Topic: MATCH PREVIEW – Arsenal FC vs Liverpool FC, Sunday Jan. 7, 2024 – 4:30PM

[No666]

It's a weird one. Be delighted if we win, philosophical if we lose and irritated with a draw.

[ScubaSteve]

I don’t know why, but resting first team players never works in our favour. Best keep momentum and play this one and mid week with our strongest XI.

I think Arsenal will go full strength so anything less and we’re out

[Red Beret]

Maybe if we weren't constantly running into PL teams instead of being repeatedly drawn against minnows like some other Premier League teams we might have had a better record in the cups. Ridiculous to say Klopp's never taken them seriously, though.  We've just been forced to manage team resources.

This is Arsenal's best shot at silverware this season. They're gonna go strong.

[spider-neil]

Maybe if we weren't constantly running into PL teams instead of being repeatedly drawn against minnows like some other Premier League teams we might have had a better record in the cups. Ridiculous to say Klopp's never taken them seriously, though.  We've just been forced to manage team resources.

This is Arsenal's best shot at silverware this season. They're gonna go strong.

The amount of times we draw strong teams and City draw nobodies is annoying as fuck.

[Redley]

Feels like the results so far would make it more palatable to go out now. Every PL side through so far without a replay, apart from a couple of all PL ties. Expect the same again tomorrow, so every chance the last 32 is half PL teams

[Yorkykopite]

Nice OP Jm 55. The Cup will look much more winnable if Arsenal aren't in the 4th round draw.

[So… Howard Philips]

I don’t know why, but resting first team players never works in our favour. Best keep momentum and play this one and mid week with our strongest XI.

I think Arsenal will go full strength so anything less and we’re out

In one. How often have we had a rest or a training trip abroad and struggled for rhythm?

[[new username under construction]]

expecting full strength normal ass team

[keyop]

I’m starting to think Klopp will go strong for this.

1. Arsenal will definitely go strong.
They’ve had a long rest before the game and will have a long break after. Plus they are on a losing run and will want to end that.
2. Liverpool have had a long break
We’ve had a long so getting minutes in the legs for rhythm may not be the worse thing ahead of a semifinal. There is a short turnaround for the semifinal but there is a break afterwards. If think if we’re drawing in the final 10 minutes we’ll fling everyone forwards and we’ll either win or draw to avoid a replay.

Agree with this, and I don't think Jurgen will pick a weakened side anywhere near some of the suggestions posted on here. There are games where it's good to give loads of youngsters experience - such as a dead rubber in the EL/CL, or a game against a lower league club in the League cup or FA cup.

But away at Arsenal isn't a game to rest loads of our best players - regardless of how many competitions we're competing in. The 6-day rest before this game and 11-day rest after Fulham means that rhythm is important - plus we have a real chance to kick Arsenal whilst they're down and demoralise them further. You don't play a weakened team against a side that's won 1 of their last 5 league games and gone from 1st to 4th in a matter of weeks.

Also, Wednesday's game is Fulham at home in a two-legged semi final. It's not 'win at all costs' title decider or 2nd leg game against a European giant where we need to go full throttle. Despite injuries and absences, we have a deep enough squad to put out a side to beat Arsenal - especially on their current form. We can worry about injuries forever, but this is a chance to knock out one of the favourites in front of their own fans, and derail their season even further, then hopefully get an easier draw and rotate later.

Ali, Trent, Virgil, Quansah, Gomez, Mac, Jones, Gravenberch, Gakpo, Nunez, Jota

That still leaves players like Konate, Diaz, Elliot on the bench as options, for either rotation or changing the game.

Let's keep the quadruple chances alive and leave Arsenal with one trophy to play for (which we'll then win anyway).

[jillcwhomever]

on the other hand, going out to brighton last year was a turning point in our form which was excellent from almost then onwards (madrid thrashing aside)

We had Mo then though. This is our first game without him, if we lose today you know what the story will be, all about Nunez. It is why we should go strong, do the business hopefully a goal for Nunez and we gain some winning momentum going forward.

[Dazzer23]

Think it needs to be all or nothing in terms of team strength. If Arsenal go full strength, and I expect them to, anything less than the same from us will see us go out, so I see little value in resting 2 or 3 key players, may as well rest the lot.

Anyway just about to set off, my first away in 25 years  so going to enjoy the day regardless of result   

[Red Beret]

The amount of times we draw strong teams and City draw nobodies is annoying as fuck.

Also, remember the time we were in the CWC but were still expected to field a cup team against Villa something like 36 hours later? We rarely catch a break when it comes to the cups, certainly not since Jurgen has been in charge.

[Jm55]

If we put out anything less than our strongest team, I think we're out.  We lost 2 Europa away games with a weakened side.  Same will happen here.

We also beat West Ham 5-1 with what not many would describe as our strongest team.

