Arsenal v Liverpool post match thread

[little dave hedgehog]

No, no no.

The worst part is that degen was tracking eboue and didn't follow him all the way back. He was degen's man and nobody needed to pick him up until the last couple of yards. By then it was too late. Because degen let him go.

[greystoneslfc]

It is indeed a team game, but when one player makes a mistake, it's not prohibited to say so.

You're probably right about Dixon, as he too was a rightback but he'd have probably got his positioning right.

I'd loved to have seen Degen head the ball away, but in all fairness, our first choice right-back, Johnson, do you think he would have cleared it?

I still believe our centre-halves should have dealt with it.

[Craig_H]

I'd loved to have seen Degen head the ball away, but in all fairness, our first choice right-back, Johnson, do you think he would have cleared it?

I still believe our centre-halves should have dealt with it.

I dunno if Johnson would've dealt with it, but we're not dealing in ifs or would haves.

In that scenario, it's clearly the responsibility of the rightback to have got himself into that position, whether you believe it or not mate.

Since you mention the centre backs though, does this mean you're not blaming them for not dealing with it? After earlier saying you dont want to apportion blame?

Anyway, there's **** all we can do, it's done and we move on.

Personally, i'm moving to my bed, to get some shut-eye.

[DannyMan2006]

We would not have lost that game had Carra stayed on. It was a close game decided by poor marking by Degen. Neither team looked like scoring.

In our case it is primarily down to having a player leading the line who is not good enough as yet for the job. I've said since last January that we needed a striker in to cover for Torres, we've now gone through three transfer windows without signing one and that is what has cost us this year.

The loss of Alonso was a blow, the injuries to CB's helped set the rot. But it is the fact LFC start games with N'Gog that has cost us this year.

[vonk]

Before the cross comes in the defence had all shifted across and degen is marking diaby, then in explicably leaves him go! When Diaby scored Degen is standing two yards in front of him marking....no-one. Carra would never have allowed that. Degen showed why he's not up to it tonight. A truly woeful cameo.

[5europeancups]

No team deserved to win that. Seen some **** matches this season and that's certainly one of them.

Shocking, shocking.

Toothless up top without Torres.

****ing City have two games in hand against us and are on the same points too...

I'm sorry but we set out in a league match to get a 0-0 draw last night.

that for me is unacceptable. a Liverpool team trying to grind out results by out running rather out passing the opposition.

I am sure we have the fittest team in the league, but we sure dont have the best team.

as far as I can see this liverpool team has not improved anywhere since christmas except for the defence.

Midfield is barren of creativity, no decent width and toothless up front.

I hope we are not paying our new friend Maxi too much.

Steven Gerrard hasnt put a decent performance in for ages.

Both Utd and Chelsea easily beat a young lightweight but talented arsenal team.

I looked at the team last night and wondered how come we were so deficient in so many areas of the park having spent so much money and yet only having two players left from Huolliers day.

I can see only 4 players in our cuurent squad that would play in a good Liverpool team of days gone past.

goalie
defensive midfielder
attacking midfielder
striker

the rest ar eall fairly average 1990's esque Liverpool standard.

[Reece]

Do you really think that before the game Rafa decides he fancies a 0-0?

[Darkon]

One thing I would like to point out after the match yesterday is that you could see a clear difference when Gerrard was moved back. He actually made some very good long passes toward the corners, something I have been missing throughout the season.

You could see how much more dangerous we started looking, and that's even counting arsenal had moved back a bit by then. Not Gerrards fault that Degen and others couldn't make a simple take down, but the penetration of the passes from midfield was a delight to see again.

[Darkon]

Also have to add, that despite the goal arsenal scored, our left side looked far better than the right. Insua and Maxi combines well and actually keeps a move going forward, where almost everything seems to go stale on our right side atm.

I know Maxi got slated last night by many on here, but I thought he was just as good (or bad really) as any other on the day. One thing that for me makes him a bit better actually is that he was one of the only players actually taking shots and getting to chances. The shots where far from good, but he got to them at least!

[Leyton388]

Thing with Maxi is that he has just joined and what is it his second full game? Also he has come from Madrid where he hardly played so is off the pace and will need some time to get his form back. He should not be slated after only 3 or 4 games.

[the rev leeroy brown]

a few encouraging things from last nights game....

skittles was a beast all night for us. good to see him back.

insua looked scared all night. too quick to try passes that weren't on again. serious lack of pace and needless fouls by tugging shirts. thought he might be getting better but tunrs out he isnt.

lucas ( dam it ) has i think won me over. he looked solid last night. very composed and a proper threat for us.

ngog was wastefull last night. poor hold up play and, not his fault, but his lack of real pace cost us a win last night. had it been torres, babel or ste running through on goal they would have scored.

babel proved everybody wrong last night about him. hassled defenders, chased long balls, good link up play and passing.....a real threat and FFS MUST start the next game. he looked really up for it last night. obviuosly some on here will still claim otherwise but they talking out their arses.

ste looked more into the game too. full on sprinting to get to balls and seemed to enjoy himself out there.

disappointing to not get anything from the game, but all in we are slowly improving i think.

[Kinell]

I'm surprised Ngog hasn't been mentioned more. He's clearly not upto it on his own up top and doesn't really get the opportunity in the first team to play along side anyone. He was getting talked up a bit earlier in the season during Torres' first absence but I don't really see it. He isn't clinical what so ever, more often than not wastes possession and isn't strong enough to hold up the ball effectively.

I'm just left frustrated after having some control in the match that we came away with nothing.

[The_weatherman]

My observations from last nights dull fest:

When was the last time Arsenal lost three in a row? We were not going to win this one.

I was screaming for Babel to come on around the 60-65 minute mark, we needed something different and far more pace. Rafa waits far too long for radical changes. Ngog was clearly not cutting it, I think he needs a strike partner, like against Wigan.

Skrtel and Agger were playing well but let down a bit by Insua and Degen in defence.

Lucas played well and one of those days he'll start putting those chances away, he is making good runs into the box.

Gerrard could shoot more from distance.

There is too often one Liverpool player in the penalty area against 3-4 opposition players.

I have noticed for the last few games, Kuyt or Ngog manage a flick on after a high ball only to realise, that they were the only front man. Last night there it seemed like they were closer to each other or something, at least these flick ons went in the general direction of a red shirt.

And last we have to beat City, but that goes without saying, last night was no disaster.

[wiw]

One thing that's stuck with me from last night - at one point Arsenal had the ball for about a minute and we were pressing them really well. We then finally win it back, and within 1 second Carra had booted it back to their defenders. Now we all know what to expect from Carra by now, but others were guilty of it as well. Why not try keeping the thing we've just worked really hard to get

[The_weatherman]

One thing that's stuck with me from last night - at one point Arsenal had the ball for about a minute and we were pressing them really well. We then finally win it back, and within 1 second Carra had booted it back to their defenders. Now we all know what to expect from Carra by now, but others were guilty of it as well. Why not try keeping the thing we've just worked really hard to get

Skrtel was doing it way too much as well, then Agger got the ball and strolled forward and picked a pass. Honestly, for someone who as practiced football for 20 odd years, why can't Carra pass the ****er? Skrtel has maybe had a little less training over his career but still he should manage to at least find the friggin pitch!