Kickoff from Anfield takes place at 5:30pm BST/12:30pm EDT/6:30am HST. NBC will provide the moving pictures in the Divided States of Trumpistan. We have 6 points from 6 under our belts, but this is where the rubber meets the road. Liverpool have looked a little vulnerable in defense even without having faced anything resembling the likes of Auba, Laca and Pepe, so maybe this isn't as dire as I fear. Let's do this. Up the Arsenal.
We all knew this game would be big, but did anyone have Liverpool and Arsenal alone atop the table coming into week 3? With talk of Emery's contract this week, would a win at Anfield be the tipping point for Arsenal to sign him long term? Crazier things have happened (see Manchester United signing OG last season right before he shat the bed)
As I've said in the past when playing league games you're not expected to win just be committed to your style and work to keep your form. ie: Make the other team work to beat you. The whole game. Don't let 2-0 turn into 4-0 through capitulation or lack of focus. Play your game and show glimpses of what could be and I won't mind a loss.
Park the bus and hope someone on their side has a slip up leading to an Auba goal. I will take a point and no injuries please!
I don't care if its sit deep or not, just make sure the spacing between the defense-midfield is compact.
I wouldn't be surprised if he starts with the back 3 he switched to after we went ahead vs Burnley. OTOH I'd be very surprised if your man Mesut got anywhere near the pitch for this one. p.s. "Divided States of Trumpistan"... Nice!
Fun facts about this fixture, courtesy of Duncan Alexander and the totally football show: Most goals Most Hattricks Most 90th minute winners Latest winner (101') Perhaps there are more? And we can only hope one or two of these go in our favor!
I know it's a slightly different occasion, with a tad less at stake, but if our lads are looking for something to emulate on Saturday, there's always this
I think Xhaka may be second choice now. Torreira has barely played so it's a little hard to see him start at Anfield. But Emery tends to surprise us a bit more than Wenger did so...
I was just figuring that since Torreira has barely played and Xhaka was coming off injury he'd start the other 2 and bring the latter 2 on in the 2nd half.
You and I, as well as others on this forum, may want Xhaka to be second choice now, but Emery just made him a captain. So unless Emery is counting on the Arsenal Captain's Curse to rid himself of Xhaka, I'm pretty sure Emery sees him as first choice.
I could see the point on Lucas but from what I had heard Xhaka's injury was minor and there was speculation that he could be good to go for Burnley. Unless that info was wrong or he has another knock, I think there is a good chance he starts.
I hate to say anything other than "2-nil to The Arsenal" but it'll be (in reality) a 1-1 deadlock, I'll say we'll hold the Big Three-Headed Monster (Salah/Firmino/Mane) off the scoresheet and even though Aliison is not Bruce Grobbelaar, he just might be even better than Bruce was during the Dalglish Dynasty years in the 80s, but yes it will be a very tough match for us to go into the Fortress Known As Anfield and steal one. But there's a better chance of a clear trip up the M6 than there is of us stealing 3 points outta Anfield THIS time around, that 1989 squad was a very special one indeed, even the Invincibles could not win there. Plus in 1989 the match telecast (in which is up on YouTube in its entirety with all commercials in place) said kickoff would be delayed 15 minutes because of all the Gooners who caused gridlock in what wound up being bumper-to-bumper traffic along the M6, I have the 89 movie on DVD as proof of that.