Arsenal vs Liverpool - what formation/squad to go with?

[Gnasher]

He was counting on Flanno to make the difference. I think.

Well he expected a lot of the poor kid. Has Flanagan ever played in a five at the back system in a competitive game? I don't think he has. So why throw an inexperienced kid in when Kelly, who played there last week or Henderson might have been a better and more solid option?

 

It's a game away at arsenal to go top of the league. If he wants to fuck about and try out different players do it when we're three nil up against crystal palace.

 

I'm pissed off and im getting even more pissed.

[Fi!]

Thanks that coutinho is backed. Finally scrapping the back 3.

 

Honestly, we all saw this coming. Especially when Johnson is out, the flanks are non-existing. Then try to play through the middle against one of the more in form midfield in the league is just asking to be overrun.  

[Fi!]

At 15 million, he deserves 10 minutes in a lost cause when Gerrard had long stopped running. If he can't even get a minimal runout then fucking sell him.

 

I think Rodgers is afraid of Gerrard, especially in a World Cup Year.

 

This will be a long standing problem for whatever manager in Liverpool, no one really got the guts to sub him at half time or leave him on the bench. Not even Kenny

[Fi!]

I really want to see Suarez and Sturridge together up front. The only 2 ways i can think of this will be the 442 diamond (the one i prefer) or remain 3-5-2.

 

For 4-4-2 it will be quite simple with Coutihno on top and Lucas at the bottom. But now the CBs will be a huge problem as 2 of them would be on the bench.

 

For 3-5-2 (3-4-1-2). One of the CBs really needs to step up and take on the sweeper role and change the formation to 4-3-1-2 for extra presence in the midfield. 

 

Ps: i want to edit my above post, but they don't allow to do so. sorry for the spam

[Newport]

I don't think we need to play all three of Gerrard, Lucas and Henderson. They are far too similar as players and we need som creativity at the centre of the pitch as well, even with Coutinho back in the side. The midfield and the front two aren't connecting as they should in these big games, and we need a better plan for facing tougher opponents if we are going to defend the advantage our brilliant start to the season has given us. Maybe we have become complacent about our league position, at least it seems a lot of fans seem to think we can expect us to stay there even though the competition for top four spots is greater than ever. If so, they might be in for a not so positive surprise. At our best we can be unstoppable, but we're still far from the consistency needed to stay in the top four.

 

Also, we need to sort out the back four or five or whatever we're supposed to play in the future. I think it's time to bring back Agger because we are really struggling with playing out from the back with those who started today with Toure being the only exception despite a major error in this game.

[RobbieOR]

I fucking hate losing to these. Their fans are arrogant twats and they think they're the best team to ever play football when they win. It's like they invented it.

[BCM]

This will be a long standing problem for whatever manager in Liverpool, no one really got the guts to sub him at half time or leave him on the bench. Not even Kenny

 

One man had the balls to do it, and we won a derby because he did. 

Leaving that aside though if a manager is frightened of taking a player off if he is having a stinker he shouldnt be doing the job. My opinion.

[boots123]

Well he expected a lot of the poor kid. Has Flanagan ever played in a five at the back system in a competitive game? I don't think he has. So why throw an inexperienced kid in when Kelly, who played there last week or Henderson might have been a better and more solid option?

 

It's a game away at arsenal to go top of the league. If he wants to fuck about and try out different players do it when we're three nil up against crystal palace.

 

I'm pissed off and im getting even more pissed.

This defeat was totally Rogers fault, when Dortmund and Chelsea beat them, they wouldn't let Arsenal settle on the ball, they kept snapping at their heels and they didn't like it, we stood off and gave them all the time in the world, which played right into their hands, actually two nil flattered us it could have been 5.   

[Fi!]

One man had the balls to do it, and we won a derby because he did.

Leaving that aside though if a manager is frightened of taking a player off if he is having a stinker he shouldnt be doing the job. My opinion.

Don't mind me please. But can I know who is him?

[Chip Butty]

We're neither as good as we think we are, nor as bad a we moan about. We're somewhere in the middle.

 

Time to look at our character rather than our ability.

 

 

PS

The ref is a cunt - why stop the game to give a yellow?......... you fucking prick.

[BCM]

Don't mind me please. But can I know who is him?

 

 

 

.....  Nah Rafa against the blueshite.

