Arsenal - (A) - Post Match

[James P]

A draw there and a win for us, we'll be back to 3 points off the top. Lot of knee jerking in here and in the match day thread.

We're not really competing for the title, so I'd rather Arsenal smash the Scum so that their chances of competing for a top 4 place take another hit.

[RedSince1964]

Got to say i was expecting so much more from us in this game. TBH i didn't expect a win but i did expect a much much better performance than what we served up. Arsenal are a quality team and anyone going their this season will have a tough time even getting a draw.

Our midfield is what is killing our chances against a team with the players Arsenal have in the middle and we need to address it in January. Yesterdays game showed how slow our midfield is and how easy it is to cut through if you have a little pace in your team.

January is going to be huge for us. If we are still in the fight for 4th come jan then FSG need to open up the chequebook and help us kick on for the rest of the season and get top 4.

I'd love to see us sign a top quality CM and AM.

Spot on mate can't argue with any of that

[Fredo]

We're not really competing for the title, so I'd rather Arsenal smash the Scum so that their chances of competing for a top 4 place take another hit.

Well, at the moment we're 5 points off the top, so I'd say at this point in time, we are.

[Vermilion]

Alonso back would a tremendous short term solution IMO.

[spider-neil]

Who else has scored for us apart from Suarez and Sturridge ?

(Not including penalties)

Moses vs Swansea.

[RedSince1964]

Well, at the moment we're 5 points off the top, so I'd say at this point in time, we are.

[spider-neil]

Cissokho absolutely could have done more to block the cross for the first goal. It's early days but he looks disastrous. Cissokho is so bad he makes me pine for Enrique.

Brendan should have done more to flood the midfield, you completely nullify Arsenal if they can't play through you. We are still averaging 2 points a game which is top 4 form.

[Leyton388]

I'd love to see us go sign Leighton Baines. Best LB in the league and he would be tremendous for us. Never going to happen tough. Alonso back sort term would be fantastic. Is he getting much game time at Madrid this season?

[Vermilion]

We need to bounce right back though next game, it's soooooo important.

[Leyton388]

Fulham at home next so we should be expecting 3 points and a few goals.

[Robbie-9-Fowler]

Fulham at home next so we should be expecting 3 points and a few goals.

Arsenal play at United next week and Tottenham are at home to Newcastle so it could turn into a good weekend for us.

I think an Arsenal win could be good for us and I'd take Newcastle getting anything from Tottenham.

Beat Fulham and we're still in the top 4.

[James P]

Well, at the moment we're 5 points off the top, so I'd say at this point in time, we are.

Mathematically yes, but as we saw yesterday we are not competing in terms of quality. We've only played two games against our theoretical competition for a top four spot, so I'd reserve judgement until we've played each of those at least once.

I don't think many if any of us started this season believing that we could win the title. All this good start has done is given us a fighting chance of a top four spot.

That said, if we're still in a similar spot by the end of January I'll be happy to agree that we're genuine title contenders.

[Fredo]

Mathematically yes, but as we saw yesterday we are not competing in terms of quality. We've only played two games against our theoretical competition for a top four spot, so I'd reserve judgement until we've played each of those at least once.

I don't think many if any of us started this season believing that we could win the title. All this good start has done is given us a fighting chance of a top four spot.

That said, if we're still in a similar spot by the end of January I'll be happy to agree that we're genuine title contenders.

Problem with our team is that, it seems, Rodgers hasn't really settled into a specific formation yet. So, the tweaking and fiddling around to find the best system might have cost us in some games. Against lesser sides we'd get awy with it.

I think there's not a lot in terms of quality, bar the midfield. Think we need more power and technical ability in there. Do that and we'll be as good as anyone.

[RichC]

We lost yesterday against a very good side, no harm in that - it happens! It's how we react next week against Fulham that now matters. We've had a great start to the season and currently sitting in a top 4 position which is what we where we'd be hoping to be sat.

If we continue picking points up as we have in the league (2 per game) we'll be in with a great shout for finishing in the top 4.

At the same point over the past 6 seasons we've only scored more points on one occasions (08/09) so put into perspective we're moving in the right direction.

08//09 26 points
09/10 18 points
10/11 12 points
11/12 18 points
12/13 11 points
13/14 20 points

[BobTheCharmer]

Didn't see any of it. Some reports were of a good game between two goods teams, one being better hence winning two zip. Others say it was one sided. I'm not that bothered, I thought it would be two nil.

What I want to know is whether we bought more centre backs with the plan to play 3 at the back, or whether we got them and now feel obliged to play some of them. I fear its the latter. I also fear the reason agger isn't getting a game is to move him on in January. More cost cutting. Although if sakho is a younger more fit version then it would also make sense. We're conceding goals too softly at the moment.