Arsenal vs Liverpool preview: Battle for third place? Plus favourite line-up
Without fooling ourselves, the table before tonight is a fair indication of what the Premiership has been so far this season. Actually, when I look back at our fixture list, I see that it’s not really the defeats against Manchester United and Chelsea which really damaged us but rather the crazy 2-2 draw away at West Ham, the defeat at Sunderland and also, in a way, the home draw against Everton.
We are nine points from the top, we all know that, and if we are to produce a second comeback this season, we must win all our remaining games, starting from today’s, although such an achievement seems a typical case of easier said than done I’m afraid.
Before moving on with the preview, a big thank you to you, the reader, as I’ve just realised that every month for the last five, we broke all records in terms of hits. We put a lot of effort to make this website possible so it’s nice to see this effort appreciated by many.
Liverpool
Had someone told me last month that the distance between the two teams before this game would have been of only five points, I wouldn’t have taken him seriously. Instead, the Reds know that they can move to only two points from our third place if they manage to cause a major upset at the Emirates.
I have to admit I stopped following them after they dropped out of the top four but they are on a one-month unbeaten run which is not good to see. What is “funny” is that many blamed Robin van Persie’s injury as the reason why we took nothing from our last two games, asking how good Liverpool would be without Torres. Well the Spaniard will be missing tonight so maybe this is a very easy game after all, no?
Favourite line-up
Dear me, this one is so tough to call. Based on what we’ve seen against the top two, I stand by my decision to drop Manuel Almunia and gamble with Vito. Also, Gael Clichy, clearly needs more games to find his fitness level after the injury but an important game like today’s should not be amongst them. Not that I fully trust Traore, but we don’t have much choice, do we?
Seriously, going forward, we need to understand who really is up for the task and who is not. For example Bacary Sagna looks like someone needing a rest so in comes Emmanuel Eboue who was full of energy at Stamford Bridge.
Eboue – Vermaelen – Gallas – Traore
Song
Rosicky – Fabregas – Ramsey – Arshavin
Diaby
Eduardo is still out and Nicklas Bendtner will start from the bench. Now call me crazy, call it fantasy football, but I would move Abou Diaby up front. What the hell, if he can shield the ball enough for Andrey to move up and punish the team he so-much loves to punish, even that would be enough for me. For sure is that the Russian, alone, up front, may have worked out the first time we saw it, but failed after that.
One final change I would do is to start with Tomas Rosicky and drop Samir Nasri, who didn’t convince me in his last two games.
Pre-match Interviews
Liverpool defender Daniel Agger is confident the Reds can defeat Arsenal even if it will not be an easy game.
He said:
We just have to go for the three points in each game.
We need to have a good result against Arsenal, that is the most important game right now.
Arsenal are a good team but every game in this league is tough so we need to go in with the same attitude as against Everton.
Everyone in the team knows we have the right attitude.
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger declared he gives little or no importance to who made mistakes during games, but prefers to sit down, analyse the mistakes and understand how these can be avoided in future games.
Speaking on Tuesday, the Frenchman said:
It is not down to me to come out and say who made a mistake. I believe it is important that I show support to my players and think collectively about how we cannot repeat the mistakes that happened to us in the last two games.
It looks to me quite easy to solve having looked at the way we have conceded the last two goals and that is it. It is important that we support each other and show solidarity and show that people who try to destroy that are not right.
This is a team that really wants to win and you have seen that on Sunday until the last minute of the game.
Of course when you find yourself running after the score and you are playing against big teams, you threaten to be caught on the counter-attack and that’s what [happened with] the second goal on Sunday.
When it is 0-0, we don’t over-commit but we have found ourselves in the position in the last two games where we have to take massive gambles. That puts you in a difficult situation.
The Gunning Hawk Coverage
As always, tune in for team line-ups, streaming links, half time and full time reports, post-match thoughts, video highlights and what the press is writing. And of course, do contribute if you want to by making use of the comment box available at the bottom of the post as it’s always nice to hear your opinion. And as a final note, if you want to go one step further than just leaving a comment and want to have your articles published on our website, take a look here for more information.
