Liverpool vs Arsenal 11.05.2025 - KO 16:30 GMT

[HCZ_Reborn]

Its been a long time since we won at Anfield, I wouldn’t put it past us to do so now that we have a game that is unimportant to both teams (although slightly less unimportant to us)

As for the team as put out. Don’t really envisage massive changes from Wednesday…I think the disappointment of going out aside, I don’t think any of us really feels we played terribly. But our lack of a striker and creative impetus just meant things didn’t go for us

Frankly given that problem I didn’t think we’d get as far as the semi finals a few months ago, and it was only that first game against Real Madrid that made me think we could win the whole thing

Anyway don’t want to turn this match thread into a debate about whether we’ve gone backwards from last season or not, I think to be honest it’s more complicated than a straight yes or no

Might be nice to take a scalp to give us some small cheer in what’s been an utterly miserable season

[Letters]

Sigh. Just let's try and get out of there without being embarrassed.
It would be nice to get a win but it all feels a bit pointless now.

[Shaqiri Is Boss]

I wouldn't be surprised if we were still on the beach for this. I'm sure we'd love to win, and you may have a bit more focus and determination yourselves.

4-4

[Marc Overmars]

3-2

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Now we can't win anything we'll probably perform well tbh

1-2.

[Mac76]

3-0 Salah hatter

[Mac76]

...alternatively I'd take a draw right now

This game is about trying to set a marker for next season, but the odds aren't on our side - they're at home, they've rested players and we've a tired squad that's just been knocked out of the Champions League

But they need to stock up on the Mars bars and Lucozade and avoid being given a kicking

[Niall_Quinn]

Won't be watching and don't care.

If the team can't be arsed then me getting all pumped up won't help a bit. I hope the stadium is empty, it would be fitting after the recent string of games in the league.

[Niall_Quinn]

Now we can't win anything we'll probably perform well tbh

1-2.

Yeah, it's sickening. Time for jam now the bread is stale.

[HCZ_Reborn]

No Rice

[Mac76]

Anthony Taylor's the ref, that prettuy much settles it, we'll get nothing

[Mac76]

by the way for those saying it was right to played a strong team v Bournemouth, Rice being absent now is the result, we lose him in a game where he'd be desperately needed

With Leo starting (and not in his best position btw) we've virtually nothing on the bench

White's not 100% and up against Andy Robertson

I'd take a 1-0 defeat right now, I fear it could be worse

[McNamara That Ghost...]

:wacko:

He came off in that game and then played against PSG!

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Saka should have scored.

[Mac76]

More sloppiness from Saliba

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Raya saves from Diaz.

[Niall_Quinn]

Extraordinary. By which I mean ordinary. White steps on the pitch during the throw - fair enough. Then the Liverpool player does the sme thing when they get the throw. Guess which one was blown up?

[Niall_Quinn]

Odegard did the exact same thing against PSG - gave the ball away cheaply while in attack and the ball ended up at the other end of the pitch. He does it a lot now.

[Niall_Quinn]

We just don't have a killer in the box. Easy goal there, passed up again.

[Mac76]

Created a good chance then got in each others way :doh:

[Mac76]

Robertson gets away with trying to choke Saka

[HCZ_Reborn]

1-0 Liverpool

Game over

[McNamara That Ghost...]

1-0 Gakpo.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

2-0 Diaz, jesus.

[Niall_Quinn]

He's well offside isn't he? Don't think they checked though.

Long ball over the top killing us. Which is a surprise as the long ball never works.

[Mac76]

1-0 Gakpo, Liverpool's second highest scorer after Salah

And now Szoboszlei gets a second

[Niall_Quinn]

2nd is probably offside too - if we are going by the 5 minute laser measurements we've been used to. But I don't think they are checking at all?

[Mac76]

Whoever played the assist was offside when they got the ball IMO, but ofc not given

[Niall_Quinn]

Direct football, so much more effective than the Pep shite. Defences can't handle it, ours included.

[Niall_Quinn]

That's deliberate and right under the ref's nose. A free foul that disrupted the play. But if you kick the ball away 0.5 seconds after the whistle?

