By Bulldog Drummond
- Liverpool v Arsenal: the battle of the giants of the “in form” tables
- Liverpool v Arsenal: with Tierney in charge we could be in trouble.
- How the referee will influence the result of Liverpool v Arsenal this weekend
- Yet another media game: if Arsenal can’t beat Liverpool, the title is lost
Liverpool’s recent record of matches does not make good reading for them: three defeats (to Bournemouth, Real Madrid, and Manchester City, and a draw with a rather hopeless Chelsea team). But of course they have the excuse that this has been a tough fixture list – and were away games, hence the combine goals total of scored one, conceded six. Back at home it is going to be different we are told.
And yes maybe it will. But Jurgen Klopp must know, because the man is not an idiot, you cannot build a successful team, purely on the back of fanatical home support intimidating referees (see earlier articles above for more details on this). Although, come to think of it…
Indeed Liverpool’s last home game was a 7-0 victory over Manchester United.
So how will Arsenal seek to overcome Liverpool? The answer must be by playing their normal high tempo away style. Indeed what is not being reported anywhere as far as I can see is just how far ahead Arsenal are of even the almighty and god-graced (according to the media) Manchester City, when it comes to away games.
Arsenal have played one fewer game away from home in the league than Manchester City and still have scored the same number of goals (two a game for Arsenal) and conceded fewer (0.6 a game), and have a better goal difference and four points more.
| Team | P | W | D | L | F | A | GD | Pts | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Arsenal | 14 | 11 | 1 | 2 | 28 | 9 | 19 | 34 |
| 2 | Manchester City | 15 | 9 | 3 | 3 | 28 | 13 | 15 | 30 |
| 3 | Newcastle United | 15 | 7 | 6 | 2 | 25 | 12 | 13 | 27 |
So what Arsenal need to do is transform that approach at home into that approach away, and block out the noise and orchestrated intimidation of the Liverpool crowd.
The Mirror predicts today’s Arsenal team will be
Ramsdale;
White, Holding, Gabriel, Zinchenko;
Partey, Xhaka, Odegaard;
Martinelli, Saka,
Jesus
The BBC in common with most commentaries note that “William Saliba and Eddie Nketiah are being monitored, with both nursing back problems”.
Their commentary written by Chris Sutton on how the game might go is interesting: “The way Arsenal are playing, I am expecting them to turn up at Anfield, play with a swagger, and cut right through Liverpool.
“The Gunners have not won there since September 2012, when Mikel Arteta was playing for them, and in the past this might have been a trip they feared. Not any more. Prediction: 1-3”
A very brave prediction given the way that Liverpool use the crowd to manipulate the referee.
Sports Mole also think that Arsenal will get three – winning 2-3 in the end. Their line up is…
Ramsdale;
White, Holding, Gabriel, Zinchenko;
Xhaka, Partey;
Saka, Odegaard, Martinelli;
Jesus
The Evening Standard don’t give us an exact team but do say, “For Arsenal, Mikel Arteta has hinted William Saliba could return. Bukayo Saka and Ben White are fit again.” They predict Arsenal to win 1-2.
90 min expand on the “Saliba to return theme” saying, “Arteta mysteriously revealed that one player could make their return here but declined to mention which of his injured stars that may be. William Saliba, Eddie Nketiah, Takehiro Tomiyasu and Mohamed Elneny are all thought to be out.”
Their line up is
Ramsdale;
White, Holding, Gabriel,
Zinchenko;
Xhaka, Partey;
Saka, Odegaard, Trossard;
Jesus
Flashscore don’t give us a team or a prediction but do say, ” Liverpool haven’t lost a PL game when leading at half-time since December 2016 (W109, D10).”
