Arsenal v Liverpool

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I don’t like Arsenal. It’s no secret to regulars on the site, but I have to admit a grudging admiration for what Arteta has done to turn things around. I just hope he has peaked and things now go rapidly downhill, starting with today.

To put it mildly, we have had bad luck with our midfield. It seems every time we take a calculated risk, the fates conspire against us and give us a kick in the goolies. It happened a couple of seasons ago, when we took a risk with our CBs and now it’s happened again with the midfield. I know some people blame the club for this and I see the arguments, but I think they tried to get one or two midfielders but couldn’t get the deals across the line. As they have said before, there is no point just buying anyone, which is why the Melo deal seemed a win/win, but it was not to be. Still, looking to the positives, when he returns after the World cup it will be like a new signing😁.

I have my fingers crossed that Thiago will be fit to start after missing training on Friday and some conflicting reports in the press about his fitness. If he is fit to start then I think we still have a competitive midfield with Fab, Hendo and Thiago backed up by Milner, Elliott and Carvalho. It won’t help for today’s game ,but looking ahead, it seems we will soon have reinforcements for the midfield, with Jones now back in training and Keita and Ox not too far away, either. Oh, I understand too that the Scottish Tsimikas is back in training…

I could be wrong (it has to happen sometime) but don’t think Klopp will start with the Rangers formation (whatever that was) but will look to provide more support from midfield for our fullbacks, which is where I think the threat from Arsenal will come.

I will just end on another positive note, as we look to chase down City. Haaland only scored the once yesterday, which suggests to me the lucky streak he has been on is beginning to come to an end. I can only see problems ahead for him and City as he enters a barren spell in front of goal and City’s title challenge begins to fall apart in the coming weeks. You read it here first….