Liverpool 1-2 Arsenal: Post Match

I was kind of excited when watching our first half performance. It's not that they played that great comparing to last season, but still there's urgency and total control of the pitch. Masch and Lucas didn't give any chance of Arsenal controlling the midfield area.But one thing that hampered their overall performance in the first half was ball movements. Apart from the Torres-Gerrard combination that nearly gave us the lead, I couldn't see any great passes made. There's some good and decent movements but there's nothing spectacular about our passings. During that first half I thought Masch, Reina and our back 4 were awesome. We got the lead during the end of first half when Kuyt poked in a simple goal from a set piece.

But everything went sour during the 2nd half. Our lads seems to disappeared and let Cesc and co dominated too much of the ball. We let them get hold of the midfield area and we often let them thread load of dangerous passes and failing to launch any single treat on them. It's true that when Rafa decided to sub Masch for Aquilani, things turned from bad to worse. We totally lost control in the midfield and he have to defend most of the time. We failed to orchestrate any decent passes yet to create any good chances during that second 45.

But the point is neither both team did seriously managed to get the keepers to work extra hard. Neither Reina or Almunia been stretched to the limit. The only time that I saw Reina was being tested was that Nasri attempted shot that went slightly wide and Almunia desperate clearance that resulted in our solitary goal. During first half I thought we had at least 2 or 3 clear cut chances to score but we failed to make any because our players busy doing excessive dribblings or the ball being pass back too often. The Arshavin goal was the only chance they got and it's not even clear cut chance but yet he managed to slot it pass Glen and Reina.

The only two players that I could consider to be our best were Reina and Masch. Reina despite Glen own goal, tried to console him and motivate him and I didn't see any other players trying to do so. Masch on the other hand was busy dictating our midfield area with his dedicated work, great tackling and not allowing Arsenal players to dominate. Yossi was not that terrible but he wasn't that good either. Sometimes I just hate it when he's trying to dribble himself into the 6 yard box when he should pass the ball. The same goes with Torres. Sometimes I just wished he passed that ball instead of trying to take on 3 players at once. But I couldn't blame him as he's trying to gain back his confidence. Gerrard was too busy crying out for a free kick or a penalty. It's not that he's not that good but lyesterday he played well below par. Kuyt was my pick of the worst player on the pitch. His passings were nowhere, he's lacking of creativity and pace.

But there's nothing to blame for what has happened yesterday. You couldn't blame Johnson for his own goal as he's only trying to clear the ball. It's the team's fault for letting Arsenal crawled back into the game. Mathematically, we could still fight for the title but logically 4th place is still up for grab. So don't waste your time whining about spilt milk. Buck up or f**k up. I just tired of listening to our season starts now crap. The important thing is shut up, listen to your manager, follow the instructions and get the f**king ball in that f**king net!

I wondered what Rafa really told the lads at half-time.

Because we looked as though we were in cruise control in the first half, came out in the second thinking we've got the game all wrapped and sealed up. Too casual and slack. How wrong were we.

This proves at top-level football you can't think you won it even before the referee blows the final whistle. All might just go wrong any moment the minute you let them off the hook.

After we went 2-1 down, we had 32 minutes to try and salvage something. And not a shot tested at their keeper just sums up how we ain't gonna win. I'm not going to accept that 'we let our heads drop' crap any more. What happened to the belief from last season? The lads need to just stop thinking about the losses, buckle down and make sure we're get a few wins under our belt.

Like I said, letting our heads drop is not an option. We can hardly afford that as we're a top four team. We're a team with character, a strong mentality and we've got to show that we can pull our finger out of the rut.

Leading 1-0 in half time and then losing 2-1 seems to be the story of our season.

I don't know what to say about this loss other than winning it would have been a big deal.  We needed this badly.  First half looked get, second half well...yeah.

On to the next but I think its time to do some real soul searching.  

I really don't know what happened at half time yesterday, but whatever it was, it certainly didn't have a positive effect. Don't really want to analyse this performance too much, so i'm going to try and keep it short and sweet.

We are Liverpool Football Club, we were at home against what can only be described as a very fragile Arsenal side. A side that can't handle any physical encounters, this has been proven a few times already this season. A lot of fans have written our title chances off this season, not many expect us to win the title. Effectively we had nothing to lose going into this game. United and Chelsea had both dropped points this weekend and offered the teams around them a chance to make up some ground.

