Our little break from the long mountainous climb to the Premier League summit didn’t last long. A quick kick about on the plateau which is the FA Cup third round with hard working but ultimately out classed, out passed, out manoeuvred and out scored Sunderland and we are back onto the steep slopes. We travel to Anfield to face a Liverpool side against whom, by my calculations, we are two points down. How so? Well I think we did enough to beat them at our place when they last visited and as such a home draw left us smarting. It would be rather nice to get those points back tonight and despite their struggles against Exeter I doubt it will be an easy task.
Liverpool at Anfield is never to be taken lightly whatever their recent form and like many teams they will raise their game when we are in town. There is much being made of the mutual respect between the managers and I’m quite happy about that. Far too much hot air is wasted attempting to raise up the mean minded, low brow abuse and petty school yard insults trotted out by certain coaches. Too much ink spilled trying to convince a gullible public that such pathetic barbs constitute ‘mind games’ or some sort of clever psychology. I’m much happier to hear that Herr Klopp’s opinion of Arsène just keeps going up and up. Much is also being made of the results between the two managers all of which have occurred in Champion’s League matches between Arsenal and Dortmund. I’m not entirely convinced that there is much relevance here as the German side were settled, familiar with their manager’s tactics and style of play and to a large part chosen for their ability to work well within his chosen structure.
Since arriving on Merseyside Jürgen Norbert has faced the usual challenges of jumping into a new set up with new playing staff and with the season already under way. He has also been beset with injury problems exacerbating his desire to get his team playing his preferred brand of heavy metal football. I certainly don’t think it’s fair to judge him until he’s had a lot more time to build his own squad and instil his methodology. Having said all that he was unbeaten in his first six games in charge and under his watchful eye Liverpool have beaten Chelsea and Man City and absolutely hammered Southampton. The Ethiad result was perhaps the most eye catching but in such a topsy turvy unpredictable season who can say? Losing to Watford, Crystal Palace and Newcastle while stuffing the filthy rich Oil City and beating high flying Leicester is kind of par for the course these days.
So as you’ve probably guessed I’m delivering my well worn ‘anything can happen’ sermon on this clear and crisp Wednesday morning.
Despite that horrible and quickly forgotten blemish down at St Mary’s we sit atop the current form table. Taken over the previous six outings there are five green squares all with a nice plump W inside them. Liverpool’s inconsistency is on the other hand more frenetic than ours and laid bare by the same table which shows them losing three, drawing one and winning the remaining two.
If I was a Liverpool fan, and I do know a couple, I’d be most concerned about the defence. King Kolo looked lost when we tore into them at The Emirates last season. Unable to cope with our pace and invention he was, if not actually a liability, then certainly bypassed with ease on more than one occasion. He nearly gifted us a goal in the fifth minute but in fairness responded quickly to clear the danger after his keeper parried Aaron Ramsey’s shot. I highlight Kolo as he is nearly a year older now and pulled up with what looked like cramp recently making him doubtful for this game. If he doesn’t start Liverpool’s new signing Steven Caulker could make his début.
I’d hope either an ageing or makeshift centre back pairing would provide a splendid playground for Theo to dance through and Mesut to weave his magic threads in and around but of course I am not manager of Arsenal and there is no guarantee Theo will even start. With Ox showing signs of getting over his injury lay off and Campbell little short of a revelation our patched up squad has actually played itself into the kind of form where Arsène has, if not selection headaches, then at least selection mild discomfort. Our skipper is back from the dead and back in the mix, Calum Chambers has looked a little raw but has acquitted himself very well in midfield and Mathieu Flamini, much to the chagrin of the transfer junkies and haters, hasn’t put a foot wrong.
Will Arteta and Flamini play at the base of the midfield à la the Santi / Coquelin axis and allow Aaron to reprise his more attacking role starting nominally on the wing but drifting all over the pitch and creating havoc in the opposition defence? If so who misses out? Or has Aaron now convinced Arsène of his credentials running from deep, or does the ‘Ox through the middle’ experiment continue? Isn’t it nice to have such conundrums? Is the plural of conundrum actually conundra? We live in an uncertain world and must learn to accept that there are some things we simply cannot know and much we cannot control.
