Liverpool v Arshavin Match Ratings

[Kraig]

bendtner has never beena good choicfe for a lone striker. hes always worked better with someone to play along. alot like van persie in that matter.

 

[General]

Problem with Bendtner is he's link up play is terrible as a lone striker. He just embarks on a blind alley run the moment he receives the ball and it's annoying. I remember the Villa game at home and the countless attacks he killed due to his sheer stupidity. You see him surrounded by 3 or 4 players yet he still ridiculously attempts to play through them. Ade is significantly better at bringing others into play. Bendtner can also be incredibly selfish at times. He's obviously still learning but needs to start embracing he basics of the game before the complicated stuff.

 

[qs]

I think Qs, that because Bendtner is simply not good enough, and because you start with that negative viewpoint, everything they do poorly you pick up on, and remember it. That's what happens to me as far as Niklas Bendtner is concerned Anyway. He was poor last night, his link play was dreadful. Didn't have much service though.

I had loads of time for Bendtner before though, I've always wanted him to do well. I even started threads about it before when others were giving him stick. But like I can change my mind on guys like Almunia and Song when they show something to make me believe in them Bendtners also worn away at the faith I had in him.

 

[Zico]

I'd like to think that this man QS is one of the most balanced writers on this forum. If I want to know how players performed in a game that I didn't watch or complete, QS's ratings are the first ones I look for.

 

[Biggus]

Not sure where Fabianski gets so good marks.

Because he did very well with basically no defence worth mentioning.

"Songs good now, so he wasn't bad then." typical AM revisionism.

Agreed, lets not forget that Song was lazy and sh!t earlier in the season, I thought so and said so too, my opinion wasn't wrong then. But he is much improved now that is obvious and so we should say so. I can't understand people who just because they love a player refuse to admit they had a shocker, or conversely if a player they hate has a good game they refuse to admit it.
Why are some people handcuffed to the "this player is good- that player is sh!t" concept? every player is only as good as his last game.

 

[regele]

You might to go back and see what an awful lot of Song 'fans' were saying about him earlier this season Regele.

Let me put it this way: Do you think Song has only been good for the last two months and awful the rest of the season? I don't think he was as good from the get go as he is now, but IMO he turned the corner earlier, he had the occasional clanger but he was still decent at least.

 

[asajoseph]

I don't think Bendtner was great, but I really don't think this lone-striker position is a role that's really going to get anything out of him. He's a victim more of Wenger's chicken-s**t formations than anything else, that don't always seem to suit the players we have.

Of course the lone striker role doesn't suit Bendtner and he is better with a partner but he's still not good enough. He doesn't have the feet for an Arsenal striker.

I don't think he's 'good enough' as a lone striker, but the way we play 4-5-1, I don't think we have anyone who's really that effective in that formation.

Bendy's had a few good games for us this season, but all of them have come in matches where he's dropped deep - either because he's had a partner to play with, or dropped back into midfield (where I think he does a pretty good job).

 

[GaelForce22]

ers

We played really well first half mate and got undone by an individual error

Kuyt was one of our best players

Insua or Aurelio? blimey....there are cases for the both of them but Aurelio has been oustanding this season, and i think we are talking after the event

I dont think Rafa deserves a 1

Yeah, you completely dominated us. If it wasn't for the brilliance of Arshavin and a few mistakes from Agger/Arbeloa the score would have showed that. Don't think Rafa got anything wrong.

 

[AnthonyG]

You might to go back and see what an awful lot of Song 'fans' were saying about him earlier this season Regele.

Let me put it this way: Do you think Song has only been good for the last two months and awful the rest of the season? I don't think he was as good from the get go as he is now, but IMO he turned the corner earlier, he had the occasional clanger but he was still decent at least.

He had a very disruptive start to the season and looked unfit, disinterested, and out-of-sorts. He's playing well enough now, which is fine by me as I'd hoped he'd come on this season. I'll put it this way, he was so roundly criticised that some of his biggest backers abandoned him, one notably so.

Be that as it may, the current glowing reviews have swung things a bit too far in the opposite direction and appear to be funded in part by the Denilson-Out consortium, a player who, despite doing well for parts of the season, has received little more than cliched derision and spite for the shift he's put in.

In my opinion neither Denilson or Song have staked a real claim in the midfield, though Song certainly appears more suitable in the current set-up (whatever that is with regards to Cesc). It's been a far from ideal scenario, but both Denilson and Song will benefit from this season and be good squad players going forward as I'm still in favour of bringing in a seasoned pro to occupy the spot next to Cesc.

 

[Asmo]

"Be that as it may, the current glowing reviews have swung things a bit too far in the opposite direction and appear to be funded in part by the Denilson-Out consortium, a player who, despite doing well for parts of the season, has received little more than cliched derision and spite for the shift he's put in."

Couldn't agree more. Two poor games and the derision is completely over the top.

