Luiz is another matter, but a player like Sokratis playing as badly as he did against Watford ... most notably suddenly electing to dribble across his penalty area and apparently try to beat a couple of opposing attackers ... I'm sure that is the product of bad coaching blunting what his natural instinct would have been, i.e. to hoof the ball upfield.

Playing in our defense, with highly confusing instructions and sporadic midfield cover, is probably enough to turn all but the most outstanding defenders into gibbering, confused wrecks. And since the decline of Kos we've lacked a leader in the defense.

Its amazing that Leno's confidence has stood up to it so well.

Several points here for us deep thinkers TG ....

why would "Pochettino be similar to Rodgers " ....? he is out of work ...we only have to cough up a salary

You rabbiting on about a cheap solution ... there is no cheap solution

That wage outlay isn't going to be any less whether we get Arteta , Pochettino , Vieira or Big Sam .

Anyone with half a brain isn't going to say at the interview "Oh Gosh I really want this job at this really illustrious club , shucks I'll work for half a million a year "....

Whoever and their agent will know the " going rate "

Stop getting your nuts in a knot about some flaky Continental termite .... take it from me after the " Emery Experiment " the Kroenkes wont be bitten twice in the same manner .
Whatever shortcomings we think they have , they aren't stupid

Next up they'll get someone who knows the Premier League already ....... as a player or manager .

Arteta would be my choice in front of Vieira ....
as a player brilliant at Everton , good at Arsenal and with his Man City credentials , knows how a good side [ disregarding the obvious monetary advantages ] should operate .

Sorry McQ - still does very little for me I'm afraid. I just find his stuff over-worked and leaden.

Leno, AMN, Tierney, Sokratis, Holding, Xhaka, Guendouzi, Özil, Pépé, Saka, Aubamayang

I'd like to see us go out with this all out attack team tomorrow, high tempo, high press
Maybe 5 of these players shouldn't be in Arsenal's first 11 but if we're going to struggle I'd rather we were a bit more exciting and swashbuckling about it - especially at home to Brighton

Bizarrely, it seems that although they have fired him, Spuds still have a say over what he does next:

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/20 ... son-would/

Agree. I don’t think it’s going to be easy. In Potter they have a really, really good manager, one who is going places imo.

Can't say I'm too impressed by the idea of Arteta. Seems to me that Man City is Pep's project - 100% - top to bottom. I just don't see Arteta having much influence. What he offers is the fact that he's worked with, watched and maybe learned from an acknowledged master. There's no evidence he'd be able to put what he's seen and learned into practice. Also, as far as I can recall, he won no trophies in his playing career and he never won an international cap - that sort of thing is important when it comes to earning players' respect. Lastly, and lest we forget, he was pretty bloody awful for us in his last few seasons - stunk the place out in fact with no obvious sign whatever of any tactical nous or insight.

Compare all that with Paddy who probably won more as a player than anyone before or since. He's a giant, both physically and in reputation. Instant respect in any company - and - he's been in sole charge of clubs for almost 4 years now; that's a proper grounding. I accept that he's never won anything as a Manager but then neither Nice nor New York City are 'winning' teams. Also, I can't see that he'd be a particularly expensive option. Vieira was the best mifdfielder I have ever seen and as I've said, he'd be my choice. My worry would be that he's apparently in the frame for Beckham's new club in Miami who come into being next February.

And I don't think much of Stephen Collins, I have to say. Well, it's a game of opinions, Clive.

Indeed McQ.

Chacun à son goût.

Ljungbergs comments after the match gave me some encouragement that he knows what to fix and how to fix it. He's had probably 3 or 4 training sessions so expecting to see some signs of improvement even if it's marginal. A 5-2 win will be acceptable.

Yeah or he’s got to go !

Freddie, you are a club legend, but the little I've seen so far, you are out of your depth. Long term, we are better off waiting in the summer for Rodgers if, understandably, he won't leave Leicester mid season.
Arteta may be a great assistant but that doesn't mean he'd be a great manager. Pat Rice was a great assistant.

Freddie has too much handle to turn the ship right now. My personal opinion is work on team defense. I did see some of that. He had everyone tracking back. The way to win right now is more of the 1-0 to the Arsenal way if we can defend as a team. The Kevin Keegan style isn't going to work.

https://www.football.london/arsenal-fc/ ... e-17362275

Pipe dream but if Simeone is getting itchy feet then is there a better 'available' manager in the world to fix our defence, our attitude, our work-rate, our off the ball positioning?

A manager with bags of personality who crafts teams in his own image. I feel that the Arsenal fans are dying to get on board with a charismatic firey manager, a bit of "us against the world".

