Arsenal v Liverpool - pre match

Reina

Arbeloa Carra Agger Dossena

Kuyt Mascherano Alonso Riera

Gerrard Keane

Would prefer to see Insua and Babel playing to be honest but that's what I think Rafa will go for anything but a loss will suit me fine. A draw wouldn't be bad but going there with an attacking formation then we can easily turn them over, we know their wingers wont track back so balls in behind Clichy and the other one will cause them nightmares and it will also suck out Gallas and Djourou.

Scrappy 1-0. Riera.

We can win this UGLY, It don't matter to me as long as we win.

Somebody said earlier that they don't like it when the other team play UGLY. 100% agreed. Thats why we need Mascherano, Kuyt in the team. Stop them from playing the free flow football, play tough football and frustrate them. If our finishing are lethal, we might even stuff them.

My team

                - Reina -

- Arbeloa - Carragher - Hyppia - Insua -

        - Mascherano - Alonso -

    - Kuyt -     Gerrard       - Riera -

                 - Keane -

Yea. We need Kuyt and Mascherano to close them down quickly. Can't give them time and space to make the next move.

                                                                 Reina
                                       Arbeloa ----------Carra ------Agger ---------- Dossena
                  
                                      Stevie                   Masch                  Alonso
 
                  Kuyt                                                                                   Riera
                                                         Keane/Babel ( common we should try using babel as a central striker that might work out)




ppl compare babel to Henry cuz both are talented and both are used in wrong positions and playing technique is similar (well i think so)...when barca finally played Henry as a central striker he scored a hat-trick ! Maybe babel will improve , gain consistency and score if we at least try him as a central striker ...as long as Torres is out and Keane has not found he peak totenham form and Ngog still learning to adapt to the prem ! We need goal and I'm pretty sure babel can provide them.
 

I would give insua another  one here or play the 4 at the back----Carra--hyppia--agger- arbolea
  I fear to play dossena as the goonies are fast on the wings
  But as usual In rafa we trust

I would give insua another  one here or play the 4 at the back----Carra--hyppia--agger- arbolea
  I fear to play dossena as the goonies are fast on the wings
  But as usual In rafa we trust

I would not play carra as a right back and arbeloa as a left back .....but i do like the idea of insua playing as a left back instead of dossena

3 points and Xmas will be coming home early!

I have confidence the Reds are going to nick this one, the players all know how important this one is.

Insua must start. Please Rafa, don't dick about with the team selection.

I reckon, with Masch playing and breathing down Fabregas' neck for 90, their young squad will get frustrated and we can steamroll em. We can win this 3-0, however, I'm not expecting that.

Kind of don't know whether we actually need to play 5 in midfield for this game. They are almost certainly going to go with 442 and one of their centre mids is likely to be Song, a defensive midfielder. Maybe if we just played with Gerrard and either Masch or Alonso marking Fabregas. Or put Gerrard right up front with Keane.

I can honestly see a 4-4-2 working here:

Reina
Arbeloa - Carra - Agger - Insua
Gerrard - Masch - Alonso - Riera
Kuyt - Keane

That would make sense to me, but I don't see it happening.

They are in total disarray at the moment with players unable to even speak to one another, fans on players backs and they're not as good as everybody makes out anyway. Keep Fabregas quiet and they fall apart.

Easy win for the Reds, especially since we're away from home which gives me added confidence this year.

Lets hope you are right on all occassions there mate!

We are playing Arsenal at Emirates and most of you sound like it's gonna be piece of cake for us.I dont share that opinion based on our last month performances.It will be a big match for us and them,we beat Chelsi and United,but so did they.
I am optimistic of course,as ever,but under two conditions:
1-Put Dossena out of the team,they are quick and tricky on the wings so they ll make him look like an idiot
2-Pair Gerrard and Keane upfront,put Kuyt on the right,Babel on the left,leave Alonso and Mascerano to do the "dirty work"in the middle.
                                ALONSO            MASCERANO

KUYT                                                                                  BABEL

                         GERRARD

                                                   KEANE

I hope Rafa reads my post ;)Good luck Reds,lets make it 3 out of 3 and remain biggest among the big 4

Out of all the team selections posted so far, I Like Kop91's, good strength across the middle, sound at the back, and Robbie to get that bag full of goals I've been waiting for all season!

Our best team without EL nino would be

---------------Reina-----------------
Arby----Carra---Agger----Insua < Aurelio if he's fit
Kuyt----Masch----Xabi----Riera
--------------Gerrard--------------
---------------Keane--------------

Adebayor can be contained by Carragher and Masch just needs to mark Fabregas till Fabregas gets bored.
Let Stevie roam free behind Keane as that would put teams under pressure.
I know we can win it but it's up to Rafa's selection and the lads.

^^^^ Cant agree with Aurellio. Our strongest team is when Aurellio and Dossena are out. Fabio needs 2 months to hit form and then is injured a month later, the cyce then restarts.

Just been looking at last seasons team v Arsenal at the Emirates,we had Stevie and Torres on the bench but still managed a 1-1 draw.The young lad Plessis played and if my memory is correct he played a blinder.We also played,Pennant,Benayoun,Lucas and Riise.How the hell did we manage to get a draw.

I can honestly see a 4-4-2 working here:

Reina
Arbeloa - Carra - Agger - Insua
Gerrard - Masch - Alonso - Riera
Kuyt - Keane

That would make sense to me, but I don't see it happening.

As much as I don't agree with Gerrard on the right, it works in this formation.

