It has been a three horse title race so far. Liverpool sits at the top with 51 points, keeping a 5 point lead against both Man City and Arsenal. City has played a game less than us, and sits at 2nd position. An Arsenal v Liverpool game at this stage is going to be very crucial for both the teams (and City) and will decide whether all 3 teams will be in the mix or it becomes a Pep v Klopp for one last time in Premier League.
Klopp has already put down his papers and will be leaving at the end of the season which makes things very difficult for everyone else. Pep is a serial winner, a master tactician, is always ahead of his peers and commands his players’ respect. Klopp, on the other hand, EARNS it. Pep had fall outs, a lot of them – Aguero, Jesus, Cancelo, Yaya Toure and some pre-City ones like Zlatan, and Samuel Eto’o. Klopp on the other hand, maintains good relations with his players, groom them and manages them well. I don’t think anyone in Liverpool squad has anything bad to say against him. The reason I am highlighting this, is because, his resignation announcement will give that extra motivation to the players. Salah must be thinking about a farewell trophy, so does VVD, Jota, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Alisson and others. It will work in favor of Klopp!
When Sadio Mane was at Liverpool, he praised Jurgen’s influence on the team and pointed out he is like a father figure the players in the dressing room. That’s something to say when things changes in a day in football.
Mikel Arteta has to not only beat Klopp tactically but also nullify the extra motivation they would be carrying to Emirates. In the team news, Gabriel Jesus is back with the team but it’s most likely the end of Thomas Partey at Arsenal. Seems like he has picked up another injury (?) which club waited for the transfer window to be over to confirm. I have no idea why but lets move on.
It going to be the usual I guess but I would love to see more of Martinelli in the center and if you are playing Jesus, let him switch often with Marti. At this point, everyone knows GM and LT are more dangerous in front of the goal than Jesus or Eddie. We saw ESR play the LCM role, he did okay but again, it’s not his favorite position. He should rotate with Odegaard.
And since it’s a home game, where it would be more about passion and life than the tactics, stick to Ramsdale. Tell him to be his natural self, after all there is not much difference between Raya and him. Sorry, I was excited about Raya initially but it has died down. Mikel style of play will always have errors in goal keeping and both Raya and Ramsdale are about the same in shot stopping and ball distributions.
A win for Arsenal would mean we remain in the mix. A loss would make it a Pep v Klopp. Mikel’s 4 years of work with players he has spent north of half a billion against a team that is fighting for one more time – is going to decide the fate of our manager.
Short one today, hope the weekend started on a positive note and we finish it even better. See you tomorrow during the game.
1:1 and we should be 3:0 with Pool not clicking at all. Ramsdale smothers that ball for Saliba’s schoolboy defending when the ball should have gone to row z
Just saw your Ramsdale comment TRVL. I don’t see Raya as better than Ramsdale either.
the other day we sent a plethora of nonsensical crosses into the box with Jesus starting, yet with Havertz playing we haven’t opted for a single one…we all know that Pool will be sending help into the wider spaces at both Marts and Saka, so why not play the percentages on occasion…Arteta is such a blunt instrument when it comes to making tactical adjustments
Agree with RVL
Saliba opened his body after dispossessing Luis Dias ,so was a hint to Taya to get off his barse and pounce to collect.
On the other hand was a bit lazy of Saliba who could have hoofed it like lesser defenders. Guess Arteta is going to lay it on Saliva in the dressing room. If so accept a disheartening and collapse
either Zinchenko picked up a knock or MA is already going into full defensive mode, as he rarely changes personnel at half
White always loves to give you your favoured foot
Expect Darwin Nunez Tonto to come in at 60 minutes to give mad speed towards the end. Luis Dias is more of a rolling stone.
Tweak is for direct shots at the goal
Errr lads… You know the 2nd half has actually started right?
what Arteta needs is someone just as animated as him, pacing and yelling behind him when he gets it wrong…now that would be quite a humourous scene
Hoopah-I expressed my concerns about Nunez being unleashed earlier…just hoping that he’s not fit enough to cause us too many problems
Arteta is angling for a card holding the ball instead of placing at touchline
Klopp going nuclear with subs. What will Arteta do?
Will there be a red soon?
OMG we’re still getting carved up even with 11 men behind the ball
Tony-there could be a red coming, especially after Konate and Gabs totally unnecessary yellows…neither needed to be so reckless, even though players on both sides were a little floppy
Tackling Havertz is just like one could do with a praying mantis. Jut get his legs to go and knot up
Marc called it pre game Pool meltdown
Reminded me of that goal we shipped against Birmingham in the Carabao final all those tears ago. Chez and Kos if memory serve me right.
CMON ARSENAL!
Elementary mistake by Allison Becker. Such bouncing balls should be caught because bounce is unpredictable
Hoopah-he couldn’t catch it because he was out of the box…rare when both of those particular players shit the bed on the same play…maybe there was a little backspin on the ball…regardless that was Christmas and your birthday all wrapped up into one glorious gift
we’ll likely go into full shell mode now, which could be problematic with so much time left on the clock
not sure this sub makes sense, as Marts is the most likely to put us up by two
not to mention, Tross is absolute shit in our final third and he doesn’t have the pace required to counter effectively
Add fake watch tapping to the 3 million irritating traits of Tets
going back to the whole Havertz possible penalty call…he’s so awkward that I think he tried to go down as soon as he felt that contact was coming but he cocked things up on his first attempt, which led to the bambi on skates legs entwined gig
this is when it’s nice to know that Salah isn’t available…Klopp’s plan, when he made those 3 subs, had nothing to do with playing slow build-up half-court football
even Elliot is too strong for Ode, WTF
we would be the highest scoring team ever if Keepers didn’t exist LOL
there’s the red we’ve been waiting for…Havertz has found his calling, disgraceful animated flopping
how Gabs didn’t get his second yellow on that, considering Konate’s second yellow, will be a bone of contention in the pressers
good on Tross to put the match away, but I could do without the Arteta histrionics
Allison menstruating today ?
3-1 Arsenal . We getting the 3 points.
Without Saka Man City should be grateful
Liverpool doens’t have a good midfield. Taking off Gapko was a mistake
certainly nothing to write home about, but a crucial 3 points nonetheless, especially now that the window has closed
there will be those who will lavish both Arteta and Havertz with praise, which will be difficult to digest considering what was truly on offer
The only thing that spoiled it for me was Tets’s celebration for the third. Terrific win!
Even with the gifted goal we deserved the win now we need to carry that form to May.
not a single good goal scored, as even our 3rd was a deflection, so I’m just pleased that we were the fortunate ones on the day
considering our record against Klopp, beggars can’t be choosers, so any win is a good win
https://youtu.be/nte2DRQi9kc?si=ddycnQfklu6BN2dy
The second Brum goal. The memory finally exorcised today thanks to Allison and VVD.
Can I be the one to say. ..if only we’d beaten villa, whu and motherfucking Fulham. Little Jorge deserved the potm today.
What a strange match. Liverpool really weren’t at the races, complete opposite to what I expected and I can’t remember ever seeing a match that had 3 such massive keeper cockup’s.
As Kroenke says above that crazy thing is we beat Man City at home, we beat ManU at home and now we beat Liverpool at home only to fuck up in matches we should be winning.
Agree with you all and we should be able to say that was a title winning game with the bounce we should take from the win.
Then we get the dare to believe, and we start to dare only for the inevitable unfathomable dropping points at the wrong time that eliminates us from winning the PL once and for all.
It’s ok we bested City and Pool the fanboys will bluster.