[Niall_Quinn]

Should be a yellow there for Partey too tbf - but this is one of the games where the ref is letting it go. They should tell the players beforehand if they are going to be dishing out the cards or not.

[Niall_Quinn]

Saka is fast asleep.

[Marc Overmars]

A pumping on the cards then.

[Mac76]

Merino's so fucking ordinary in midfield - which is where we bought him to play

[Marc Overmars]

2nd place cup final v Newcastle next week should be fun.

[Mac76]

Saka is fast asleep.

He's stuck in that corner surrounded by red shirts every time he gets the ball, our attacking moves are so slow

[Niall_Quinn]

Easy enough to see why Partey doesn't play 8. He's brain works at snail's pace when he gets into the danger area.

[Niall_Quinn]

He's stuck in that corner surrounded by red shirts every time he gets the ball, our attacking moves are so slow

And he's always looking to come back inside. White has made several runs and he's ignored him.

[Niall_Quinn]

Partey doing his best to get booked.

[Mac76]

So bad in attack, no-one taking responsibility, just passing around, allowing Liverpool to organise, I'm so fucking bored of this

[Niall_Quinn]

Tea break!

[Niall_Quinn]

So bad in attack, no-one taking responsibility, just passing around, allowing them to organise, I'm so fucking bored of this

We'll we've literally got no strikers. Nobody in the team who knows how to consistently put the ball in the net. That's like giving yourself a 20 goal handicap against your rivals.

[Niall_Quinn]

Wow, Merino. How poor is that?

[Niall_Quinn]

This is painful to watch. Players plodding into coverage, same old patterns over and over. Must be so easy to defend against. You could almost do it in your sleep.

[Niall_Quinn]

MLS booked for nothing at all. What was he meant to do, vaporise?

[Mac76]

MLS booked, we could be down to ten before long

[Niall_Quinn]

Let's see what Arteta does at HT. If they come out and do this again for another 45, will say a lot.

Neville thinks we are still suffering from the PSG game. If that's true then this club will never win anything.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

2-0 HT.

Utterly nothing up front from us.

[Mac76]

2-0 HT
I reckon as we tire in the second half it could get a lot worse

[Niall_Quinn]

2-0 HT.

Utterly nothing up front from us.

We're badly missing Sesko - could have got at least another 30-40 passes in around their box with him, before the backpass. At least Odegard has completely dropped out of the game, so the chances dried up a bit for Liverpool.

[21_GOONER_SALUTE]

Both goals showed extremely weak defending from Kiwior.

[Niall_Quinn]

Their first goal still looks offside to me. Is there no VAR today?

[Mac76]

Both goals showed extremely weak defending from Kiwior.

No point singling anyone out, we're dreadful right across the park, it happens every season, Arteta can't manage his team or his squad and the wheels come off

[McNamara That Ghost...]

MARTINELLI!!!

[Niall_Quinn]

Odegard did well there to block Merino's effort. Might have trouble the keeper. Good defending!

Martinelli sticks it in the net anyway. 2-1

[Niall_Quinn]

That's awful defending - both teams already on holiday.

[Mac76]

Nice header but feeble from Allison

[Niall_Quinn]

Trossard has started well. Much more direct. Better.

[Niall_Quinn]

Odeagard is their best defender and attacker at the same time. He's opened us up several times now and took the pressure off Liverpool with his woeful play.

[Niall_Quinn]

Is Odeagard paid? He's singlehandedly taken the bite out of this start to the second half.

[21_GOONER_SALUTE]

We really need to get Odegaard out of this team for a while.

Obviously we need divine help to get Arteta's limited brain cells to imagine a reality without this passenger.

[Niall_Quinn]

Partey and MLS are getting around the pitch well. If Merino and Odegard could contribute something, anything, we'd be in this.

[21_GOONER_SALUTE]

No point singling anyone out, we're dreadful right across the park, it happens every season, Arteta can't manage his team or his squad and the wheels come off

I am definitely not singling him out as the reason why we are losing, however, for a supposed top CB, his decision making today has been terrible, especially for the first goal which is inexcusable.

