Scum* who got us all banned from europe 85-90(but the media dont ever say anything about it) Cup semi H Thu 20jan KO 745

[GoonerMuzz]

I have the feeling these 'injuries' will miraculously clear up for the Spuds game, eggs in one basket is our Mr Arteta

[shu]

I have no doubts we will lose this quite heavily seeing the players (or lack of) that are available. Do I care? I don't think I do actually. The modern game was fùcked before all this shit but it's even worse now . The integrity of the game is shot imo, particularly this competition.

I'll still watch in my usual dispassionate way cos I can't help myself.

Exactly , we need to take this one on the chin , Sunday is the big one because seriously this Arsenal won’t beat Liverpool over two legs , I just hope that we don’t get thumped .
I don’t rate AMN but I would have played him last week and in this one .

[Redarmy]

Had a small wager on scouse at 7/10....they look like putting out a strong team tonight something like below:

Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Matip, Van Dijk, Robertson; Fabinho, Henderson, Oxlade-Chamberlain; Jota, Firmino, Minamino.

I had a slice of Forest in play on sunday and then stuck the winnings on Dippers tonight Scum sunday singles and a double.11/8 and 6/4 i got at full time on sun

Never actually backed against them before...dont feel right but if i pick up £70 will lessen the pain.....think it could be a rout tonight

[Redarmy]

Had a small wager on scouse at 7/10....they look like putting out a strong team tonight something like below:

Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Matip, Van Dijk, Robertson; Fabinho, Henderson, Oxlade-Chamberlain; Jota, Firmino, Minamino.

I had a slice of Forest in play on sunday and then stuck the winnings on Dippers tonight Scum sunday singles and a double.11/8 and 6/4 i got at full time on sun

Never actually backed against them before...dont feel right but if i pick up £70 will lessen the pain.....think it could be a rout tonight

[shu]

Fair enough mate I can’t blame you

[OneBardGooner]

Heard on 5 Live that Tomiyasu and Odegaard are out!

[gooner265]

Yep I too will watch dispassionately with a lump of cheese some biscuits and a bottle of tempranillo.
As the wine goes down the flow of goals won't hurt so much . Quite what I do for the second half , I am not sure.

Good choice of wine , I too will be doing the same.

[Clummo99]

Yep I too will watch dispassionately with a lump of cheese some biscuits and a bottle of tempranillo.
As the wine goes down the flow of goals won't hurt so much . Quite what I do for the second half , I am not sure.

I'll be watching with a large mug of Monsoon Malabar and an M&S clotted cream rice pudding.

Sure I'll enjoy those far more than the game!

[Almunia is a clown]

An Arsenal League Cup history.
1961-66, George Swindin & Billy Wight didn't enter. One decision Wright actually got right!

1967-1976 Bertie Mee tried to win a couple of finals against Dirty Leeds following Ian Ure bolloxing it up against 3rd division Swindon. then decided not worth bothering with as European trophies & League & FA cup challenges are more important followed by later relegation battles.

Terry Neill 1977-1983, got to couple of SF's against Munichs & Murderers also lost to Rotherham, Swindon & Walsall FFS!

Don Howe era Lost to Oxford & Villa at home!

George Graham, won 2 League Cups, against Murderers & Wednesday, lost 1 final vs Luton with Nutty Nigel Winterburn missing a penalty then Gus Ceasar bolloxing it up.
No European football so actually took League Cup seriously.

Bruce Rioch Lost in semi final VIlla on away goals.

Lord Wenger, Played reserves & youth players, even in finals when opposition put out strong lineups. Didn't take League Cup seriously as other rival clubs did, got to 3 finals & an abysmal performance in each one!

Dick Emery Lost to Middx at home, probably didn't give a shite as concentrating on 4th place CL & Europa League. Last season lost on penalties away at Murderers.

Captain Black. Lost Citeh at home. No chance this season due to Covid cheating murdering bastards, Cant blame Mikel Arteta for that IMO!

This competition is a waste of time for Arsenal from a historical perspective. Our traditional rival clubs & the newly rich oil & gangster financed teams do better than us, probably due to much stronger squads in depth?

Lesser clubs such as Villa, Forest, even Middlesex & Leicester take the competition more seriously.

[Retro Gunner]

Just like everyone else on here, I've no doubt that we're about to get absolutely "done right up the fartbox" as Falkirk would so eloquently (and accurately) put it. I'm expecting to lose by a minimum of 3 and as many as 5 or 6. Mind you, as bent as their false negative results seem to be and as typically lame and weak as our acquiescence was, I don't for a second believe that the outcome over the two games would have been any different. I'd given up on this as soon as the draw was made. Not that the powers that be should be letting the fuckers get away with it, which they, of course, will.

Anyway, to have had any chance of winning this, there's a simple tactic that almost no one uses against Klopp's scousers. Yes they have a fabulous forward line, with the world class Salah and top quality Mane a handful in any circumstances, but they play a back four and a foundation of their success is the potency of their full backs, who get forward like the wing backs in a back 5. This obviously leaves big gaps behind them. However, they employ the high press to great effect, so it's difficult for a team to retain the ball and play out and take advantage of the gaps.

The answer is to forget trying to pass your way out of the press and to release the ball quickly and diagonally into the empty channels in Liverpool's half. With the likes of Martinelli and Saka waiting on the half way line, they're both quick enough to get to the ball and technically gifted enough to get it quickly under control. They'll also be putting the covering centre back under instant pressure, facing his own goal, if he gets there first. Their defence wobbles under pressure and this tactic would not only help force their full backs deeper, but would put a stop to the high press generally.

The basis of their high press, win the ball back quickly style, is that of the Barca team of 12 years ago or so. They were the best side in Europe, but I saw Mourinho's Inter beat them home and away in the CL (and go on to win the competition), by using this exact tactic. Barca didn't know how to handle it and got in such a knot with their style of play when it ceased working, that they all but gave up the ghost. It really isn't difficult and the pass doesn't even need to be particularly accurate....just get it bouncing into the channel and still in play. Gabriel and even White (jury still out for me btw) are capable of hitting those balls and so is Ramsdale. I wouldn't bother asking dear old Granit to get involved.

I'm fully aware that it was a complete waste of time typing this.....4-0 scousers.

[Gunner Rob]

Wow Liverpool are 4/6 to win tonight.
That is like buying money!

[mcdowell42]

Arsenal XI vs. Liverpool: Ramsdale, Cedric, White, Gabriel, Tierney, Lokonga, Xhaka, Saka, Lacazette (c), Martinelli, Nketiah.

https://t.co/78FiCtPmo9





Liverpool: Allison; Alexander-Arnold, Matip, Van Dijk, Robertson; Fabinho, Henderson, Milner; Minamino, Firmino, Jota.

Subs: Kelleher, Konate, Gomez, Ox, Jones, Tsimikas, Gordon, Williams, Morton.

[DB10GOONER]

I'm fully aware that it was a complete waste of time typing this.....4-0 scousers.

I hope you'll forgive me old buddy but this is all I read. Pretty good post.

[DB10GOONER]

Wow Liverpool are 4/6 to win tonight.
That is like buying money!

Jeepers!

[mcdowell42]

Arsenal confirm Odegaard has Covid. Doubt for Sunday now.