Liverpool vs Arsenal

The only sides to win both Premier League games so far meet on Saturday at Anfield, where Arsenal have a terrible recent record they can only improve on.

Team news

Granit XHAKA
Back in full training.

Mesut Ozil
Back in full training.

Rob Holding
Left knee. Continuing with on-field rehabilitation and now participating in full training with the first team.

Emile Smith Rowe
Groin. Aiming to participate in full training by the end of August.

Hector Bellerin
Left knee. Continuing with on-field rehabilitation. Aiming to participate in full training in October.
 
Kieran Tierney
Groin. Continues to receive treatment and further assessments. Aiming to participate in full training in October.

Dinos Mavropanos
Groin. Continues to receive treatment and further assessments. Aiming to participate in full training in October.

Press conference - Unai Emery

on whether this weekend’s game will show where the team is at…
Good afternoon, it’s a big challenge. Each match is a big challenge and each match is for us to prepare best as possible. The idea is to continue creating in our way and style. We need to be strong and also we can recover some players to be fit. I think we are closer to achieving everyone being ready to play, but we need some more time. For Saturday we are in a good spirit and our players are ready to play with big ambition to do something important.

on if his team will need to be more reserved at Anfield…
It’s a big stadium with a big atmosphere and I want to play every match in our amazing stadium with our amazing supporters in our home. But we need to play away and face big teams with big supporters. I think the motivation for us is very big on Saturday. We are going to have some Arsenal supporters helping us and it’s a big challenge. It’s going to be a different game to Burnley because the team is different. They are going to demand different tactical issues, but we want to play and show how we are now. It’s a big test to show their capacity and our capacity.

on XHAKA and Ozil’s availability...
Tomorrow is the last training and we are going to decide tomorrow. Today they trained, but really, I need tomorrow to have the last training, to be really sure how we can be better there. I know some players need to be fit and to improve 100 per cent to be in their best fitness. But tomorrow is the day. Really I am positive with some players for Saturday but I don't want to decide today or to say to you today how we are because tomorrow can change.

on if Mesut is back from illness...
I think he needs to be fit and also he is training as normal with the team. I think this is the first way to achieve that fitness. After that, to help us with his capacity.

on what we will learn this weekend about the team...
We really are in a very good position but we only played two matches in the Premier League. We are going to play 38 in total, so really to be in this moment with the possibility on Saturday to achieve first position is amazing and a really big possibility. We know it's only the beginning but we can be positive and optimistic for that match and wishing to show our moment against  them, but knowing that it is going to be difficult but it is a very big challenge and a very big opportunity for us to do something.

on how he makes sure what happened last season doesn't happen again...
Each match, each moment, each season is different. We can use last year, two years ago, three years ago, four years ago. But really it's about our moment and this moment. Anfield is a big atmosphere with their supporters, they are a very good team and they advantage for us in their progress and in the last years. In Anfield they have one step more in feeling strong, but it's not for us, it's for all. We need to take our best performance and to go there with a good feeling and also thinking we can achieve that performance individually and collectively to be strong and to have our chances. We are looking forward to going there and showing that.

on whether Matteo Guendouzi will sign a new deal and how impressed he has been by him...
We have a lot of young players and they can develop a lot. We are going to help them, to push them and also they need to break different levels and achieve individually in their performance. We are here to help them and give them chances. Matteo is very young but he has talent and his talent is also to adapt to what we need or what is needed in the Premier League. It's also to be physically strong. We are working tactically and individually to improve, we are working with him on the videos and on the pitch and we are speaking to him because it's a big challenge for me, for our coaches and for him to achieve a big level here. He is in this process. Last year, for me he was very good in his process but he missed a lot to achieve in his career the big performances and big moments for him and to help us. But really I am very, very optimistic with him because he has this talent and I think we can also improve him on other things, like physically we are working with him in the gym, and mentally. He's a young player with potential who can now help us to achieve the best performances.

on issues of abuse on social media...
I have them because it's important to be closer to the supporters and the people, to give them information, individual and collective, from me and from the club, to be closer to them. The [social media] is you - [if you can’t] control it if you don’t use it positively, it can be negative. I only use it when I think it can give me some good information or help me in some opinion. But really, when people cannot control the social media, it’s not positive for us.

on VAR...
For me, VAR is positive. It's coming to help us, to help the referees and to be fair in different circumstances in one game. After this, I think it's also right to think to not stop the intensity and the rhythm in the matches and not to stop for a lot of minutes. At the moment, sometimes it’s going to be positive for us, sometimes it’s going to be negative. But really, now, in my mind, it's positive for everybody, for every team and for the Premier League to help them. Sometimes it's helping us, sometimes it's not helping us, but it's fair.

on Nicolas Pepe...
The most important thing is, like a person, to help him and his family to feel comfortable here. Now he is three weeks into working here with us. He didn't do the pre-season here but he’s progressively feeling better. For example, in the first match, he played 15 minutes in Newcastle, then he played 45 minutes against Burnley. I think his individual performances are progressively getting better. For Saturday, he is maybe ready to have more minutes. I am going to decide tomorrow, but really his progress has been positive and has been good for the team and for him. The most important piece of the adaptation is to help him to feel easy and be comfortable with us.