Speaking of the Lazarus like return of our forgotten heroes, I turned to Arsenal.com in an idle moment yesterday to be greeted by the heart warming sight of a photograph of Tomáš Rosický. The diminutive maestro was in bib and gloves and darting between training mannequins in much the same way as he darts through Spurs defenders. It was a vision for me. There are plenty of arguments among Arsenal fans and one of the myths about this blog is that we discourage and actively stifle debate. Nothing could be farther from the truth. Many is the time we like to argue over who is Arsenal’s best or most creative or most important player. Which was the best goal, who is better in any given position. For me the whole best player debate is a little disingenuous as we aren’t really saying player x is better than player y, we are actually saying player x is my favourite.
Doesn’t matter if Mesut can glide past opposition midfielders as if they’ve been turned to stone and pass better than Koscielny, because he can’t do what Kos can. Similarly stick Mesut in goal and Petr behind the centre forward and we’d be in trouble. So I prefer the debate over who are our favourite players at the club. For me right now it is Tomáš . Has been for years in fact. I love plenty of the others of course but our number seven makes me smile with his audacity, ebullience, enthusiasm, invention and his style. He is at the stage of his career where he has nothing to prove to anybody and has all the experience he needs to draw on for any given situation. I hope he will be back as soon as possible, it’s a shame he isn’t adding to the selection problems this evening, but as he enters the twilight of a cruelly foreshortened Arsenal career he can be absolutely vital to the latter half of our season.
Don’t expect me to be too rational about the club I support, don’t expect me to predict victory every week. Do expect me to turn a blind eye to the mistakes of my favourites and to glory in every little thing they do well. I want those two points back tonight but most of all I want to be around to enjoy a glorious swansong from our own little Mozart.
Positively Arsenal 
Hang on, Whats the line-up, tactics,who will score and what will it be?
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Woooops! Sorry George, never going to get my proper bloggers membership card am I? OK The line up will be unchanged from the first choice line up that was last unaltered apart from a couple of changes with a sort of inverse Christmas tree pressing defensive attack formation and Mel hasn’t told me the score.
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Five wins from six tops four wins and two draws.
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And I’d have taken that before the Crunch with relish. Bitten an arm (or wing or leg) off.
Never mind the injuries.
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Morning everyone – excellent, thought provoking write up Stew, very many thanks. Looks like we are just waiting on Mel’s venerable waters then.
Very much looking forward to tonight despite its unpredictability. I imagine being an LFC player right now is not especially enjoyable, with half the squad doing passable impressions of ‘dead men walking’ ahead of a Germanic summer clear out. Our morale, like our form, is in superior shape so most of us can be forgiven for being quietly, secretly, discreetly confident.
Of course, if for whatever reason we do a Southampton (or to be more precise, the ref allows LFC to do a Southampton) no doubt our title charge will be considered over, in some quarters. Equally, however, a win or a draw will contribute to that fascinating if hard to pin down sporting phenomenon known as ‘momentum’.
So, can we do it on a cold murky Wednesday night on Merseyside?
Can we, as fans, keep our heads if it turns out we can’t?!
Enjoy the game everybody.
COYG’s.
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Match day starts here. Thanks Stew.
3 pts away at Liverpool tonight will go a long way in telling the media opinion makers that Arsenal can actually do this and turn the narrative within the Goonverse less toxic and more “come on boys”.
This is nothing like where it all depended on Suàrez for Liverpool few seasons back. This is Arsenal and we are a team where everybody put shoulder to the wheel, and if Rosický can play a part 3-4 of the 8 away fixtures after tonight, it will certainly do a lot for confidence all around.
Here’s to an Arsenal victory and points dropped for our rivals tonight. COYG.
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The mention of Rosicky was enough for me. We’re on the same page Steww…
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I don’t know about you guys but for me psychologically tonight’s game marks the start of the 2nd half of the season after the one week break separating the frenetic Christmas program which culminated with the FA cup 3rd round. In the interim we were able to rest and rotate some of our key players especially Mesut while giving our second string some opportunities to integrate themselves into the team. Despite being light in midfield and without one of our offensive superstars, Alexis, we have shown enough depth as well sheer bloody mindedness to win 3 out of 4. Based on the consistency of our performances over the past year we should get a result at Merseyside. But like almost everyone on this blog I am hedging my bets until I see Mel’s predictions.
