Arsenal v Liverpool - Match Thread (CL)

I don't know if anyone has mentioned it yet but with Dirk playing on the right he knows when to come off the line and be in a position to score if the opportunity is there. I don't know if we would have got the goal if Pennant was playing. Dirk may not be everyones choice in the position but he has been very effective over the last few weeks.

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good point, i've questioned dirks inclusion in the team myself during the season, but tonight he was superb.  apart from the goal, the amount of tracking back and flick ons he got was incredible.

just a note on the tv coverage, i watched the game on Network 2 in ireland, and if you think those two pricks gray and keys are bad, we had liam brady (currently employed by the arse) doing the co-commentary.  he was f***in embarrasin, he near shot his load when arsenal scored, sh*t himself when dirk scored, and cried like a bi*ch when hleb didn't get a pen.  truly embarrassing!

Rode our luck tonight a must say, Bedneter off the line, Penalty turned down, Slovak Skyscraper off the line. But...........WE GOT THE RESULT!.

Martin Skrtel and Fabby Auriello were outstanding in my view, didn't put a foot wrong. Gerrard's run for the goal, superb. Take them back to Annie and beat them 1-0 then play Fenerbache in the semis

Listen mate, don't get convinced by that tw*t Andy Gray.  The opportunity was never going to be a goal whether Betner scored or not because he was clearly off-side, and standing on the goal line and was always going to be interfering with play.   As for the penalty it was only a little tug and Torres was also involved in a very similar situation. 

just a note on the tv coverage, I watched the game on Network 2 in ireland, and if you think those two pricks gray and keys are bad, we had liam brady (currently employed by the arse) doing the co-commentary.  he was f***in embarrasin, he near shot his load when arsenal scored, sh*t himself when dirk scored, and cried like a bi*ch when hleb didn't get a pen.  truly embarrassing!

I watched the games on Network 2 last year mate. How was Dunphy tonight? Usual bullshit or was he giving us some credit for once?!

Listen mate, don't get convinced by that tw*t Andy Gray.  The opportunity was never going to be a goal whether Betner scored or not because he was clearly off-side, and standing on the goal line and was always going to be interfering with play.   As for the penalty it was only a little tug and Torres was also involved in a very similar situation. 

Are you telling me that if that was Gallas pulling Torres and we got a pen turned down, we wouldn't be moaning. It was a pen and Kuyt got away with it. Thank God.

As for the Bedneter clearence, you make a good point about him being offside, never saw the flag go up mind you?

As for the Bedneter clearence, you make a good point about him being offside, never saw the flag go up mind you?

Good point again.
People don't realise the truth of the offside rule.
You don't have to have the goalkeeper as the last man.
Mind you, over the past year or so, it has confused the life outta me !!

good point, I've questioned dirks inclusion in the team myself during the season, but tonight he was superb.  apart from the goal, the amount of tracking back and flick ons he got was incredible.

just a note on the tv coverage, I watched the game on Network 2 in ireland, and if you think those two pricks gray and keys are bad, we had liam brady (currently employed by the arse) doing the co-commentary.  he was f***in embarrasin, he near shot his load when arsenal scored, sh*t himself when dirk scored, and cried like a bi*ch when hleb didn't get a pen.  truly embarrassing!

Listen mate, I just can't understand of having such bias commentry, don't the networks realise that we Liverpool fans will be watching to have an enemy like Andy Gray we wouldn't appreciate it.   Its our fault too, especially if you live in England because the volume should be turned down and the option of another source for sound should be contemplated.  Because after that penalty decision i just went straight to my radio instead of listening to all the sh*t Andy was talking, and heard a totally different opinion on the radio.  If another option of sound is not available then no sound is better than listening to a complete bias w**ker.

It does need to be cleared up, your right about the goalkeeper with regards to lastman but am sure we had a man on the post.

