The 3rd goal

[Red_Al_77]

I agree we didn't threaten enough. But that doesn't mean we were INFERIOR to Arsenal. We just lack QUALITY in key areas, and until Rafa realises it, things won't change, and we will have to get used to the same inept attacking edge we have seen for the last 2-3 years. We're 3-4 top players away from a title challenge. 2 wingers, 2 goalscorers and probably a LB too.

Can't argue with that except for the inferior bit. We were inferior. They had three chances and scored. We were inferior in our defending and attacking.

Arsenal have a better record against us over the 2 1/2 seasons Rafa has been in charge. We are inferior. The natural order is Chelsea, Maure, Arse, Liverpool. Until we actually mix it regularly with the other 3 we'll continue to be inferior.

[Svennis]

If we would have been leading or game would have been draw, i can quarantee, that Carra would have just kicked the ball out of the line but, because there was only 5 minutes left and we were one goal behind, he decided to take a risk, which failed. Bad mistake but those things happen.

[Kopite_Colin]

Can't argue with that except for the inferior bit. We were inferior. They had three chances and scored. We were inferior in our defending and attacking.

Arsenal have a better record against us over the 2 1/2 seasons Rafa has been in charge. We are inferior. The natural order is Chelsea, Maure, Arse, Liverpool. Until we actually mix it regularly with the other 3 we'll continue to be inferior.

OK inferior in terms of taking chances, I accept that. But certainly not in terms of overall team play, possession etc. The commentators were creaming themselves over Arsenal - I honestly wondered if they were watching the same game.

But we desperately need to do something IN THIS TRANSFER WINDOW. If Rafa leaves it (or his hands are tied through lack of funds), the best we can hope for is a League Cup win, and a CL spot. Barca will piss all over us if we don't up our cutting edge.

[Howard_lfc]

Yesterday, he was undone by Henry's blistering pace and he's not the 1st to have that done to him.

No he wasn't mate. He got there first and tried to do something that he shouldn't. His decision making was very poor. There were still what - eight minutes left? He should have simply put it out of play. They were so entrenched in their half they wouldn't have hardly moved up the pitch to receive the throw and we'd have had possession back in less than 10 seconds.

[Dhav]

Can't argue with that except for the inferior bit. We were inferior. They had three chances and scored. We were inferior in our defending and attacking.

Arsenal have a better record against us over the 2 1/2 seasons Rafa has been in charge. We are inferior. The natural order is Chelsea, Maure, Arse, Liverpool. Until we actually mix it regularly with the other 3 we'll continue to be inferior.

I agree we were inferior yesterday, Arsenal were clinical and had match-winners, we did not. Our possession and approach play was reasonable, but we were toothless in the final third. Thought they defended extremely well, were very good at denying us space when we got to the edge of their box, Gilberto and Flamini doing an excellent job of protecting their back line. Difference is we weren't as good as them at doing the very same thing, they got players free on the edge of our box twice, and Rosicky scored from both. No way should he have had that much space there. Bad mistakes. Then Carra is frightened by Henry, and in a state of indecision makes a mistake and they score again. IMO the difference was tactical, they got the tactics right and executed them well and were extremely well organised and more disciplined. We got the tactics wrong, they closed out the areas in front of their goal well, we perhaps didnt exploit the areas out wide which may have given us joy. We didnt make changes when they were needed. Rafa was out-thought.

No way are they better than us though. We finished miles ahead of them last season, and we're above them now, and still to play them at home in the league. League table does not lie. We've won the CL and FA Cup in the last two seasons, they fluked an FA Cup win in that time and bored their way to a CL Final. IMO that doesnt give Arsenal a better record in the time Rafa's been here.

[rushscored4]

Yes I know the whole defence was not great but the 3rd goal showed that maybe Carra isn't as great as we make him out to be. Yes he is an excellent defender but he should have hoofed the ball into touch, especially with a class player like Henry coming in behind him. Henry looked only half fit to me but made our defence (especially Carra) look like fools for the 3rd goal. The reason I'm posting this because a lot of fans are quick to jump on Gerrard's back if he doesn't steal the show but Carra NEVER EVER gets criticised & I think that's wrong, especially after the 3rd goal last night. And don't get me wrong, I love Carra to bits but he has to hold his hand up as being one of our better players who didn't perform last night...

Yes, well done. You told us so and you were right...

[glynner]

Carra made a genuine mistake but his motivation was to keep the ball and keep us attacking - a calculated gamble that failed if you like.

i dont think he made the wrong decision because we had 3 further ways to stop a goal in that scenario:

1> finnan gets back to cover - he was knackered from attacking all out so not an opttion, no blame

2> (biggest error for this goal!) Agger MUST show henry outside onto his left foot. he would NEVER score if this had happened. I was on my feet yelling this as i would at lads i was coaching. its basic, know your opponent, force him to do what he doesnt want to. pros HAVE to be ableto do this in the helter skelter of a game like yesterdays.

