Arsenal vs Liverpool, 21st December, KO 1600

[Anzac]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_prem/7795398.stm

An analysis of our high defensive line by Lee Dixon.

Good stuff - IMO we rely too much upon our pace to compensate for our positioning. Agree with what he says about movement as a unit - and it's another one of my concerns re the FBs getting forward so much in our system of play = not enough attention to the basics of defence.

 

[tactica442]

In my opinion, because the ball was on Djourou's side, it was mainly Gallas' fault. He was the one positioned wrongly. Strangely Lee doesn't even mention Touré. I think he's key to us playing a high line. He would have caught up with Keane.

I think Gallas should've stayed a bit closer to Djourou and Keane.

As biased as Weber was in this game, the draw is a fair result to me.

 

[kamikaze80]

maybe but at the end of the day keane was djourou's mark, he was in front of him when the ball was played, what was djourou thinking?? still rate him highly and it's a lesson learned. i can put up with him temporarily costing us points because i can see him reaching very high levels as early as the end of this season - and he's earned his place by unseating toure.

on the other hand, denilson, song and diaby have NOT earned their places and i'm not quite sure that giving them all this guaranteed playing time (they can be as **** as they want, what's wenger going to do, start randall??) will be productive.

 

[dutchMasta]

Gallas was playing Keane offside, Djourou played him on. If Djourou had stayed in line, it should've been ok. Doesn't change the fact that our high line was a bad idea, but in that instance, imo, it was Djourou's fault. Either way, I'm not too bothered, they've generally been solid and are still gelling in some ways. With better wingers, hopefully we can bring the best out of Clichy and Sagna and as a defensive unit, we can become even better. One of the few good things imo to come out this season, rather than the disaster of Toure/Gallas, persisted on by Wenger.

 

[marco]

In my opinion, because the ball was on Djourou's side, it was mainly Gallas' fault. He was the one positioned wrongly. Strangely Lee doesn't even mention Touré. I think he's key to us playing a high line. He would have caught up with Keane.

of course it would have to be gallas fault..
toure is a spent force!! if he stays he stays but he is nothing more than a squad player..
if city are stupid enough to pay 10m for him thank you very much and we can go and knock on fulhams door for their big lump of a centre back

 

[banduan]

I can see how Webb sent Ade off.

He gives yellows too easily. Yes, Lucas should have been booked a lot earlier, but we saw plenty of yellows for both sides.

But he's also hesitant on the straight reds- which is what Keane's tackle should have been. We'd have mauled them had that happened.

 

[Anzac]

By the same token Al could have challenged for possession for the ball, and if he'd drawn a foul from Keane that's a 2nd yellow & the same result = LFC down to 10 & we hold a 1-0 lead at half time........