Arsenal v Liverpool - 20:00 Monday 24th August.

[Whitechapel]

Against a makeshift Arsenal defence, getting all of the decisions you've got to question how Liverpool haven't won this.

And for Arsenal to still come out the better side.

 

[Cheese & Biscuits]

What a great game to watch. Only one team looking to win it in the end but what a half for Liverpool in the first.

 

[smat]

*shrugs shoulders and goes to bed*

 

[SALTIRE]

Christ that was a hard won point. Better team first half, Arsenal much the better team second half. Will take that.

 

[Pagnell]

Said before the game I'd be happy with a point, but strangely I'm disappointed. However, on the balance of play it was the right result. Very happy with the first half performance, lost our way a little in the second.

Unbeaten, yet to concede and one of the worst fixtures of the season out the way.

 

[allouso]

Disappointed with how we retreated in the second half. But it's a good result nonetheless, 3 clean sheets in a row now.

 

[The Iron]

4pts from two very difficult away games for Liverpool. Impressive.

 

[JimJams]

Moreno needs to learn to get his head up. 2 games running now he's made a great run from his own half and opened up the opposition but rather than look for a better option just wants to try and beat everyone on the pitch. If he plays Ibe in at the end it's the best opportunity of the 2nd half.

 

[Pagnell]

Against a makeshift Arsenal defence, getting all of the decisions you've got to question how Liverpool haven't won this.

Taking the piss?

And you didn't come out the better side, we were better first half comfortably, reverse it second half.

 

[ColB]

A draw was about right. Thought it was a very enjoyable game for a 0-0'er. Liverpool look nothing if solid this season thus far and with the likes of Sturridge to come back and Firmino to find his feet the goals will surely come.

Arsenal were really dissapointing again and on this evidence won't come close to challenging City and probably Chelsea for the title.

 

[Red]

Against a makeshift Arsenal defence, getting all of the decisions you've got to question how Liverpool haven't won this.

And for Arsenal to still come out the better side.

Cech is why Liverpool didn't win it

 

[herbert hellraiser]

Can't see either of these 2 teams being a threat to city up to now, let's hope it improves.

 

[Mustard]

Disappointing. Despite playing terribly we should have gone in at half time 1-0. Couldn't make chances pay in the second. Oxlade should have come on a lot earlier, there was one attack when we literally had Ramsey, Walcott, Özil, Cazorla, Coquelin and Alexis all occupying the left hand side of the pitch, with Bellerin marking about two Liverpool players on the right - it was so clear that we needed more width. We're now 5 point behind City already and once again in danger of throwing away any chance of the title in the first few weeks.

That being said it was terribly unlucky to lose Mertesacker and Koscielny just prior to the match. I'm sure with both of them involved the first half would have been very different.

 

[JimJams]

Cos you'd have conceded less goals?

 

[ColB]

Moreno needs to learn to get his head up. 2 games running now he's made a great run from his own half and opened up the opposition but rather than look for a better option just wants to try and beat everyone on the pitch. If he plays Ibe in at the end it's the best opportunity of the 2nd half.

Hes all legs (pace) and no brains sadly. Such a frustrating player.

 

[Mustard]

Cos you'd have conceded less goals?

I think it was quite clear how uncomfortable our defense looked, especially Chambers, and that was putting our midfield under pressure.

 

[Veggie Legs]

Haven't seen a 0-0 that entertaining for a very long time.

 

[Whitechapel]

Cos you'd have conceded less goals?

Because we'd have kept possession and not scared the shit out of our midfield.

Very valid point by Mustard.

 

[Stevencc]

I wouldn't put too much stock into not conceding either, particularly when you've had two massive pieces of luck regarding two perfectly legitimate goals being erroneously discounted in your favour.

Just saying.

 

[SALTIRE]

Haven't seen a 0-0 that entertaining for a very long time.

Entertaining!?! I was watching the second half behind the sofa, and need a valium!