3> its a soft shot, keeper should save it - i think reina stops all 3 yesterday but well never know

On the carra issue generally, i actually agree. when carra is a covering player for us (covering all the ack 4 slots) and we have a technically better and more athletic player in his role at centreback, then well be where we want to be. love carra for his red heart and his effort but he doesnt stand comparison to hughes, hansen, lawrenson, guillespie, nicol or young hyppia. people should wipe their red tinted glasses and accept this.

Also:

rafa is MAJORLY at fault for the GK selection. there are only 3 sides in this country against whom we dont go in as strong favourities. when we draw one - we should beat them using our strongest side and then do the "rotation" is subsequent rounds when we have our oponents outmatched. a big raspberry to the boss on this one.

i think rafa is the LEAST concerned of anybody to do with lfc over this defeat.

compliments though on the aurelio substituiton. i couldnt see how this would help us but it damn nearly turned this game.

dudek is carrying excess weight - this is part of his poor showing

Good post

I wasn't happy when I saw Aurelio come on, either - but that's the most useful he's looked since he got here.

What I'm looking for now is a fierce response to this result in our next game. I'm also curious to see how Rafa changes his tactics for it.

[enema of the state]

..and we never threatened them.

just not true al.

this was a VERY close game that might easily have turned at various points:

having watched it again, the alonso booking should have been a penalty and the aurelio volley is REALLY close to making it 2-2. the commentator even followed it by saying that the equaliser must come the way we were playing.

add to that that all 3 arse goals should be relatively easily defended tells me we werent far away on saturday.

its easy to get carried away by the final scoreline but we most definitely did threaten them

[enema of the state]

OK inferior in terms of taking chances, I accept that. But certainly not in terms of overall team play, possession etc..

But we desperately need to do something IN THIS TRANSFER WINDOW. If Rafa leaves it (or his hands are tied through lack of funds), the best we can hope for is a League Cup win, and a CL spot. Barca will piss all over us if we don't up our cutting edge.

dont think barca are quite as good as last year and we will be better come the end of feb. i dont see them pissing on us, expect a very close tie. i think well progress.

[enema of the state]

Shouldn't be too difficult, they will play their second string side, get beat, then bleat about it afterwards that it wasn't the same side as Sat, nothing to prove etc, etc.

i think this will suit benitez

[enema of the state]

Carra is a very good defender

true, but we need an EXCELLENT defender in his shirt

[tomasjj]

true, but we need an EXCELLENT defender in his shirt

Aye.
Man, how terrifyingly good Carra was against the Chavs the season we won the CL....

[enema of the state]

Aye.
Man, how terrifyingly good Carra was against the Chavs the season we won the CL....

he had a great game - but john terry for instance, gives that level of performance far more often

[Shaggy]

Carra made a genuine mistake but his motivation was to keep the ball and keep us attacking - a calculated gamble that failed if you like.

i dont think he made the wrong decision because we had 3 further ways to stop a goal in that scenario:

1> finnan gets back to cover - he was knackered from attacking all out so not an opttion, no blame

2> (biggest error for this goal!) Agger MUST show henry outside onto his left foot. he would NEVER score if this had happened. I was on my feet yelling this as i would at lads i was coaching. its basic, know your opponent, force him to do what he doesnt want to. pros HAVE to be ableto do this in the helter skelter of a game like yesterdays.

3> its a soft shot, keeper should save it - i think reina stops all 3 yesterday but well never know

On the carra issue generally, i actually agree. when carra is a covering player for us (covering all the ack 4 slots) and we have a technically better and more athletic player in his role at centreback, then well be where we want to be. love carra for his red heart and his effort but he doesnt stand comparison to hughes, hansen, lawrenson, guillespie, nicol or young hyppia. people should wipe their red tinted glasses and accept this.

Also:

rafa is MAJORLY at fault for the GK selection. there are only 3 sides in this country against whom we dont go in as strong favourities. when we draw one - we should beat them using our strongest side and then do the "rotation" is subsequent rounds when we have our oponents outmatched. a big raspberry to the boss on this one.

i think rafa is the LEAST concerned of anybody to do with lfc over this defeat.

compliments though on the aurelio substituiton. i couldnt see how this would help us but it damn nearly turned this game.

dudek is carrying excess weight - this is part of his poor showing

Great post.

I was on my feet whooping and cheering as the agricultural Riise was withdrawn for Aurelio.

[Tee]

Carra is a quality player, but as has been said before he does lack pace. Our whole defence lacks pace, possibly apart from Agger.

This is an area we really need to address, especially the full back positions IMO. Finnan has done amazingly well, but could do with strong competion for his place.

IMO Riise has been shocking this season and could do with being dropped, but for who? Aurelios defending has looked a bit shaky.

Going back to the main point - Carra messed up, end of.