Liverpool Preview III: Time to step up, lads. 7 April, 2008
Posted by lasagnechef in Champions League.trackback
Right this is it. The title might be a possibility but we still have a strong chance in the Champions League so that is what we must focus on now. Tomorrow night will decide our fate, it’s currently 1-1 but the tie is well in Liverpool’s favour thanks to their away goal.
After a disappointing draw in the League on Saturday, I’m pretty pissed off. Gunnerblog’s match report pretty much has the jist of what I think so I’ll just link you to that. But we need to forget that now, whoever’s fault that draw was doesn’t matter. It’s all about tomorrow night now.
We need another great Arsenal performance. I’m asking for something memorable, it’s a lot to demand but that’s the position we’ve slipped into. In the last round we went to Milan and put on a great display, now we must go up to Liverpool and produce it again.
They have to play like it’s the game of their lives. The name ‘AC Milan’ might seem more exiting than ‘Liverpool’ but they need to play like it’s the Champions League Final, because if they don’t we’re out.
We need to score; it’s quite simple really. A score draw would just about do too. So we need to attack, not go mental, but not play with a negative attitude. We’ve played Liverpool 3 times already this season and it’s finished 1-1 every time. If we were to make it four 1-1′s in a row then the tie would be taken to extra time, anything else and the tie will be settled at 90 minutes.
I’m quite worried about the possibility of going into extra time. We’re looking quite tired at this stage of the season and that that perfectly visible in the latter stages of Saturday’s game. The heart of our team Fabregas and Flamini both looked knackered and if tomorrow night went to extra time they’d be running on empties for sure.
So yeah, we need to go forward. I’ll be really fucking pissed off if Wenger plays a 4-5-1 again and it’s doesn’t look that unlikely. With van Persie not 100% I can see it happening. I’ve been annoyed but Wenger’s tactics recently and if he goes and puts 5 across the midfield tomorrow I’m really going to have to question him. Robin’s in the squad but I have no idea whether he’ll start or not. For sure he wont be absolutely fully fit but in games like these you take that risk.
Do we leave him on the bench and bring him on late on? Or do we face the fact we need to score and go for the early goal. Here’s how I’d like us to line up tomorrow, usually in the preview I show the team I think it’d be, but this time I’ve selected the 11 if it were up to me:
Toure – Senderos – Gallas (c) – Clichy
Walcott – Flamini – Fabregas – Hleb
Adebayor – van Persie
My thinking is that Eboue is a useless cunt so he shouldn’t start plus Walcott is more attacking, Toure should go at right back because Hoyte wasn’t good enough on Saturday and we should risk starting van Persie because we need to score.
It’s going to be a brilliant game tomorrow night, and I’m gutted I’m not going. There was a bit of a scare this afternoon when I nearly got two tickets but it wasn’t to be. In reality though, I’m going on holiday on Wednesday morning and to drive up to Liverpool and back on Tuesday would be pushing it a bit, plus I’d be spending the money I’ve saved to go away.
Not sure where I’ll be watching it yet. Either, The 12 Pins down by Finsbury Park or at home. They’re showing it at The Grove in one of those ‘o2 screening’ things in Club Level but I don’t really fancy that. I haven’t decided where I’ll go yet, all I know is I’ll watch it somewhere.
To those of you going: firstly you lucky cunt, secondly sing up for me. It’s a great atmosphere when you go up to Anfield because the away fans want to match the Liverpool crowd’s noise. It makes a great atmosphere to watch the game in and I’m so jealous of the 3,000 odd of you lot travelling up there. Bastards.
I’m going to wrap this up now; you’re probably bored by now. As I mentioned earlier, I’m off on holiday on Wednesday morning, I’m going Skiing in Colorado for a week. I’ll get the match report in before I go, either Tuesday night or Wednesday morning and maybe another post before I go because the observant ones amongst you will have noticed I’ll be out there for the big Manchester United game. I’ll probably be able to find a computer out there to be honest but if I do I certainly won’t be posting every day.
Right I’m off, speak to you all at some point after the game. I’ll either be very happy or very depressed. Until then.
1st post
Bendtner will prob start with RVP taking over for the last half hour or so. We should be winning by then, so hopefully he’ll add a bonus goal in and make it 2-0.
Adebayor, Hleb, Walcott, Fabergas and co can also score, we creat chances, it’s just about accuracy.
We need to aim for 2-1 in 90 minutes, you’ve got to count on Liverpool scoring at home., we’ll be lucky to get a clean sheet.
Even if it goes to extra times or penalties, I think we’ll have enough to beat them…..RVP would be crucial then, so he needs to be conserved.
