Liverpool Preview – Part 1 5 January, 2007
Posted by lasagnechef in Arsenal News, Cup Games, Transfers, Uncategorized.trackback
Tomorrow we make our first of two trips to Anfield in three days. First up it’s the FA Cup, which will hopefully see Wenger putting out a strong side. We’re looking okay selection-wise, Baptsita is back in the squad after his injury but we’re without the influential Cesc Fabregas through suspension. Wenger says Eboue will play but doesn’t want to risk Lauren by rushing him back early, I expect him to start on Tuesday. Diaby and Glass made their returns to training this week, which is excellent news, hopefully they’ll get match fit quickly and we’ll be seeing them back in the team soon.
We did very well against Liverpool earlier in the season beating them comfortably 3-0. A repeat of that would be fantastic but I expect it to be a bit closer than that tomorrow. The Scoucers have been doing quite well recently; they beat Bolton 3-0 on Monday with a convincing performance. We have to watch out for Crouch and especially his aerial threat at set pieces. Also Gerrard is one of the best in my mind and I feel we need to close him down and make it hard for him to play his game. If you let Liverpool play they can punish you but the same goes for us to be honest. It’s great we’ve got Thierry back and hopefully he’ll cause some problems tomorrow as will RVP who had a great game on Tuesday night. Kolo and Phil need to keep it tight at the back but if they perform like they can they’ll have no problems.
I’m making to trip up north tomorrow. I’ve been exited for this one for some time now and hopefully Arsene doesn’t disappoint me with a weak team. I’m not sure if he’ll put 4 or 5 across the middle but I can understand the reasons behind both. This is the team I hope Wenger picks:
I’d like to see Baptista alongside Gilberto but I’d be extremely surprised if Wenger played him in this one. I can’t really thing of anyone else Wenger would play in the middle ahead of Flamini anyway. If Arsene does go for a 4-5-1 I’d expect that same team with Van Persie moving to the wing and Rosicky dropping more central. Even with all those absences I think it’s quite a good team and one that can cause Liverpool some problems. I’m sure it’s going to be a great game tomorrow. Liverpool vs. Arsenal and it’s the FA Cup. Both teams will be desperate to win the trophy this year and going out at this early stage would be a disaster. I’m pretty confident ahead of tomorrow’s game but we’ll see how it goes, you never know how Arsenal are going to play, hopefully tomorrow it’s good.
Unfortunately, Anthony Stokes looks to be on his was out of Arsenal. Wenger is letting him go and doesn’t seem that upset about it. If a reserve player goes on loan and does brilliantly well and we sell him what does it say to the other youngsters? I was hoping we’d keep Anthony but it doesn’t look that way. I can’t believe Arsene is giving Aliadiere a chance instead of Stokes. The whole thing is just bizarre to me but it’s looks like he’ll be off to Charlton next week for about £2m or so.
Another International friendly has been arranged for the Emirates stadium next month. Brazil vs. Portugal will take place on the 6th February. The South American derby was a huge success the other month and now we’ve got the samba stars doing their stuff here again. Unfortunately I didn’t get to the last game but I might go to this one, I can imagine it would be interesting to see a team other that Arsenal playing and I very rarely get to internationals.
Joe O’Cearuill has joined Brighton on a month’s loan just as Matthew Connolly did recently. O’Cearuill joined Arsenal from the Watford reserves so I don’t really expect him to make it big for Arsenal in the future to be honest. All the best to Joe with his loan.
Right, it’s off to Anfield tomorrow morning. I’m predicting 2-0 With Henry and Gilberto scoring. I’ll be coming down with a massive grin on my face if that’s what happens otherwise it’s going to be a very long 4 hours back. I’ll have a match report up Sunday…probably, until then.
3-0 to arsenal imo
I am expecting Denilson to be out there while Cesc is suspended. Wenger has started giving him time on field and he can be a good backup for Fabregas. Arsenal plays the best with Cesc, Rocisky and Hleb. With Cesc missing, I hope Wenger plays the other two, else we would be severely lacking in creativity.
Players going on loan is not a Wenger’s thing. To get into Arsenal team, you need to play Wengerball and they do not teach it elsewhere. you have to train with the first team to learn that. No player who was good enough was ever loaned out by Wenger. Of the players returning from loan: Pennant played a few matches beforing going out for good. Hoyte is getting the games and that is more down to injuries that anything else. Aliadiere is getting the games so that he cna score and Wenger can sell him off. If Wenger thinks you can make it, you will be closer to him. Lupoli got his chance before being sent on loan. Bendtner did not and I am surprised he went to loan before that. If he does not get a chance early next year, it is curtains for him. do not know if Carlos Vela will ever get anywhere near Arsenal.
Hoping to see Fran Merida in action during the week.