Predicted lineups

It sounds bad, but our record at Anfield recently has been so bad that I'd be content with a narrow defeat on Saturday. Just get it out the way with as minimal damage as possible.

As for the team, my questions would be:

- Do they stick with a back four or switch to a back five so they can have another passing option at the back?
- Does Emery keep faith with Willock after his good performances? His pace and ball control could be useful against Liverpool's pressing, but it'd be a huge game for him.
- Does XHAKA come straight into the side if fit? He's struggled in these games before due to his slow turns and one-footedness.
- Pepe from the start or Mkhitaryan? I've little doubt Nelson will be dropped, so it's a matter of going with a bit graft first up and introducing the quality later, or dropping Pepe into an intense game from the off.

Really, what I'd like to see is Arsenal make it difficult for Liverpool by creating some chances and not giving up easy goals.

Would be a huge achievement if we go into halftime without conceding.

For the first time in years I look forward this, the best we we can hope for is a draw.
I have a feeling we might just get lucky and win this game.

Quiz: Can you name our last 30 scorers at Anfield?

https://www.sporcle.com/games/ArsenalOfficial/arsenals-last-30-scorers-at-anfield

urbaNRoots wrote:Quiz: Can you name our last 30 scorers at Anfield?

https://www.sporcle.com/games/ArsenalOfficial/arsenals-last-30-scorers-at-anfield

How I did
Debuchy

https://i.servimg.com/u/f69/18/75/76/10/ars_li10.png

Could swear Bellerin scored once against Liverpool
And Ozil a free kick

El Gunner wrote:Could swear Bellerin scored once against Liverpool
And Ozil a free kick

The quiz is only about goals at Anfield, considering that we play at Anfield on Saturday. I got 20 as well, but forgot about Ian Wright, I guess I'm a new fan

Ahh, of course.

Adrian in goal means you will have 1 or 2 goals easily because he won't get down low quickly or make a shitty pass. Man was on paid vacation. Klopp has shot himself in the foot selling Migs and not recalling Karius.

I got 27/30. Aug 92, Jan 03 and Oct 07 were the ones I didn't get.

I remember that Debuchy goal because Arsenal were getting thumped and then he stole one before half-time.

Not really sure what to expect from tomorrow but like Jay said, a narrow defeat will feel like a win...

Hopefully Ozil doesn't see a single minute tomorrow. Might be a tough match for Willock to be in but i trust him.

Pepe is going to start according to many sources. I don't think he'll do well but he needs this exposure.

Willock not highest quality but probably the best in terms of responding to high intensity and physical games among our midfielders ,would like to see him start

we should expose their relatively higher defensive line but dont know if we will

most boring 0-0 of all time would do lol

0-0 would be like a win but our fullbacks are quite bad.

I'd really like an energetic midfield. Torreira-Willock-Ceballos would be nice.

Jay wrote:I'd be content with a narrow defeat on Saturday.

El Gunner wrote:Would be a huge achievement if we go into halftime without conceding.

Raptor wrote:the best we we can hope for is a draw.

Sina wrote:most boring 0-0 of all time would do lol

RG wrote:0-0 would be like a win but our fullbacks are quite bad.

So much jinxes, FFS

nah mate, bunch of realists in this thread.

Leno; Maitland-Niles, Sokratis, Luiz, Monreal; XHAKA, Guendouzi, Willock; Ceballos; Pepe, Aubameyang

Subs: Martinez, Chambers, Kolasinac, Torreira, Mkhitaryan, Nelson, Lacazette

Looks like a diamond.

What even is that formation, EmeryOut ffs!

Liverpool as expected:

Adrian; Alexander-Arnold, Matip, Van Dijk, Robertson; Henderson, Fabinho, Wijnaldum; Salah, Firmino, Mane

Thank god no Ozil

urbaNRoots wrote:What even is that formation, EmeryOut ffs!

I thinks its very safe. Its 4 3 1 2. If midfield clicks its going to be an amazing match. The connection between the 4 midfielders is going to be the key for us. Expecting a high scoring match

mani88 wrote:

urbaNRoots wrote:What even is that formation, EmeryOut ffs!

I thinks its very safe. Its 4 3 1 2. If midfield clicks its going to be an amazing match. The connection between the 4 midfielders is going to be the key for us. Expecting a high scoring match

It's not bad tbh agree. I predicted that Lacazette won't play but expected Mkhitaryan to come in for him rather than Willock. But I wish Torreira at least played instead of Guendouzi, we're way too weak defensively.

At which point do we turn it off lads?

3 down or 2 down is enough?

I see two potential plans here:

1) The midfield flattens into a four in the defensive phase, with Guendouzi and Willock doing a job on Liverpool's full-backs. The rationale here would be that Emery doesn't want Pepe/Auba tracking back into their half when they're needed for counter-attacks.

2) It's a 4-3-3, with either Willock or Ceballos on one side to come inside in possession to offer an out from Liverpool's press, and then defend the flank during the defensive phase. Would require Pepe to come back on the other side but it's not as narrow a shape.

Either way, four central midfielders suggests Emery sees a potential advantage in the middle. Key will be how it defends, though. No one in there is what you'd consider a natural defender.

I just hope we don't lose our composure.