But I think this game will be over in 90 minutes. We’re extremely difficult to beat so I don’t think we’ll be beaten by Liverpool in 90 minutes.
We’ll score first.
I am conident we will do it.The lads looked tired on saturday but I thing they will find the energy to win. First goal will be critical. If we score first we could score more but if the score first (HOPE IT DOES NOT HAPPEN) it would be tough for us. We should all pray for the team
I had a wierd dream, berbatov moving to Liverpool and playing alongside Torrres. Liverpool could challenge for the Prem then.
I am confident we will do it.The lads looked tired on saturday but I thing they will find the energy to win. First goal will be critical. If we score first we could score more but if the score first (HOPE IT DOES NOT HAPPEN) it would be tough for us. We should all pray for the team
david,
What planet are you on?
Our only hope is that liverpool do not score in the first half and torres and crouch dont both start the match. After watching us over the last two games we havent got anything to worry those scousers and anyone on here however loyal who thinks differently is deluded. I hope to god we can get an early goal but lets face it………. its going to be very very tough.
im an arsenal fan in the US…the game will be played during work hours here, 2:45pm….im taking the day off as I will be too nervous to work. come on gunners…beat those loserfools
id play 4-121-1
Almunia
Eboue toure gallas clichy
song
flamini fabregas
hleb
adebayor
lets face it nothings going on out wide and song has to be better than gilberto
lehman
clichy
senderos
gallas
toure
hleb
flamini
cesc
landsbury
walcott
adebeyor
Ive stuck landsbury in coz the rest aint worth a toss!
I think we’ll score first, we’ll see tomorrow.
We can beat em on away goals. If we score twice tomorrow, we’re almost unstoppable. Hopefully 2-0 up within 60 minutes, and maybe a late consolation goal for Liverpool.
This year, Wenger has had 3 star write offs. Which means the team needs another 3 top quality stars as well as replacements, we have to account for write offs each season. Having too many stars rather than too few has been our problem, with this first 11, we’ll make it through….if any serious injury occurs tonight, Arsenal are screwed for the season, thats how frail this team is at the moment.
3 more star (as well as replacements)players. That would account for 5 first 11 injured and 2 sub style backups ( a situation that has already occured and has a good chance of occuring again).
Doesn’t really matter if Liverpool score 1st, doesn’t change anything.
I think theo has been a lot better on the left the pst few games and i think he should play there::::::
We need to believe we can win, right up to the final whistle, just play a full first class 90 minutes, and we’re through.
The second part of the battle is the tactics, the rest sweat and perspiration…………Can Arsenal succeed in all those battles?
The Answer shall be evident this time tomorrow
This is the big one, what both teams have been saving their best for. I think it will give a clear indication of the better team. Liverpool have home advantage, but upsets do happen, and Arsenal can win in any stadium.
I dont think we have been saving our best for tomorrow night, infact we havent been at our best since before the middlesboro defeat apart from a great show in milan.
……….we have shown nothing up front and agreed we have missed rosicky and to a greater extent eduardo but van persie is just not firing and i dont believe a team of arsenals stature should be relying on what are in effect squad players. Would any of these three walk into any of the top 7 or 8 teams in europe? i doubt it and thats where our problems lie if we want to be considered one of europes elite.
I really believe we will go 2-0 up!! and be pegged back to 2-2 and go through on away goals! we cant defend at the moment and the only thing we can do is go all guns blazing….
think back to the anfield game at the start of the season we played them off the park by playing the fluid football.
we defended well that game. But I think Phillipe Senderos will be key at the back if he plays he’ll make our defence more stable then it has been in the last few weeks.
I think the team will be.
Almunia
Toure
Senderos
Gallas
Theo
Flamini
Cesc
Diaby
Hleb
Ade
I think thats a pretty strong lineup….
I dont think Torres will do much 2mrw.
The person we need be aware of is Masherano.
Come on you Gunners lets have some faith in Arsene
The guy is the best manager going building teams on a shoe-string budget and making us a top side he knows what he is doing.
Wengers tactics have been all over the place recently but that is a problem of his own making, he can only deploy tactics for the players he has available and if he had spent more last summer he would have perhaps had more options since christmas. I admire your enthusiasm paul and i hope your predictions turn out to be true but frankly arsene has cost us the league this season and i fear tomorrow will just about finish us off……… for this season at least.
……………. and 4-5-1 !! what is that all about? we are supposed to play the most fluent attacking football in europe, bout time we donned the tin hats and went 4-4-2!!
COME ON YOU GUNNERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
we couldnt cope with crouch on saturday and him and torres together with gerrard will be a test indeed. Senderos needs to be n the ball and gallas needs to be up for it.
fortunateley the scousers are sounding as if they have only got to turn up to make it to the semis, that suits me and lets not forget 89, i watched the video tonight to get me in the mood. ONE MICKEY THOMAS ………….