[Niall_Quinn]

About time. That's was as blatant as it gets. Yellow for Bradley.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Boos for AA coming on. :lol:

[Niall_Quinn]

Good management their by Slot - he shakes Trent's hand so now the scousers are effectively booing their own manager.

That said, the bastard well deserves to get booed.

[Mac76]

Here's the problem, they can bring on macallister, TAA and Nunez

[Mac76]

So pathetic to boo TAA

[Niall_Quinn]

Well Nunez coming on should introduce some lighthearted comic relief.

[Niall_Quinn]

Here's the problem, they can bring on macallister, TAA and Nunez

We have Sterling who can play there!

[21_GOONER_SALUTE]

Hopefully Nunez helps us out with some big misses.

[Niall_Quinn]

Fucking Odegard - so sloppy! Such an easy ball!

[McNamara That Ghost...]

MERINO!!!!

[Niall_Quinn]

Odegard - great player! Merino 2-2

[Niall_Quinn]

Two worst players on the pitch. LOL.

They better not start with the fucking VAR now!

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Played onside by AA. :haha:

[Mac76]

2-2 !!!!

[Niall_Quinn]

Neville is trying to give VAR reasons to disallow that! "I wouldn't disallow it for obscuring the keeper's view!"

[Niall_Quinn]

Played onside by AA. :haha:

Agent Alexander Arnold - triple A

[Niall_Quinn]

Time to take the foot off the gas then?

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Agent Alexander Arnold - triple A

He should just jack this game in completely, he was already being booed just coming on.

[21_GOONER_SALUTE]

The conundrum that is Odegaard, blessed by the gods but chooses to be miserable.

Great play though and please boys, don't try and contain the game, keep on with the press.

[21_GOONER_SALUTE]

Nunez doing his magic :good:

[Niall_Quinn]

He should just jack this game in completely, he was already being booed just coming on.

They wouldn't bother if they didn't love him. Was like us and Robin. Horrible at the time but all forgiven after the years pass.

Not Stapleton though! CUNT!

[Niall_Quinn]

Oh FFS - Tierney and Calafiore! Going for the throat then?

[Mac76]

Merino gives it away but Gravenberg misses

[Niall_Quinn]

Trossard and White gone! Jesus fucking wept! WHY??????????

[Mac76]

They wouldn't bother if they didn't love him. Was like us and Robin. Horrible at the time but all forgiven after the years pass.

Not Stapleton though! CUNT!

No-one's forgiven RVP, he's probably one below Cashley for the most hated ex-Arsenal player

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Merino sent off. :doh:

[Niall_Quinn]

We had an ACTUAL right full back and he was playing well. So we've replaced him with a makeshift at 2-2?

That doesn't even make sense if we are going turtle.

Oh, never mind, the ref's done the inevitable anyway. Merino red. Nunez's horrific dive paid off.

[21_GOONER_SALUTE]

I like the players he's brought on, but don't get why he's taking those particular players off

[Niall_Quinn]

No-one's forgiven RVP, he's probably one below Cashley for the most hated ex-Arsenal player

Nah. He was right. Club with no ambition. He was too good a player to stick around. Then he went and won a title. Can't begrudge him.

[21_GOONER_SALUTE]

And a red card.

Arteta takes off two players who didn't have a card and leaves players carded to battle it out.

Man this manager is just so naive.

[Mac76]

Bloody stupid tackle, we had them on the ropes, now we'll be hanging on

[Niall_Quinn]

We could have beaten this lot today if we'd just knuckled down and built on that start.

Of course the ref has engaged with this time wasting himself. But why we didn't leave the team alone and keep doing what we were doing is a mystery. Liverpool didn't do anything that would have changed the equation, apart from bring that diving cunt Nunez on.

[Mac76]

Nah. He was right. Club with no ambition. He was too good a player to stick around. Then he went and won a title. Can't begrudge him.

