[PL] v Arsenal (A): Build Up

[Slinky Skills]

Let's smash these cunts

It's coming!!

[Liverpool]

my tactical prediction

[RedReet]

Coutinho has done absolutely nothing end of last season or pre-season to warrant a starting position. Origi over him for me on current form.

*looks around for Chris*

That's because he was rested for the PL games.

After the Dortmund 4-3 in mid April, he started two PL games, a 2-0 win against Watford and a terrible defeat to Swansea in a game were we made 8 changes in preparation for Villareal.

Yes, he had a poor game against Seville (technically the only assist of the game), but check the forums and he was still getting wildly praised up until the end of April.

Before the Dortmund game, he played 3, scored 3. After we played Dortmund he played 105 minutes of PL football in 8 games. Of course he did nothing.

He's been pish in pre-season, but they are only friendlies so I wouldn't read too much into it.

does coutinho start this game? for me its a no gonna be an interesting year for him, our best player yet the combo of Mane/Firmino/Lallana bring more to the team for now. I'd have them 3 with Henderson, Can, Grujic. Back 5 picks itself. Origi and Coutinho isnt a bad outlet off the bench

No room for Ingsy it seems

I think he will start, but when I was trying to make room for Origi, I did see a case dropping him, as it's between him and Lallana and the latter played so well against Barca. I'm not convinced Origi will start though and even if he does, I think Coutinho will stay on.

[Fosterbloke]

Can't wait to watch this!

I'd be happy with a draw but a win would give us a great platform for Burnley before the stupid international break kicks in.

[Mark79]

After Burnley it's Spurs, then the stupid international break.

[Shaggy]

my tactical prediction

That old chestnut.

[kev776]

Good stuff - first break, 9 points, goal difference of 15.

[Fosterbloke]

After Burnley it's Spurs, then the stupid international break.

Ah good, I really want to beat Spurs after reading this tit's letter to Football365 (warning, some piss boiling may occur) -

Liverpool won’t be great, either
I’ve heard a lot of noise in recent days about Liverpool’s resurgence following that 4-0 anomaly against Barcelona. I really can’t see them making an impression this season and this is why:

They still have Mignolet. A keeper that seemingly coats his gloves in Clover before taking to the field, and is more frightened of crosses than the big JC himself. Regularly chucks 10 points a season in his own net.

Lumbering centre halves – Sakho and Lovren are not centre halves you want if you’re going to aim for a title tilt or generally challenge for top honours. One has the turning circle of a lorry and the acceleration of a Lada on an uphill 20% gradient, the other emits brain farts so often you’d be forgiven for thinking he’d had a lobotomy and the docs slipped in a whoopie cushion for the LOL’s. Their fullbacks are also bog average.

In midfield, they have added some depth, but without European competition, depth isn’t what they needed. They need quality, and they just simply don’t have enough of it. Arguably their biggest creator last season was an ageing James Milner who has just been retired by international football. Henderson is a trier but nothing special. Can Emre Can step up if played in his correct position or will Klopp need to play him out of position in a back three again? As a team I just don’t think they can defend, and don’t seem to have improved from the side that conceded 50 goals a season year on year under Brenda.

Attacking wise, they have made a good signing in the shape of Sadio Mane, but this is arguably a position they are stocked in already, the front 4 in the 4-2-3-1. Where does he fit in? Where does he improve them? I don’t see him improving on Coutinho, Sturridge, Firmino, Benteke/Origi so what is the point spending £30+ million on him? You’re better off vastly improving the weaker parts of the squad.

Their biggest player will be Klopp. Will he be able to get his tactics to work in a football world that looks to have figured him out? Pochettino has adopted a far more successful attacking press which doesn’t compromise the defensive shape of the team, culminating in Tottenham’s highest goals scored and fewest goals conceded stats in the Premier League era, with a squad that many tipped to finish 6th or 7th last season.

Klopp’s recent managerial record seems to suggest he’s a busted flush. Where once there was a charismatic ground breaking manager appears now to be a little more than a gurning oddball. I just can’t see how he is going to improve the squad he has sufficiently to challenge.

If you look at their opponents, Antonio Conte has proved to be a master tactician and takes over a Chelsea side that simply needed a reboot. They will go well. Pep takes over a City side that has been playing on empty since their board chucked Pellegrini under the bus mid season, and still managed to sleep walk into the CL semi’s, despite long term injuries to key players such as Silva, Kompany and Aguero. Utd are strengthening in key areas and have a new manager with a real point to prove. Arsenal have a knack of just wandering into top 4 no matter how good or turd they are. Spurs themselves have stability for the first time in aeons and have strengthened their key areas.

For me, Liverpool have none of the above. They have an unbalanced squad, a manager who’s reputation probably outshines his talent, a leaky defence and an average midfield, by the PL’s standard. Sorry to say but the best I can see for them is 7th.
Ross THFC

[RedReet]

Ah good, I really want to beat Spurs after reading this tit's letter to Football365 (warning, some piss boiling may occur) -

Haha, I wonder why a Spurs fan would be bitter? Nothing to do with not having beaten us in 3 seasons, with a 5-0, 4-0, 3-0 back to back and 5 straight defeats against Rodgers.

Also, the overhyped Klopp who can't set up a defence, managed to outplay Spurs at WHL in his first game and hold them to a 0-0, with little time to prepare the squad. Then they couldn't beat us at Anfield, when we had one eye on Dortmund and they thought they were challenging for the title.

And finally, who was the first team to inflict defeat on Ponch at Spurs? I wonder…

[ashey]

Ah good, I really want to beat Spurs after reading this tit's letter to Football365 (warning, some piss boiling may occur) -

I hope every team thinks this about is. We'll just go about our business and blow them all away. BOOM!

[ChesterDave]

Ross in his own words doesn't see it. Then again Ross is writing letters to 365 over filed with dull simile insults while Klopp is a highly respected football manager being paid millions for his services. I'm glad Ross doesn't understand!

[Buzzo]

Arsenal centre-back Gabriel has been ruled out for six to eight weeks with an ankle sprain.

[Fosterbloke]

They really are ****ed for defenders. Let's hope their reserve players don't have a worldie against us.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[RedReet]

If Wenger genuinely wasn't going to play Koiscelny and is forced to now, then it's a blessing in disguise for them. How unfit can a defender get in 2 weeks. Gabriel and one of Debuchy, Chambers or that new kid would have been great for us.

And all that crying for a bloody measly ankle sprain, he should be suspended for a further 3 months.

[BigChief]

I was actually in agreement with the first part of Ross' email. Then he inexplicably lost his senses and turned on Klopp. The man who turned us (in Ross' words average team that he inherited from Rodgers) into double finalists. Its like Ross was going for gold and won bronze in a two person competition. Probably carrying on the tradition of the masterclass'ed Pochettino.