Cant believe we let diarra go, he would have been very useful tomorrow.
Simply we need to score, after seeing wengers touch line antics in the last game you KNOW he wants to win. Lets hope he acts on it and starts atacking rather than waiting for them to let us into the game like on sat.
Ps id swap crouch for bendtner anyday.. make it happen..
The one thing we’ve got to do is to believe we’re not going to win. That’s right, fuckers – there’s no fucking room for optimism here. We’re going to get flogged 3-0, Gerrard’s going to hack into van Persie, Torres will score a hat-trick and tell Cesc he chose the wrong fucking English club, and Crouch will dance that asinine robot dance of his in Anfield. Fucking hell, Arsenal have broken my fucking heart so many fucking times that I REFUSE to think we’re going to win. Fuck them. It’s their fault for fucking up the games at Emirates. It’s their fault for drawing against mediocre opposition. It’s their fucking fault that we’re in the predicament we’re in. So fuck them. Don’t believe that those fuckers will achieve. They don’t deserve your fucking optimism and faith.
That way, if we do go through, it’ll be a pleasant surprise.
Fuckers,
It’s the conclusion to this fucking frustration trilogy of Liverpool games, and all I can say is… fuck Liverpool. I’m so fucking sick of seeing them play, I don’t care one fucking way or another anymore. I’ve got Liverpool fatigue. I’ve got Deja Liverpool. I’ve got a horrible, nasty Liverpool rash spreading from my nether regions. Fucking hell, I’m sick of watching those fuckers.
Anyway, it’s Revenge of the Fucking Sith time… it’s the only fucking decent film in the prequels, and strangely, I quite enjoyed it. Maybe it’s from sheer desperation after seeing two fucking horrible movies, but RotFS was decent. George Lucas dispensed with trying to direct a movie, and did what he did best – fuck around with CGI until you had explosions exploding after being hit by exploding explosives, and million-dollar androids that looked fucking cool and fucking annoying at the same fucking time. It was painful to watch at times, the acting was silted, the dialogue clunky, and that “Nooooo!” from Anakin was laugh-out funny, but fucking hell…. it did the job. It was a satisfying conclusion to a pathetically inane, disappointing trilogy. And that’s what we’ve got to do as well – do the fucking job. Steal, lie, dive, hack into Torres… whatever it takes, we need to do the fucking job and progress to a semi-final against Fener.
For fuck’s sake.
double98 post 9
you’ve only got ten players there
almunia
toure senderos gallas clichy
song
walcott hleb
fabregas
nick ade
this is it lads..THIS IS IT, a European night to remember hopefully. time to silence anfield once and for all. http://www.arsenalheat.blogspot.com
DIABY!!!!
babel!!
fuck sake. what a fuckin run by walcott. arsenal looked like they were going to win until the fuckin referee gave them a fuckin penalty for no fuckin reason. hlebs was more fuckin clearer than that. fuks sake
4 fuckin 2 MOTHERFUCKERS. i hope schalke or barcelona win it now.
and there you have it………. an embarrassment against spurs and man utd then this inept display ( apart from the first 25 mins) its time to ask arsene to move over and let someone else loose with the money that a 60k stadium should bring in. Im sick to the back teeth of being a laughing stock in the pub, at work or wherever else there are football fans. We have shown ourselves for what we are this season, great when we have got it all our own way, like we did up to the middlesborough defeat but since then we have been crap, we have played like a spineless toothless inexperienced bunch of kids. Time for us to rebuild again and ship out ade, bendtner, eboue, senderos, gilberto coz they aint good enough and rosicky and van persie coz they are expensive liabilities that are always injured. Senderos was guilty for 2 goals tonight and i reckon somebody of micah richards quality would have prevented both goals.
Can anybody tell me what an arsenal fan has got to look forward to long term? the cupbaord is bare, where do we go from here? 3 seasons without a trophy and in the name of youth, well our policy of youth is a farce. I want silverware and aint bothered how old the players are to get it!!! Where has all the money gone and where is it going? its not as if our players are on mega bucks. Bunch of wasters!
These are worrying times for arsenal fans, I think the “in arsene we trust” brigade should take there blinkers off and open up the debate on who we should have next as the manager of our great club. Big phil is my choice!!!
Fucking hell. I can’t believe how fucking gutted I feel about this, even though I spent the whole fucking week telling myself to not fucking care about the game. Fucking hell, what a fucking horrible result. Senderos can’t mark a fucking defender – that’s where this fucking match ended. We were flying before that Hyypia goal. Eboue’s flashy, but does nothing. Cesc needs to grow a head taller. Fuck, this is painful.
