We are visiting Anfield today. One of the most important games of the season, clash of the No #1 and No #2, and two teams fighting for 90 minutes to sing ‘I am better than you’ at the end of day. Quality wise, we are on par with them. It will all come down to the players and their passion to beat the best team in Premier League and the manager to devise a strategy to neutralise the Mo Salah threat while breaking that defence to score some goals. Trent is gone so that’s a relief, we always hated his long balls to Salah.
We haven’t won at Anfield since 2012. In recent years, we have proved to be a match to them sharing points in our last 6 encounters. Today is the day to reset both these numbers.
Their new striker, Ekitike, had a wonderful start in Liverpool color. He has scored 2 and assisted 1 in his first 2 games. We have got our own fighter up top in Gyokeres, who scored 2 against Leeds after a sus first game. It’s the battle of the Forwards primarily and we will see who is the geezer of two.
Then, they have one of the best CB of recent Premier League era and we have got one for the present and future. VVD has enjoyed his fair share of praises, but Saliba has taken over. They have the best player on the planet in Mo Salah which we don’t have answer to as Saka is injured but we as a team have better chemistry, better defence and a better midfield to counter that advantage.
Team News
We needed everyone for one of the biggest games of the season, but unfortunately we are without 2 of our main team players. Saka is out injured for about a month and Odegaard for probably a couple more weeks.
Smart teams anticipate such kind of scenarios and cover it in advance. Last season, Saka and Ode injuries would have meant we go into the game with Nwaneri on the wings and no idea who as the sole playmaker in the midfield. Today, we have options. Madueke is a premier league player, played in the Chelsea team against the likes of City and Liverpool and he knows what it takes to play in such a game. Eze, another premier league ready transfer, can cover the Odegaard’s position, without any drop in quality. We overpaid for both of them, but at least we have the confidence in both these signings to continue what Saka and Odegaard does.
Saka is a big game player and it’s impossible in current football world to replace him with a similar player. There would be some drop of quality on the right wing but it won’t lose us the game. Same for Eze.
Arteta will most likely stick to his back 4 of Timber, Saliba, Gabriel and Calafiori. The Italian will have a massive job today to handle Mo Salah who has a great start of the season with a goal and assist in previous 2 games. If he fails, we have MLS on the bench who can do that.
In the midfield, we would see one Eze coming in for Odegaard. Rice and Zubimendi will keep their place. I am not sure if Arteta will ever try one of Zubimendi or Rice in the middle with both Odegaard and Eze on either side, but if he does, it won’t be today.
Front 3 will be interesting. Madueke on the right means Martinelli will keep his place at the left and Gyokeres will start in the middle. Martinelli is menace for defenders with his pace and he is a big game player. For me, he starts today and he will end up benching Madueke once Saka is back.
Don’t be shocked if …
On the referee part, we are not in luck. Chris Kavanagh would be officiating the game, the last time he did that in an Arsenal game was against Chelsea in March. He ignored the Cucurella handball in the penalty box and totally missed to see Fofana stomping on Declan Rice. This is the same lad who red carded Declan Rice against Brighton for kicking the ball away where in fact he didn’t kick it while missing the leg kick only a fraction of second before, also totally ignoring Joao Pedro kicking the ball away a few minutes later. I am not really conspiracy theorist but lets just say he was born in Manchester and as far as I know, those cunts don’t really like us.
Wrapping Up
I think we will make it today and break the Anfield curse. 2-1 to boys with Martinelli scoring one in a counter and Gyokeres proving his worth and letting the world know he has arrived. It’s not going to be an easy game at all but lets see how much we can keep our focus on, not let Salah break free and keep our heads in the game. It’s too early in the season to make 1 single game important for the title, but having earning all 3 points against a top 4 teams given you the luxury to not think about a draw later in the season against a bottom half team – like Manchester United.
We have some big games coming up after this, so a loss could derail the confidence. Hopefully the new signing in Eze was able to get in the mix comfortably and Madueke does 9/10 of Saka on that right side.
Also, please don’t laugh about Tottenham, they lost to a mighty Bournemouth at home with 1 shots on target to theirs 6. Thomas Franc is a great manager, but so were Mourinho and Conte, you can’t coach the Spuds to play football, can you?
See you during the game.
Rice just jogging
you’ve simply got to beat Pool when Salah is so poor with his first touches…we need to take advantage of Gomez being on the pitch
Looks like Slit has found his TAA replacement
They showing multiple camera replays. Zboslai was absolutely sure where that free kick was going
Dowman to save us for our brightest player taken off. How so MA with subs same shit different day
Marc—both Chelsea and ourselves can seriously push this particular Pool side, as it’s presently constructed, unless Salah has another dream season like last year, which I don’t see happening…of course injuries and the fact that both Enzo and MA are too conservative will play a role
I will say that MA’s far less animated this season, which is nice to see, unless you think it has something to do with him getting long-term assurances about his job security
TRVL
We’ll be there or thereabouts but as always with Arteta when it comes down to that big moment he’ll bottle it.
I think MA is devaluing Rice asking him to play box to box and a kind of 8.
I’ve noticed he looks gassed around 70 minute since late last season
TRVL
Could MA be on Xanax? He has the look
the fact that Eze came on as a replacement for Marts is a bit disconcerting…fucking shoehorning fucktard…he needs to be playing more centrally, much like Noni needs to be on the left…let’s remember the former concern regarding. Eze speaks directly to the whole Rice and Havertz positional debacle
Even with another huge amount of money spent, even with lots of attacking players Arteta shits himself and goes negative.
Watch the cunt come out and say we were the better team.
Marc—couldn’t agree more…death, taxes and MA bottling things
TRVL
Are you genuinely surprised?
Eze will be our first choice left forward / left winger.
And there it is. Normal service resumed by MA who still is programming us to play his way.
Our specialist in failure
Bet LG is in meltdown bless them!
A Merseyside mugging.
Tony—they likely just removed all the mirrors from his house…that’s what I like to call human science, not the pharma-based variety
Marc—not so simple once Saka returns…remember that he’s offered assurances to both Tross and Noni, unlike Eze who was dumb enough to give all the leverage to someone you can never trust, MA
lol KP
So:
Terrible against ManU and lucky to win.
Poor in the first half against a shit Leeds team who then imploded.
At best tepid against Liverpool and never looked like winning.
How much have we spent this summer?
How much has Arteta spent during his tenure?
A billion £ squad and still nowhere near good enough.