Same old V Liverpool

[Mac76]

Who died and made you Letters? This is the sort of level headed post I'd have made back in the day.
I'm actually annoyed and disappointed about last night. I agree with everything you've said but I've been worn down by years of performances and results like this where we basically play well but get beaten anyway. But yeah, Liverpool are a level or two above us - above pretty much everyone really. Sure they'll have off days but in big games like this you can be pretty sure they'll do the job like we used to back in the day. I do believe we are heading in the right direction but the Villa game is key now. We could afford to lose last night but we don't have much room for error now. All the contenders for top 4 will drop points but we have to get going again at the weekend. If we do then I'll start to believe we have a very good chance of top 4. If we mess that one up then I fear another collapse.

yes am worried about the Villa game, let's hope we pick ourselves up for that.

i am concerned about the thinness of the squad and feel like Arteta coudl have just rotated a bit more here and there, even if just bringing subs on earlier

we were just not quite there in the first half in terms of making the most of some opportunities we had to really test them in front of goal, one or two overplayed or underplayed passes here and there at crucial moments, one from Odegaard to Saka springs to mind in particular when he underplayed it when Saka was in a really good position

got to say Ramsdale should have done better for both goals - also he got a bit obsessed with kicking the ball forward to Saka almost every time, which got a bit predictable

thought Cedric had another very good game overall, while I'll obvs be happy to have Tomi back i think he's doing a really great job

predictably I'll say Xhaka looked patchy and is sticking out more and more like a sore thumb as just being too slow for what we're trying to do - i noticed that Gabreil and others were basically avoiding passing to him in the first half, i think they realised Liverpool woudl be on him straight away to win the ball and also maybe provoke him into another red

other than that Martinelli was superb

I don't think we'll make top 4 but just hope we can somehow stay above Spuds - the fixture list doesn't help - Chelsea Weds evening and the early kick off for Man Ure the following Saturday... no wonder Arteta's annoyed