Liverpool v Arsenal Saturday 23rd December 5.30pm: Page 23 - The Arsenal discussion forum and community: One More in the Tolly

Liverpool v Arsenal Saturday 23rd December 5.30pm

Claudius

Odegaard was fine. We just needed more personality and higher positions from our front 3. Martinelli continues to be marooned on the left flank. He isn’t exchanging positions with Jesus and the L8 as much as he was last season and is disconnected from Ode. Same with Saka. He got a lot of the ball, but it was in very deep positions. We needed to find ways to release all of these guys higher. And for them to attack the box more, eg Saka’s dangerous cross which got no takers.

One thing we should have done on the day, switched wingers, to spread the field a bit more, eg Martinelli on the right crossing to Saka and Havertz. Saka pushing TAA back, especially late in the game

Gazza M

seen some suggestions the pitch was watered before the game and at half time. I assumed it had rained recently up there. either way, the pitch was in a horrible state

Mirth

Gazza M we’re lucky to come away with no injuries tbh. Horrible pitch - deliberate or not

JazzG

Gazza M Rumours of one side being heavily watered at half time as well.

One thing was clear, Liverpool were not bullish and confident going into this game. You could sense from their comments before and after the game. Though it should be added they played 3 days before even though the game was a walk in the park for them and they did heavily rotate. To their credit Liverpool played really well yesterday but we limited them to one clear TAA chance and that Salah goal which not many could pull off.

Qwiss

Henry14th considering we've already 3 from City too. If we could avoid defeat against them away and beat Liverpool at home we'd be looking very strong for the title.

Panda

Henry14th yep and we can still get 4 from 6 against City too. Could swing it in our favour.

QuincyAbeyie

If offered before any of the Liverpool games, I'd take 4 points against them. I wouldn't take 3. We should still be able to do it.

JazzG

Should also add Eddie and Trossard coming on at the end helped us regain some control of the game. Both put in solid shifts.

I really thought we would nick a goal at the end, felt like we had the control but just needed to be better with our passing.

lorddulaarsenal

Pitch hadn’t been cut since Wednesday either.

Next time we’ll have to take long studded boots.

Qwiss

lorddulaarsenal been an issue for a couple of players in other games too. Stud selection is an area for improvement. Arteta to bring in 2 studs experts to compete with each other.

JazzG

lorddulaarsenal Surely there has to be a rule to prevent this type of shit happening?

daredevil

Claudius .

I'm not one to jump the gun, but having three titans in Saliba, Gabriel and Rice at the heart of the team, only to then have Raya behind them, feels like we're doing them a disservice.

Has Raya made a single unexpected save this season? I genuinely can't think of one. He's braver on the ball and has better passing stats, but is it markedly better to the point that it's worth sacrificing the saves that Ramsdale is capable of. Maybe, we need to dip in the market again for another GK.

I think Arteta has been proven right on every single contentious decision he's made, bar Martinez.

QuincyAbeyie

daredevil Has Raya made a single unexpected save this season? I genuinely can't think of one.

Against Tottenham.

Sicario2

daredevil

Bar Luton, Raya has been good last month or so. I think we are over this goalkeeper situation now. Let’s concentrate on scoring more goals now.

lorddulaarsenal

KingslandBarge

Enjoyed watching snippets of Bukayo's performance. I was pretty emotionally charged in real time and lacked a touch of perspective.

Worried about this sustained double standard of giving him no protection but penalising him when he shows out his strength, but thats another topic.

QuincyAbeyie

His new hair needs to go. White quickly realized his mistake.

Qwiss

Speaking of, was a little worried about White yesterday as his form wasn't great since coming back into the team but I thought he did well. Diaz is a quality player and got nothing out of him.

Claudius

JazzG no rule. But credit to the card-happy referee for taking into account how slipppery the field was when he was faced with the Odegaard penalty and the Bukayo red.

awooga83

Claudius well with the yellow card we certainly benefited from the refs general incompetence for all teams that we normally slag off😂. We probably won't be screaming too much about that one to get better

It's why the slim margins can leave you vulnerable though you can have a match defined by one event. I wish we'd mitigate against those more with more clinician attacking play.

« Previous Page Next Page »