We can't afford to lose this game. I've got a good feeling about it, I think we'll really go at it tomorrow night. If we do win, we could be one point behind the Spuds (who everybody seemed to think were miles ahead of us)
Shame about Arteta not being available for this. So it's either Ramsey or Diaby to play alongside Jack. Diaby looked better with Arteta alongside him compared to how he has performed with Jack. I would personally play Ramsey again. Just needs to keep it simple and his work rate is a given.
We will go into this game as favourites. We are home and our attacking force is looking good. Only two things we need to watch out for, any defensive mistakes and the potential Suarez-Gerrard-Sturridge combo. We've contained Suarez well in the past but a key battle will be against Sturridge and Gibbs. If Gibbs has a mare then we will be in for some major trouble. If Gibbs struggles then i would shift Vermaelen to the left and have a Mertz+Kos CB partnership.
We have kept a total of 7 clean sheets - which puts us 6th in the league for clean sheets. Stoke, Sunderland, Liverpool and Chelsea all have 9 clean sheets whilst City have 11. Spuds have 6 clean sheets and Utd have only 5. Hardly "Not good enough" when compared to the rest of the league and big teams - we are right in the mix. Also as far as goals conceded is concerned: We have conceeded 27 (spurs-28, liverpool-28, Utd-30, stoke-29, Chelsea-22, City-19). So we conceed less than most of the big teams and teams that are seen as being defensively better than us. The most interesting stat i have found (and one that some on here are going to love) is that we have failed to score in 6 games (spurs-3, Chelsea-4, Everton-3, Liverpool-4, City-4, Utd-2). So despite scoring more goals than last season we are struggling to score in certain games (so this stat backs up what several people have already said about the way in which wem iss RVP). Overall though our defence isn't nearly as bad as it's made out to be and our only real issue statistically is getting goals in the tighter games, which i think will start to happen as our strike force settles and gels.
Could that be more down to us having a better midfield? The trio of Cazorla, Wilshere and Arteta would be better at keeping possession. Also Mertz has brought a lot of improvement to our CB pairing.
This. I think Ramsey and Wilshere can form a great partnership that will last for years if Ramsey can continue his improvement after that injury. I see him as a Flamini type player as both cover(ed) more ground than most other players in the league. For me Ramsey is a box to box player although Wenger has said hes an anchorman. http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/...arting-tonight-against-liverpool-8472706.html
Definitely pick Ramsey over Diaby. Ramsey = good form, good work rate. Diaby = poor form, poor work rate, had one moment of quality against Brighton (assist for Giroud) but has been rubbish since coming back.
It's a big game for both teams and a draw is next to useless. We have a crap record against you at the Emirates and Rodgers has a bad record against any team above us we have to change that.
Watching this one in a Pub in Chester as I'm on the way back from North Wales (boo!!) With a Liverpool fan & a Spurs fan. Wish me luck!!
Something tells me that this game can not excactly make our season, but it can easily break it. We sort of hope that Spurs will collapse, assume that Everton will somehow stop earning point the way they have been doing it this season, and - last but not least - pretend that Liverpool is not a contender. Not any more if we lose today.
It's a big game, especially for morale. It's not true that it will break our season if we lose, but it would be a massive blow. Personally I've got a good feeling about tonight. I think we'll come racing out of the blocks and really go at them tonight.
Hoping for a good game tonight, not confident though for the reason(s) Luv stated. Interesting to see Diaby out, he absolutely tore us apart at Anfield! Carragher starting in defense for us tonight, could be a stroke of genius or a complete disaster Can't wish you good luck because we need it much more.
really ? You actually think that and are not just being positive ? Arsenal .? Come racing out of the blocks ?