Mr. Chef, as always, a good blog. However, I think Arsene will play Tomas in his natural position – a la Cesc. I sure hope so. Flam is a hard worker, but he is overtly defensive in the centre, si I think if he plays, it’d be on the wing.
Btw, the protector and the messiah of English talent, Alan Pardew, has put the highest English goal scorer in last season-and-a-half, Darren Bent, up for auction as he is injured!!!!
Liverpool is too good for The Gunners, ecspecially at home.
I’ll bet Steven Gerrard will beat Arsenal single handedly.
3-0 home win!
Liverpool’s 3-0 reversal earlier in the year should not be drawn upon here. Too many games have gone since and Liverpool were dreadful away from home, plus they never do well away at Arsenal. Prior to Arsenal’s first they looked the more likely to score and it would have been a different game then. Liverpool’s home form is unbelieveable and they are really on form now. I think Arsenal are too inconsistent, defeats away to strugglers like West Ham and Sheff Utd shows this so I expect Liverpool to be too much for them over both games. Arsenal, like Liverpool, never do well playing this fixture away- 3-0? Martin Allen, you are dreaming. Oh and lasagnechef, van Persie in the team you hope lines out? Has knowledge of his suspension not been known all week? That’s quite poor on your part. ‘Pool are too strong right now, especially at home. I can’t see us losing this one, Arsenal are too weak away from home this year, even with a full side
Actually, Robin isn’t suspended. Even though Sky and LFC say so.
1-1, 0-1
Oh, and Lfc got rolled over at OT. Arsenal did the reverse. This is football, and in particular the FA Cup, so form goes out the window. Will be a tight game, could go either way, imo.
Ah come on EY! He is serving a one match ban due to his 5th booking, we all know League cards carry in the FA Cup and vice versa!
OK. For those of you stupidly convinced that Van Persie is suspended… rather than saying Sky Sports or the Daily Mirror is Bible, why not check with the FA?
http://www.thefa.com/TheFA/Disciplinary/SuspensionLists/
You will note that Van Persie is NOT listed. Cesc is. And Shane Robinson, he would not be carrying it for his 5th. He’s on 8.
Gotta say, selling Stokes was a great bit if business. £2.7 million is huge money for a kid that has very little chance of getting into the Arsenal team. I know his goal record was very good at Falkirk and it’s assumed you cannot argue with that… But it is not conclusive proof of brilliance. The gap between the SPL and Arsenal is massive. For my sins I see alot of SPL and some of the teams, Falkirk included, would struggle in the Championship. Stokes would have to make a huge step up and if Wenger and his staff don’t think he is able to compete yet with the established talents of Henry, Van Persie and Adebayor (throw in Baptista and Bendtner too, even Theo), then there is no point holding him here. Wenger has never been made to regret one of the young players he has sold. By that I don’t mean that they won’t score against Arsenal or have a great game, Bentley style, but that they never become a truly consistent player of international quality.
As for the argument that it’s silly to sell him while keeping Aliadiere… well M’Boro are supposed to want him and Le Boss has no problem with that. If he survives January here, he’ll be gone in the summer for certain. He’s not so much kept ahead of Stokes, as less courted than Stokes.
Finally (seems like I’m picking on Blogger today but hey, it’s all in the spirit of debating the Arse) I think it’s well harsh to asssume O’Cearruil has no future cause we picked him up from Watford reserves. I’ve only seen the lad play once or twice so I can’t pass comment one way or another on his ability. But look at players like Ian Wright or Dean Ashton or Kevin Doyle… did not start off glamourously at all and all below the level of Watford. So for now, let’s see how much of a future he has on the basis of what he does on the pitch and that alone.
By the by… some perspective on the Stokes fee. We may be getting just half a million to begin with on Larsson – a player whose quality and consistency we are more certain of than Stokes who, for all any of us know, MAY just be a flash in the pan like many other young strikers through the years.
Hello my name is Denis, I was wondering if you could add my site to your arsenal links? my link is http://www.croatia2008.net.ms
nice site…. I didnt know there were so many arsenal sites out there lol
Arsenal Arsenal Arsenal
Chef I think you were on tv at the end?
All the goals from the game including the Henry masterpiece:
http://tinyurl.com/yxqpbl
I knew Van Persie wasn’t suspended, YOU do your homework ay.
I may have been on TV, I was wearing blue ’71 jumper
Just got back home from Anfield, amazing day. Off to bed, absolutely knackered.
arsenalist they all work but the th14 goal, do you have a direct link as they are all freezing
YEAHHHHHHH!
my goodness did that make up for sheffield bolton and fulham away.
the best live match ive ever been to.
Incredible.
Gunner8, they all work for me fine. Maybe it’s your connection. Here’s the TH14 goal: