Liverpool by far the better team today. If they go on and win the trophy I’ll still always remember it as quite tainted after they essentially cheated the rules to get a game called off when they were missing some key players with covid but not enough to really postpone it

As in we look like a team that doesn’t have a midfield fulcrum.

Hasn't looked like we have enough in the tank to cope with Liverpool, who are a better team obviously. They're further along in their development as a team, most of their impact players are at their peak where ours are just starting out. Lots to be learend from this.

There’s nothing new here we didn’t know.

We need better players to form a midfield 2. We don’t have it right now. We need options

Need a striker. Liverpool only won this because they have a jota and we don’t

Partey yellow carded. Again it felt soft, it was a foul but worthy of a yellow?! Very strange

Just stop

You’re obsessed.

Partey off. For *%^@* sake.

Oh boy. Partey daft as a brush. Not worth coming back.

Lokonga and Ødegaard against Burnley then

Well this is going well, isn't it?

He was lucky. That was a straight red most times.

How dumb is that?
No need to risk it at this juncture
Dumb dumb Partey

Now Partey is off. Second one is a definite yellow but the first one is pathetic.

Ironically, he probably would've gotten a red if he wasn't already on a yellow - that would've been an extra two game suspension.

The person to blame for Partey getting sent off is Partey.

Of course it is because no matter how weak your first yellow is you can’t dive in like that.
It’s why first yellows mean a lot because one hot headed moment or miss timed tackle and you’re off.
Partey was stupid

Partey shouldn’t have played truth be told.

A 5 hour flight at midday then a cup semi in the evening. Nuts

Sadly, that was a very comfortable win for Liverpool.

I can remember supporting Arsenal when we weren’t red card specialists. But that was 20 years ago.

It’s hard enough to succeed without perpetually self destructing.

I’m not that sad. I have always hated this poxy competition. It has all my worst football memories starting with Leeds and followed shortly after by the utter ignominy of Swindon. I might’ve blotted those games out eventually but then came Luton and *%^@*** Brum. Hateful competition.

Outplayed by the better team.
Ironic that half our team looked flat and lacking training and match sharpness on a day when this fixture shouldn’t have been played and yet on the day the original home game should have been played we were flying and everyone got and healthy.
All teams are gaming the system but that one feels like pretty bad luck for us.

And he has been away for a couple of weeks. He really shouldn't have been in squad.

Absolutely. The league should always have been our priority.

In other news, our striking options are truly woeful at present. Lacazette committed more fouls in the first half than passes. We just have *%^@ all up front and that is going to be the difference come the end of the season.

Also I'd question whther his head would have been where it needed to be.

One thing is for sure is the squad looks painfully thin for a top 4 fight now. I think we'll make some additions but I don't think it will be as many as the fans want.

A midfielder and a striker needed desperately. Also that 18 day winter break after the Burnley game needed desperately.

Huge game now v Burnley - got to shake off the lethargy and find some way to go again with tired legs.

My feelings too. I even ruined my programmes from those first two seasons by cutting out the vouchers for final tickets. Double whammy.

I’ve done that flight before in first class and I was knackered at the other end.

I had sampled the in flight entertainment though

Nuts to play him however and I will keep reiterating this. We only have 1 good central midfielder at this club

Yep

How we could do with a jota.

Also we need 2 strikers not one as we need an option off the bench.

The booing from our fans at the end. Well all I can say is how fickle and naive can you be.

6 fouls for Fabinho tonight - plus at least one when the ref played advantage. Certain players just get away with this sort of thing. Fernandinho was always a master of it for City and I'm sure back in the day someone like Gilberto Silva was good at it for us.

They played on Sunday and we had a week off. Luck had nothing to do with the outcome of this tie.

Love this post

I was at the Luton final. My worst footballing moment I think.

Well, the best team won.

Not enough quality I'm afraid.

Martinelli and Ode played well, the rest were mainly below par. I can't honestly say we gave it our best shot. I know some players were coming back from injuries and covid so there is an element of lacking match sharpness.

It's obvious we need a striker and some central midfield reinforcements. Lacazette is what he is, a whole hearted player with a physical presence and decent hold-up play but who doesn't have goals in him these days.

I thought the defence and Ramsdale were actually quite shaky. The first goal was a gift. Infact, Ramsdale has looked quite shaky in recent games.

I was disappointed with the number of backwards and sideways passes our CBs and fullbacks were making but I guess tonight they didn't have great options in front of them.

I think we saw how reliant we have been on Saka to make things happen. Tonight he was doubled up on and couldn't impact the game in his usual manner.

Also with so many players looking clearly unfit and off the pace will there be any reaction from the media that in fact Arsenal really didn't have 14 fit players for the NLD. Emile Smith Rowe, Tomiyasu, Tierney all looked pretty under cooked. I was surprised how good Ødegaard looked considering he was the one with covid. martinelli looked sharp throughout, saka did his best but was either not on it or well marshalled by robertson

Harsh for me. First one is a weird scuff and second he’s just trying to react.

Yep ... distinctly second best . It's simple we just cannot pass the ball accurately ...so many attempted through balls massively overhit ...whereas balls to Jota gave him a fair chance of creating something .

Partey ...words fail ...... What is the criteria for Arsenal midfielders ....... having more than two brain cells we won't sign you ?

A week off with clearly a lot of players not training or still not fully fit.
Swap the ties and yes Liverpool probably still win, but when the first leg was due to be played we had a fully fit squad and Liverpool were stripped of a number of important players (alison, trent, fabinho and firminho plus the afcon 3)

Obviously dissapointing but once Liverpool scored they controlled the game comfortably. I was actually a bit relieved after their 2nd goal because it killed of any hope of an already unlikely comeback.

Just needed to get through it without getting anyone sent off

Pretty good assessment Soc ... two points I disagree with .... the needless mention of "coming back from injuries and Covid " smacks of making excuses , especially when they were missing two main strikers .

Secondly Lacazette 's "physical presence " ....... ??? it's not like he is Joe Jordan , Cyril Regis ... that's what I call physical presence .

Lacazette's more a vaguely annoying pygmy .