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still hurt, defeat from MU and chealse.. no wenger please
A must win game for the Goons Chris i would even take Ramsey being a goalkeeper today Come on Gunners
I think this will be a great match guys. I think we will win today 3-1 or 2-0. Believe me, a lot of gooners are afraid of liverpool cuz they watched our last 2 games ans arsenal didn’t convince them, but today is a new day, and remember this day as a start of a long un-beaten run from arsenal. sory for my english. Compliments about this page
Maybe not the game to experiment BUT can someone tell Clichy and Sagna that their first job as defenders is to Defend! How about this as a line up
Fabianski Sagna Gallas Campbell Vermaelen…..Song Fabregas Diaby Eboue Bentdner and Arshavin ……..with Ramsey Nasri Clichy Rosicky and Walcott on the bench
To me the key today will be whether we can match the level of effort and intensity that Liverpool will come at us with. For the first time in months they are seeing light at the end of the tunnel having climbed into 4th place and always play hard and fast against us. We have to match that effort all over the field and I really like your lineup, especially Diaby up front. Once RVP went down I thought it was worth a try to move him up there (even if for stretches). I also think Rosicky is giving us more than Nasri has been lately. Rosicky to me is getting stronger and more like himself each outing while Nasri seems stuck at the same level, does some things OK, but overall no real impact on the match. It’s time to get Ramsey back out there, he may make some mistakes, but he won’t lack effort on offense or defense.
Well, You blame our players for lacking mental strength, Look at you now. Completely beaten. Come on, Merseyside may be on our side tonight, We Win three points from Liverpool and Chelsea looses 3 points to Everton and the race is wide open again. Come on, all of you stop whining and start supporting. Our talisman Andrei Arshavin is the same height as Lionel Messi, the World Player of the year. So it is nothing to do with those tall & powerful strikers you all dream of – It’s about picking up and winning again.
Have you all forgotten that we have won 24 times, we have lost 9 times this season. That alone proves that Winning is what we do best, and no one needs to be told the number of goals in the process.
Why is it everytime we have a bad patch everyone starts screaming???.
Agreed! Be loyal and have faith! This is what makes you a REAL gunner!
With no pressure on the game but keeping it simple Liverpool are going for the win at any cost so it will be a hard game on us they will know that we lost 2 games and we need this one so they will make it impossible for us to win so we need to be composed patient with wide eyes open defend well support each other well and attack with accuracy else keep the ball until the perfect opportunity arises for a sure goal accurate pass accurate positioning is vitally important for this match regardless of who is playing after all it is the arsenal that is used to overcome our opponents
Hoping the tactics will work hope all are in form hope all are in a wining form with the execution
Please team do shine you r stardom skill and ability to win for a win
Good luck
com on arsenal com on arsenal
I partly agree. We should NOT wait for the perfect opportunity. Seems like that is all we do, dribbling til the goal line, and we all know that we mess it up on the way. The answer should rather be shoot shoot shoot.
COME ON ARSENAL!!!
Arsen is toooooooooooooo… late to sit Alumunia. He is not fit for Arsenal. Mannone is the best goalkeeper than Aluminia. Why Arsen gives the chance for him? B/c Almunia is not a goalkeeper. he always play for opposite club. Do you remember the last two plays?
Absolutely agree with this line up. Sagna, Almunia, Clichy, Nasri need rest. Arsenal win with 1-2.
the line up is very good..hope wenger sees that…..
Nothing short of victory is acceptable tonight. Meanwhile, evrybody except Wenger has noticed dat Almunium is nt a goal keeper. Pls giv Mannone a chance.
Gunners are definitely running out of form, lost 3s and only able to gained a draw in recent four matches. Liverpool side at least show a bounce back and success maintaining 9 unbeaten runs.
Arsenal home are extreme and Liverpool’s performance is bad in this season but spirit of fighting and confidence are more important to decide a game. Thus, on track Liverpool is my pick and I expect them only able to hold Gunner.
fabianski
sagna gallas vermaelen clichy
cesc song diaby
rosicky bendtner arshavin
subs: almunia, eboue, traore, campbell, nasri, ramsey, walcott,
arsenal to win this either 2-1, or 3-1 goals from cesc, diaby and arshavin.
I still think that Clichy needs to return to match fitness but this match is too important to risk that. Ebue has done so well in the last few matches that I think he deserves a start. Go got them Gooners!!!
Fabienski
Ebue, Gallas, Sol, Vermaelin
Nasri, Cesc, Abou, Song
Theo, Arshavin
If Bendtner isn’t fit to start, I’d play Jay Emmanuel-Thomas up front. I thought he wasn’t bad at all agains Stoke, and brings us a bit of strength, enven though he isn’t a real striker.
Mannone
Eboue-Campbell-Vermaelen-Gallas
Diaby-Song-Fabregas
Walcott-Emmanuel-Thomas-Arshavin
lets try;
almunia
eboue gallas sol verminator
song
febregas diaby
nasri rosicky
bendtner
how about it?
The more I looked at your suggested line-up, Chris, the more I liked it. Whether AW would play Diaby up front is doubtful, however.
I would welcome someone telling the whole team NOT to over do the close passing in the final
1/3. Remind them that SHOOTING from all angles will bring goals…….. which is.the object of the exercise.
