I still remember the touchline antics of Arteta and I still remember Klopp’s angry and irritating face. Today, I want both of them to wear a calm face at the end of the match with the latter having accepted a 3-0 loss against a side that’s going to win the league this season.
Right, we are winning the league this season. We beat Liverpool today, and it would be easier. We would do it the hard way if we don’t.
Sheffield United made sure Unai Emery’s Aston Villa does not top the table. Arsenal can keep their spot if they win and draw, Liverpool can overthrow us by beating us.
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Anfield hasn’t been great for us recently. We have not won there since 2012. They are unbeaten against us in the last 13 encounters. The only hope being, we have shared points 3 out of the last 4 visits. Today, we are breaking that curse.
In team news, Partey is still out. We would miss Tomiyasu which to me is a blow because Zinchenko v Salah doesn’t look very exciting to me. I hope to see the best playing XI today, with White and Zinni on either side and Gabriel + Saliba partnership. A midfield with Odegaard, Rice and Havertz with Saka, Jesus and Martinelli up top. It’s Saliba’s first visit to Anfield and we get to see two best CBs in the world currently.
In the goal, frankly I have been taking u-turns far too often now. I was against Ramsdale’s replacement but then his mistakes made my mind to switch to Raya. However Raya has the same problem in the goal and I believe now it’s more of the system than the players. I would stick up Ramsdale back today, we need passion, a lot of it today.
Prediction? I would go with a 2-0 win for us, with Jesus and Martinelli scoring today. We are going to keep the clean sheet irrespective of a win or a draw. Rice has been phenomenal for us and is always a big match player, today he can improve on that and make sure the initial doubters like me eat some more of that humble pie.
Right, short one today but I will see you during the match. Hope the vacation has started for you and hope it gets better after the match.
Good night all
Cheers Tony
I’ll get in touch tomorrow. I thought that was a fair outcome.
Hi KP
We deserved a point where the stats add weight to that thinking but what frustrated me was it was another Groundhog Day; we went toe to toe for about 40 minutes and then we were playing to match Pool rather than beat them.
Dollars to doughnuts if ESR was playing he’d have converted at least one of the 2 balls across an empty 6 yard box.
Arteta is the illusionist. Flatters to deceive and can work out intricate pretty triangular play but no real penetration in the final third.
Unless Arteta can change the predictability, we won’t be winning anything I’m afraid as much as it pains me to say.
“Flatters to deceive and can work out intricate pretty triangular play but no real penetration in the final third.”
It’s a wonder he had kids
If you like a well made American western series or movie: Lawman Bass Reeves is up there with 1886 and 1923 which were prequels for Yellowstone the current modern day version with Kevin Costner and excellent series.
Some good reading to be had on here from yesterday’s affair, unfortunately I wasn’t able to catch it live as the whole clan has converged here for the holiday season…we’re rather fortunate that we didn’t concede all 3, especially after we went full keystone cops and gifted them a 3 on 1…thankfully they didn’t captialize on our clown-like misstep…fact remains, we continue to look rather ordinary out there, especially in the final third…how many times can we rollout the same old pedestrian tactics before MA finally realizes that this won’t cut it come the business end of the season…it’s like watching a old porno where they edit in the same scenes over and over again…not sure if we have monies to spend in the coming weeks, but if we don’t do something we could be staring straight in the face of another world-class cock-up…that said, the one thing we have going for us is the fact that no one but Villa, and maybe Pool, have exceeded or even met expectations
on a side note, this past week I was banned from my 4th site in the last 18 months…this time it was Woolwich 1886, who has been infiltrated by the LG crew, which were determined to excommunicate anyone who opposed their Arteta-centric script…unfortunately, the blog author, Jon, who has a way with words, kowtowed to the echo chamber twats and sent me packing
Best holiday wishes to all members of the LIR brethren…here’s hoping that Santa puts a plan fucking B in our manager’s stocking and that Kroenke doesn’t go all ghost of Christmas past come the opening of the window…Cheers
Brilliant as always TRVL and had me laughing out loud.
Likewise happy Xmas to all on LIR and especially Ambarish for giving us LIR.
Maybe we should do some infiltration ourselves as numbers is how Artetas rimmers work.
