Arsenal vs Liverpool, 21st December, KO 1600

[kamikaze80]

keane wasnt even "played onside". that implies that someone messed up the line. by definition, you can't play the man you're marking onside. if so, you're goalside of him and he shouldn't be able to get behind you. only someone else can play your marker onside. the line was fine, keane was onside the entire time, he just made a well-timed run and djourou was slow to react.

 

[alexter71]

Take Willie out of the back 4 and what have we??Djouru?,Ok but a lot to learn....Silvestre??Unadultrated crap.He's been there,done that with manure and has no hunger or depth for this club.Kolo is now plagued with injuries dos1986 in your opinion willie is a hideous prick?Grow the **** up.

 

[Alfonso]

What a c**t Webb is. I always believed that if we hung on for the last 20 minutes we might nick it because it was the only way we we were going to win with that team (midfield) we put out in the second half when Cesc had to come off.

Which brings me to Liverpool, how f****g s**t were they? Can't even beat an average Arsenal team with 10 men. They couldn't even force Fawlty Manuel into a save. Their goal sums them up HOOOOFFF!!!, luckily for Robbie Keane, he was up against a pub team back four whom can't defend a long ball if their lives depended on it.

I actually thought Liverpool played some decent football in various spells, one being the opening 20 mins where they were the brighter of the two sides and the period between their goal and the time Ade got double yellowed. Dont forget they were missing two key players as well. I think this is the best Liverpool side I have seen in a long time. They are the second best team in the league after Man Utd. If they dont win the title this year they will never win for the forseable future.

 

[General]

Liverpool were almost running themselves to the ground and the last half hour was always going to be crucial. Disappointed for Ade really because I felt he was really up for the game and could've possibly won it in the end.

 

[JGooner]

Webb was a joke, but let's not kid ourselves that we were any good. A few thoughts from the game:

1. Over-powering and slightly nasty atmosphere at the game. There was almost a ruckus between two sets of our own fans behind me, and this is Club Level! I said after the Eboue incident that general grievances about the club's lack of success are increasingly being expressed in specific form whenever something goes wrong, such as a player playing badly or decisions going against us. Song almost got an Eboue-style booing after some misplaced passes today. There will be another big booing incident before the season is up, perhaps even directed at Wenger.

2. As well as being increasingly error-prone in defence, Clichy is the worst crosser of a ball I've ever seen at Arsenal. He spoons them high and slow every single time. Being a nice guy doesn't make you a top player, in the same way being a c**t doesn't diminish the reality that Ashley Cole was better defensively and offensively than Clichy.

3. Anyone who is still looking forward to Gallas leaving cannot be taken seriously. He proved again today that he is the best pure defender we have. You're pinning your hopes on Djourou, who has had half a decent season in his Arsenal career and was exposed today for Keane's goal.

4. Diaby has the mental age of the mascot who was firing shots at Almunia during the warm-up. As well as holding on to the ball like some kind of over-grown playground show-off, he has developed a new habit of blasting his 'passes' at his teammates' mid-section to make it as hard as possible to control. Clever boy. Wenger said last week that he doesn't have the tactical sense to play in the middle, and we know for sure that he can't play wide. Get rid.

5. Liverpool won't be winning the league. You have to watch them in person to comprehend how average the bulk of their squad is, and how limited their on-pitch ambitions are. Carragher is a carthorse who relies on shirt-pulling and general under-handedness to make up for the fact that he is actually not technically a very good defender. Henry used to expose him routinely, and I suspect a canny striker like Berbatov will do it this season when they go to OT.

 

[Anzac]

Webb was a joke, but let's not kid ourselves that we were any good. A few thoughts from the game:

1. Over-powering and slightly nasty atmosphere at the game. There was almost a ruckus between two sets of our own fans behind me, and this is Club Level! I said after the Eboue incident that general grievances about the club's lack of success are increasingly being expressed in specific form whenever something goes wrong, such as a player playing badly or decisions going against us. Song almost got an Eboue-style booing after some misplaced passes today. There will be another big booing incident before the season is up, perhaps even directed at Wenger.

2. As well as being increasingly error-prone in defence, Clichy is the worst crosser of a ball I've ever seen at Arsenal. He spoons them high and slow every single time. Being a nice guy doesn't make you a top player, in the same way being a c**t doesn't diminish the reality that Ashley Cole was better defensively and offensively than Clichy.

3. Anyone who is still looking forward to Gallas leaving cannot be taken seriously. He proved again today that he is the best pure defender we have. You're pinning your hopes on Djourou, who has had half a decent season in his Arsenal career and was exposed today for Keane's goal.

4. Diaby has the mental age of the mascot who was firing shots at Almunia during the warm-up. As well as holding on to the ball like some kind of over-grown playground show-off, he has developed a new habit of blasting his 'passes' at his teammates' mid-section to make it as hard as possible to control. Clever boy. Wenger said last week that he doesn't have the tactical sense to play in the middle, and we know for sure that he can't play wide. Get rid.

5. Liverpool won't be winning the league. You have to watch them in person to comprehend how average the bulk of their squad is, and how limited their on-pitch ambitions are. Carragher is a carthorse who relies on shirt-pulling and general under-handedness to make up for the fact that he is actually not technically a very good defender. Henry used to expose him routinely, and I suspect a canny striker like Berbatov will do it this season when they go to OT.