[therevivalist]

Rookie manager who simply can't see the obvious. Anyone wonder now why he was sacked by Reading! I think he should start playing Agger in a midfield role rather than have him vegetate on the bench. He's our best option and can be gradually easd into the midfield; that way we can keep him happy as well. Gerrard should be eased out, has now now become the weakest link and Rodgers should bring in a dynamic midfilder in the next window as a matter of utmost priority. I thought we could do better against the Arse but failed to show up.

[Pan77]

We're neither as good as we think we are, nor as bad a we moan about. We're somewhere in the middle.

Agree with that mate. We certainly aren't title contenders and it's ridiculous to even consider that. At the other end of the spectrum we're not completely shite as some would make out. At the moment who are actually better than us...Chelsea, Arsenal, City. You've then got us, Spurs, Scum who will be fighting for 4th.

 

If we're gonna get higher that 4th or 5th we have got to sort out the midfield. It's been shite for years. Gerrard needs to be higher up the pitch in a free role. Him and Coutinho should be fighting for the same position. We then need 2 new midfielders who can play with one of Allen, Lucas and Henderson. I'd still like to see Allen given a run because he was boss in his first few games for us.

 

Anyway it's no disgrace losing to Arse at the Emirates. We didn't play well but there still wasn't that much between the teams. They took their chances, we didn't. Also the disallowed goal was a fukn disgrace.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Fi!]

PS

The ref is a cunt - why stop the game to give a yellow?......... you fucking prick.

Surprised that no one here bought up the incident where the ref stop the game to give a yellow to an opposing player. It was an equalizing goal if counted. 

[KopOut]

Why isn't he picking Agger? I think we're going to get beat here, sorry. How can we afford to leave Agger on the bench for this? I don't think we can, hope I'm wrong though of course.

except, no you were'nt.

 

no Agger, Johnson or Enrique. Flanagan over Kelly?

 

To be fair, the yellow on the Suarez tackle was a send off, however, it didnt pan out that way.

 

We did enough for a point, in terms of possession and chances, but the ball has to be in the back of the net to be awarded any goals.

[Paco]

Was at the game. Impressed by the Emirates. Most comfy seats I ve ever sat on at football. Slightly wider than normal and with a bit of cushion instead of just hard moulded plastic.

 

Thought we matched them for an hour but the first goal was poor from us. Lucas lost cazorla and then didnt react to the ball off the post. Wasnt just him to be fair. No one reacted.

 

Ref made a poor call when we took the quick free. He could have let it go and booked sagno after.

 

Surprised to see flanno start but he did well. Cissohko was brutal and deserved to be hooked. Coutinho showed some good touches esrly on but bar a pass to put suarezthrough near the end his passing was overhit.

 

Going 442 left us more open and we maybe should have made 2 changes at the half. Agger could have come on as well with either flanno or hendo coming off for coutinho.

 

We had a few chances but couldn't take them. Suarez hit the post, hendo blasted over and sturridge who was shocking headed over.

 

Their 2nd goal killed it. Ozil set up ramsey to score from distance. Ozil didnt do much but he was always a threat and should have got on the score sheet himself.

 

It could have been 3 or 4 nil but we could have even nicked a draw. Suarez shot when he could have squared to sturridge and dan didnt react quick enough to the keeper hitting him with the ball.

 

We were poor overall. I d drop toure next week and bring in agger. Hopefully enrique back too. Fulham next. Need to get back to winning ways against them.

 

Arsenal fans have 4 songs oh santi cazorla, hey jude giroud, red army and its arsenal. Shit fans shit songs.

[Paco]

Well he expected a lot of the poor kid. Has Flanagan ever played in a five at the back system in a competitive game? I don't think he has. So why throw an inexperienced kid in when Kelly, who played there last week or Henderson might have been a better and more solid option?

 

It's a game away at arsenal to go top of the league. If he wants to fuck about and try out different players do it when we're three nil up against crystal palace.

 

I'm pissed off and im getting even more pissed.

Did you see kelly last week?

[spider-neil]

I think the main difference with Rafa and Brendan is Rafa would look at the opposition and set up his team to counter the oppositions strengths whilst Brendan basically sets up his team to make the opposition worry about us. Fair enough I guess but Arsenal's strength completely supersedes our strengths, i.e. their midfield ensures our forwards would see little of the ball. 

 

Arsenal completely dominated midfield with sheer weight of numbers and why did that have sheer weight of numbers? So we could have 5 at the back. We conceded possession so we could have 3 centre backs marking 1 defenders and 2 wingbacks that were next to useless.

