Arsenal (A) - Wed 16th Mar 2022 (8:15pm)

[Trumo]

Our second visit to the Emirates in 2022 sees us take on Arsenal, either with an opportunity to close the gap at the top of the league to 3 points once more, or even go top. Arteta has put more faith in youth, and Arsenal have looked much better for it. Still inconsistent of course, but it’s better to be inconsistent with younger players who can get better, rather than older players on massive contracts. Still, it’s a game where we can show them they still have a long long way to go before they can dine at the top table. What do we need?

 

Accuracy. Ruthlessness. Tactical nous. Energy. Toughness. Ambition. Movement. Organisation. Nerve. Effervescence. Yer ma.

 

I don’t ask for much.

 

Last April in this fixture saw Liverpool dominate and eventually dismantle Arsenal’s resistance with 3 second half goals. Diogo powered in a header from Trent’s brilliant cross for the opener. Mo ran beyond the Arsenal back line and rode a challenge before placing the ball into the net through Leno’s legs to double our lead. By this point, it was a case of how many more we were prepared to push for. In the end, just the one more as Jota slammed home a ball across the box from Mo that had been slightly behind Sadio’s run. Diogo had anticipated though and got his just reward. We were starting to pick up points and climb the table to inch back into the Champions League places after a terrible January and February, and results like this one showed that while we had relinquished our throne as league champions already, we were still a force to be reckoned with.

 

There were fewer doubts about the team in September 1983. Joe Fagan had taken over as manager from the great Sir Bob Paisley the previous summer but otherwise it was business as usual. We’d continued to dominate in the league and maintain our stranglehold on the League Cup, and would also go on to claim our fourth Big Ears in Rome. The quality shone through at Highbury as Skippy and Kenny saw off Terry Neill’s Gunners side for whom a young Charlie Nicholas was the talisman.

 

Skippy’s goal is a bit of opportunism as he reacted first to the rebound after Robinson had seen his shot saved. Kenny’s goal though is a thing of beauty, perfectly encapsulating what we were about. Pass and Move is the Liverpool groove. Rushie switched the play from left to right to Wee Sammy. He played a one-two with Kenny on the edge of the area before picking out Robinson’s run in the inside right channel. Robinson back-heeled it to Kenny who, instead of hitting the ball first time or carrying it forward with his right, dummied over the ball, got it onto his left, found a better angle for a shot, and curled it majestically into the far top corner. The Arsenal players were all left to stand and watch the sheer quality. All in that nice yellow with red pinstripe away kit that Umbro gave us in the early 80s. Motson, back when he wasn’t a hysterical screeching harpy, got the commentary just right. He’s absolutely spot on with his description of the goal and the team. Here’s a good highlights vid of that game.

 

 

The popular box office hit in September 1983 was Michael Keaton’s debut in a lead role, Mr. Mom. Written by John Hughes (he of various 1980s films that all had Molly Ringwald in them), it’s about a husband who loses his job working at Ford Motor Company, and decides to be a stay-at-home dad while his wife (played by Teri Garr, whom I am more familiar with as the actress who played Phoebe’s real mother in Friends), who’d raised their kids up to now, rejoins the rat race as an ad exec. I’ve heard of this film but never seen it, but I imagine the premise depicts loads of clichés about dads trying to look after kids and having a hard time of it in many, many comedic ways. I’d expect it with Keaton because his career is filled with fairly comedic roles, at times brilliantly so. America evidently loves stuff like this because so many other successful films have used the basic idea, as have TV sitcoms. I put it to you lot though. Is Mr. Mom any good?

 

 

This is our last league fixture before the international break. We have an FA Cup tie at the weekend, but the Arsenal game presents an opportunity to continue putting the squeeze on City. Arsenal have improved in recent months, being slightly less inconsistent than the others around them. We still have the tools to do to them what we’ve been doing to them in the Klopp era. As ever, it’s about the right level of motivation and application. We can, therefore we shall.

[Anubis]

They are Arsenal. Let us treat them as such.

[Pete]

Twat ‘em. Three points. Next game. 

