For the second time in a matter of days Arsenal make the long trip to Anfield to face Liverpool; this time for a spot in the quarter-finals of the Carabao Cup. The Gunners lost to the Reds on Monday night in a Premier League clash, 3-1.
Good day one all.
In spite of improvements since Mikel Arteta’s arrival, Monday was a reminder that we still got a long way to go if we are to challenge for the Premier League title; which champions Liverpool are favourites to retain while we are hoping to get back into the top-four. I say this because in the face of defeat it is easy to lose perspective.
The last two seasons Liverpool got 97 and 99 points respectively, while Arsenal finished the last four outside the top-four. The last three seasons we averaged 63 points. It sucks but is the reality of where these teams are at the moment.
Unai Emery arrived as a quick fix to get us back to the Champions League spots, after finishing outside it in Arsène Wenger’s last two seasons, but all he did was rip the soul out of this team. Seasoned professionals were forced out, others froze out, a few others want out and most whom he signed are on their way out. That is the dung Mikel stepped into and the wreckage from which he has to start the rebuild in his first job in the hot seat. Then there are those in charge of the club who are not playing with a full deck, which force him to put on a brave face and just try to get on with it. So without a full season nor a pre-season, seems unfair to be aiming brickbats at him – in my opinion at least.
Be that as it may, Liverpool were where we are and Jurgen Klopp didn’t turn it around overnight, but it took patience, smart recruitment, trust from the fans and so much more.
Today they’re a machine, especially at home where they are practically invincible. They didn’t had it all their way the other night though, despite the 3-1 score, we caught their defense flat-footed a few times and, on another day, may have pinched a point. Alas, we live to fight another day.
Mikel has done well and really seem to enjoy these battles against the ‘big six’ in Cup games… and with Klopp expecting to make sweeping changes, who knows. Still, any trip to Anfield remains one of the toughest in English football and if we are to get the better of them, the Spaniard will be asking a lot more from his players than they showed the other night.
Team news
Mikel Arteta is expected to ring in the changes as well, however, they are not be as fancy as his German counterpart, as we are still limited due to injury concerns.
Cédric Soares and Sokratis (unless on his way out) are available, which can help ease said concerns, and this is an ideal opportunity for them to get some minutes under their belts.
Gabriel Magalhães, a surprise omission Monday, Dani Ceballos and Bukayo Saka are all expected back. Maybe Runar Alex Runarsson and William Saliba will finally make their competitive debuts.
Prediction
Arsenal have not beaten Liverpool on the road since September 2012 in all competitions but, all things considered, I wouldn’t bet against us. Cup games are refereed more evenly, which opens things a bit.
While the game may not live up that epic 5-5 showdown of last season, I doubt it will be short on entertainment. COYG!
— @LaboGoon
Positively Arsenal 
Mesut Ozil has tagged Mustafi, Torreira and Kolasinac in an Instagram story saying in German ‘everything taken apart’ while filming weights on the floor in the club gym.
some have suggested that its a cryptic message as all 3 have today been linked with transfers out of AFC, of course it might just be that the 3 of them left a mess behind them in the gym
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Ozil, Mustafi, Torreira, Guendouzi and Kolasinac not in any of the training photos from today on Arsenal.com, some reports suggest Kolasinac was in training.
It looked like a full senior squad, so it seems Arteta will go with a strong 18 tomorrow
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Jean Michel Aulas, Olympic Lyon president has repeated today that any transfers out of Lyon will have to be completed by Friday evening or they will be stopped.
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Kola is in 2 pictures, The others treated as though they do not exist.
For my part, much as I would like to have confidence in Arteta’s leadership, what is going on leaves such a bad taste in the mouth.
We have gone full circle from Wenger who treated his players with respect and loyalty, to what we are seeing now where players are being degraded and shunned as though they had the plague.
Have we ever seen this done at any club, let alone ours?
