Ashburton grove hosts an 8:15pm GMT/4:15pm EDT/10:15am HST kickoff, while live coverage will be provided by Peacock in the States. After a highly controlled performance versus Leicester, Arsenal are in a tremendous position going into the last third of the season. We did what we had to do with the opportunity the schedule afforded us over the last 6 weeks, and now we have as stern a test as possible. While I would snap your hand off for a draw, we might as well keep the winning run going, yeah? Up the Arsenal.
Tomiyasu is still a little short of fitness, but Cedric has deputized well, so IMO he's earned his right to have a go against Robertson et al. And I'm sad to report that Salah was back in training after the knock that took him out of their last game. All things considered, a point would be a BIG achievement, but my hopes for this match are: 1. Play well, with a balance between tight defense and offensive energy and urgency, 2. Keep them from running up a psychologically damaging score, 3. Avoid any significant injury
Time to see how far we have developed since Pool put us to the sword in the 2nd leg of the Careless Cup.
I wouldn't hate it if we rotated the entire side. Won't happen but feel like it would be the spreadsheet move to make.
there was apparently a chance salah might miss the game. not sure where that will end up by game time. both salah and mane scares me, though.
He was fit enough to train with them yesterday. So it seems he'll be in the squad at least. I'm assuming he'll start. That Klopp won't be taking any chances, going for the jugular. Not just ours but Citeh's.
totally true. there was a thing the other day with how he left training but, apparently, klopp has confirmed that he will play.
In transition we should target TAA but imo the most important thing is for Partey to at least play Fabinho to a draw he has to be on point tomorrow. I'll be a conference so I'll watch it after but obviously a point would be great I just expect a competitive performance
i feel like the only way to handle players like alexander-arnold is to attack his spot. when we had walcott on the right, whoever was playing DL had to stay home full-time. i don't know if martinelli can do that but, for me, that's the only way.
It wasn’t long ago that the left hand side had been the entirety of our build-up and attack. I think the left side might be pushed back to the forefront in this one, after months of the right side dominating the attack.
yeah, seriously. if ever there was a time to revert that left-side to have LW cut in with tierney overlapping while xhaka rotate out to cover LB, it feels like this is it.
This is by far our most difficult game remaining this season, and one where a loss is understandable - even more so because our top 4 rivals still have to face Liverpool as well, and a Liverpool team fighting for the title are going to smash United and sp*rs.
This is one spot where you should think about starting Lokonga as he is more mobile thatn Xhaka but that would put the onus in buildup on Partey/Odegaard even more
If you look at their heat map, the real issue is that they manage to get in behind from wide positions to either create for someone centrally or cut in to shoot. I gotta find it but some LFC dude had posted it on twitter
It's worth giving Sambi a runout given the new dual 8 setup, but not today. Need someone more assured in possession and better positionally.
https://understat.com/player/838 here's some of it I find him not really as impressive as people think but I understand people are very excited by any English footballer who can chew gum and walk at the same time.
He leads the league in xA by some distance. He's suspect defensively, but I'd argue that only Salah is more important to Liverpool, and it's a close call even there: it's TAA's ability to pass the ball from the wing that makes Liverpool's setup with drones in midfield work.
You'd take a guy who hasn't started in ages, due to coach's choice not fitness, and all of a sudden throw him in at Anfield? In place of Granit the teacher's pet? Whatch smokin dude?
Gabriel was missing from yesterday's training pics. The only one of our regular XI. Hmm. That'd be a shame. But I guess the hirsute Holdinho can honorably hold the house.
I wouldn't want to go into this one without Gabriel, but we must do what we must do. This is our Big Boy Pants game. Man City was a gallant effort, but a loss is a loss. We were solid all the way through against Leicester -- but it's Leicester. Today we learn how much farther we have to go before we are The Arsenal again. Or if we're already there. Come On You Gunners!!!
Saw somewhere that his girlfriend is 9 months pregnant, so maybe he pulls a Pepe, coming straight from the maternity ward to score an important goal in a win.