[an tha]

We'll need to be better than we have been recently and i expect us to be.

 

 

[Creator Supreme]

They'll cunt us in the bastard, 3-0 to the Erse!

[VladimirIlyich]

6 hours ago, Trumo said:

Our second visit to the Emirates in 2022 sees us take on Arsenal, either with an opportunity to close the gap at the top of the league to 3 points once more, or even go top. Arteta has put more faith in youth, and Arsenal have looked much better for it. Still inconsistent of course, but it’s better to be inconsistent with younger players who can get better, rather than older players on massive contracts. Still, it’s a game where we can show them they still have a long long way to go before they can dine at the top table. What do we need?

 

Accuracy. Ruthlessness. Tactical nous. Energy. Toughness. Ambition. Movement. Organisation. Nerve. Effervescence. Yer ma.

 

I don’t ask for much.

 

Last April in this fixture saw Liverpool dominate and eventually dismantle Arsenal’s resistance with 3 second half goals. Diogo powered in a header from Trent’s brilliant cross for the opener. Mo ran beyond the Arsenal back line and rode a challenge before placing the ball into the net through Leno’s legs to double our lead. By this point, it was a case of how many more we were prepared to push for. In the end, just the one more as Jota slammed home a ball across the box from Mo that had been slightly behind Sadio’s run. Diogo had anticipated though and got his just reward. We were starting to pick up points and climb the table to inch back into the Champions League places after a terrible January and February, and results like this one showed that while we had relinquished our throne as league champions already, we were still a force to be reckoned with.

 

There were fewer doubts about the team in September 1983. Joe Fagan had taken over as manager from the great Sir Bob Paisley the previous summer but otherwise it was business as usual. We’d continued to dominate in the league and maintain our stranglehold on the League Cup, and would also go on to claim our fourth Big Ears in Rome. The quality shone through at Highbury as Skippy and Kenny saw off Terry Neill’s Gunners side for whom a young Charlie Nicholas was the talisman.

 

Skippy’s goal is a bit of opportunism as he reacted first to the rebound after Robinson had seen his shot saved. Kenny’s goal though is a thing of beauty, perfectly encapsulating what we were about. Pass and Move is the Liverpool groove. Rushie switched the play from left to right to Wee Sammy. He played a one-two with Kenny on the edge of the area before picking out Robinson’s run in the inside right channel. Robinson back-heeled it to Kenny who, instead of hitting the ball first time or carrying it forward with his right, dummied over the ball, got it onto his left, found a better angle for a shot, and curled it majestically into the far top corner. The Arsenal players were all left to stand and watch the sheer quality. All in that nice yellow with red pinstripe away kit that Umbro gave us in the early 80s. Motson, back when he wasn’t a hysterical screeching harpy, got the commentary just right. He’s absolutely spot on with his description of the goal and the team. Here’s a good highlights vid of that game.

 

 

The popular box office hit in September 1983 was Michael Keaton’s debut in a lead role, Mr. Mom. Written by John Hughes (he of various 1980s films that all had Molly Ringwald in them), it’s about a husband who loses his job working at Ford Motor Company, and decides to be a stay-at-home dad while his wife (played by Teri Garr, whom I am more familiar with as the actress who played Phoebe’s real mother in Friends), who’d raised their kids up to now, rejoins the rat race as an ad exec. I’ve heard of this film but never seen it, but I imagine the premise depicts loads of clichés about dads trying to look after kids and having a hard time of it in many, many comedic ways. I’d expect it with Keaton because his career is filled with fairly comedic roles, at times brilliantly so. America evidently loves stuff like this because so many other successful films have used the basic idea, as have TV sitcoms. I put it to you lot though. Is Mr. Mom any good?

 

 

This is our last league fixture before the international break. We have an FA Cup tie at the weekend, but the Arsenal game presents an opportunity to continue putting the squeeze on City. Arsenal have improved in recent months, being slightly less inconsistent than the others around them. We still have the tools to do to them what we’ve been doing to them in the Klopp era. As ever, it’s about the right level of motivation and application. We can, therefore we shall.

Another fuckin international break? Fuck them all off.