I'm a bit worried about this fixture to be honest.  We can't afford a draw by any means, never mind getting beat.

We need to pull our heads out of our arses and perform, cos' we won't be top for much longer if we carry on the way we are going!

I'm the eternal optimist where LFC are concerned but what you say is spot on they need to kick on and 3 points is a must on this one,if Kuyt let instinct take over instead of that ...what the f**k do I do with this...look when he gets the ball he could win the game for us.

 Aurelio is more than other but Insua is not bad
i think that the fast of arsenal attacking can dangerous to teaming system but we can't need for very very fast.
we will need normal rhythm/
                                                                      Reina
                                        Arbie        Carra               Agger    Insua
                         
                      Benayoun          Stevie              Masch                Riera

                                                       Kyut                  Keane                                                                               

changes -  Masch  by alonso nearly  60min
               Riera  by Bable  when his power drop
               keane  by Ngos 

we had seen that  liverpool team has greatest efficiency nearly 60 min  although Arsenal will   resistance, the power of benayoun can breake there left side . firstly Masch. can resist that line cover 
   what will be following , Win or Lose , i always love a kop

INFORMATION FROM: http://www.liverpoolfc.tv/news/features/stats/FS14008081218-0932.htm

If Liverpool win today or at least match Chelsea's result they will head the table at Christmas for the first time since 1996.
 

Jamie Carragher is in line to make his 550th appearance for the club and in doing so will become only the ninth player in the club's history to achieve the feat.
 

Steven Gerrard's next goal will see him join John Barnes in 14th place on the club's all-time goalscorers list. His two goals against Hull last weekend were his 106th and 107th for the Reds.
 

For the first time since 1990 Liverpool have won six away games in the league before Christmas.
 

A win at the Emirates would give the Reds a seventh success for the first time since 1963 when they went on to win ten and secure the league title.
 

Liverpool currently have 38 points. A draw at least would give the Reds their highest points tally before Christmas for 18 years since they accrued 44 points in 1990. In 1996 they were top at Christmas with 38 points from 19 games.
 

Steven Gerrard has scored seven goals in his last nine starts in all competitions and five in his last five.
 

Last season the sides drew 1-1 at the Emirates. Peter Crouch gave Liverpool a 42nd minute lead before Nicklas Bendtner equalised early in the second half. The game came in the middle of the epic Champions League Quarter- Final matches – a 1-1 draw here and a 4-2 win for Liverpool at Anfield.
 

Earlier in the campaign the sides drew 1-1 at Anfield. Steven Gerrard's free-kick in the seventh minute opened the scoring but Cesc Fabregas equalised ten minutes from time. The Reds lost both Fernando Torres and Xabi Alonso through injury.
 

Liverpool have not won in their last eight league visits to Arsenal.
 

The Reds last win at Arsenal came in February 2000 when Titi Camara scored the only goal of the game. Only three of the winning side that day are still at Anfield - Jamie Carragher, Sami Hyypia and Steven Gerrard.
 

Liverpool have finished above Arsenal in two of the last three seasons. In each campaign the sides have occupied third and fourth place. In 2005-06 the Reds finished 15 points ahead of the Gunners while goal difference kept Liverpool above their rivals in ‘06-07. Last term the Reds finished seven points adrift of the Gunners.
 

The last Liverpool hat-trick against the Gunners was scored by Peter Crouch in March 2007 in a 4-1 win.
 

The only Liverpool hat-trick at Arsenal was scored by Gordon Hodgson in October 1928 in a 4-4 draw.
 

Liverpool's biggest win at Arsenal came in October 1893 when they won 5-0 in the first ever meeting in London between the sides. Their heaviest defeat saw them lose 8-1 in September 1934.

I think we should change formation for Sunday. Arsenal will expect 4 2 3 1 so why not surprise them?

How about this 4 3 3

Reina

Arbe Carra Agger Insua

     Xabi Stevie Masch

Kuyt     Keane     Babel

Tell MAsch to take Fabregas for the 90 leaving Stevie and Xabi to run the show. The idea of Kuyt and Babel is they give you the wide option as well as cutting in if needed.If Keane drops deep Babel or Kuyt push up. Its the role they both play or have played with Holland and would surely take Arsenal by surprise. They are not great atthe back or in midfield in my opinion and we should try to capitalise on it 

If we stick to both Xabi and Masch I think it would be difficult to accomodate Keane because we have to play Gerrad and that means Keane would be a lone striker and he isn't a lone striker. I'd be tempted to play Babel up top and Gerrard off him as that worked well in the last half hour at Stamford Bridge. However Rafa will go with Keane, in my view.

Kuyt and Riera must track back and watch Sagna and Clichy as they can be dangerous. As mentioned before by others, let Masch stick to Fabregas and let Alonso and Gerrard run the game.

I have confidence that we can get a result here despite Arsenal usually raising their game against the other big 3 teams.

2-0. Keane and then Gerrard to wrap things up.

Just been looking at last seasons team v Arsenal at the Emirates,we had Stevie and Torres on the bench but still managed a 1-1 draw.The young lad Plessis played and if my memory is correct he played a blinder.We also played,Pennant,Benayoun,Lucas and Riise.How the hell did we manage to get a draw.

We were out of the title race already that time and we had a 2nd leg Champions League game against the Gunners at Anfield. We actually played quite well at the Emirates last season. Man, can't believe we played them 3 games in a row , Fabregas and Stevie became best friends after the 3rd game, .