We’ve got a big enough squad now to rotate a bit and still be capable of beating almost anyone, obviously the devil is in the detail and if it’s heavily weakened then, yeah, we’ll lose, if it’s a few rotations away from what most people would agree is our ‘strongest team’ then we’re still capable of winning and there’s an argument it may even be beneficial for freshness etc.

[jillcwhomever]

We also beat West Ham 5-1 with what not many would describe as our strongest team.

We’ve got a big enough squad now to rotate a bit and still be capable of beating almost anyone, obviously the devil is in the detail and if it’s heavily weakened then, yeah, we’ll lose, if it’s a few rotations away from what most people would agree is our ‘strongest team’ then we’re still capable of winning and there’s an argument it may even be beneficial for freshness etc.

If this game gets a result then after the Fulham game we're getting a rest anyway. The problem is if the players get too long off the sharpness and rhythm will be gone, and when we get back we need to hit the ground running. I don't doubt City will be in their stride once everyone's back playing again, we can't afford to not be matching them.

[Jm55]

If this game gets a result then after the Fulham game we're getting a rest anyway. The problem is if the players get too long off the sharpness and rhythm will be gone, and when we get back we need to hit the ground running. I don't doubt City will be in their stride once everyone's back playing again, we can't afford to not be matching them.

Honestly think the main worry is the fact that a footballer is more likely to get injured if you play him than if you don’t and we can’t afford any more at full back (or in midfield really).

My main concern is one of the full backs being a younger player who’s not played or barely played all season up against Saka or Martinelli.

Obviously players can get injured in training, warming up etc but ultimately it’s more likely to happen on the pitch and less likely to happen if they don't play, I wonder if the manager will take that view.

[JC the Messiah]

If its 1-1 final 90 seconds of extra time and we get possession in the attacking half, i say we pull the goalie.

No chance, he's a goal threat!

[Garlicbread]

Gabriel Jesus is set to miss the game with a knee injury

[spider-neil]

If its 1-1 final 90 seconds of extra time and we get possession in the attacking half, i say we pull the goalie.

Pull off the goalie? If that doesn't motivate Allison to score than nothing will.

[Redley]

Gabriel Jesus is set to miss the game with a knee injury

That’s annoying

[Garlicbread]

That’s annoying

Feels he often scores against us so I see it as a good thing

[xbugawugax]

suddenly our squad doesn't look that thick anymore with injuries and international commitments

Endo and salah both already out

Robbo, Tsimi, baj and thiago would rather be decent for rotation squad wise if they are fit.

only pros is that the emergence of quansah as a CB and gomes who somehow manages to fill in any role required in back 4 and most importantly stay injury free. I guess that the curated game time does help him.

I start ibou for this and play quansah vs Fulham. Rest of the team picks itself and we will see what happens this game as we rotate for the Fulham match.

[classycarra]

If this game gets a result then after the Fulham game we're getting a rest anyway. The problem is if the players get too long off the sharpness and rhythm will be gone, and when we get back we need to hit the ground running. I don't doubt City will be in their stride once everyone's back playing again, we can't afford to not be matching them.

take your point Jill, but out of the potential player fitness outcomes in a hypothetical situation I'd take 'unsharp/out of rhythm' as an end result over 'overplayed/fatigued' or 'injured' every time. easiest and quickest of the three to 'resolve'.

[spider-neil]

That’s annoying

He nearly always scores against us.

[Hestoic]

I've not really been up for this but now it's nearly here, I want to batter them. Fuck them. Hope Nunez puts a couple away.

[sminp]

Feels he often scores against us so I see it as a good thing

11 g/a for him in 15 appearances against us

[the_red_pill]

We had Mo then though. This is our first game without him, if we lose today you know what the story will be, all about Nunez. It is why we should go strong, do the business hopefully a goal for Nunez and we gain some winning momentum going forward.

I have a good feeling about this, Jill.
I expect us to counter press the piss out of Arsenal and that will create our goals. Klopps recently said (after the West Ham game?) that we're finally back to our counter pressing best, so one would expect more goals from now on, especially against the bigger teams.

[Crosby Nick]

Maybe if we weren't constantly running into PL teams instead of being repeatedly drawn against minnows like some other Premier League teams we might have had a better record in the cups. Ridiculous to say Klopp's never taken them seriously, though.  We've just been forced to manage team resources.

This is Arsenal's best shot at silverware this season. They're gonna go strong.

Probably no coincidence that when we did win it we had Shrewsbury at home in the 3rd and Cardiff at home (I think) in the 4th enabling us to make a few change and cope with Mo’s absence. A couple of kindly draws and the competition opened up for us a bit.