Charge of the LIR brigade has a ring to it.😂
Happy holidays everyone. An Arsenal free day beckons. 😊
KP and all if you like Dire Straits I’m just watching a present from a fellow world class engineer. The Swiss live in Basel is just unbelievable with all the musicians he assembled. Best tenner you’re ever .
The Mandela with Slowhand gig also special.
My Xmas present to you all
https://www.the-eurodisco-shop.com/dvds/dire-straits/
Hi Tony
Knopfler seems like a decent geezer (for a Geordie) and an accomplished guitarist, but my interest in them ended with that song about aristocratic Middle Eastern emigres in Wiltshire (the Sultans of Swindon) and that other one about microwave ovens (money for nothing – albeit with a very pleasing guitar intro). They must have been on some serious herbal remedies to have come up with those two. We disagree healthily about Gruppenfuhrer Clapton of course whose only plus point is that his racial politics spurred the Clash et al onto Rock Against Racism. A nasty cunt in my book. We should get back onto music in the new year when our title push could hit the buffers.
I think I told you last year that I organise a family hybrid sweepstake thing before the FA Cup 3rd round. We did it today and I got the fourth turn out of 5. I ended up drawing some teams I especially hate. Spurs(!), Villa (!!), Brentford, Everton (!!!) and Palace. Ms Kroenkephobe got a better draw than me and picked Arsenal – she’s learning!
I’m stewarding again tomorrow – County are playing the improbably named Barry Town United (having both ‘town’ and ‘united’ in your name just sounds wrong somehow. Hi-Vis jacket and truncheon are at the ready.
“I ended up drawing some teams I especially hate. Spurs(!), Villa (!!), Brentford, Everton (!!!) and Palace. Ms Kroenkephobe got a better draw than me and picked Arsenal – she’s learning!”
You didn’t suspect foul play in the draw? I’d have gone for the tin foil if I were you.
When Knopfler started changing his line ups the songs were more jammed that polished practiced. The Musos in the Basel gig line up had me enthralled for the 2 hours. Jeff Healey on Slide
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-j3-EXejYao
It’s a who’s who line up; one of those special gigs not often repeated with the same line up.
I think you should have empathy for Clapton growing up, thinking his older sister was his mum. When his mum visited he thought she was his older sister.
He did well to come through all that and why he plays guitar. Great docu about him, KP. Losing his son was another huge trauma to come back from.
Forgive Kroenke you’re denying yourself an incredible genius. He won’t be bothered.
He’s a muso if you haven’t realised yet, he was probably off his nut when playing whatever you disliked. lol.
Are we going to end up Grumpy Old Men? lmao
Spurs, Dysche and Villa still laughing out loud. I could picture the raucous as you picked them.
Brilliant, just brilliant KP.
Hi Tony
No foul play with that FA up draw. I fucking organised it myself for my sins! 😊
County won today on only 72 hours rest. So pleased with the way they dug in and won. It’s really strange doing that stewarding malarkey – you feel even more involved than just spectating. They’re possibly on for finishing in the top 6 which gets them closer to Europa league/conference qualification so there could be another summer of games in weird little corners.
End up as grumpy old men? I’m already there mate! If you’ve got some time to kill tomorrow, try and watch the manure v villa game. Very worthwhile classic game of 2 halves with the final result suiting us.
PS – I met a spud fan at County today. Born in 59 he told me. I trotted out my line about him being a true rarity – a supporter who was alive when they last won the title. I think he saw the funny side…
The barcodes have been thoroughly piss since they beat us. Brilliant. Eddie Howe will be fearing for his appendages and worrying about an invite to a Saudi Consulate.
I have a pleasant, albeit stereotypical, view of Dutch people – open-minded, not afraid to get wasted, sexually liberated, happy-go-lucky and generally good people to be around in social situations. Plus they eat chocolate 100s and 1000s in sandwiches (flojjen?) and call each other words like kloetsak which I’m reliably informed means ‘ballbag’.
But Eric Ten Hag? He rather ruins it by being obsessive, very upright and dressing like a provincial accountant. An anti-Dutch man if you will. The guy needs to do his TV interviews wearing an orange mankini, wearing an afro wig and puffing copiously on a schpliffe. Come on geezer lighten up! I know it must be awful being surrounded by soooo many manc gobshites (e.g. Bruno, Antony Garnacho, Onana plus the ghosts of keano and neville) but try taking things a little less seriously for fuck’s sake.
New post!