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well jigsol if we end up with more than 17 non homegrown senior players at the club after the window closes I will not be at all surprised to see Ozil not registered in our EPL 25 man squad. that would be some state of affairs, our highest earner unable to play for the club in EPL till january at the earliest
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well the CC last 8 is taking shape
spurs
newcastle
man city
man utd
everton
tomorrow’s games are
brentford v fulham
aston villa v stoke
liverpool v Arsenal
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120 hours of the transfer window left, I’m so glad we no longer dither they way we used to when Wenger was in charge
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Nice one Labo – thanks.
I’ve never been too bothered about the League Cup, I can barely recall what they even call it, from one year to the next.
That said, it would be glad to give the scousers a bloody nose in return for the shit show of Monday night. You just know if Livarpool had been on the wrong end of the ref decisions we endured there would have been a meltdown spreading from Kloop to the media.
If we do lose, we’ll be spared a December quarter-final in what is usually the busiest, toughest month of the year.
So a win:win awaits!
Enjoy the game.
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Thanks Labo.
Think we’ll see some rotation, more from Liverpool but it is noticeable that other clubs have played strong teams. Making up for a short pre-season?
This isn’t going to be a normal season.
On the pitch Sly Klopp has given a heads up to opposing coaches and Arteta will have to hurry through some of the developments he had planned imo. I wish he’d have anticipated Klopp’s desire for revenge and mixed up in the forward lines, been nice to have had an Ozil on the bench, but he is a rookie manager with a breathing down his neck
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Yes, hard to keep track of what it’s called Milk Cup, Littlewoods Cup, Carling Cup, or whatever current incarnation , hope we get to see some young players go for it in this fixture, like last year
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< with a super agent breathing down his neck. And owners who deserve no confidence. Didn’t hear anyone calling out Arteta. People are wondering why the player who set up a magical goal in this exact fixture last season will not play. Children are asking why Ozil is not playing! So: Many would like to see him play It is a fair question. I wrote earlier on I expect and hope him to play as veteran not starting every game, edu has shown his hand now. We shall see.
Lots of transfer rumours. Lots of clicks on all Arsenal stories out there. Perhaps now more then ever?
Some great young players who will be playing football tomorrow for the Gunners. As me and Shotts were wondering, with no more scouts this could be the last golden crop of graduates from the youth teams for a time (which included Safe Hands Martinez). I’m looking forward to the game. Nervous about Sheffield. Big week ahead. COYG.
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Ha, yes, of course, what do we tell the children?
And what, one day, will they tell their children?!
Of all the worst case scenarios, in this respect, the worst, worst case scenario has to be no sale/loan of Ozil AND no further appearances by him on any team sheets of Arteta. Try explaining THAT. To each other, let alone to future frightened and anxious generations.
It’s been suggested that Covid has put a spanner in the works of a normally fluid football player transfer system.The mobility of the dead wood (and I still struggle to use this abominable phrase) has been replaced by moribund squad lists throughout the European leagues as clubs of all shapes, sizes and bank balances realise that thanks to Covid they are unable any longer to finance the ‘padding’ out of teams with football’s equivalent of stocking fillers. Indeed, they can barely afford the main event, gifts wise. It is said one can look at most clubs and see similar equivalents of Ozil-style strandings everywhere. Alli at Spuds. Smalling at Manure. Even possibly Kepa, the keeper at Chelsea, has turned out not to be a keeper after all, but a swift break up appears unlikely. And the list goes on of stranded groundings at grounds up and down the country and beyond.
Tough and strange times we live in.
I’m not sure of the truth of this, as I can recall quiet windows of previous seasons straining to do business until, like the great tectonic plates beneath our feet, eventually something eventually gives, triggering a great shift and a mini-earthquake of player movements occurs. That it happens in the last few days of the transfer window merely adds to the drama. All kinds of madnesses can occur as clubs struggle to get to grips with the new player possibilities and a desire to get on board with new on-boardings lest they should somehow fall behind.
Which is a roundabout way of saying dear Mesut might yet still be sold, and the Partey, in some quarters at least, gets under way.
Cometh the hour, cometh the man and all that.
Well I’m not holding my breath quite yet – all aboard!!