You're alone there

[Niall_Quinn]

You're alone there

Doubt it. Hated the bloke at the time but he's still a club legend.

[Niall_Quinn]

And a red card.

Arteta takes off two players who didn't have a card and leaves players carded to battle it out.

Man this manager is just so naive.

Why he made subs at all when the team was finally playing is the real mystery. Reminds me of late Wenger. Would sub just because that was the plan, no relation to events on the pitch whatsoever.

[Niall_Quinn]

Odegard has been pure shit from start to finish.

Oh now Saka off and Zin on.

Nothing to say now - Arteta did it, he left me speechless.

[Mac76]

Zin coming on, funny of Arteta to decide to throw the game like that

[Niall_Quinn]

Holy hell how has Robertson missed that? Jeez, I could have scored that!

[21_GOONER_SALUTE]

Doubt it. Hated the bloke at the time but he's still a club legend.

RVP destroyed his legacy with that move.

I'm more likely to cut Cashley slack than him.

[Mac76]

Cmon Arsenal just get the draw ffs

[Niall_Quinn]

When you step back and look at things realistically - footballers aren't very good.

Anyway, Arteta has set things up for a backs-to-the wall effort - and that always works out very well.

[Niall_Quinn]

Only +5 mins - thought Taylor would at least do 11-12. Maybe he's going on holiday too.

[KSE Comedy Club]

I see we are pathetically trying to see a draw out now instead of trying to win.

Yawn. Great manager we have

[Niall_Quinn]

This is pathetic and entirely self inflicted.

[Niall_Quinn]

Thank fuck we had Nunez at the back there!

[Niall_Quinn]

You FUCK Odegard! Pass the fucker!

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Disallowed goal for Liverpool. :lol:

[Niall_Quinn]

Great save, but flag is up anyway.

And Neville is PISSED!

[Niall_Quinn]

You dodged a bullet there Mikel.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

2-2 FT.

Draw specialists at it again. :bow:

[Niall_Quinn]

Why hasn't Konate been red carded for all his fouling btw?

FT 2-2 - awful game. We were there better team and we weren't very good.

[Marc Overmars]

14 draws is grim.

I guess this should be considered a good point though. 2nd place cup in our hands still.

[Mac76]

2-2 FT, little short of a miracle, well done lads :clap:

[HCZ_Reborn]

Draw sounded about right to be honest. Would have loved to win, but coming from 2 nil down even against a Liverpool side that is off on its holidays mentally isn’t terrible.

[21_GOONER_SALUTE]

You dodged a bullet there Mikel.

He won't learn.

I know we were down to 10 men (due to his making if you ask me) but thinking he can suffocate a game by sitting and playing the whole team behind the ball doesn't work for us.

There always needs to be an attacking outlet and as I've said a thousand times, we do our best defending pressing the other team in their half.

[Niall_Quinn]

He won't learn.

I know we were down to 10 men (due to his making of you ask me) but thinking he can suffocate a game by sitting and playing the whole team behind the ball doesn't work for us.

There always needs to be an attacking outlet and as I've said a thousand times, we do our best defending pressing the other team in their half.

Yeah, if you must make subs you take Merino and Odegard off and bring on Ethan and Zin if you like, but bringing of White when he was being so effective down that right side. Bonkers.

Then rolling around on the sideline pleading, please don't hurt me, when we went down to 10 - undignified.

Game was there if we wanted it.

[21_GOONER_SALUTE]

Draw sounded about right to be honest. Would have loved to win, but coming from 2 nil down even against a Liverpool side that is off on its holidays mentally isn’t terrible.

We played most of the game as we usually do, but if I had to pick a team that deserved to win, it would be Liverpool.

We obviously came here for a point and damage control, which is embarrassing.

[21_GOONER_SALUTE]

Yeah, if you must make subs you take Merino and Odegard off and bring on Ethan and Zin if you like, but bringing of White when he was being so effective down that right side. Bonkers.

Then rolling around on the sideline pleading, please don't hurt me, when we went down to 10 - undignified.

Game was there if we wanted it.

