Topic: Match Preview: Arsenal v Liverpool, Feb 4 2024

[Brain Potter]

Fitness permitting I’d be inclined to start with the same XI from Wednesday, meaning we have got some established names on the subs bench to influence the game as legs tire. Just don’t make 4 subs at once please boss!
Anyway it’s a good problem for the boss to have.
A win here really will have me believing even more than I do now.
2-0 Liverpool.

[Mahern]

What if Trent spits the dummy out due to not being selected in such a big game?

Less than 18 months on his contract - you don't want a disgruntled player like that with such massive asset value potentially going down the toilet

Any player who does that should be fucked off, no matter who.

[goalrushatgoodison]

It would be mental to change that starting eleven imo.

[Kopenhagen]

What if Trent spits the dummy out due to not being selected in such a big game?

Less than 18 months on his contract - you don't want a disgruntled player like that with such massive asset value potentially going down the toilet

Trent will back himself. He's not a cryarse like Henderson.

[thejbs]

Any player who does that should be fucked off, no matter who.

Exactly. Every starter should feel at least some pressure on their position.

[rob1966]

Exactly. Every starter should feel at least some pressure on their position.

Yep

As Dom said last night in the post match with Bradley, every player knows that they will be involved this season, there are so many games to be played.

[the_red_pill]

Think you're underselling them here, they're a very good team.  There was no rude awakening at Anfield and they finished the game stronger than us.

I know mate. I'm not saying they're a bad team, but we know our team when it operates on all cylinders. There is not a team who can match us and the last time Arsenal faced us in this condition, they were dreading it and there were tears.

Since then, they've faced a Liverpool team coming off a marathon and the last match, they were facing us on the up. Base don that, they conclude that we're not really a good team.
I can't give them props when they degrade my team like that.

Of course, it's an away and we just had an energy-sapping display, but we had another team on the bench... and we have some stellar individuals coming back.

[TipTopKop]

I'm so glad to have this 'problem'

[kavah]

Great stuff Yorky. Lovely stuff from Jeff about Jurgen
Come on you mighty reds 

[SerbianScouser]

It would be mental to change that starting eleven imo.

Trent could make a huge difference if used properly.

Imo we could design a really shrewd game plan with Mac and Trent providing passes over the top for Bradley (as right winger instead of Diaz) and Nunez with Jota dropping in no.10 areas to provide the link-up.

[Persephone]

Trent could make a huge difference if used properly.

Imo we could design a really shrewd game plan with Mac and Trent providing passes over the top for Bradley (as right winger instead of Diaz) and Nunez with Jota dropping in no.10 areas to provide the link-up.

I highly doubt Klopp would want to drop Jota, Diaz or Nunez for Bradley, as well as he's played. He's a full back in our system, and might have to be content with rotating with Trent for the time being. I'm more interested in Gomez' role at LB, he's been immense there and we'll need his physicality up against the diver.

[spider-neil]

Trent could make a huge difference if used properly.

Imo we could design a really shrewd game plan with Mac and Trent providing passes over the top for Bradley (as right winger instead of Diaz) and Nunez with Jota dropping in no.10 areas to provide the link-up.

So who drops out? Jones? Dom? A forward?

[BarryCrocker]

What if Trent spits the dummy out due to not being selected in such a big game?

Less than 18 months on his contract - you don't want a disgruntled player like that with such massive asset value potentially going down the toilet

He's a local lad and vice-captain. I'm pretty sure he understands the big picture.

[spider-neil]

It’s a testament to Bradley in that you genuinely don’t know who Klopp will select out of Trent and Bradley to start one of the most difficult games of the season.

[Davidbowie]

I'm very confident that Klopp's idea will be to use Bradley from the start (who is much more solid a defender than Trent) and then in the second half, a tiring Arsenal will be more susceptible to being cut open by long passes in behind - courtesy of Trent's magnificent long range passing ability.

[zamagiure]

I'm going with the set up that has got us into this position. As good as Bradley has been, Trent goes back in.

[Caston]

Massive, massive game.

Arsenal are a good team, and at home, but we've won there lately and will field a stronger line up than the 0-2 win.

You think a draw would be an acceptable result, but would allow City to be level with us when they inevitably win their games.

[wah00ey]

Expect them to be throwing themselves around looking for freekicks - especially Saka.

[Nick110581]

Nunez is an injury doubt for Sunday.

Left the stadium in a protective boot on Wednesday as someone stepped on his foot.

[Crosby Nick]

Nunez is an injury doubt for Sunday.

Left the stadium in a protective boot on Wednesday as someone stepped on his foot.

Hope he’s ok. He generates so much chat and opinion that I’m afraid to look in his thread but ultimately we just look way more of a goal threat when he’s on the pitch so I hope he’s ok.

[gerrardisgod]

Nothing broken, thankfully. Just a case of swelling and waiting on it going down.

[Nick110581]

Hope he’s ok. He generates so much chat and opinion that I’m afraid to look in his thread but ultimately we just look way more of a goal threat when he’s on the pitch so I hope he’s ok.