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My suspicions remain that this Ozil matter has much to do with his comments about need to criticize the Chinese Govt for oppressive treatment of U Muslims and even wondering why the cause was not taken up along with BLM… Think I hear that week Arsenal match was cancelled in China.. who knows if as tong as he is on the team list it remains cancelled?
My suspicions cos i feel the choice not to play him is not football related
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17 year old forward Marcelo Flores has signed his first pro contract at AFC, thought to be a five year deal.
it had been a concern in the summer as his two sisters left AFC Women and joined Chelsea and it was reported they made him an offer to join too.
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Saka and Maitland-Niles in the latest England Senior squad
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loads of reports today that Torreira is joining Atletico Madrid on loan with a purchase option.
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Leno
Cedric Holding Gabriel Kolasinac
xhaka(captain) Ceballos Willock
Pepe Nketiah Saka
subs Runarsson David Luiz Tierney Elneny Maitland-Niles Nelson Lacazette
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kolasinac starts, he has been given lots of game time so far this season, are they rumors of him being about to be sold true
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Saliba not even in the squad,
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we are now into the last 100 hours of this transfer window
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not been a great game so far, most notable incident was Cedric being called offside when he was a good ten yards onside,
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Brentford and Stoke into the last 8 of CC
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Elneny on for Ceballos
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maitland-niles on for saka
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game ends 0-0 and goes to penalties
Leno has been our man of the match, we now need him to be our hero in the shoot out too
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Rangers, Celtic and Dundalk through to EL
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Milner scores
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Wasn’t that a handball, on Milner? He is beaten and then throws himself on the ball, no?
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Lacazette scores 1-1
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Wynaldum scores 2-1
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Cedric scores 2-2
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Minamino scores 3-2
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Elneny has his saved 3-2
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origi saved by leno 3-2
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Maitland-Niles scores 3-3
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Jones scores 4-3
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So far I would say I am not convinced by Pepe
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Pepe scores 4-4
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Wilson has his saved by Leno 4-4
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Willock scores 4-5
Arsenal through to the last 8 of CC, with Leno our man of the match and he also saves 2 of the 6 penalites, hope this stops all the Martinez nonsense from the fuckwits in the fan base
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Leno done good
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Leno speaks
The club has always given me the feeling I was the number one, I am the number one and will be the number one. My job is to prove it every week and I feel I have done that tonight.”
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arsenal v man city
stoke v spurs
everton v man utd
brentford v newcastle
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Overall we were very good. Not the finished article by any means but growing in confidence all the time. Somehow never felt like a game we would lose. There is an assurance growing, we look better on the ball. And I for one throughly enjoyed winning there.
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A win is a win! Always nice to progress… against Liverpool will always increase confidence!
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Not exactly getting the luck of the draw in this competition!
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James Benge
Saliba talk
Arteta says Saliba had a transitional year with injuries, personal issues and COVID. “He needs a year of transition.”
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Well we won. That’s good.
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Never know what’s my own mood and what’s the game, but feel a little strange after that one.
Think it’s bothered me of late all the uncertainty, with a pretty fair percentage of squad heavily rumoured to exits. I’ll be glad when it’s settled.
Seemed further proof to me tonight that Arteta takes every competition very seriously, and every game, too, ie he doesn’t really seem willing to make selections or substitutions which may knock our chance of a result by a few per cent but may have other benefit- player development, etc. Same story with tactics and formation, basically. Even with resting players.
Xhaka was mostly solid as always, but looked tired to me, as common sense says he will be given he is, I think, always selected. But Arteta knows our game tends to suffer badly without him, so always plays him.
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We won, they didn’t. We next play Sheffield with a little bit more belief – but that will be a very different test.
Leaving aside the fact that since March everything’s been rubbish (including our style of play when compared with Arsene’s pomp) Arteta’s Arsenal have done their best to lift the mood with an FA Cup won, a Charity Shield snaffled, two wins out of three in the league and away wins at Leicester and Liverpool in the Carabao Cup.
If at this time of absolute misery that is not enough then maybe you are more the problem than the team.
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