24th August 2015 - Away to Arsenal

[Redder Lurtz]

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.

 

Tell me more about this massive hat you've got.

[El Rojo]

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

 

He looks a bit sleeker this season, for a big-boned fella. Gave a strong performance tonight that suggests he could be a top class midfielder, which I would have doubted.

[manwiththestick]

Aldo saying on Twitter that Lucas may be off tomorrow. Hope not.

[Bob]

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.

And arsenal being a good attacking side and improving a lot in the second half. Sometimes it's to do with them, not just us.

[King Emlyn]

Very good all round performance that, Skrtel, Can and Gomez the standouts for me. Mignolet did well but boy he's horrible with crosses.

[niallers]

And we've sturridge to come back in and he would have been a huge help. He'd have stuck one of those chances.

[xerxes]

Unbeaten, another clean sheet, a superb performance.

 

Brendan has bought well.

[morgan]

Lovern is getting better.

 

I thought Lovren was pretty solid tonight. His partnership with Skrtel has never looked as solid as it did tonight. Aside from when Giroud got across him for Ramsey's cross in the second half, I thought he was very solid playing against one of the league's best attacking teams.

[King Emlyn]

Would Lallana have done better?

I think I would have done better mate, he had a nightmare

[WhiskeyJar]

Aldo saying on Twitter that Lucas may be off tomorrow. Hope not.

The way he waved when getting substituted gave me a sinking feeling. Hopefully I am wrong and that's not his last game for us.

[Reds4Life]

Credit where credit is due the back four and Mig were brilliant tonight. Skrtel at the end was a rock.

 

Rodgers spoke before the game about players marking space and not players and it was highly effective tonight down to the organisation and discipline of everyone.

 

We could have had a couple of goals in the first half but Cech had another worldie against us.

 

A point at the Emirates in the first 0-0 between us this century. I'll take that any day.

 

Milner is the captain of this team. His stamp was all over this match as well tonight. Bargain of the season already by a long shot.

[AngryOfTuebrook]

Whisper it... I think Rodgers got his tactics spot on tonight.

[Reds4Life]

Pressed wrong button!

[mouse1989]

I'll take that. Much better team in the first half and we showed some fight in the second half to get the point. Skrtel was excellent

[bossy]

Really good point now we have to play with that intensity every game so that this isn't seen just as plucky underdog stuff. We should start with the team that began here with Henderson in for Lucas, if fit, and Milner, who was great, in the deeper roll.

[WhiskeyJar]

Scary to think this team without Milner. What a fucking difference he has made.

 

About Lallana, I think had he started this game might have turned out differently.

[RazorBack]

If Lucas goes than surely we have a replacement lined up? Hope so..

[Baltar]

Considering the disgraceful performance we put in there last season, this was a massive improvement and a great result. We were excellent in the 1st half and could easily have won that by a few goals. And we showed great resistance in the 2nd half when they were piling on the pressure. Our good start to the season continues! 

[Reds4Life]

Credit where credit is due the back four and Mig were solid tonight. Skrtel at the end was a rock.

 

Rodgers spoke before the game about players marking space and not players and it was highly effective tonight down to the organisation and discipline of everyone.

 

A point at the Emirates in the first 0-0 between us this century. I'll take that any day.

 

Milner is the captain of this team. His stamp was all over this match as well tonight. Bargain of the season already by a long shot.

[smilezzz]

Happy with that. They dominated possession, we had better clear cut chances.

 

Beyond lacking that killer finish in the first half, there's no real negatives to point out from this game, we showed our resilience, the players worked hard, and played some nice stuff on occasion.

 

Benteke's well on his way to prove me wrong, though I'd like him to sometimes be a bit more selfish up front.

 

Lucas had a tremendous game, really sad that he's off.

 

Firmino played well, but looked finished after the hour. It'll be nice to see what he can do once he gains full fitness. Ibe was his natural sub, but I'd have liked Ings to come on instead, I'm sure he's champing at the bit to get on.

 

Nice that Rossiter made a decent appearance. I wasnt thrilled at seeing a kid thrown in in such a right affair, but he did well and didn't make any errors.

[El Rojo]

Really good point now we have to play with that intensity every game so that this isn't seen just as plucky underdog stuff. We should start with the team that began here with Henderson in for Lucas, if fit, and Milner, who was great, in the deeper roll.

 

Agree that tonight will ring hollow if we drop the intensity next Saturday. The competition for places shouldn't do us any harm in that regard.

[WhiskeyJar]

Loving the positivity in this thread. Been too long.

[Boss]

How brilliant was Milner? he must of intercepted the ball about 6 or 7 times in the first half just from his pressing and work rate alone. Skrtel was like a wall throughout and the fullbacks are a completely different proposition to last year.

 

Benteke caused them serious problems in the first half. Once Sturridge comes back and we have the pace to go with the trickery of Coutinho and the physicality of Benteke were going to cause teams a big headache. Great defensive performance, three clean sheets in a row, can't ask for any more than that.

[AngryOfTuebrook]

I thought Lovren was pretty solid tonight. His partnership with Skrtel has never looked as solid as it did tonight. Aside from when Giroud got across him for Ramsey's cross in the second half, I thought he was very solid playing against one of the league's best attacking teams.

I'll agree with that.  Normally, Lovren scares me shiteless, but tonight he repaid the manager's faith (and rammed my lack of faith down my throat).

 

Can was a beast.  Milner looks like he's been leading this team for years.  We have two - count them, two - really good full backs.  Mignolet is in charge of his area.  Our attacking players gave Arsenal a lot more to worry about than we gave Stoke and Bournemouth.

 

Many, many positives tonight.

[WhiskeyJar]

Take a look at @Linda_Pizzuti's Tweet: https://twitter.com/Linda_Pizzuti/status/635917889334329344?s=09