Klopp said that the x rays are clear but need to check on swelling so he can get a boot on.

Said it happened after 20 mins.

[thaddeus]

Some good news on the injury front, Thomas Partey isn't quite ready to come back and injure another one of ours yet!

[Nick110581]

If Nunez is out then could we play Bradley or Trent right wing ?

[William Regal]

If Nunez is out, it's the best possible news that arsenal could have had, I guarantee you Saliba and Gabriel would much rather face Liverpool without Nunez, the player who constantly runs in behind, competes for everything and pulls a teams defensive shape all over the place.

I think this is the toughest game we'll play until the end of the season, this is Arsenals cup final Sunday, they are gonna throw everything at it, if they lose then they can kiss goodbye to winning the title.

[Zimagic]

Dare I say a must win game for the Goon's.  I'd expect them to come out fast but die out after an hour, then bang.  0-2 Redmen.

I agree on the importance and the pace they'll set initially, but they have repeatedly shown that they don't drop off at the end of games, they are hyper-fit. These, City & ourselves can run all day and all night.

Sounds silly and obvious, but the key to winning this one is just converting our chances. We can't afford to be shooting wild and hitting the post multiple times, like taking 27 shots for "only" 4 goals. They will score, we will score, being realistic and finishing well will be more than enough to win.

[lionel_messias]

Jota is playing extremely well at the minute, Diaz is starting to rev up and this may now be a chance for Cody to shine, coming in off the left----should Darwin need to only contribute from the bench.

Dom looks refreshed and we should have Jones and Mac Allister in midfield so it all looks positive for us.

Bide our time and win this, even if it requires a late charge off the bench.

Imagine subbing ON.............TRENT, ROBERTSON AND DARWIN....


Strength.

[thaddeus]

Jota is playing extremely well at the minute, Diaz is starting to rev up and this may now be a chance for Cody to shine, coming in off the left----should Darwin need to only contribute from the bench.

Dom looks refreshed and we should have Jones and Mac Allister in midfield so it all looks positive for us.

Bide our time and win this, even if it requires a late charge off the bench.

Imagine subbing ON.............TRENT, ROBERTSON AND DARWIN....


Strength.

I agree that we're not exactly down to David Ngog or Ricky Lambert!  Still, Salah and Darwin are our best "out" balls so it would be a blow to be without them both.  We'd be looking for Diaz to step up and, to give him credit, he's looked much more like himself in the past few weeks.

[spider-neil]

If Nunez is an injury doubt then play both Trent and Bradley. Bradley at right back, Trent right midfield, and Dom right forward. Jota though the middle.

[Red Beret]

Let's see how Taylor follows up Tierney 

[Nick110581]

If Nunez is an injury doubt then play both Trent and Bradley. Bradley at right back, Trent right midfield, and Dom right forward. Jota though the middle.

Bradley was further forward against Norwich when Trent came on.

[Ycuzz]

Great OP Yorky, thanks.

No idea about the line-up. Trust the boss and trust the lads.

Tho, Jota the Piranha, he should start

[MonsLibpool]

If we win then we definitely are winning the league.

Based on what? The gap we have on City is not likely to increase and there's still so much football to be played. I'd say let's see where we are after we play them at the very least.

[PhiLFC#1]

Based on what? The gap we have on City is not likely to increase and there's still so much football to be played. I'd say let's see where we are after we play them at the very least.

Yeah personally I think if we are still top after playing City I will start to believe we're favourites

[Magix]

If Nunez is an injury doubt then play both Trent and Bradley. Bradley at right back, Trent right midfield, and Dom right forward. Jota though the middle.

Yeah I'd go with that as well if Nunez is doubtful. But would like to see the right side line up this way in a match. The pace, power, creativity, goals, pressing ability in that combination looks frightening on paper.

At the same time, would love to keep the same eleven against Chelsea here. On top of the continuity, also loving the height we have in that lineup with Gomez and Bradley in fullback positions.

[iamnant]

Expect them to be throwing themselves around looking for freekicks - especially Saka.

It's their only tactic against big teams, we need to be wary to it as well as their harassing the referee at any given opportunity.

[Realgman]

The hack of odegaard when we played them in the cup, hes a great player, but acting like a bloody child...Seems to run in that team, no problem diving or falling over with lots of hand waving... I hope they rely on that shit again, and we bash them...

[Air Jota]

Will be a blow to lose Darwin for this game, his pace opens things so much and causes so many problems. That aside his height helps us defensively at set pieces which in my opinion, Arsenal pose the biggest threat.

I expect Gomez to keep his place while Robertson is eased in. Not sure what we do regards Trent and Bradley, who has played 3 games in a short period of time. Perhaps move Trent to midfield and Dom to wide right if Darwin is out.

That aside, a good start for us is really important.

[Kloppage Time]

If we get a penalty ... who takes it? I imagine Klopp has told them it'll be Nunez again

[Redley]

Height is important I think, they're a team very reliant on set-pieces.