It his nature and why I am certain he'll never be a manager that people remember fondly when he eventually leaves.

[HCZ_Reborn]

We played most of the game as we usually do, but if I had to pick a team that deserved to win, it would be Liverpool.

We obviously came here for a point and damage control, which is embarrassing.

We are without a striker, and a defender I think we’d both agree has been our best defender this season.

It’s possible had we not gone down to ten, we might have won. They bossed us first half, we don’t look at the races…we look tired. But I think given all those things…embarrassing sounds a little extreme

[Niall_Quinn]

We are without a striker, and a defender I think we’d both agree has been our best defender this season.

It’s possible had we not gone down to ten, we might have won. They bossed us first half, we don’t look at the races…we look tired. But I think given all those things…embarrassing sounds a little extreme

Embarrassing performances by both teams, if being honest. And the fans knew it. Nobody cared what the result of that match was.

[HCZ_Reborn]

Embarrassing performances by both teams, if being honest. And the fans knew it. Nobody cared what the result of that match was.

Probably not unfair. For Liverpool it was a glorified friendly

I’m old enough to remember the dead games after we won the title. In 1998 Got the shit kicked out of us at Anfield, then lost at Villa Park. 2002, we had the 4-3 game at home to Everton where defending meant nothing to either side. Then we had 2004 where we only cared about not losing rather than winning

[Niall_Quinn]

If we can draw the next game we'll go level with Everton at the top of the Draw League with 15. And it's entirely possibly we could draw with Southampton.

It's not beyond us.

[Letters]

2 draws with Liverpool so I think we can all agree we are basically as good as each other and should therefore share the title.

:trophy:

[Mac76]

We played most of the game as we usually do, but if I had to pick a team that deserved to win, it would be Liverpool.

We obviously came here for a point and damage control, which is embarrassing.

I don't know what we were doing in the first half, but we pulled it together at HT (and while i criticise Arteta a lot I will give him credit for whatever he said at HT) and it was much better after, if Merino hadn't been such a moron we might have won

[Mac76]

2 draws with Liverpool so I think we can all agree we are basically as good as each other and should therefore share the title.

:trophy:

:gp:

[21_GOONER_SALUTE]

We are without a striker, and a defender I think we’d both agree has been our best defender this season.

It’s possible had we not gone down to ten, we might have won. They bossed us first half, we don’t look at the races…we look tired. But I think given all those things…embarrassing sounds a little extreme

Note, I did not say the performance was embarrassing (though it was nothing special either), but our intent, or should I say Arteta's intent, which if anyone was in doubt before the game was clearly revealed once we got back into it at 2-2 (before the red card).

[Letters]

If we can draw the next game we'll go level with Everton at the top of the Draw League with 15. And it's entirely possibly we could draw with Southampton.

It's not beyond us.

We should change the name of the dog tbh
https://www.arsenal.com/news/arteta-our-dog-represents-our-family

[Mac76]

Btw i didn't notice but apparently Trossard was injured and ofc Merino's suspended so while Merino's not great if they're both out v Newcastle that's a problem...

[Mac76]

We should change the name of the dog tbh
https://www.arsenal.com/news/arteta-our-dog-represents-our-family

Lose the dog :lol:

I honestly assumed it was spelt 'Wyn' when they got it, I didn't think we'd be crass and ridiculous enough to call it 'Win' but ofc we had... :rolleyes:

[HCZ_Reborn]

Note, I did not say the performance was embarrassing (though it was nothing special either), but our intent, or should I say Arteta's intent, which if anyone was in doubt before the game was clearly revealed once we got back into it at 2-2 (before the red card).