We had to go for the throat, and this is where Rafa fails tactically. I said in the pre-match thread that whether Aquilani started or not would be key to the result. I think the reason we lost is that Rafa chose the 'safe' option again. Aquilani should have started, whether that be in the middle with Masch or in the hole behind Torres. We totally dominated the first half, but for all our possession we could only go in at the break one goal to the good. We should have been out of sight, at least 3-0 up, but again, our lack of creativity shone to the fore.

Dirk Kuyt? F**k me, the lad has been total sh*te this season, but Rafa still refuses to drop him. And please let's not go on about the goal he scored, it was luck from a rebound, the rest of the match he was F***ing useless. His persistence with Lucas is killing our season, he is suffocating us. If Aquilani had started the game we would have been out of sight by half time. It's pointless bringing him on with twenty odd minutes to go and expecting him to turn around a 2-1 deficit.

Whether Rafa went for the jugular yesterday was key to our season, he failed to do that. Aquilani had to start, Kuyt had to be dropped, Lucas had to be dropped, none of these happened. As much as i back Rafa, his negative tactics are contributing to the lack of confidence in the side.

This season is slowly looking like a write-off already, all the more reason for Rafa to say, "F**k this, let's go all out and attack, attack, attack". We have nothing to lose now, surely he must see this.

50 years on from bill shankly and we are in this mess some way to celebrate the anniversery.

50 years on from bill shankly and we are in this mess some way to celebrate the anniversery.

Sad times they are my friend. If Shankly was still here, those Yank tossers would be hung, drawn and quartered.

^^
Like what the great Shanks has said,"At a football club, there's a holy trinity - the players, the manager and the supporters. Directors don't come into it. They are only there to sign the cheques, not to make them out. We'll do that - they just sign them."

If you can't produce the cash, prepare for the backlash!

yeah i agree with this comment

This season is slowly looking like a write-off already, all the more reason for Rafa to say, "F**k this, let's go all out and attack, attack, attack". We have nothing to lose now, surely he must see this

Remember when Rafa let the lads off the "leesh" and we hammered Madrid etc we were flying and couldnt be contained then he reverted to type and caged the beast.........UNLEESH THE BEAST i say

^^
Like what the great Shanks has said,"At a football club, there's a holy trinity - the players, the manager and the supporters. Directors don't come into it. They are only there to sign the cheques, not to make them out. We'll do that - they just sign them."

If you can't produce the cash, prepare for the backlash!

Couldn't agree more, mate. That's spot on.

Leading 1-0 in half time and then losing 2-1 seems to be the story of our season.

That is because of bad management, bad team selection, and no fighting believe or spirit to win any match.

Rafa's side is full on much winners, the like of Lucas (master of square passes) Aurelio ( Can't pass beyond first man in wall, when he takes free kicks, and his crosses is always behind the goal), Kuyt (can't pass, can't cross, awful first touch, runs like headless chicken) yes he has scored a goal, but any striker in Sunday league could have scored that goal.,Riera (a 30 minutes wonder, he cannot last the full game), too many below average players wouldn't win the league or even secure forth spot, Rafa has lost the plot, and I cannot see him to reverse the situation, he ought to go, we need a British manager to steady the ship and go flat out to secure the forth spot, if is not really too late now!!!!!

how long will it take all you Rafa backers for the penny to drop with this cautious clown we are going nowhere fast ,he holds us back GET HIM OUT NOW ,and its not a knee jerk reaction I have just sussed him out thats all , today was a perfect example of Rafas management style .

And who are you going to replace him with Klinsman?

Everyones confidence needs to be lifted lets get behind the manager and the players comments about the players or manager are not helping

I did warn pre match if we gave arsenal space they would do us. That's just what happened second half. After such a great first half as well. If it was all down to Rafa's instructions at half time, to sit back and hold out after such a positive frst half then, although I'm not generally a Rafa basher, I do wonder if it's time for him to go. Everone want's to play us at the moment. There's no fear anymore.

Don't you think that's what we've done all season even pre season, sitting back in the second half and defending our 18 yard box?

I think Johncolf is Ryan Babel or Voronin

Gutted about the state of our beloved club. I think Rafa is too negative, and this careful, safe approach is stifling the creativity of some players. Basically I think their pretty pissed off with the whole thing. It's time they took some resonsibility. At the end of the day Rafa spends 90 mins on the sideline. Need our captain to drive the team on and inspire. On a sidenote, I was a little saddened at how Johnston was consoled only by Reina. I think Reina is emerging as definately our best player mentally. He is showing signs of 'the liverpool spirit' and IMO our next captain. RAFA needs to sit the players down, tell them to sh*te or bust and batter the F**k out of our next opposition. We've F**k all to lose now and everything to gain. Let the players play!!!!

