PODCAST: Arsenal 3 Liverpool 1 - Match Reaction

[tlw content]

A deserved defeat and a self inflicted one, as the Reds didn't make the most of a lifeline given to them just before half time and proceeded to hand Arsenal the points with some calamitous defending.

 

TLW Editor Dave Usher is joined by Paul Natton and Julian Richards to sift through the wreckage of a rare defeat that has let Arsenal back into the race and opened the door for Manchester City.

 

 

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[razor]

I am hoping that this is going to be an hour of tantric chanting over the top of birdsong, with a calming voice telling me to breathe and that everything is going to be alright. 

 

It's my only hope...

[TheBitch]

The ending was the best bit. 
 

#elpistolero

[aws]

If you’ve got the resilience to do the Podcast after that performance then the least I can do is listen to it.  
We were awful but might have got something out of the game until the fuck up. I  mostly blame it on Virgil because Ali tried to clear out a difficult bouncing ball but his kick hit Virgil’s arse on the way.  After that what little momentum we had was completely lost. 
A right side of Gakpo, Grav and Trent is about the worst combination we can come up with for a difficult away game. Hopefully Robbo can get some form soon so we can play Gomez or Bradley at RB in away games and just play Trent at home until he’s ready to do the dirty work again.  
I think Jurgen was having us on saying Nunez not playing was tactical - he didn’t look like he was moving at all freely to me.  

[Kevin D]

Trio of negative, moaning bastards.

[Red Shift]

3 hours ago, razor said:

I am hoping that this is going to be an hour of tantric chanting over the top of birdsong, with a calming voice telling me to breathe and that everything is going to be alright. 

 

It's my only hope...

That shit will just get you worked up.

 

When Brentford beat City tonight, you can relax.

[Chris]

Thanks for sorting this so soon, dudes. Always helps me process the result, regardless of what it is. 

[Josef Svejk]

I thought you (Paul in particular) went easy on Trent there, if I'm honest. I thought his performance - and even more so his attitude - was abysmal. That's not a fitness issue for me.

 

My other (related) hobby horse this season: I don't like the three Dutch lads in the same team. That's unsustainable levels of laid-back. Throw in Trent and we're practically comatose. 

[Josef Svejk]

3 hours ago, aws said:

A right side of Gakpo, Grav and Trent is about the worst combination we can come up with for a difficult away game.

 

Spot on. 

[Chris]

I definitely don’t want Gravenberch anywhere near the starting line up. He’s pissing me right off, the languid-ass so-and-so.  I’d play Bobby Clark there before him. 

[Red Shift]

Agree completely with aws. The fuck up ruined a difficult night. If Darwin was capable of coming on as a sub (he wasn’t) then he was capable of starting.

 

Arsenal were able to kick us while we were down (injuries and a vacancy of key positions) - in other words, they weren’t that good, but were good enough to take advantage of a less than confident Liverpool, not firing on all cylinders.

 

This was a blip. I’m convinced. I’m also confident that both Arsenal and City will drop more points. We were five points clear because they were already dropping points.

 

We go again. 

[The wanderer]

7 hours ago, aws said:

If you’ve got the resilience to do the Podcast after that performance then the least I can do is listen to it.  
We were awful but might have got something out of the game until the fuck up. I  mostly blame it on Virgil because Ali tried to clear out a difficult bouncing ball but his kick hit Virgil’s arse on the way.  After that what little momentum we had was completely lost. 
A right side of Gakpo, Grav and Trent is about the worst combination we can come up with for a difficult away game. Hopefully Robbo can get some form soon so we can play Gomez or Bradley at RB in away games and just play Trent at home until he’s ready to do the dirty work again.  
I think Jurgen was having us on saying Nunez not playing was tactical - he didn’t look like he was moving at all freely to me.  

I think if Allison had stayed back Virgil would have had a chance at clearing the ball. Martinelli was wrong side but Alli’s intervention meant the ball fell nicely into his path. We were poor but if that hadn’t happened I think we might have escaped with a point.

[Pidge]

Shout out to Gomez for playing with a yellow?

 

Nah, not really. It was a stupid, unnecessary yellow. Not wanting to single him out, but it was part and parcel of a shit performance.

[JohnnyH]

Alonso would have won this. 

[No2]

The last time we where this pathetic in a big match was Madrid in Paris. We're an emotional team and I think the events before that match had a huge bearing on the performance and outcome. Similarly I'm think the events on Saturday around Bradley have probably played their part. They're all in a hotel together then news spreads of a death in a  teammates family. They're not robots, that type of stuff has to play a part.

[dave u]

3 hours ago, JohnnyH said:

Alonso would have won this. 

 

Arteta was just a Poundland Alonso as a player and will be as a manager too.

[dave u]

9 hours ago, Josef Svejk said:

I thought you (Paul in particular) went easy on Trent there, if I'm honest. I thought his performance - and even more so his attitude - was abysmal. That's not a fitness issue for me.

 

I didn't think I went easy on him, but if you did then you'll probably enjoy the match report far more because I've expanded on him quite a bit in there.

 

Training Cone Alexander-Arnold.

[NoelM]

Joe Bradley's funeral is Tuesday, we normally do this very quickly in Ireland

There's a place to leave a condolence message here too.

https://rip.ie/death-notice/joe-bradley-tyrone-castlederg-545523

 

[Creator Supreme]

14 hours ago, Red Shift said:

When Brentford beat City tonight, you can relax.

Are all of City's players dead?

[johnsusername]

Any update on El Pistolero?

[johnsusername]

On the match, I'd rather have had Jota, Nunez and Diaz up front, with Curtis, Mac and gakpo in midfield. Gravenberch is young and needs a lot of work.

[dave u]

Just now, johnsusername said:

Any update on El Pistolero?

 

Not used it yet other than in the front garden on the astroturf green. Very first putt with it was a 20 footer right in the middle though.

[dave u]

Just now, johnsusername said:

On the match, I'd rather have had Jota, Nunez and Diaz up front, with Curtis, Mac and gakpo in midfield. Gravenberch is young and needs a lot of work.

 

Yeah that would have been better.

[JeanMichelFerriacrosstheMersey]

Just listened to the pod and was struck by the lads saying that they’d be surprised if any Reds had listened given it was on the back of a bad defeat. Don’t know about anyone else, but for me the pod becomes even more important when we have lost badly as it provides a way for me to better understand why we underperformed, as well as the chance to put our performance into perspective and/or find some reason to remain optimistic. A post-defeat pod can also provides a laugh or two when us Reds need it most. 
 

So chin up Dave and the team and most definitely keep delivering the pod after losses. That’s when I for one certainly need it most. 

 

Pistolero. 

 

[aws]

Like a group therapy session.