No I know what you were saying. I just listed the factors as to why perhaps we held onto what we had

[HCZ_Reborn]

Lose the dog :lol:

I honestly assumed it was spelt 'Wyn' when they got it, I didn't think we'd be crass and ridiculous enough to call it 'Win' but ofc we had... :rolleyes:

What do you call a dog with no legs


Don’t matter what you call it, it isn’t going to come to you

[HCZ_Reborn]

This season we’d be better off calling her Stalemate

[IBK]

Probably the mood I'm in today but I'm seeing a lot of negativity over yesterday's game/result. Is it really that surprising that we had a poor first half after Wednesday's heartbreak? I'm impressed, both by the application of our players who must be exhausted physically and mentally, and by Areteta's ability totally to switch things up at half time to come back from 0-2 down at Anfield - probably the hardest place to go in the league. As for Liverpool not really trying - if we think that team was not motivated in front of their fans to show that they are a better team than us - I think that's deluded.

We are not a shit team. We frustrate and are undercooked squad wise, but drawing a game in which we were dead and buried at half time (was fearing 4 or 5 against) shouldn't be dismissed, IMO. And once we were back on level terms, I'm not going to blame the manager for wanting to try to preserve what in the circumstances is a pretty precious point.

To say I want revenge on Newcastle is an understatement.

[Niall_Quinn]

Probably the mood I'm in today but I'm seeing a lot of negativity over yesterday's game/result. Is it really that surprising that we had a poor first half after Wednesday's heartbreak? I'm impressed, both by the application of our players who must be exhausted physically and mentally, and by Areteta's ability totally to switch things up at half time to come back from 0-2 down at Anfield - probably the hardest place to go in the league. As for Liverpool not really trying - if we think that team was not motivated in front of their fans to show that they are a better team than us - I think that's deluded.

We are not a shit team. We frustrate and are undercooked squad wise, but drawing a game in which we were dead and buried at half time (was fearing 4 or 5 against) shouldn't be dismissed, IMO. And once we were back on level terms, I'm not going to blame the manager for wanting to try to preserve what in the circumstances is a pretty precious point.

To say I want revenge on Newcastle is an understatement.

Yeah, it's REALLY surprising we had a shit first half. I mean that in a tongue-in-cheek way of course. They players have zero respect for the fans. That's the main issue.

[IBK]

Yeah, it's REALLY surprising we had a shit first half. I mean that in a tongue-in-cheek way of course. They players have zero respect for the fans. That's the main issue.

I'm assuming that They players have zero respect for the fans. isn't tongue in cheek. If so, I think you are wrong. Our shit first half on Sunday was not down to our players having contempt for our fans. Nor was the reaction in the second half based directly on wanting to please the fans.

In terms of respect for fans, I imagine that being a professional football player is in some ways similar to the relationship between a professional and their clients. As a professional I depend on and respect my clients and want to produce results for them, but my principal motivation is doing a good job and making money to support my lifestyle/needs.

I believe that for footballers the position is broadly similar. The majority will respect fans as a key component in what they do. Some - who are also fans of the club they play for - will respect them more. But given what it takes to be a professional player - particularly at the top level - the motivation is likely to be internal - be the best you can be and achieve as much success as you can. Players will also be motivated by the need to please a good manager and protect their place in the team.

But poor performances can be caused by many factors - physical; mental; poor management; game state...that are unrelated to the relationship with fans. It's fanciful to suggest that they are motivated pricipally by a lack of respect for them.

[Mac76]

I'm assuming that They players have zero respect for the fans. isn't tongue in cheek. If so, I think you are wrong. Our shit first half on Sunday was not down to our players having contempt for our fans. Nor was the reaction in the second half based directly on wanting to please the fans.

In terms of respect for fans, I imagine that being a professional football player is in some ways similar to the relationship between a professional and their clients. As a professional I depend on and respect my clients and want to produce results for them, but my principal motivation is doing a good job and making money to support my lifestyle/needs.

I believe that for footballers the position is broadly similar. The majority will respect fans as a key component in what they do. Some - who are also fans of the club they play for - will respect them more. But given what it takes to be a professional player - particularly at the top level - the motivation is likely to be internal - be the best you can be and achieve as much success as you can. Players will also be motivated by the need to please a good manager and protect their place in the team.

But poor performances can be caused by many factors - physical; mental; poor management; game state...that are unrelated to the relationship with fans. It's fanciful to suggest that they are motivated pricipally by a lack of respect for them.

agreed