EPL: Arsenal v Liverpool- 24/08/15, 20:00. [SS1]

[FinnGooner]

Missed the game. Read a few pages of reviews, feel like I understand who played well for us.

How were Liverpool's players? Benteke, Coutinho and Firmino, specifically?

Coutinho was their most dangerous player but disappeared completely in the second half (as did their entire team). Could've scored a couple, though. Benteke missed a sitter but was pretty average otherwise. Firmino was pretty anonymous the whole game and was subbed for Ibe in the second half, who by the way was completely out of his depth in this game.

 

[Taylor Gang Gunners]

City don't play Nasri CM next to Fernandinho, with Toure on the wing and Dzeko up front.

That's why they're brilliant going forward.

LOL Spot on this. The balance of our team makes me chuckle, if you don't laugh you'll go mad really.

 

[Hunta]

How good was Monreal by the way, easilly our best performer since January.

 

[onetowatch]

Anyone see the CM debate in the build up? Gary Neville was spot on. Thierry needs to be braver and say what he feels, he tries too hard not to offend his mates at Arsenal. He blatantly didn't think that a Cazorla-Coquelin midfield partnership isn't good enough to win the PL but couldn't bring himself to say it.

 

[Taylor Gang Gunners]

This wait for a league title is jarring. I turn 22 next year FFS, we haven't won the league since I was 11.

 

[Twiiggy]

Oh the game against Chelsea where Theo got an assist and it's the only time we have EVER beaten Mourinho. It was also our FIRST goal against Chelsea since Theo scored against them in Jan 2013!!!

We have failed to score in 5 of the last 6 home games, the only match we scored was when Theo started and got a hatrick. Wilshere also played.

Giroud got a goal last week and I still consider it a **** performance from him. Walcott was completely invisible at Chelsea, was piss poor done absolutely nothing bar the assist but anyone in his position would have done the same thing.

Now yeah don't get me wrong, against the small teams Walcott will strive at time, most players with pace will with the setup we have. But considering WBA, both teams were playing for nothing so although he had a good performance then, I couldn't make him my starting CF from it.

Against the bigger teams upfront, Walcott is useless, and just for me becomes a nothing player, would be better on the right and don't get me wrong, Giroud isn't the greatest either but he offers more in that position than Walcott does but ultimately we need an improvement if we want to win the league.

 

[Wilshere10]

What is it that makes people say Chambers has such great potential? I would genuinely like to know because I can't see it myself. Don't think he reads the game particularly well, he's slow and doesn't make up for it with positioning, nothing special on the ball. Just screams average to me. And this is not based off just tonight

 

[progman07]

Giroud missed the easiest chance possible, Alexis fluffed a really easy chance as well because he was on his wrong foot. When you realistically should come away from the game with 3 goals, I don't think the formation can be blamed too much. That's not even including a lot of other chances we could have had if we had better players up top.

Would I like to see us go back to a simple 4-2-3-1 or some other common variation that seems to work for every other top team in Europe? Obviously.

But we tried that before and top team just blew past us, where as with our current formation at least we tend to be defensively solid. Though obviously not today because we had the u21 playing cb and rb. And more often than not, we create enough chance to at least score a couple. We just happen to have the worst striker out of the top 6 teams in PL. So it's just harder for us.

Of course we can improve on Giroud, but I don't think that this game has been decided on him fluffing huge chances like against Monaco last season. Even Benzema, Bale and co miss chances from time to time, this would not change with one signing.

I am more worried about the lack of balance in the attacking third - with Ramsey constantly turning up inside we don't have any width. Ramsey can have an individually good game, but our attacking options are really short. We often lack ideas and speed in the final third, which is more a training ground and rotation thing than the lack of quality in the squad.

 

[Coolin]

Sanchez needs to learn to use his left foot more. He's not new to the league anymore so defenders will have wisened up to his tendency to cut across the 18 yard box and lace it.

3 or 4 times he tried to do that against Liverpool and they just marshalled him backwards.

 

[blaze_of_glory]

Not even close ffs. We had more issues than that, but seriously the 12 year olds who do lines at my sunday league would have got that right.