[Evelyn Tentions]

Great clip. Back when shorts were shorts. I also noted the extra distance the keepers were getting from drop kicks, a technique that seems to have fallen out of favour these days.

I remember Mr Mom from back then. Another excellent performance from Keaton

[Scott_M]

Been thinking about the run in today but as hard as it is, got to keep keep taking it one game at a time.

 

Wednesday feels like our biggest league game on years. Absolute must win.

 

I wish I could fast forward to about 8pm next Sunday night and see how the league, CL & FA Cup have all panned out.

[AngryOfTuebrook]

@Anubis knows.

Man-for-man, our players are not just better than theirs, we also have the mental strength throughout the team that makes you more confident that our players will turn up. Get on it. Play our game. Keep the pressure on.

 

Just get these beat, Reds.

[AngryOfTuebrook]

A win (or even a draw) will confirm our 60th consecutive top eight finish.

 

Consistency, kids.

[Anubis]

The current Arsenal game plan seems to be to try and overwhelm teams in the first 15 mins of each half, followed by a sharp drop off in intensity and the occasional break. Account for that and I’m confident we can come away with a win.

[dockers_strike]

I fucking hate playing these away. They're spawny cunts at their gaff.

[niallers]

17 minutes ago, Anubis said:

The current Arsenal game plan seems to be to try and overwhelm teams in the first 15 mins of each half, followed by a sharp drop off in intensity and the occasional break. Account for that and I’m confident we can come away with a win.

If we start Wednesday the was we did yesterday, their better players will hurt us. Brighton butchered a good few chances to make a chance. We need to be on it from the get go

[Pureblood]

They've clearly improved since the last time we played them and I don't think it will be quite so easy this time around.  Our attacking play seems to lack chemistry at the moment.  Mane, Diaz and Salah are all fine players in their own right, but the interplay between them hasn't been great thus far, so I'm a bit concerned going into this one  If there's one fixture where we're likely to fuck up during the run in (apart from Man City, obviously), it's this one. 

 

I'd imagine it will be a good game for the neutral to watch, with both teams going at it.  Arteta isn't one to compromise his principles so they will definitely be having a go.  The hope is that this will leave plenty of space for us to exploit on the counter.  I can see big Virgil and Matip launching a few long balls, Trent switching the play to Robertson and that kind of thing.  Try to take advantage of the big Emirates pitch and mix up our long and short passing game.  

[Trojan1892]

Diaz and Mo will absolutely destroy Soares and Tierney

[m0e]

1 hour ago, Pureblood said:

They've clearly improved since the last time we played them and I don't think it will be quite so easy this time around.  Our attacking play seems to lack chemistry at the moment.  Mane, Diaz and Salah are all fine players in their own right, but the interplay between them hasn't been great thus far, so I'm a bit concerned going into this one  If there's one fixture where we're likely to fuck up during the run in (apart from Man City, obviously), it's this one. 

They were on a good run the last 2 times we played them, and they got absolutely schooled by us.

 

I'm expecting the same again.

[an tha]

Just seen that since we played them in 1st leg of league cup semi they have played 7 games.....we have played 14.

[aRdja]

8 minutes ago, an tha said:

Just seen that since we played them in 1st leg of league cup semi they have played 7 games.....we have played 14.

Did you expect anything different? we’re still in all competitions and they’re only in one. 

[an tha]

3 minutes ago, aRdja said:

Did you expect anything different? we’re still in all competitions and they’re only in one. 

No of course, but that is just a really stark difference when see it written down.

 

[Johnny Utah]

Any spares for this?

[Bjornebye]

 

 

 

[dockers_strike]

Mo misses training today following his substitution on Saturday making him a doubt for this game.

[AngryOfTuebrook]

Seriously now - just get these beat, Reds.

[aRdja]

Jota in for Mo, but to start in the middle, and Mane on the right.

Alisson; Trent, Matip, Van Dijk, Robertson; Fabinho, Hendo, Thiago; Mane, Diaz, Jota

[Pete]

Another 2-0 to the reds would be nice. 
Come on Red men. Get these beat.