I watched the games on Network 2 last year mate. How was Dunphy tonight? Usual bullshit or was he giving us some credit for once?!

a mixture of both really, i think the fact that he was flanked by ray houghton and ronnie whelan kept him down a bit.  spent most of his time criticising arsehole wenger for not buying in the transfer window.  i think he missed his mate johnny giles to back him up on all his sh*t,

Hi guys,

Finally in the office and in front of a computer we used our "get out of jail card" big time tonight. Honest to say Arsenal were the better side but that is expected them being the home side. We grabbed a crucial away goal something Milan couldnt do at the Emirates and I am confident we will do the job at Anfield. The penalty could have been given, we have all seen them given for less and I dont know i think Bentdner should be our reserve goalie from now. Awesome performance from Kuyt and Stevie G IMO the MoM was Skrtel, boy what a game he had! Kept us right in there.

I thought Masch had a below par game for his standards and Babel was an absoulute shocker. I am not in a rush to see him in the starting 11 anytime soon Kewell could have done just as much if not more in that game. I dont understand he played for 60 odd minutes and completed 3/12 passes just 33% that is embarrasing. Not to be a negative sod but I am starting to sh*t myself everytime we are defending set pieces. Reina does not seem as confident running of the goal line as he used to do and poor marking by Hyppia when we conceded.

Overall I am chuffed with the away goal and the result.

Come on you RED MEN!

Maybe with Dirk playing wide out on the right is the correct ploy.
He hasn't scored regulary whilst playing in the middle, BUT has scored whilst out on the right.

It is the tactics Holland ploy with Babel and Kuyt, so why not us ?
Kuyt is a workhorse for the team. Non stop running and commitment for the team.

Tonight I was so happy for him scoring.
People so easily have a dig at him, esp. from there armchair at home.
If you watch him for 90 mins. he runs non stop all the way through the match.
He always makes himself available for the ball, and can provide that cross for us to score from.

Big congrats again Dirk.
You deserved that goal tonight, and long may it continue.

Well happy with the result, but the performance was predictable. Everyone played well in my opinion, they worked hard for each other but Arsenal being Arsenal missed many many chances.

Fernando Torres looked sharp today, lightning quick which even Arsenal defenders had problems keeping up with at times. Ryan Babel was our only dissapointing player in my opinion, needs to sharpen up!

Yeah Kuyt was my man of the match tonight. Ran his socks off to bits, was involved in a lot of defensive play and scored that crucial goal - no way would Pennant have the mentality to get into the box and make that ball his.

I wasn't too worried in the first half because I thought we held onto the ball a bit better, even if they had a good share of the possession. But the second half I was sad to see us giving the ball away so cheaply until about 15 minutes to go. All credit to Arsenal because they play the most fluent football in the Prem, so you have to work hard. But we're better than just hoofing the ball away to an Arsenal shirt everytime we got the ball!! We made it hard for ourselves and I'd rather not see that at Anfield.

Luck was on our side as well. We could have so easily been 3-1 down. Thanks to some 'brilliant' refereeing and a great bit of defensive play from Bendtner, the score stayed a generous one all.

I hope all this 'Liverpool have the advantage' malarkey doesn't make our players complacent at Anfield. Otherwise we'll come unstuck. But well done for the graft from the players tonight. That was one thing we were better at.

Funny to see pennant mentioned and slated without even having to play nowadays. Kuyt did great to score that goal but there is no need to mention pennant atall after tonights game just puts a downer on him. No one expected him to start tonight or play any part for that matter so i feel there is no need for his name to be brought up, its a bit harsh considering he put up with being put in the reserves last night and missing out on playing his old side in such a huge game.

Funny to see pennant mentioned and slated without even having to play nowadays. Kuyt did great to score that goal but there is no need to mention pennant atall after tonights game just puts a downer on him. No one expected him to start tonight or play any part for that matter so I feel there is no need for his name to be brought up, its a bit harsh considering he put up with being put in the reserves last night and missing out on playing his old side in such a huge game.

Who's slating him? Saying he wouldn't have had the mentality to get in the box to score the goal is slating him? The difference is Kuyt is a striker and Pennant isn't. It's stating the obvious.

Yeah but i just mean he didnt need to be mentioned, not slating i shouldnt have said that but honestly i dont think his name needed to be brought up in terms of the goal we all knew he wasnt going to play tonight.

I think kuyt did great to get into that position and beat the defenders to the ball, thats the kind of position i want to see him in more often, a real strikers goal that was.