Good call on all the above.
Hadn't heard that from AW before re Diaby - I guess that means that Jack The Lad will take over from him in 'the hole' role sooner rather than later.

 

[JGooner]

He said it during the webchat he did last week. You can find the full transcript on gunnerblog.com

 

[AnthonyG]

Thought it was a poor performance by ourselves and the fact that Liverpool did their best to be just as bad helped. The 2nd half was just painful though, without Fabregas we looked so average it was embarrassing.

The spirit and fight we showed across the park, especially in the second half, made me proud.

 

[thegame24]

He said it during the webchat he did last week. You can find the full transcript on gunnerblog.com

wow, if he really did say that then wtf does he still have diaby in the squad? is he a winger??

 

[Anzac]

He said it during the webchat he did last week. You can find the full transcript on gunnerblog.com

wow, if he really did say that then wtf does he still have diaby in the squad? is he a winger??

Nah - Eboue's our defensive cover & Diaby's our offensive midfield cover :wink:

 

[AFCFan4Ever]

Webb was atrocious...how he sent Adebayor off I'll never know. Neither foul was a yellow card, and how does he let Lucas commit 4,582 fouls before booking him I'll never know.

It was an absolute ****ing joke.

Worried about Cesc's injury...another stupid and pointless sub from Wenger to bring on Diaby. He should've just brought on Ramsey in a straight swap.

Also don't know why he just didn't go for it at the end and bring on Vela, Wilshere, etc. We NEEDED 3 pts., 1 pt. does **** all for us...needed to go for the win.

Just hope he opens up the checkbook in a couple of weeks...sadly I don't see it.

 

[AFCFan4Ever]

Webb was atrocious...how he sent Adebayor off I'll never know. Neither foul was a yellow card, and how does he let Lucas commit 4,582 fouls before booking him I'll never know.

It was an absolute f****g joke.

Worried about Cesc's injury...another stupid and pointless sub from Wenger to bring on Diaby. He should've just brought on Ramsey in a straight swap.

Also don't know why he just didn't go for it at the end and bring on Vela, Wilshere, etc. We NEEDED 3 pts., 1 pt. does f**k all for us...needed to go for the win.

Keane's goal was nice but never should've happened...absolutely shambolic defending. Pool had been hoofing the direct ball to Keane up until that point, Djourou should've known it was coming and done better.

Just hope he opens up the checkbook in a couple of weeks...sadly I don't see it.

 

[lee1001]

I hate Liverpool games with a passion.

Really proud of the team today. They gave everything, you can't ask them to do more than that.

 

[Mbaki Mutahaba]

The ridiculous high line we deploy defensively has cost us again. A stupid goal to concede today. Villa exploited that to excellent effect against us and so do many other teams. Whenever we've sat back, we've looked comfortable. United, Chelsea and Liverpool(after Adebayor's dismissal) couldn't create anything when we've played with a disciplined line in defence. Wenger's got to change his tactics against Villa on Boxing Day.

We have always played the high line..the difference is our GOALIE. That fool never comes out. Our last man is halfway on the field and he is still in his 6. Lehman would have easily gone for that ball..and with the way we play..thats wat the goalie should be doing. I kept tellin my buddy yesterday that this boy needs to come out more for those balls..and ..its my biggest issue with Almunia. Second half you could see him comin out much more..and stayin a bit on top. You just have to because our d..cant keep doing the chasing game. while he jus stands there watchin the action. I have seen Gallas/Clichy/Sagna/Toure..all giving him an eye...cos they had to run 30m back with a striker on their toes to clear the ball when Almunia could have had that ball. This is not abt yesterday only.

 

[marco]

THE booing everytime liverpool touched the ball was fantastic.

webb is a grade a ****.
he has a wondeful illustrous history of bookign/sending off black plaeyrs and it continues let alone how he screwed over nigeria in the under 21 championship last summer.

we were very good for the first 42 minutes then we concede a sloppy goal and thats it we go to pot!
in theory not out of it but unless we buy a new midfielder in january and new goalkeeper we are screwed..

diaby is the most frustrating player i can remember as well..

cant see anyone but man utd winning the league though.. having seen all 3 big teams play upto now.

 

[Feet]

<a class="postlink" href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_prem/7795398.stm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/footbal ... 795398.stm</a>

An analysis of our high defensive line by Lee Dixon.

 

[clockwork orange]

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 Toure. I think he's key to us playing a high line. He would have caught up with Keane.

 

[Clrnc]

Tbh, both weren't at fault. Keane took it first time, hence the distance of chasing wasn't quite alot for our defenders.

Gallas caught up with him in the end, but Keane took the chance too quickly

 

[patrick42uk]

The number of goals Robin is scoring on his right side is impressive. Thats always been one of his better qualities; the ability to identify and improve upon weaknesses. I'm one of his harshest critics because I feel he doesnt do enough outside of scoring but he's been decisive recently so hats off to him. Hopefully he stays fit till the end of the season.

 

[McIntyre]

If only someone could work out the stats because he's probably got a better goals to shots conversion rate with his right foot this season than with his left. Weird how things work sometimes.

I'm sure he's worked on his right foot, but it's also a confidence thing. He used to be so useless with his right and a few times he humiliated himself with some diabolical airshots attempting a shot on his right. Right now though he's perfectly happy to use his right since everything he hits with it seems to go in.

I just hope that his confidence in his right doesn't disappear if he skies a couple of efforts like he used to.