24th August 2015 - Away to Arsenal

[TheHowieLama]

Gone to Arsenal , came away with a point, their keeper is MOM.

 

Gift horse and all that...

[Mojo]

We've made some damn good signings this time... without many people even noticing

[WhiskeyJar]

Madness to let Lucas go this window. He can still play a valuable role for us in a lot of games this season.

If we are going to play like this then I agree. How good was Can though?

[Anubis]

We put a fuck load of effort into the first half so it was no surprise we dropped off in the second. But I can't fault the eleven who started. Not sure about bringing Rossiter on in a game like that, but Ibe was a natural substitution but he was poor when he came on.

 

A draw was a fair result. Just surprising it was a nil-nil draw.

[Hand Shandy]

Beat West Ham and then put the dirty Mancs in their place and I'll be a happy boy.

[WhiskeyJar]

How poor was Ibe?

Would Lallana have done better?

[A_S]

How many times are they going to mention the supposed penalty Giroud should've had? Lovren barely touched him, it looked as though he slipped as much as anything.

[El Rojo]

If we are going to play like this then I agree. How good was Can though?

 

He was great. Looked a lot more mobile than I've seen him for us to date.

[manwiththestick]

Follow it up with a win on Saturday and jobs a good un. 10 points from 12 would be a great start.

[Mathewbet1]

We should have been out of sight in the first half, Gomez was brilliant as was Cout, I though Benteke was excellent again. Good grind in the end. Moreno had a chance right at the end if he could have released. Yes Ibe was shite when he came on, but it was a fast game he seemed to be on his heels and never got upto speed did he.

[Sweeney287]

Very happy with 7 out of 9 points with positive signs for the team.

[magicrat]

Would Lallana have done better?

yes

[s(k)aturation]

I thought we handled the last 15 minutes... when they looked the much much likelier to score... very very well indeed.

 

Can, superb throughout.

[KMD7]

How many times are they going to mention the supposed penalty Giroud should've had? Lovren barely touched him, it looked as though he slipped as much as anything.

The pull on Benteke was a clearer shout

[Bob]

Most I can remember enjoying a game - and most I've cared about one, too - since we finished second.

 

Excellent first half, dogged battling second.

 

Massive hats off to Joe Gomez, absolutely sensational.

 

Benteke brilliant first half, decent second til he was obviously knackered after 65 mins.

 

Firmino looked nice in places, but worked hard.

 

Milner, Can and Lucas dominated midfield first half and kept going second. Thought Milner was fantastic.

 

Clyne a proper full back. Barely let anything past him really, coped really well.

 

Lovren, Skrtel and Mig solid and put it on the line when needed.

 

I know we were massively outplayed second half, but that was a terrific performance and it's made me really happy to have enjoyed and cared about a game so much. Maybe my passion for it isn't dead after all.

 

On balance a draw was fair, but I felt we had the better chances and a lot of theirs were scrappy.

 

Gomez man of the match, after than Milner then a toss up between Benteke and Skrtel. Skrtel edging it because the backs to the wall defending is a more lasting impression than the fantastic first half play.

 

Well played reds.

[WhiskeyJar]

He was great. Looked a lot more mobile than I've seen him for us to date.

Agreed. He is giving Henderson a run for his money. Looks very much a leader too.

[stringvest]

Lucas a lot better in the second half, he got his foot in a few times and actually got involved in the game before he tired.  Rossiter coming on actually made us a little bit more difficult to get at through the middle.  We played too deep in the second half, and invited them on to us.  Ibe had a mare - kept giving the ball away, and though he wasn't the only one to do that, his lack of effort in chasing back and closing down was really disappointing.  Can and Milner both put in a fantastic shift.  Full backs were great, Skrtel and Lovren both did well, Mignolet impressive, Benteke was very good again, Coutinho was busy and while both of them should have scored in the first half, the overall team performance was really encouraging.  Firminio getting minutes on the pitch is good - he looks like the sort of player who can play around others - a clever player.  Overall, very happy with that performance.  Another clean sheet too.  

[Paco]

Was thinking at half time after the cech show, mignolet is gonna have some saves to make and to be fair he made them.

 

draw away to arsenal is a good result.

[Hand Shandy]

Yeah it was good to see Can not running out of steam like he was when he was playing in midfield last season.

[WhiskeyJar]

Lovern is getting better.

[niallers]

Nerve jangling and it didn't need to be! Should have been 2 up and then I would have understood us dropping off. That we did so early in the second half was worrying but I'll put it down to getting the stamina levels up and us being a bit more pragmatic.

[Adebisi]

Good result. Was impressed with Milner, Clyne and Gomez, who looks like he's going to develop into a quality CB and probably sooner rather than later too.

Ibe was disappointing, Firmino should have stayed on or thrown Ings on. Ibe looks like he's feeling the pressure a bit and nothing is coming off for him. He'll get over it though. I think we should look to brining Markovic back into the match day squad as well. Think he'd do much better with two solid full-backs behind him.

[Bob]

Fuck me I've no nails left. Well played Rodgers, I didn't think we had the players to play like that but he done it and took a hard fought point at the emirates. A really good result for us.

 

I don't mind playing like Stoke away to the big clubs, Mourinho does it to much acclaim. It's brutal to watch but who the fuck cares, the result is all that matters.

 

Go out next week and take the three points against West Ham & we've had a fucking fantastic start to the season.

Brutal to watch as in not nice on the eye, or because it was nerve shredding?

 

If the latter, fair enough. If the former you deserve to go in the shitness of modern football thread. That was proper football, played at pace and with bite.

 

If that was stoke, you've been watching too much barca.

[Hand Shandy]

Lovern is getting better.

Shhhhhhh! Don't jinx it.

[magicrat]

Agreed. He is giving Henderson a run for his money. Looks very much a leader too.

I didn't give Henderson a second thought during that match, Not having ago at him but I really don't think he would have added anything tonight, In fact the balance looked better with Lucas in