One can but dream

Nice idea Rich but as far as I'm aware, Simeone doesn't speak any English at all. Difficult to be a charismatic personality when nobody can understand you.

RIP Bob Willis.

A batsman could read a copy of War and Peace and eat a three course meal and he still wouldn't have finished his run up.

Amazing bowler.

Anybody got "Strollers" mobile number ??

A draw is the best result for us but if I have to choose a winner, I'd say Man Utd. I fear Mourinho more than I fear OGS
Really, hoping and praying Everton wins. Need LFC to get that loss and ease my weary heart.

It wouldn't surprise me if Liverpool wins 33 or 34 matches this season. I can easily see them breaking 100 points. Crazy.

Jeez that’s how low the season has got. I just watched the 2nd half of Man U Spurs & I wanted Man U to win.

As an Aussie Bob Willis was never one of my favourites but I thought every ball he bowled he gave 100%. Begrudging admiration for him. I just wish I saw some of that dedication in some of the Arsenal team.

Not looking too good for that.

Did you all hear the new joke? A Brit, a Frenchman and a Canadian walk into a room...oh you you've heard it?

We need all 3 points so we stay in contention. At this moment, on form, it looks like the first 3 CL places are locked up and of the remaining sides, Chelsea look the most dangerous. Although Tottenham and Man Utd are playing better than we are.

Hey AG, only 1 match in and you are able to analyze the full capabilities of Freddie? Fantastic

Good point ..... sort of the same as Arsene Wenger and Alex Ferguson .

Just an opinion from the 'deer in the headlights' look he had last match. I really hope I'm wrong and would love for him to be wildly successful.

Morning KP.

AW had no sort of playing career but he had won French League with Monaco as a manager - and might well have won more if Marseilles hadn't fixed matches and bought their way to the top. AW was in demand all over Europe (notably Bayern M) before he left for Japan in protest at the corruption in French football. Ferguson never played international football - I think - but he'd been decent as a player with Rangers and he was enormously successful as a manager with Aberdeen, breaking the Old Firm's stranglehold on Scottish football and remarkably, winning a European trophy.

The comparison of both with Arteta in his current manifestation is pretty stark.

Silva losing to LFC shouldn't be one of the reasons he should be fired. Not with LFC's form. It's totally unfair using that match in the evaluation. That excepted, they are in relegation zone and I'm surprised he's still there.
Anyway, he seems on his way out. A few former gooners on there. Can't be fun for Walcott and Iwobi. Oxley-Chamberlain is giving thanks to his personal deity though.

Wow some of those Liverpool goals just great to watch. Can't get any more efficient and clinical. Always looking for one touch passes, shots, runs expecting the same. So good.

Are you Bernard in disguise?

I heard something similar in the Man u v Spurs match. "Dele Alli in the form of his life under Mourinho" after his goal. 2 matches in and apparently that's the best anyone has seen him play.

If Liverpool loses, my guess it will be during this time where its cold and they are playing more often. There will be an away match on a cold, muddy pitch, the players would rather stay in bed and they get a goal scored on them in a 0-0 match midway in the 2nd half.

or

They are unbeaten in March, the league already sewn up. It's when its more about the fear of losing. We drew a lot of matches in the last couple months of the unbeaten season because of fear of losing. That's when they'll be vulnerable. I don't think they will lose to a top 4 side away but a tough midtable side away.

So you're saying that if Liverpool are to lose this season it will be between now and the end of the season.

You may have a point there.

My team for tonight:
Leno
Bellerin
Tierney
Torreira
Bould
Mertesacker
Willock
Pépé
Lacazette
Özil
Aubamayangalangadingdong

Steady on Richie. You are suggesting that it's reasonable to think that Liverpool will win 37 of their 38 league games. That would make them the greatest English club side in history. I think that might be taking it a bit too far.

Bellerin and Sokratis and torriera in for chambers, mustafi and Guendouzi

Tierney, Pépé still on the bench.

Basically if Özil plays Pépé doesn’t. And vice versa

Don’t like the formation with such little width

and greetings to you DHD .

I'm not talking Ferguson at Man Utd , Wenger at Arsenal ..... I'm saying all your points for disbarring Arteta were reflected by the other two at some stage of their career and they turned out okay given the chance .

You saying Paddy would be better because of his stature as a player , well the same could be said for Tony Adams and he hardly covered himself in glory in the managerial stakes .

Neither might be needed when Ljungberg guides us to an 8 - 1 demolition of Brighton in an hour and starts hauling in trophies by the truckload

Been saying he's the man to sort it out since the writing was on the wall for Wenger and the club of the Invincibles first turned into the Invertebrates. Won't happen of course.

Nearly a big mistake in the first 40 seconds

Luiz is a player in retirement mode, casual and care less.