Liverpool Preview - Part 2 9 January, 2007
Posted by lasagnechef in Arsenal News, Cup Games, Transfers.trackback
So tonight we make the second trip to Anfield, this time it’s the Carling Cup. It’ll be a very different side to the one we saw on Saturday so it’ll be a completely different game. The big team news ahead of the game is that Diaby is back in the squad. He came back to full training last week and he must’ve done very well to be in the squad so soon. I don’t expect Abou to start though, we might see him late on for a run-out but I doubt we’ll see him at all. Nonetheless, it is still fantastic news that Diaby is back in the squad and hopefully he’ll be pushing for first team places soon. Gallas and Lauren were expected to be back for this one too but both are out of the squad will minor niggles. Both should be fully fit for the trip to Blackburn on Saturday.
The starting 11 is very hard to predict. I’m assuming Almunia will be in goal with Traore, Djourou, Senderos and Hoyte in defence. Then in midfield I’m guessing it’ll be Walcott, Flamini, Denilson and Rosicky/Hleb. Then up front we’d have Baptista and Aliadiere. However that is me just guessing at the team; Wenger might chose to play Henry to get some matched under his belt and Fabregas who was suspended for the FA Cup game. There are many options for Wenger to go for but that team above is the most likely 11 in my opinion.
It’s really strange me saying this and I’m sure a few of you won’t understand but I’m not sure whether I want us to win this game. The reason being we’ll play Tottenham over two legs in the next round if we progressed and we’ll field a weakened team. Spurs will put their strongest team out for the Carling Cup and my fear is that we could get beaten by Tottenham. It’s not so much just that but the fact the Spurs could become the first team to win at Ashburton Grove if all this happens. I’d much prefer to get knocked out tonight than have Spurs claiming to be the first team ever to beat us at our new stadium. We would never ever ever hear the end of it and our Grandchildren would be tainted about it in years to come. Okay it’s only the Carling Cup we’ll say but they won’t care, they’d of still beaten us. So if we get beaten tonight I will see the brighter side of it but if we do progress then I’ll be right behind the team to beat the old rivals and make it to Cardiff.
Tonight’s game was scheduled to be played a month ago but was called off due to heavy fog on the pitch. I feel sorry for the Gooners who made the long trip up there for nothing so hopefully their efforts are rewarded tonight. I’ll have a match report up soon.
Yesterday Anthony Stokes finally sorted out his future and he’s moved to Sunderland for £2m. I’m not over the moon that he’s left Arsenal but at least he’s sorted it out and we won’t have to worry about him anymore. I’m not sure if there’s any buy back clause in the contract but he’s signed a 3 and a half year deal with Roy Keane’s Black Cats. Good luck Stokesy in the Championship.
Kolo Toure is so confident he says we can win the treble. Well not ‘the treble’ but Kolo reckons we can win The Carling Cup, FA Cup and Champions League. That would be nice. We’ve never won the league cup under Wenger so I suppose it would be nice to win it this year, the FA Cup is always a favourite of Arsenal’s and to be the first team to win at the new Wembley would be Amazing. We came so close to winning Europe’s biggest prize last year and it would be beyond my wildest dream to get it this year. The heartbreak from coming so close last year was hard to manage but to be the winners in 2007 would make up for everything. We’re doing okay at the moment and we’ve got a good tie so we’ll se how it goes. This is what Kolo said about winning all three cup competitions:
“It’s possible. I think we have the squad and we have all our players coming back - Titi last week and we had William [Gallas] today in training. Everybody is coming back and we know with the squad we’ve got, and with the qualities we’ve got, we can make it. It’s going to be really difficult, but we are determined. We just need to believe in ourselves and to take it game by game, and try to win every time. Liverpool is a really good team and we know that, in the here and now, we need to do something great for the fans and ourselves. We played a really good game against Charlton and we hope to make it twice against Liverpool.”
It’s a bit of a long shot winning all three but at least the players believe we can. We should be aiming to win competitions anyway we’ve just got to believe we can.
And finally, Bendtner’s ankle injury isn’t as bad as first thought and will only be out for a few weeks. It was feared that Nick broke his ankle against Newcastle but the scan revealed it wasn’t that bad and he’ll be back within the month. This is good news for Arsenal because breaking something is never good for a player’s career and if he does stay with Arsenal long-term then it’s good he hasn’t broken it.
Right then. Enjoy the game tonight, win or lose. Thanks for reading.
well done to all of you on Saturday night.
Both your team and fans will always be wellcome at Anfield.
It was very difficult as a L,Pool fan to focus on the game after what had gone on in the scum media. Your respect has well been noted.
Thank you all
Martin The Kopite
Arse and Pool fans in harmony! How long will it last?!!! Great atmosphere on Saturday. ‘Reclaim The Kop’ did a fine job. The Arse could learn from it.