 

[Dennis_Bergkamp_10]

Not even close ffs. We had more issues than that, but seriously the 12 year olds who do lines at my sunday league would have got that right.

Liverpool won four points due to crappy linesmen. Absymal.

 

[juice man]

Coutinho was their most dangerous player but disappeared completely in the second half (as did their entire team). Could've scored a couple, though. Benteke missed a sitter but was pretty average otherwise. Firmino was pretty anonymous the whole game and was subbed for Ibe in the second half, who by the way was completely out of his depth in this game.

Cheers to you and @Dennis_Bergkamp_10

Funny about Ibe, their fans didn't seem to care about Sterlings departure because a lot of them mind ****ed themselves into believing Ibe was the superior footballer.

Firmino has looked pretty poor in the handful of appearances I've seen from him as well.

 

[Rex Stone]

Anyone see the CM debate in the build up? Gary Neville was spot on. Thierry needs to be braver and say what he feels, he tries too hard not to offend his mates at Arsenal. He blatantly didn't think that a Cazorla-Coquelin midfield partnership isn't good enough to win the PL but couldn't bring himself to say it.

Pffft as if Carra and Neville don't do that. Carragher's rant on Sterling last year was one of the most unprofessional things I've ever seen. As for Neville, he's constantly giving passes to Van Gaal, mental gymnastics are Inception level ffs.

 

[dka1]

Not even close ffs. We had more issues than that, but seriously the 12 year olds who do lines at my sunday league would have got that right.

Yes stuff like that is just f*cking annoying, linesmen will constantly miss blatantly offside calls, but then pull the flag for sh*t like this.

And for those who say this wouldn't have changed things....wow ok. Goals change everything, it would've meant liverpool would have had to attack, and we all know what carnage went down the last time they tried to play ball at the emirates

 

[blaze_of_glory]

Liverpool's whole team is abysmal from top to bottom. Martin Skrtel is their best player ffs.

How we managed to conspire within ourselves not to beat them is truly mindboggling.

 

[Rex Stone]

This wait for a league title is jarring. I turn 22 next year FFS, we haven't won the league since I was 11.

I remember choosing the cinema over the 04/05 FA Cup final when I was 13 as I assumed we'd be winning stuff year after year.

When the drought started getting really long I'd genuinely thought I'd jinxed us.

 

[Trilly]

When we are defending games I understand bringing on a full back, we saw it tonight when Liverpool brought on your wee man, they broke cause he was quick and fresh but it also helps he can defend. Gibbs offers us that, great.

When chasing I don't understand why we don't goto 442. Bringing Theo on when there is no space is pointless, keep Giroud on and play Alexis alongside him. Put Theo and the Ox wide for pace, width and goals. Play Ramsey as box to box alongside Coquelin holding. When chasing you need that presence for crosses for putting it into the box and playing.

This isn't a bad idea at all. Unfortunately our manager doesn't really think in ways that mere mortals like us do.

 

[Taylor Gang Gunners]

I remember choosing the cinema over the 04/05 FA Cup final when I was 13 as I assumed we'd be winning stuff year after year.

When the drought started getting really long I'd genuinely thought I'd jinxed us.

Haha, cinema over FA Cup final? That's poor from you lad! Even at 13. We're FA cup kings now though, maybe you missing it was the catalyst.

 

[blaze_of_glory]

Pffft as if Carra and Neville don't do that. Carragher's rant on Sterling last year was one of the most unprofessional things I've ever seen. As for Neville, he's constantly giving passes to Van Gaal, mental gymnastics are Inception level ffs.

Neville's played a brilliant long game tbf. Spent one or two years saying insightful stuff and offering reasonable opinions, just so he could establish a reputation that would overshadow his eventual and long-planned return to Manu U **** riding.

 

[onetowatch]

Pffft as if Carra and Neville don't do that. Carragher's rant on Sterling last year was one of the most unprofessional things I've ever seen. As for Neville, he's constantly giving passes to Van Gaal, mental gymnastics are Inception level ffs.

Not seen Neville not call it as he sees it re: Utd. Van Gaal's record means he deserved the pass he got last season.

As for Carra, the Sterling rant was unprofessional but at least it was what he thought. You don't want pundits to be pussies, tell us what you think!