Such a shame Diaby seems unable to grab an extended run like the other two, as he's more naturally talented than both in my opinion.

 

[Gurgen]

Fair point about bringing off the aerial target, but making defensive substitutions when leading is hardly outlandish?

It's hardly defensive when Diaby is jogging back, taking his sweet time, while Liverpool are bombing our box with crosses.

 

[Asmo]

Which other defensive player does he bring on? And where was everybody else?

 

[irishgunnerz]

Not sure where Fabianski gets so good marks.

Because he did very well with basically no defence worth mentioning.

Agree in that the defence was most certainly shocking. But take Torres 2nd goal for example - yes Silvestre was shockingly poor for it but Fabianski got a strong hand to it. It wasnt well placed and was very savable. In the first half he came ou to punch twice and mistimed. These arent the defence's fault Biggus. I'd give the guy higher marks than the dross in front of him, but some people were giving him and 8 or 9...that was far too high in fairness.

And I'd agree with QS on Nik. His link up play was poor, his first touch was abysmal (while he did take his chance well and was unlucky to have it chalked off). Nik couldnt have planned the season better if he wanted the opportunity to stake a place in the side. Ade and Eduardo missing for a huge chunk of the season. RVP being out..all these game him a hell of alot of game time...but has he really grabbed his chance? I'd say no. He just doesnt offer enough. He'll be a good player, but just not as a starting striker for us I think

 

[Lukazan]

Fabianski 5.5

Sagna 4
Touré 5
Silvestre 1
Gibbs 4

Nasri 6
Denilson 3
Song 7
Fabregas 4
Arshavin 10

Bendtner 4

Walcott 7

 

[Clrnc]

Not sure where Fabianski gets so good marks.

Because he did very well with basically no defence worth mentioning.

Agree in that the defence was most certainly shocking. But take Torres 2nd goal for example - yes Silvestre was shockingly poor for it but Fabianski got a strong hand to it. It wasnt well placed and was very savable. In the first half he came ou to punch twice and mistimed. These arent the defence's fault Biggus. I'd give the guy higher marks than the dross in front of him, but some people were giving him and 8 or 9...that was far too high in fairness.

And I'd agree with QS on Nik. His link up play was poor, his first touch was abysmal (while he did take his chance well and was unlucky to have it chalked off). Nik couldnt have planned the season better if he wanted the opportunity to stake a place in the side. Ade and Eduardo missing for a huge chunk of the season. RVP being out..all these game him a hell of alot of game time...but has he really grabbed his chance? I'd say no. He just doesnt offer enough. He'll be a good player, but just not as a starting striker for us I think

The amount of power and curl on the ball made it hard for him. And it was inside the box which meant very little time for him to react as well

 

[tactica442]

No. I said that in post Chelsea game and will say that again. Fabianski is a bit slow in his diving. This shortcoming of his can't be overcome overnight but is more urgent than his tendency in reckless ball punching. The strikers of our oppositions in the next few games will be instructed to take lower shots at Fabianski. If it's so obvious to me, then it's will THAT obvious to other professional players and coaches.

On his ball punching, I feel Fabianski may take one step further when approaching to coming crosses. He often jumps a bit too early and lose some of his momentum and height when touching the ball. He could also raise his non-jumping knee to get more rising momentum and shield himself from possible knocks on his abdomen/chest.

Fabianskis improves in his timing of coming out and has been strong in parrying shots above knee/waist height. But his taking in blocking lower shots really needs be bettered quickly.

 

[patrick42uk]

What a pass from Theo for Andrei. Sat there, I was convinced he'd **** it up somehow by not seeing the run or playing a bad pass but credit to him. His ball had the right pace and was ahead of Arshavin.

 

[True Gooner]

The amount of power and curl on the ball made it hard for him. And it was inside the box which meant very little time for him to react as well

I like Fabianski as well, but now your just making excuses - he should have stopped that or turned it around the post. He did that against Sp**s last season as well and at Wigan 2 weeks ago.

 

[Clrnc]

What a pass from Theo for Andrei. Sat there, I was convinced he'd f**k it up somehow by not seeing the run or playing a bad pass but credit to him. His ball had the right pace and was ahead of Arshavin.

Yeah. It was a fantastic run by Walcott too and nobody really gave him any credit for that pass because all the attention was on Andrei.

TG, I wasn't making excuse for him. I think he should have done better with that shot too as I said in a few pages earlier but that shot was quite powerful too

 

[Klaus Daimler]

What a pass from Theo for Andrei. Sat there, I was convinced he'd f**k it up somehow by not seeing the run or playing a bad pass but credit to him. His ball had the right pace and was ahead of Arshavin.

I love Theo's contribution to the team since his comeback. Arshavin has brought a lot of creativity, flair and end product since he arrived but right now Walcott is the difference between driving in third and fourth gear. He's matured a lot this season.