Topic: Liverpool vs Arsenal March 4th 2017. KO 5.30

[TheShanklyGates]

Sanchez not starting

[payback]

No midfielders on the bench?

[rich87]

Have to say, not sure who has the worst midfield, us or them. Are central midfielders the past? Do teams not play with a good midfield anymore?

[Caston]

No midfielders on the bench?

we don't have any to be fair

[tommy LFC]

Klavan in for Lucas, otherwise unchanged from the Leicester debacle.

Was hoping for some more changes and some arses to be kicked. Origi deserves a start, and why not let Woodburn have a go.

[hassinator]

can as a six makes me anxious

[sms1986]

Was hoping for some more changes and some arses to be kicked. Origi deserves a start, and why not let Woodburn have a go.

Both are on the bench, so maybe they'll come on at some point?

[tommy LFC]

Have to say, not sure who has the worst midfield, us or them. Are central midfielders the past? Do teams not play with a good midfield anymore?

Kante and Matic are as good as it gets. Wish we had a pair of destroyers like that.

[SerbianScouser]

Such a clear plan from them.

Use long balls to Giroud to alleviate the pressure from our pressing and then flick it on to their 3 on rushing speedsters behind him to hit us with pace in behind. Tactically this will be interesting. It's not their usual plan so hopefully it won't work.

[rich87]

Was hoping for some more changes and some arses to be kicked. Origi deserves a start, and why not let Woodburn have a go.

I'd like to have seen a change of shape/few players pulled/switched out. But I think the mindset is its Arsenal, and this might not be the game to do it in.

[rich87]

Such a clear plan from them.

Use long balls to Giroud to alleviate the pressure from our pressing and then flick it on to their 3 on rushing speedsters behind him to hit us with pace in behind. Tactically this will be interesting. It's not their usual plan so hopefully it won't work.

Yeah exactly, seems like they are adapting to how we can't play, and Klopp is adapting to erm, playing the same way. Hopefully Klopp springs a surprise or 2, or I fear we could be beat here. Wenger wont want to be losing this one, as the fans are already on his back.

[redalways]

Was hoping for some more changes and some arses to be kicked. Origi deserves a start, and why not let Woodburn have a go.

This is too important to put Woodburn on at the start.

Makes me laugh all the people pleased that Lovren is recovered enough to be on the bench. My ... some of the thngs said on here about that lad last season !

[-Daws-]

Odd Arsenal team?

I'm assuming Ozil is unavailable and surely Sanchez is only half fit to be on the bench?

Nonetheless, a pretty attacking side. I thought with Ozil out they'd be playing Ramsey. The front four doesn't strike fear into my heart, it's pretty average and not littered with pace to trouble us on the break.

Confident. Come on Reds!

[Funky_Gibbons]

No midfielders on the bench?

Let's hope none of the defenders get injured then.

[The Final Third]

Such a clear plan from them.

Use long balls to Giroud to alleviate the pressure from our pressing and then flick it on to their 3 on rushing speedsters behind him to hit us with pace in behind. Tactically this will be interesting. It's not their usual plan so hopefully it won't work.

Wenger's the master tactician don't you know..

[Andy82lfc]

No Sanchez?? Have I missed something?

[Reese]

Well whatever the outcome today, good to see Lovren back.

Probably our only player who effectively deals with the long ball against the lesser team. Could be crucial with our run in.

Probably one of the paciest teams we've seen. Giroud up top as the target to knock it down though.

Edit - what Serbian says.

Hopefully the speed merchants lack of traditional finishing continues today!

Definitely there to cut through them!

[rich87]

This is too important to put Woodburn on at the start.

Makes me laugh all the people pleased that Lovren is recovered enough to be on the bench. My ... some of the thngs said on here about that lad last season !

Yeah because we're so well stocked in central defenders - we can't afford not to have a natural centre back on. Come on; give fans some credit. If we had Sahko, or another central defenders Lovren would be a sub anyway.

[Caligula?]

No complaints with the side, other than Lovren who is obviously not 100% it's the best side we could put out there.

[mascherano20]

No Sanchez?? Have I missed something?

Could be the first top team to sit deeper against us-Can at 6 scares the bejaysus out of me!

[tommy LFC]

This is too important to put Woodburn on at the start.

Makes me laugh all the people pleased that Lovren is recovered enough to be on the bench. My ... some of the thngs said on here about that lad last season !