Archie and Colin, don’t fucking fuck around with Arsene-fucking-Wenger. He’s the fucking best; better than all the fucking rest. We love him to bits, and we’re NOT going to sack the fucker. We’ll curse him for being an obstinant old fucker, but we still recognise the fucking great work he’s done.
Fuck off catch yourself on next manager. Wenger to stay on the he is the best manager by far we have ever had.Yes another failure this season but i can honestly see wenger buying big this summer and next year they will have learned hopefully from there mistakes this year. After last years season i would not have thought Arsenal would have done as well as they have and don’t forget we have been really unluckey regards injury.For me i take another 10 years of Arsene in charge IN ARSENE WE TRUST!!!
oh this makes me so angry calling for wengers head are u really fucking arsenal fans u fucking pricks
For fuck’s sake.
Anyway, does anyone else think that Diaby looks like Mace Windu?
don’t care who he looks like am like you connolly am so fucking gutted about this tonight can we win at Man u i really think there is one more big performce left in the team and maybe it could still lead us to the title its a big ask but i think this current arsenal team can do it we have been so unlucky and i am in no doubt we will come back stronger
Jay, the only fucking thing that’s keeping me going is the comparison between Diaby and an old-school, hard-as-fuck Jedi Master. Fucking hell, can you imagine Diaby lumbering through a pack of footballing fuckers with a purple lightsabre in his hands and a ball at his feet, hacking those fuckers away like bits of Clone War robots? We need MORE Jedi Masters in the team, not less. Jedi Masters tend to be athletic, decisive and quick, and they have excellent ball-control skills. Plus, they can move objects with telekinesis, which is handy with free-kicks. Yes, that’s right, Jay – I’m so fucking disillusioned with Arsenal that I’m pinning my hopes on us signing fucking Yoda next year.
Otherwise, I’m giving up on this fucking season. Arsenal hate me so much thatthey’re willing to cut off their nose to spite me. Why else would they score first, concede twice, level with at the 85th, and then loose 4-2? Why can’t I learn my fucking lesson? Why am I such a fucking sucker that I keep hoping they’ll win?
I do the same ohh yeah Arsenal will win no problem to me quite clearly from January the problems have lay in defence. Simple football if ya dont defend u will not win matches.I wish we would have signed woodgate before them jew cunts got him think about it Gallas woodgate with toure on the right and then clichy to me that would be solid but senderos fuck me get that boy out the fuck he just cant defend
Back for the first time since losing 4-0 to utd. when I was angry about the way we threw that game and this is why. At the time I wrote you cant pick and choose the games you are going to get up for. Following so quickly after spurs the players confidence has just ebbed away. Throw in the poor reffing decisions and we have been on the slide ever since.
PRETTY USELESS football is what I called it and still do. Pretty to look at but useless in winning the big games. Anyone heard from Michael as he seemed upset over my description. Well tonight I was impressed with the effort put in by the players. The game reflected our entire season. Great at the beginning, poor individual mistakes costing us, tireness setting in and failure to put a game away. Although the penalty decisions were crucial I hope Wenger does not feel this is why we are out. We are out because we didnt take our chances and defended badly for their first three goals!
Where do we go from here. I feel the only one who can rectify it is Wenger, if only he was not so stubborn. SQUAD DEPTH we are so light compared to chelski and manure. fergie has been rotating his front six perming any six from twelve with no drop in quality. chelski did not play us off the park but physicaly steamed rolled us when they had a number of injuries. We also lack the mental concentration these teams have which means in many games the opposition gives up against them. Think of our season only Derby gave up against us. Look how hard it was to kill off Sunderland & Pompey. Clubs now know they always have a chance against us, unless we are 3-0 up. O by the way up I also believe that. It’s like last season again where we are drawing games instead of winning. A larger squad and or improvements in squad quality with greater experience. How will players like Song ever get enough experience. Last season fergie got Larson and this seaon for example we could have had Anelka. A lot of money yes but RVP is a china doll and the players dont want Bendtner. Things which we knew in January. Central midfielders on the wingers please get us some width. The trouble is Wenger wont buy experienced players even if they are cheap because he wants to mould players which seems to indicate some control issues. I fear we will remain a work in progress because players who are not good enough like Eboue and Senderos will be replaced with another youngster with potential but no experience.
You load of idiots still got your heads so far up arsenes arse its embarrassing. He has cost us the league thrugh inept tactics and the inability to buy quality experienced players. Promising us glory tomorrow is a big con and all you wenger muppets keep falling for it!
knobs!!!!