By Bulldog Drummond
- Arsenal v Liverpool: all the form of late points to a draw
- Arsenal v Liverpool: This is Arsenal’s best position since 2014.
- Chelsea score yet another own goal, and the tackles / fouls / yellow ratio with Liverpool
- Arsenal v Liverpool. Recent results, and interesting stats for the ref
According to various media reports Mo Salah got a foot injury playing Brighton while Konstantinos Tsimikas and James Milner are both ill.
And a few websites are starting to realise just how much Alex Lacazette is doing for the club, being involved in 10 goals in 11 League games, scoring three and setting up seven. Not a bad record.
Elsewhere the negative news for once is all about other teams, like Harry Kane saying he wanted to play Champions League football while perhaps noting that Tottenham are currently 8th in the table. Even if they won their two games in hand over the clubs immediately above them, they still wouldn’t overtake Arsenal in fourth.
And there is Chelsea who seem to have sacked their entire PR department just when they really, really needed them. And then there is Manchester United who seem to be looking both for a new manager and a new stadium. (The Telegraph calls them a club that makes it up as they go along).
Mind you the Telegraph also has the story that “Arsenal’s ‘talent of the century’ Gabriel Martinelli would fit right in for Jurgen Klopp”. The implication is that because Klopp likes Martinelli, Martinelli is going to Liverpool!
And there is a bit of mischief up north apparently as “Middlesbrough selling away tickets for Chelsea FA Cup game to their own fans”
Anyway, all we have left to do before setting out on the trek south is to consider the possiblities of the teams.
As a result of the lack of injuries and the success on the pitch there’s a general agreement over the team. The Independent for example suggests
Ramsdale,
Soares, White, Gabriel, Tierney,
Partey, Xhaka,
Saka, Odegaard, Martinelli,
Lacazette
The Hard Tackle have the one other option that is around
Ramsdale,
Soares, White, Gabriel, Tierney,
Partey, Xhaka,
Saka, Odegaard, Smith Rowe
Lacazette
Sports Mole go with the Independent option and then rub the salt in by suggesting Liverpool will win 1-2. There really aren’t any other options around.
And because there isn’t really any other team news, let’s finish by turning back to the last 10 games table highlighting home and away. On the basis of this it is going to be very tight indeed.
| H | O | M | E | A | W | A | Y | ||||||||||
| Pos | Team | P | W | D | L | F | A | W | D | L | F | A | GD | Pts | |||
| 1 | Liverpool | 10 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 15 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 8 | 4 | 18 | 25 | |||
| 2 | Arsenal | 10 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 9 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 13 | 3 | 15 | 25 | |||
| 3 | Manchester City | 10 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 9 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 9 | 2 | 12 | 23 | |||
| 4 | Chelsea | 10 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 12 | 4 | 11 | 21 | |||
| 5 | Newcastle United | 10 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 8 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 3 | 7 | 21 | |||
| 6 | Manchester Utd | 10 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 7 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 11 | 10 | 5 | 19 | |||
| 7 | Wolverhampton | 10 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 9 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 6 | 4 | 6 | 18 | |||
| 8 | West Ham United | 10 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 9 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 6 | 3 | 17 | |||
| 9 | Tottenham Hots | 10 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 7 | 5 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 13 | 10 | 5 | 15 | |||
| 10 | Aston Villa | 10 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 9 | 6 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 8 | 5 | 6 | 14 |
Was reading earlier that the last time we faced up as the 2 in-form teams in the league (LFC were 2nd, and us 4th too) it ended up as the infamous 4-4. One of Arshavin’s most memorable performances.
If tonight’s game is anything like that enjoyable, I’ll go to bed happy!
Me too Philly
At the bookies you can get even money on Salah getting a penalty for a blatant dive and even money on Mane elbowing one of our players and not getting booked for it.
Only joking just in case you are about to shoot down the betting shop but what’s that old saying… ‘many a true word spoken in jest’.
Mane usually does it in the first few minutes, when referees are less likely to issue a card. It happens too regularly to be an accident.
not exactly bonfire night, but at least our young bunch has grown up, and don’t look like they’ll be bullied any longer
COYG
On german TV, the talk is how at each loss of the ball, 3 to 5 seconds are enough for all Arsenal players to be already defensively positionned and that the level of defending is impressive.
And that Arsenal have had the 125th corner against them in a row with no goal conceded.
Funny to hear the defensive capabilities or Arsenal lauded…. !
Mane should have been booked for a blatant dive. Klopp angrily berating the fourth official for god knows what. He is the new Fergie, allowed to behave how he wants and abuse the fourth official with no repercussions.
Those moans apart, an excellent game, our boys are giving a good account of themselves and Martinelli is just fantastic.
Jammg goals
0-2
30 minutes left – coaching time
ramsdale
soares-white-tierney-saka
partey-xhaka
pépé-smithrowe-martinelli
lacazette
???
A good performance despite the result. Ramsdale can be forgiven a mistake, the team as a whole played well and deserved to be ahead
Liverpool defence were solid throughout, as was ours, except for the fateful 10 minute period. Their experience proved decisive in the end.
I agree that Mane should have been booked for diving. Good that we played our way back into the game towards the end. Martinelli outstanding, also Tierney, Xhaka, Party and centre-backs good. Cedric OK.
The lads are way ahead of what could have been anticipated. Playing as a team. Now one game at a time.
Some words have to be said about Martinelli. Stunning. Maybe his best performance, against a Liverpool team who had to win, who had to defend. Now to the next stage, co-attackers anticipating his speed and being there.
Terrific match. Each side won a half but LFC put the ball in the net. These kids can play with them but aren’t there yet. So easy to cheer for. They all work hard and fight to the end. Great to hear the stadium cheering and chanting for the team as the whistle blew. And for quite some time after I should add. After a loss!
The usual suspects will find a way to criticise Arsenal but I don’t read, listen or watch what they’re spouting.* Irrelevant. This is a really entertaining, positive season. They’ll very likely be in the European places. Why waste my time with ginned up negativity?
*Of course I see bits & pieces before and after matches and see headlines, it’s hard not to. But very little of the media warrant our attention.
Missed the match because of work committments. Great to hear your positive comments about our performance. I didn’t bother to read what other people have to say.
My observations , we defended well , had 2 or 3 moments when we got to the bye line but couldn’t find a player and Allison pulling of a reactionary save from MO . Once they scored they controlled the game really well but we still a had few good moments .
Martinelli grew up in this game AT Arnold was run ragged and had to curb the attacking side of his game because of GM , also along with Saka had to contend with being doubled up against all game .
This Arsenal team is in it’s infancy and will challenge big time soon
They scored, we didn’t. That was the only difference on the day. But we are getting closer on the level of the top 2 teams.