In fact the internet is full of “Liverpool haven’t lost at home since…” stories, all of which involve enormous time spans, and each of which tends to be different. So just to be clear…. Liverpool have lost at home as regularly as any other team in the upper reaches of the league. Here are the details of their home defeats (just in case anyone suggests that the media stories about them being unbeaten at Anfield since the era of Boadecia, Hereward the Wake, or indeed Athelstan (who is reputed to have played inside let for Wigan, but that story may be apocryphal.
| Date | Match | Res | Score | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Oct 2020 | Liverpool v Arsenal | L | 0-0 (4-5) | League Cup |
| 25 Nov 2020 | Liverpool v Atalanta | L | 0-2 | Champions League |
| 07 Feb 2021 | Liverpool v Manchester City | L | 1-4 | Premier League |
| 20 Feb 2021 | Liverpool v Everton | L | 0-2 | Premier League |
| 4 Mar 2021 | Liverpool v Chelsea | L | 0-1 | Premier League |
| 7 Mar 2021 | Liverpool v Fulham | L | 0-1 | Premier League |
| 8 Mar 2022 | Liverpool v Internazionale | L | 0-1 | Champions League |
| 21 Feb 2023 | Liverpool v Real Madrid | L | 2-5 | Champions League |
It is amazing what concerted propaganda can do to reality.
Both teams had a Tierney playing for them
In the end agood point on a totally sloping pitch. Foul after foul from the Liverpool thugs unpenalised, imaginary ‘phantom fouls’ invented to give the cheats the ball back when necessary.
Tierney is a terrible referee for us, we rarely get points with him in charge.
Well, Arsenal beat the referee, tied the game and lost 2 points….
Another demonstration of PGMOL employees incompetence.
At least we did not lose the game.
8 more to go.
The commentators were all on the Reds side. And kind of : this is it, Arsenal have lost the title….
IMHO, Arteta going defensive may not have been the best coaching decision…but then…it’s his job and he had the info.
Can’t really fault any Arsenal player, they all did their best, but with a Pool referee on the field doing his damndest best to help, I’d say the Young Gunners didi the best they could and they did well.
I hope that our players are OK. Jesus, Saka, Martinelli, Odegaard, were kicked all over the place. Liverpool allowed to kick a player in the head. White booked for nothing, Liverpool not booked for anything.
Commentators talk shite.
All our players did well considering the way the game was weighted against them.
Why are Liverpool players allowed to argue in the face of the match officials, (who are clearly on their side in any case)? Liverpool player “won” the penalty, so it was justice that Salah missed it. That just made the referee more determined to help them.
The whole football / media establishment don’t want Arsenal to win the title and may succeed in preventing them. No matter, I am proud of our team. We are better than Man City, whatever the outcome of the season.
One thing – among others – is proven – as if it had not been before : we have a world classe goalie. Thank God.
Man City have serially breached financial fair play rules. It is scandalous that they have been allowed to exploit loopholes in financial FairPlay rules and buy the best players and coaches for year on year. Winning 3 out of 4 EPLs should have told the the EPL to look closer but they have done the opposite .They should be relegated but instead they will have brought yet another title this year all because they can afford the best lawyers and the media will continue to cheer.
The truth is it’s impossible clubs other than financial fair play cheats to compete.
@ Chris
Seconded! By far the best English goalkeeper, despite the fact that the country is blessed at the moment.
@ Goonerman
City haven’t yet bought another title, although I am obviously concerned they might.
It’s very difficult to logically argue with anything else you suggest. Sadly, it says more about the ineptitude and/or corruption/greed within the English football authorities. Blaming ManCity for what they have done is slightly unfair…….in a decent environment, they would never have been able to buy a single trophy. The gravy train is alive and well and has nothing to do with either football or fair play.
Yet another weekend where the PGMOL make it abundantly clear some of the sides the English footballing establishment favours, and guess what, it isn’t us!
Arsenal haven’t won in the last six matches where Tierney has been the referee. That stat alone is so far out-of-whack with Arsenal’s win-average over the last two seasons to border on the unbelievable. He has awarded three penalties against Arsenal in those six games, and he seems to have an agenda against Rob Holding. Paul Tierney is from the North-West of England.