuanced than that mate. It's not "blame", just a comment that it was saveable by that top tier of goalkeepers. And it is a relevant comment with respect to Arsenal, because I think it was one of the obvious positions where they fell down on last year relative to the teams around them.

In tight games like that, having a guy between the sticks who makes that save is just such a huge edge that adds up in a big way over the course of a full season.

RasTa

It reminded me of a poorer version of this, this is a rocket imo. I'd be pissed if VDS let that in(N'Gog).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f7Pjjz74pt0

~Rebel~

Agreed with N'Gogs goal, I think a lot of keepers would have done better. From where the keeper was standing, he didn't have much chance, but most keepers will be standing in a position where a near post shot is coming right down their throat and they can push it up and over, while Al had to make a bit of a dive to the side and couldn't reach.

Joeyjoejoe43

Joeyjoejoe43 wrote: »

From an Arsenal perspective, its as good a time as any to go to Anfield, and if they can nick a point Id be quite happy, especially given our current injury crisis. It looks like we'll have a fairly lightweight midfield, but I'm hoping Nasri can work some magic. I'll go with a 2-2 draw with Chamakh and N'gog both on the scoresheet.

Was'nt too far wrong with that predcition!

Mitch Connor

Dave! wrote: »

Terrific word!

WTF?

Roy get it wrong or Sky?

Royale with Cheese

Frisbee wrote: »

Massive liability, I agree. But I just can't understand how people are saying the goal was his fault. Shouldn't be beaten at his near post fair enough but the shot was a rocket.

I don't think the goal was really his fault (I would blame Wilshere for letting a simple pass get through him on the edge of his own area). He might have done better but as you say it was an excellent shot struck very powefully.

What people are moaning about and what you probably didn't see in the highlights is how awful he looked every time a cross came in. Came out and flapped at everything, looked very unsure of what he was doing (as usual). He's a liability.

~Rebel~

Mitch Connor wrote: »

WTF?

Roy get it wrong or Sky?

? Neither...Spasmodically was a perfectly valid choice of word in that context..

mike65

Roy Hodson is a rare football figure - he has a well developed vocabularly.

Mitch Connor

~Rebel~ wrote: »

? Neither...Spasmodically was a perfectly valid choice of word in that context..

Its a word i have only ever heard used in the context of having spasms.

I would have though sporadically fit far better.

greendom

Mitch Connor wrote: »

Its a word i have only ever heard used in the context of having spasms.

I would have though sporadically fit far better.

Spasmodically also means intermittently

PHB

The keepers problem wasn't in his reflexes, it was his foot position. He should have been closer to the post.

ShamoBuc

greendom wrote: »

Spasmodically also means intermittently

oops ... sorry... came onto the English forum by mistake:rolleyes:

~Rebel~

PHB wrote: »

The keepers problem wasn't in his reflexes, it was his foot position. He should have been closer to the post.

Absolutely. Had he been in the correct position, it should have been coming right at or just above his head and all he'd have had to do is get his hands up.

Anthony16

Mr Alan wrote: »

deserved the three points. would've taken the one when Cole got sent off though. ref robbed us to be honest.

Fair result.Cole deserved to be sent off.

greendom

ShamoBuc wrote: »

oops ... sorry... came onto the English forum by mistake:rolleyes:

Keep up, will you ?