Good job Steww. You set the table. We can all have a good meal.
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I’m looking forward to the comparison or duel if you like between Henderson who should be fit and Ramsey.
Henderson was the least horrific of King Kenny’s three nightmares he bequeathed to his club.
A better player then some think, not amazing, he’s a useful measure for us mere mortals to gauge the level that Ramsey plays at in case it wasn’t already obvious.
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A mighty fine introduction to the game, and as always great posts by the PA’s to compliment Stewws writing. The scallies will be up for this one, but if the Guns are pointing in the right direction the ramparts of Kloppas castle will be smashed into poop!
COYG!
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Afternoon Stew,
I get the impression that LFC, after a few weak performances over the Christmas period, are pumped up tonight and will come storming at us from the start. If we can weather that early pressure and get into or rhythm then we have more than enough quality to win, and probably win quite comfortably. Not sure who they have in goal. Mignolet probably, so definitely a few shots from distance to test the shakiest of keepers. A pity Coutinho is out as he is a class player.
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Lovely read. Thanks Steww.
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I’d momentarily forgotten we were playing so this great post has got the heart pumping a little more eagerly. If TR7 were to regain peak fitness I would back him to score at least one important goal between now and the end of the season. He is that sort of a player.
I suspect it is the kind of game that in the shadows of all the public rhetoric both managers would be more than content with a point.
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Lovely stuff Stew,I’ve got 2-2 in my head.
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The oracle has spoken
I shall start on the post match write up shortly
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Spoken like a proper journo Andy! Write it in the bar for the full effect.
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Don’t know who will be our starting 11, but it will show at least 4 changes and likely 7 or 8 changes from last years starting 11 in the same fixture, Arsenal XI at Anfield last season (2-2): Szczesny; Chambers Debuchy Mertesacker Gibbs; Flamini Cazorla; Sanchez Chamberlain Welbeck; Giroud.
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Starr FM can confirm that English Premier League giants Arsenal Football Club are set to open their first ever Africa-based academy in Ghana.
Sod-cutting for the construction of the high-end football academy is set to take place in April 2016 with several Arsenal legends such as Nwanko Kanu, Patrick Viera, Thierry Henry, Sol Campbell among others set to grace the occasion.
As one of the world’s leading football institutions, Arsenal FC have selected Ghana as a base for the construction of a multi-million sports complex to help their desire to invest in African talent.
Arsenal Football Club is highly noted for their strong interest in African talents with the gunners providing the platform for African players such as Emmanuel Frimpong, Quincy Owusu-Abeyie, Marouane Chamakh, Emmanuel Eboue, Emmanuel Adebayor, Alex Song, Gervinho, Kolo Toure, Lauren, Nwanko Kanu among others.
They have also nurtured African talents such as Alex Iwobi of Nigeria, Senegalese Armand Traoré, Alfred Mugabo of Rwanda as well as Congolese youngster Peggy Lokando.
Source: Ghana/Starr FM
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Excellent again Steww.
I’m hoping for fair reffing and a repeat of the win inspired by Diaby’s last visit to scouseland.
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Ramsey to do a Diaby would be nice.
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Good call, PG.
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My one true love https://youtu.be/TjHxGaixf74
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Let’s hope both teams have enough left in reserve to deal with Stoke and Man Utd respectively next Saturday.
For tonight: No injuries and a fair ref – that’s all I ever ask for.
COYG.
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Arshavin, Tomáš these are the kind of players who make us want to watch football. Imagine seeing a player of AA’s quality, his impudent confidence and only being able to say ‘Oh him, yeah, all right but he didn’t track back did he?’. Imagine seeing a man possessed of such artistry and seeing only some supposed flaw. Like gazing at the Sistine Chapel and complaining about a draft.
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Jonesy tonight DC – not one of my favourites,a bit mousey for my taste but he performed well at Vicarage road in October. A journeyman lacking the quality of Clatters or the panache of Deano. His second fixture at Anfield this season and second time with the whistle in charge of both clubs.