READ NOW. your mentally disturbed i mean diaby can maybe be behind the striker but as a striker!!!!!manone in goal hee is a promising keeper but first time in starting 11 since 3 months?clichy insnt in his best form but traore is a pathetic exuse for a left back and as for sagna he is one the most consistent right backs in the world and ramsey is good but fabregas is too similar nasri z trickery is needed especially against livepool. sorry but you really have crazy and ridiculous fantasyz
jack you are 100pourcent right
Jack, I’m not sure you ever wrote on our website, so welcome.
But if you want your stay to be a long one, make sure to refrain from posting such comments again. We often disagree with each other, but that’s not the way to show it.
Also, posting two comments using two different names is also a no-no here, especially when both comments have words like “fantasyz” and “100pourcent” which means there is no need to compare the IP address to understand it’s the same person.
Jack your language itself shows your ability to understand soccer. Look carefully at clichy and then compare him to traore as of now. Traore has put forward good performances before feeling some pressure and stumbling. Now with Clichy on the bench, traore might be able to relax and put forward a decent performance. As of Diaby going forward, although he has the stregth of a striker, he will more likely suit us in a midfield as he is a playmaker and his dribbles through the liverpool midfield are a advantage we have.
Arshavin played centre against Liverpool last game and scored a goal. He might get a goal again. Wenger will definetly play him forward. Bendtner to appear in the 70th minute.
good article again Chris.
Drop unimpressed almunia, clichy and nasri and jaded sagna against liverpool. Ramsey, Vito and eboue deserve some chance.
listen i have nothing against you or ur blog its quite good we are all gooners here and i read news from ur blog daily but that lineup!!!!!!!!!!??cmon
sorry but i couldnt help myself;)
A lot of interesting views on the line up. If Bendtner is 100% fit he should start, had he been fully fit for the last 2 he probably would have started those also!
Nasri, has not shown enough on the defense, and should not start. Clichy has talent going forward but if you reward players for going for a ‘chat with his new ‘friend’ and there is a Chelsea corner arriving in the penalty area! What example is that to the others, and how on earth are you going to train players to concentrate ‘fully’ if switching off is rewarded with a start next game? Clichy’s performances simply have not been good enough, he does not deserve to start. Eboue has really put in the effort last 2 games, his work ethic deserves a start!
For me the big question is this! Can Arsenal get it right on the defensive end tonight! If so they have a good chance. Doing so is not a certification of a victory but, it is an essential component of one! I hate to keep bringing it up, but these defensive problems are not new, especially at home. Recall Bolton, Everton, MU, and of course does any of us need to be reminded of the score after 10 minutes of last seasons CL Semi, Arsenal 0 MU 2.
I have been a supporter for longer than I care to recall, but I am not afraid to criticize when it is deserved.
Lets hope for a terrific performance, and a victory.
Chris first of all, love the blog. Follow it every day.
Like your idea with Diaby up front, could actually work.
But I would like to see Walcott in his favorite position as CF.
And switch your Ramsey for Diaby in the midfield.
Cheers mate
Hi all,
Wouldn’t mind seeing “Don” Vito in goal today. You could make the case that Manuel wasn’t completely at fault for all the goals (at Chelsea), but he just doesn’t seem to inspire the back four and that’s a problem.
Even though Chris’s suggestion of AD up front on his own is interesting, I doubt Wegner would pursue that. Ideally though we could have Diaby playing up front with AA right behind him, a big man-little man set up.
the battle for the third position? I dont think so or at least i dont want to think about it, because if we lose the third place then for me its for sure that we will lose even the 4th place. But i belive the 3d is ours. My line up will be:
———–Mannone(Almunia will play thats for sure)———
Ebouye–Gallas-Vermalen–Clichy
————–Song————
—–Fabregas——Diaby——-
—-Rosicky-Arshavin-Nasri—–
With Bendner avaliable from the start then it has to be:
—-Rosicky-Bendner-Arshavin—
Anyway dont be surprize if u see Walcott playing from the start.
We got to hold the midfield tight with a tight defence i am going towards this choice
——Goal keeper
Sanga galas cole varmaleen
———–Song ebue
———-Gas diaby
——Rosicky archivan
but then its mr wegers choice not mine
Sorry to upset some of you guys,but i think wenger must get two things into song’s head..too much dribbling for a defensive player aint good at all..second thing,he must learn to tackle and stop with that silly body pushing of his..all it does is cause us free kicks and no good..lets keep the faith,and if both united and chelsea could drop tonight then we ‘ll surely be in the race if we get a result tonight..gunners for life!!