 

[JimJams]

I know I was just fucking with him, but as for it making things very different, the 2nd half was very different but the result was he same as the first half.
It's been said before that maybe Arsenal need to try and let the opposition play a bit more because it will allow them more space when they have the ball themselves to attack. The congestion on the left hand side of the pitch when Arsenal had the ball in the 2nd half was always going to be difficult to break through, and Arsenal players rarely like to have a speculative effort from distance.

 

[G-Dragon]

Great game. Happy and at the same time slightly disappointed with just a point. Lot of talk about Arsenal missing their two center backs but Liverpool equally missed Henderson. In addition it was a first start for Firmino, first match for Lucas, young players like Joe Gomez and later the introduction of Jordan Rossiter (got me really scared when i saw him on the sideline) etc. Today is definitely the best we have played this season.

 

[Benji]

Arsenal are so narrow when they attack. They rely on Bellerin and Monreal charging down the wings for width, but it leaves them so vulnerable on the counter. Especially in games when they are struggling to put passes together like tonight. Most of that trouble occurred between the defence and midfield in the first half. I think Arsenal's 4-2-3-1 was playing a bit more like a 4-2-4, and the back four struggled the find the time and space they were desperate for. Up against the two sets of three of Liverpool, the gap between Arsenal's back four and midfield two was filled with the high pressing Liverpool players. You can't press like that for the whole game though. Arsenal got away with it in the first half and Liverpool couldn't maintain that intensity for the second.

I think Liverpool's new signings all looked quite good. Joe Gomez looks very promising. You can see what they are going for with Benteke, I think he will be a very successful addition for them.

 

[Whitechapel]

Taking the piss?

And you didn't come out the better side, we were better first half comfortably, reverse it second half.

Yet we scored in the first half and you didn't in the second. We were very VERY unlucky not to win.

 

[SALTIRE]

I think Liverpool's new signings all looked quite good. Joe Gomez looks very promising. You can see what they are going for with Benteke, I think he will be a very successful addition for them.

Agreed and they were are drilled very well and knew what they had to do. Gomez looks a real bargain. With Sturridge back (hopefully for the season!) in a few weeks, things are looking decent and the team is looking competitive.

 

[BlueBee]

Boring Arsenal. All the flair in the world and they can't score at home.

Cech will be wondering why he moved.

 

[Pagnell]

Yet we scored in the first half and you didn't in the second. We were very VERY unlucky not to win.

Neither team come out the better side, hence why a draw overall is a fair result.

 

[ColB]

I was very impressed with young Joe Gomez. For someone as inexperienced as he is at this level he's slotted in brilliantly, and looks like he's been playing in that position for Liverpool for years.

 

[Pagnell]

Cech will be wondering why he moved.

The fact he played tonight will be enough for that wonder to be short-lived. As opposed to warming the bench as a number two.

 

[Bilo]

Yet we scored in the first half and you didn't in the second. We were very VERY unlucky not to win.

That goal doesn't guarantee that you would have won as the game would have panned out differently. You were unlucky not to win, at a stretch, but you're making it sound like you outplayed us while you really didn't.

Anyway, most Liverpool fans would have bitten your hand off for a draw before the game, so it's definitely a good result. West Ham up at home next to hopefully make it 10 from 12 going into United, which is more than anyone could have asked for.

Thought Skrtel was the best player on the pitch. Funnily enough that scare when he almost scored an O.G. was probably his best action of the game. There's literally nothing else he can do to prevent the goal.

Benteke looked quite good even though Firmino didn't get much done. Thought the Can-Milner partnership was really good at times and borderline awful for a few short spells, with some odd positioning and decision making. Looks like a decent midfielder pairing though and I'd be comfortable with them next week. Gomez I thought was at times outstanding, reading the game in a way you'd think he's 10 years older than he is. He's a bit let down by his technique at times but for an 18 year old, he's the best we've had since Sterling when it comes to talented youngsters. Seems to be quite quick as well.

Lucas did well, as did Lovren. Coutinho not so much, but he's allowed to have an off day every now and then.

I wrote in my squad preview that Ibe really hasn't shown much for being branded such a talent and my opinion of him hasn't changed. He keeps making the same mistake over and over and over again, and that is rarely a good sign for a youngster.