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Bril Steww, another hard game as will be the next two after. These are all games we know we can win if were at our best, the question is how many times can we produce our best or near to it.
Tonight could be the start of one those long winning runs where the team becomes very miserly especially away from home COYG
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I respectfully wipe the 2 from the pool side of your result Mel… Im right beside you to help shake off the blues. LOL…
and also, well written steww as per susual
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TEAM NEWS: WENGER MAKES FIVE CHANGES
Arsène Wenger has made five changes to his side for tonight’s game at Liverpool.
Per Mertesacker returns to defence to captain the team while Aaron Ramsey and Mesut Ozil start in midfield.
Nacho Monreal and Mathieu Flamini are included in the starting XI while Alex Iwobi is named on the bench.
Arsenal starting XI: Cech, Bellerin, Mertesacker, Koscielny, Monreal, Flamini, Ramsey, Campbell, Ozil, Walcott, Giroud
Arsenal substitutes: Macey, Gabriel, Chambers, Gibbs, Arteta, Iwobi, Oxlade-Chamberlain
Copyright 2016 The Arsenal Football Club plc. Permission to use quotations from this article is granted subject to appropriate credit being given to http://www.arsenal.com as the source
Read more at http://www.arsenal.com/news/news-archive/20160113/team-news-wenger-makes-five-changes#2CmYJ0uopxx5GZtL.99
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8 changes in our starting 11 from last seasons 2-2 draw at Anfield, Mertesacker, Flamini and Giroud the 3 that remain
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LFC XI to face Arsenal: Mignolet, Clyne, Toure, Sakho, Moreno, Henderson, Milner, Can, Lallana, Ibe, Firmino.
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we haven’t even announced the Elnenny signing yet and John Cross is already scaremongering, with a story saying he will miss a year due to having to do Army service – before he is 30 – just three things on this, one he is 23, we are signing him on a four and a half year contract, so there is even time for him to sign another contract after that before he would have to do Army service, secondly he like so many other sporting stars would likely be excused Army service, and finally it seems a man has to have a brother to be due to do service and Elnenny does not have a brother.
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Your prediction of many changes from last season proved pretty accurate Eddy. It’s looking a bit like our first 11 until more injured return. Even then who walks back in? sadly one suspects Joel has to make way for Alexis. Tough on whoever steps down. Of course it could be Giroud with Theo resuming his centre forward role.
Interesting times ahead.
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Wot no Benteke ?
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Positively Arsenal @Blackburngeorge 12m12 minutes ago North West, England
I wish I hadn’t listened to the pundits on BT now. Seems we are a one man team and a bit shite.
And Liverpool are going to win the league
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He has a very odd shaped nose Mignolet
I ask why ?
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Sakho at the back
Oh yes
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I asked George on twitter but he didn’t answer. Can any of you who listen to the pundits, knowing what they will say having heard it all before and knowing it will make you angry and you’ll never agree with them please explain why you listen to them?
There is always a way to turn down the volume.
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COYG!!!
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A little disappointing way to start the match. Allowing the lesser team to play and then conceding a goal. Could have been better for us. Ah well never mind.
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lfc 1-0 afc – self inflicted, what was theo at, dribbling in his own area, loses the ball, lfc shoot, cech saves, and the rebound is fired home,
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shag it. COYG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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get in theeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeerrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrreeeeeeeeeee!!!ooohhhh Rambo!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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go on rambo, lfc 1-1 afc, campbell with a fine ball in to ramsey and he fires in at the near post, hollywood ramsey at his best
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Now that is the perfect riposte. A very good goal and a classic result from such a greedy player as Aaron Ramsey.
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Larrys in the poop though.
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Kiss the ring
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Eddy – in answer to your earlier question Theo was doing exactly what we all expect Arsenal players to do. We don’t hoof it away we always look to turn defence into attack.
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I had BT Sport on but the commentators are Liverpool and Spurs players and just awful. So I’ve found a stream which sadly is English but apart from describing Mesut as a luxury player they’ve been a lot better.
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fuck off scallies.xx
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Chelsea 1 – West Brom 1.
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