Who's slating him? Saying he wouldn't have had the mentality to get in the box to score the goal is slating him? The difference is Kuyt is a striker and Pennant isn't. It's stating the obvious.

Well said mate.
If you look at the scoring ratio for the wide players :-
Kuyt  10 goals in 41 games  - fair enough if has played a lot up front
Benayoun  10 goals in 39 games - a lot as sub.
Babael 8 goals in 43 games
Pennant 1 goal in 20 games.
Kewell 0 goals in 15 games.

Pennant hasn't really delivered with the supply or goals that his play for Birmingham had suggested.
I'm most certainly not slating him, but facts are fact this season,as above.

I want make a point to say that I never expected to out pass them in the game, Arsenal are a very good passing team and that is there strength, I just wanted a result.  They should have known that we were not going to spread our players around the park and try to go toe to toe with them, because that’s their strength.   And we got a result a very good one.  I don’t want to be patronising but its not gymnastics our beautiful game is settled by goals not flare.   

Well said mate.
If you look at the scoring ratio for the wide players :-
Kuyt  10 goals in 41 games  - fair enough if has played a lot up front
Benayoun  10 goals in 39 games - a lot as sub.
Babael 8 goals in 43 games
Pennant 1 goal in 20 games.
Kewell 0 goals in 15 games.

Pennant hasn't really delivered with the supply or goals that his play for Birmingham had suggested.
I'm most certainly not slating him, but facts are fact this season,as above.

Thats very true i just hate seeing players names brought up when i feel its not necessary. He didnt play, it just feels like someone saying pennant couldnt do that whereas the same people would use the same comment for say kuyt after torres got into a good position and scored. I feel he gets too much stick at times and just think does it matter that he wouldnt of scored there.

I could understand if he had been expected to start tonight then its more like im glad kuyt played as pennant could have. But he wasnt expected to start as he played last night.

''There was no escape for Liverpool when Arsenal took a deserved lead three minutes later through Adebayor.''
''We will score at Anfield but I think like usual we will concede...penalties here we come !''

''Liverpool had an amazing escape after 65 minutes when Kuyt clearly dragged Hleb back by the arm as he raced into the area but Arsenal were understandably furious when Dutch referee Pieter Vink ignored their appeals.''

this is taken from the bbc website, since when did they become so F***ing biased? what a waste of time reading that garbage!

Pennant ain't even half the player Dirk Kuyt is on the right, and Dirk's a striker!
I want Dirk to stay with us next season, feel he can do a job now and then, brilliant player! I have slated him in the past, he's not the best player but he just doesn't stop running and he has as much passion as anyone for us!

this is taken from the bbc website, since when did they become so F***ing biased?

Alas, they have been for a while.  I can see how the Tories feel now.

Thats very true I just hate seeing players names brought up when I feel its not necessary. He didnt play, it just feels like someone saying pennant couldnt do that whereas the same people would use the same comment for say kuyt after torres got into a good position and scored. I feel he gets too much stick at times and just think does it matter that he wouldnt of scored there.

I could understand if he had been expected to start tonight then its more like im glad kuyt played as pennant could have. But he wasnt expected to start as he played last night.

I understand your point, but Kuyt is doing a better job than Pennant at the moment.
Kuyt is becoming a great outlet, and can put in a killer cross.
But, the main difference is, is that Kuyt can find that space to run into and score an all important goal.

Pennant has not done himself justice with his overall performances as yet, he fails to produce any sort of constant performance. He really needs to improve, or else he'll be part of another Rafalution.

Pennant ain't even half the player Dirk Kuyt is on the right, and Dirk's a striker

Agree.  Pennant might get a game this weekend but his Anfield career is finished.  And from what I hear it isn't only to do with the fact that he is a very average footballer.

I want Dirk to stay with us next season, feel he can do a job now and then, brilliant player! I have slated him in the past, he's not the best player but he just doesn't stop running and he has as much passion as anyone for us!

I don't think it is in Dirk's interest to stay.  He might be hard-working but he ain't no Ronaldo.  We need a proper belting right winger if Rafa intends to stick with this formation.

It's in his, and our interests (financially) to let him go.