 

Hindsight is 20/20 but a back 5 of Sakho, Touré, (centre backs) Henderson, Moses, (wing backs) and Allen pushed in front of them with Lucas would have ensured if nothing else Arsenal wouldn't have passed though us with the ease that they were.

 

Brendan was taking notes all game, the most obvious notes he should have wrote is; Arsenal are driving a bus through us currently, better close that gap before they put the game beyond us.

 

But Brendan is young and will learn. You can't blame him for sticking with the same formation that destroyed West Brom last week but the changed should have come quickly (like changed needed to happen quickly against Newcastle) The good thing about Rodgers is he seems to take on board his mistakes and going 3 in the middle vs Arsenal was definitely a mistake.

[spider-neil]

I think the main difference with Rafa and Brendan is Rafa would look at the opposition and set up his team to counter the oppositions strengths whilst Brendan basically sets up his team to make the opposition worry about us. Fair enough I guess but Arsenal's strength completely supersedes our strengths, i.e. their midfield ensures our forwards would see little of the ball. 

 

Arsenal completely dominated midfield with sheer weight of numbers and why did they have sheer weight of numbers? So we could have 5 at the back. We conceded possession so we could have 3 centre backs marking 1 defender and 2 wingbacks that were next to useless.

 

Hindsight is 20/20 but a back 6 of Sakho, Touré, (centre backs) Henderson, Moses, (wing backs) and Allen pushed in front of them with Lucas would have ensured if nothing else Arsenal wouldn't have passed though us with the ease that they were.

 

Brendan was taking notes all game, the most obvious notes he should have wrote is; Arsenal are driving a bus through us currently, better close that gap before they put the game beyond us.

 

But Brendan is young and will learn. You can't blame him for sticking with the same formation that destroyed West Brom last week but the changes should have come quickly (like changes needed to happen quickly against Newcastle) The good thing about Rodgers is he seems to take on board his mistakes and going 3 in the middle vs Arsenal was definitely a mistake.

[Josef Svejk]

I fucking hate losing to these. Their fans are arrogant twats and they think they're the best team to ever play football when they win. It's like they invented it.

 

They'll think a little differently during the week.

[xerxes]

This defeat was totally Rogers fault, when Dortmund and Chelsea beat them, they wouldn't let Arsenal settle on the ball, they kept snapping at their heels and they didn't like it, we stood off and gave them all the time in the world, which played right into their hands, actually two nil flattered us it could have been 5.

It is the players who snap at heels on the pitch, not the manager.

[Batigol]

I think the main difference with Rafa and Brendan is Rafa would look at the opposition and set up his team to counter the oppositions strengths whilst Brendan basically sets up his team to make the opposition worry about us. Fair enough I guess but Arsenal's strength completely supersedes our strengths, i.e. their midfield ensures our forwards would see little of the ball. 

 

Arsenal completely dominated midfield with sheer weight of numbers and why did that have sheer weight of numbers? So we could have 5 at the back. We conceded possession so we could have 3 centre backs marking 1 defenders and 2 wingbacks that were next to useless.

 

Hindsight is 20/20 but a back 5 of Sakho, Touré, (centre backs) Henderson, Moses, (wing backs) and Allen pushed in front of them with Lucas would have ensured if nothing else Arsenal wouldn't have passed though us with the ease that they were.

 

Brendan was taking notes all game, the most obvious notes he should have wrote is; Arsenal are driving a bus through us currently, better close that gap before they put the game beyond us.

 

But Brendan is young and will learn. You can't blame him for sticking with the same formation that destroyed West Brom last week but the changed should have come quickly (like changed needed to happen quickly against Newcastle) The good thing about Rodgers is he seems to take on board his mistakes and going 3 in the middle vs Arsenal was definitely a mistake.

 

 

Agree with this entirely.  I also think it explains why we've got such a poor record against good sides under Brendan and why we usually do well against team we're better than.

[spider-neil]

When Suarez is fouled and takes a quick free kick does the ref blow straight away to stop play before it reaches Sturridge?

[Gnasher]

 

One positive note. Thank fuck Arsenal " the club that thinks it invented the game, taught the world how to pass a football, who've won the square root of fuck all for eight years" didn't buy Luis Suarez.

[Torvald Utne]

....................Mignolet

Johnson - Toure/Sakho - Agger - Enrique

................Henderson - Lucas

 

Suarez ...........Gerrard................Coutinho

......................Sturridge

 

That has to be our strongest side right?

 

There's a place for Gerrard in this team but not as a Defensive Midfielder.