Doesn’t seem to happen too often. Philosophical about today. Would love to go through. But understand the reasons why we might rotate and even if we went as strong as we could, we may struggle with the absences so going to be tough regardless. Hope whatever side we put out gives it a good go though, imagine the boost we get if we knock out Arsenal at home with a patched up side.

[Indomitable_Carp]

Thanks for the OP! Buzzing for this game now.

Expect us to go full strength. Arsenal most definitely will. I think a lot of Arsenal fans are seeing this as a must win to turn their season around. I am seeing it as more of a "free hit" for us. Win and we're one step closer to another trophy whilst having dealt a title contendor a psychological blow. Lose and we have a few less games to play while we concentrate on the other three trophies we can still win.

The only shite outcome is a draw. And at least that would give us an exciting Anfield showdown if you're looking for positives.

Whatever else gets said about the decline of the FA Cup in the modern era, all three of my memories of winning the FA Cup have been brilliant.

[Red Beret]

Probably no coincidence that when we did win it we had Shrewsbury at home in the 3rd and Cardiff at home (I think) in the 4th enabling us to make a few change and cope with Mo’s absence. A couple of kindly draws and the competition opened up for us a bit.

Doesn’t seem to happen too often. Philosophical about today. Would love to go through. But understand the reasons why we might rotate and even if we went as strong as we could, we may struggle with the absences so going to be tough regardless. Hope whatever side we put out gives it a good go though, imagine the boost we get if we knock out Arsenal at home with a patched up side.

We've apparently come up against a PL team in the third round in six of the past seven years. Seems the one season we won it  in that period was the one we drew Shrewsbury.  😅

The one positive in this is that neither side will want a replay. I dunno when the replays are slated for, but Arsenal isn't going to want to play at Anfield, when we might potentially have Mo back. The downside is Arteta is a bit of a tw@t who will throw everything at us. I'm not expecting any favours from the officials either.

[jlb]

Re: 'Klopp always plays weakened teams in the FA Cup'

This is the lineup he put out against Everton in the FA Cup 3rd round in January 2018:

Karius, Gomez, Matip, van Dijk, Robertson, Can, Milner, Mane, Lallana, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Firmino.

Subs: Wijnaldum, Lovren, Klavan, Ings, Solanke, Ward, Alexander-Arnold.

Salah, Henderson and, erm, Coutinho were injured, so it seems like the only first teamers rested were the 19-year-old Trent and Wijnaldum. Pretty strong team, and not a kid in sight. Of course, context matters etc, but food for thought.

[Too early for flapjacks?]

It's a choice between keeping faith with Kelleher for the domestic cups or bringing in Alisson. Then select 10 from the following 13. Trent, Gomez, Quansah, Konate, van Djik, Mac Allister, Jones,  Gravenberch, Elliott, Gakpo, Diaz, Jota, and Nunez. I'd be surprised if anyone else is in serious contention to start.

[JackWard33]

Just to be clear … the people who are saying ‘go full strength’ etc … no one would actually play Gomez in this right?

[jillcwhomever]

Just to be clear … the people who are saying ‘go full strength’ etc … no one would actually play Gomez in this right?

Beck can't play today's game can he, so he may have to. Perhaps Beck plays against Fulham instead.

[Phineus]

Just to be clear … the people who are saying ‘go full strength’ etc … no one would actually play Gomez in this right?

Depends how close Tsimikas is to returning? He was in training Friday I think.

But yeah, he’s very much in red zone injury wise so his minutes need managing this month.

[Bincey]

Does Saka usually play on the right for them? If so, in the absence of our best left backs, a right footer would make sense for him cutting on to his left, so you'd think Gomez will get minutes.

[Redley]

Just to be clear … the people who are saying ‘go full strength’ etc … no one would actually play Gomez in this right?

Nah just send Chambers out and tell him to hack the bone

[jillcwhomever]

Depends how close Tsimikas is to returning? He was in training Friday I think.

But yeah, he’s very much in red zone injury wise so his minutes need managing this month.

He's already been managed this month, he didn't play in every game.

[Too early for flapjacks?]

Just to be clear … the people who are saying ‘go full strength’ etc … no one would actually play Gomez in this right?

I'd play Gomez today and Wednesday. He's had plenty of time to recover since Newcastle on Monday and after Wednesday we have our winter break and then hopefully only a couple of games before Robertson/Tsimikas are back in full training. I wouldn't put Chambers up against Saka.

[[new username under construction]]

Gomez today and Beck Wednesday

[Schmidt]

Maybe if we weren't constantly running into PL teams instead of being repeatedly drawn against minnows like some other Premier League teams we might have had a better record in the cups. Ridiculous to say Klopp's never taken them seriously, though.  We've just been forced to manage team resources.

This is Arsenal's best shot at silverware this season. They're gonna go strong.

Statistically we're not great in January under Klopp, which can be a pretty pivotal part of the season in terms of the cups.