Arsenal v Liverpool, Carabao Cup 2nd Leg, 19:45 GMT (20/01, Sky Sports Main Event)

[McNamara That Ghost...]

We haven't won this year yet.

[Ollie the Optimist]

3 cup ties played this month.

2 shots on target

That’s not acceptable

[I am invisible]

I tell you what, no offence but you were shit. Barely even laid a glove. I was expecting something in the first 15 of each half, but after that? Nothing.

None taken - we just didn't show up, plain and simple. Too many players either rushed back too soon or running on empty, because the squad has no quality in depth.

I don't think anyone is really shocked, tbh - we could all see it coming a mile off without urgent reinforcements coming in. We played 7 games in December with more or less the same 12 or 13 players and, of our 4 games in January so far, 3 of them have been against Man City and you guys! Pretty brutal schedule for a very young side, even before all the AFCON departures, red cards and self-inflicted loan departures.

If I thought this was a case of giving our very best and still getting schooled then I'd be more worried, but so much of that was out of character for a lot of these players. Tomiyasu, for example - you know the minimum you get from him is relentless work-rate and laser focus, but he just didn't look like he was 100% there yesterday. Smith Rowe still doesn't look fit. Partey literally met up with the team straight from the plane and played like it! Even Ramsdale looked like he was getting grouchy, and he's usually the guy who gees everyone up.

If we can limp past Burnley at the weekend (I'd take any kind of scrappy 1-0 right now) then we should be alright - after that we start seeing week / 2-week breaks between all our fixtures, so we'll have a chance to pull ourselves together again and regroup.