Well its the day after and i am a bit calmer and rational than i was last night,a very strange game and as the old saying goes "a game of two halves".
At half time i was well happy thought we played with verve and aggression and bossed arsenal all over the park,masch and lucas controlled the midfield well the back four looked tight ,agger especially looked the buisness and back to his best.Up front nando was looking a bit rusty but was chasing and harrying down and causing arsenals defence a few problems but clearly he is not 100%,gerrard was surging forward when possible but again he is not 100% either. HT 1-0.


Second half was a total shambles to be honest,dont know what happened.Arsenal seemed like they got the bollocking of a lifetime and went for it and when johnsons incredibley unlucky o/g went in the life seemed to be sucked out of the team which is very dissapointing only reina seemed to try and lift the lads heads up but,sadly,it didnt happen.Torres tired,which is understandable,gerrard did to,again understandable giving the lack of matches they both have,gerrard seemed more concerned with tring to win free kicks,and torres started whingeing to the reff all the time,a sure sighn things are going wrong........as for the rest of the team oh dear me is all i can say dreadfull..

Not going to start having a pop at rafa because its the lads on the pitch that need to look in the mirror and sort this sh*te out,the first half proved they can play well,so come on red men your better than this now lets go for it and batter wigan wednesday night.....

Played well 1st half but after the own goal,it seemed to knock the stuffing out of us and we could not raise our game after that but we need to start playing with a lot more confidence,as we look like a team waiting for something to go against us.

When it comes to Sports I am a supporter of (2) Clubs Liverpool and an American Football team (Cleveland Browns)..I have enjoyed championships and I have been to the bottom of the league.  

But one thing is constant in all sports teams, winners play as a team. The point is Liverpool are not playing as a team. When was the last time we saw this team truly enjoy themselves on the pitch.  I'm not talking about congratulations after a goal or celebrating one win in the center of the field.  I dont see joy or passion from some of these guys. Is it Rafa's fault?  Maybe.  Has Gerrard failed as captain? Maybe.  We dont know what is said in the locker room at halftime or before or after the match. But we see the product and the end result on the pitch for 90+ minutes and its abysmal.

I used the Johnson own goal as an example before.   I may of missed it or they didn't show it on TV but, where was Gerrard when that happened?  Why didn't he come over to Johnson and talk to him?  When the ball went in off Johnsons foot, I saw Reina tap him on the head and say something. Probably telling him to forget it or it wasn't his fault.  It was a freak play and bad bounce.  But the team didn't address a fellow player who had a bad play. That's whats missing.  

This team will take all the negative and carry it with them individually and not play as one. When Arsenal celebrated the Own goal Gerrard should of grabbed Johnson by the Jersey and got in his face. I'm not saying he should of yelled at him or blame him. But, as captain it was Gerrards responsibility too acknowledge it, not just turn around, look down and walk back to center.  He needed to make sure his players head was back in the game and not on the freak play. Tell him "Forget it" But he didn't.  That is why this team is losing.  I think we lack leadership.

^^^ You have a very good point there. ^^^

Can only now talk about the game. I was completely shattered yesterday, i didn't say a word all day. It just pains me to see my beloved club having to go through this constantly.

Hopefully it turns around quickly and we can move on from a less than memorable start to the season.

Aquilani should have started the match.

We dont have a creative midfielder driving us forward, apart from Gerrard who is not being played in that role. A creative midfielder of class starts the match, controls the match, and needs to be in there from the start.

Someone tell Rafa the subs bench is for strikers to come on second half and chase the game 

or

defenders to come on second half to shore it up.

I don't think Aquilani should have started, fair enough we all want to see our new signing but the two holding midfielders have proven effective in games such as arsenal, chelsea and utd. Aquilani is perfect for when we have more freedom to attack, for this game we needed a holding mid to support the defence.

Aquilani should have started the match.

We dont have a creative midfielder driving us forward, apart from Gerrard who is not being played in that role. A creative midfielder of class starts the match, controls the match, and needs to be in there from the start.

Someone tell Rafa the subs bench is for strikers to come on second half and chase the game 

or

defenders to come on second half to shore it up.