That's what we need I think. A bit of youth and enthusiasm who is too inexperienced to give a fuck about pressure or the media or anything really. Like Rashford when he broke through at United.

To be honest I just want changes from that load of shite that we played at Leicester.

[classycarra]

Koscielny hasn't played since injury against Bayern right? Got to be a chance we can get at him while he's rusty. Presumably Sanchez isn't fit either, but he will be a challenge particularly for Klavan and Milner when he comes on in the second half. Giroud always plays well against us, no cheap/avoidable free kicks and corners please team.

[liverpool185]

That Arsenal starting 11 is pure average, surely we will get the 3 points..

[JackWard33]

Odd to have so many defenders on the bench - Ojo has really gone backwards in his eyes unless he's unfit

Great Arsenal team for us - great chance to beat them

[payback]

Let's hope none of the defenders get injured then.

[lessthanmatt]

Can has been given so many chances and taken none of them. I'd say it's his last chance today, but he's just going to keep getting played regardless anyway. I hope he can do well

[rocco]

If lovern fit enough for the bench why not start him ?

[BEAST]

Such a clear plan from them.

Use long balls to Giroud to alleviate the pressure from our pressing and then flick it on to their 3 on rushing speedsters behind him to hit us with pace in behind. Tactically this will be interesting. It's not their usual plan so hopefully it won't work.

I'm ok with that.

I'd be shitting myself if he put Sanchez up top with Walcott and Welbeck because any loss of possession leading to a transition and we'd be completely run over.

At least with Giroud he won't get in behind.  Or so I hope!

[sms1986]

If lovern fit enough for the bench why not start him ?

Fit for the bench doesn't necessarily mean fit to start.

[zero zero]

https://twitter.com/Arsenal

We're going to have to put a lot of pressure on their CM pairing. I think they're worse than Dembele/Wanyama so let's hope for a repeat of the Spurs game

[jillcwhomever]

If lovern fit enough for the bench why not start him ?

Because he obviously isn't fit enough to start, he's only just begun to train again.

[JackWard33]

I'm ok with that.

I'd be shitting myself if he put Sanchez up top with Walcott and Welbeck because any loss of possession leading to a transition and we'd be completely run over.

At least with Giroud he won't get in behind.  Or so I hope!

Yeah their attacking line up is waaaayyyy less dangerous than their first choice

[SerbianScouser]

I'm ok with that.

I'd be shitting myself if he put Sanchez up top with Walcott and Welbeck because any loss of possession leading to a transition and we'd be completely run over.

At least with Giroud he won't get in behind.  Or so I hope!

No Ozil is a huge blow to us because it would have been a guarantee of us overrunning them in midfield and it would mean one speedster less for them. It's just our luck just like with Leicester being fired up the most against us of all the games this season. We can't catch a break.

[sonny crockett]

4 - 3 to us.

[tommy LFC]

Can has been given so many chances and taken none of them. I'd say it's his last chance today, but he's just going to keep getting played regardless anyway. I hope he can do well

And apparently he's stalling on a new contract. Keep playing like this and he'll have nowhere to go.

So frustrating because he has a lot of the basics needed to be a top player.

[rocco]

Because he obviously isn't fit enough to start, he's only just begun to train again.

IMO if you on the bench your fit enough or shouldn't be on the bench

Cb gets injured in the first min , I'd expect him to come on

[classycarra]

Odd to have so many defenders on the bench - Ojo has really gone backwards in his eyes unless he's unfit

Great Arsenal team for us - great chance to beat them

Absolutely agree.

Really there must be a better option than having two centre backs and two full backs there. Think they see TAA as an option further forwards too, but still

[tommy LFC]

Haven't scored from a corner for a while...

[RK7]

No Ozil is a huge blow to us because it would have been a guarantee of us overrunning them in midfield and it would mean one speedster less for them. It's just our luck just like with Leicester being fired up the most against us of all the games this season. We can't catch a break.

All that bad luck we're having. ..

[Always_A_Red]

Our bench depresses the hell out of me - Im sure Klopp said he's going to be looking at between 2 and six players in the summer. Looking at our team and the bench, we should be looking at selling at least 6 of them, replacing them and THEN buying another 6.

Cant understand why Sanchez isn't playing (perhaps transfer rumours to Juve) but that should give us huge confidence. Their team looks bang average too.

Come on reds ffs!!