I seriously doubt Wenger would play a weakened team against Spurs if we were to reach the Semi-Finals. We played a virtually full-strength team against Wigan (give or take injuries and African Nations Cup) last year. Even TiTi was on the pitch and scored from that fantastic Gilbert cross. Sadly we didn’t rest Sol who embarked on his one-man campaign to cause as many goals to be conceded as possible before his West Ham blowout.
In any case, before we worry about a young team beating a full strength Spurs team, they face the more dautning prospect of a full strength Liverpool team. If they were to win this, then the U-14s could probably do a number on the Scum home and away.
Check it out… Carlos Vela at the weekend. Sensational. This is another reason why Anthony Stokes won’t get a look in.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_hXE93jtZWY
Well here is the squad for the game…
2. Abou Diaby
4. Francesc Fabregas
5. Kolo Toure
9. Julio Baptista
15. Denilson
17. Alex Song
20. Johan Djourou
21. Mart Poom
24. Manuel Almunia
30. Jeremie Aliadiere
31. Justin Hoyte
32. Theo Walcott
33. Matthew Connolly
40. Henry Lansbury
43. Mark Randall
45. Armand Traore
Starting 11 perhaps ?
Poom
Hoyte Kolo Djouru Traore
Theo Cesc Song Denilson
Aliadiere Baptista
Could see Song or Cesc starting on the wing rather than Denilson but yeah I reckon that’s the 11.
Average age of the squad is 21 years I think. Then you get the fright of your life when you remember that Cesc is still just 19. It’s amazing all the hype surrounding Rooney and Ronaldo but neither of them has been as consistently exceptional as Cesc since he joined the first team. When he starts to score the goals he deserves… Bloody hell. It’s scary to think he can get even better!
Might play 5 across the middle ?
Poom
Hoyte Kolo Djouru Traore
Song
Theo Cesc Denilson Aliadiere
Baptista
4-5-1 might be the formation. Not sure how he would construct it though. Song and Denilson need to choke Gerrard and Alonso’s possession but Cesc offers many options in attack. Baptista and Aliadiere really need to use tonight. I think it’s the latter’s last chance (at best… I suspect his fate is already sealed) while Julio really needs to grab some goals. I’m confident with the back four though. Djourou needed a break so hopefully he’ll do as good a job as Senderos on Saturday. Toure and Hoyte are a match for Bellamy’s pace while I suspect Gonzalez will replace Pennant.
This Arsenal side will be desperate to win. In the words of Kevin Keegan… I’d luv it!
Wow i’m on the cannon on my phone
That took me a minute to work out. I thought you were literally on a cannon. Then I wondered why you were sharing that information with us…
i rather not see Kolo play. He prolly could do with a bit of a break. Senderos’s just come in so he’d be alright i suppose. Yeah losing to the Yids would be disgusting but I reckon beating them using our reserves would be priceless for us gooners. Imagine that…. A guy can only dream
6-3 to the Arsenal!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
well done Gerard!!! You really got your revenge there!!!! He he!!!
6-3 BAPTASTIC!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
6-3 hahaha.
at anfield. hahaha.
gerrard, hahahaha.
I bet shankley is turning in his grave.
My goodness, incredible. Baptista and aliadiere really stood up to the plate this evening, and surely must be considered for blackburn.
Mental :D:D
All the goals from the game
Comments welcome.
Sorry about me sharing about being on the internet on my phone..I’m still facinated by it now. No match report tonight, I ‘ll do it tomorrow. I’m knackered from all those goals.
…beast beast beast beast
6-3!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Tell Rafeal i said sorry..
The Beast,The Beast,The Beast,The Beast,The Beast,The Beast,The Beast,The Beast,The Beast,The Beast,The Beast,The Beast,The Beast,..WOW He is great..Gave Rafeal sleepless night…NAUGHTY BOY LOL.
Listen to Arsene’s interview after the match and you will see he isint going to field a weakend side againt sp**s…I hope they get a crushing like this…
unbelievable win! 6-3 at ANFIELD. I hate the Gunners but credit where its due. Looks like the next generation is all ready and raring to go. Wonder if the whole Gerrard to Chelsea rumour will start soon now that Pool are pretty much out of every competition.
I can’t help but feel that even if Liverpool had played their first team we would still have won. There is a ruthlessness throughout the entire squad now which we lacked earlier in the season. 11 shots on target in two games against Liverpool and 9 goals. That is an outstanding return. As I said above, Baptista and Aliadiere needed to take their chances and they were both superb. Our squad is now fit, in form and highly competitive. We have the chance to earn some deeply satisying results in the next few weeks… Rovers up north, United at the Grove, Bolton and Spurs in the Cups… Let’s keep the momentum going against Blackburn.
COME ON THE ARSE