The OFFICIAL Liverpool Supporters thread

[ONeill]

Going by Arsenal's last 4 visits to Anfield, this should be no bother. We always score. Arsenal were miles the better side and would have been 5-0 winners on another night. looking like an Arse-Barca final.

[From the Bunker]

Going by Arsenal's last 4 visits to Anfield, this should be no bother. We always score. Arsenal were miles the better side and would have been 5-0 winners on another night. looking like an Arse-Barca final.

Now, now, ever hear of waiting in the long grass. 

[ONeill]

eh?

[Dinny Breen]

who cares?  Huh

Ah Gabe I'm hurt I know you care, really you do....

Stonewall penalty but not surprised that at least one delusionist is in denial...

Anyway Liverpool defended excellently but Arsenal probably should have scored 3 goals, Torres was very disappointing but his pace was always going to be ineffective against Arsenal, Babel only completed 1 in every 3 passes, as for Mascherano they should call that lad the Barber, short back and sides and that's when he wasn't giving the ball away....

Think this tie will go to penalties, advantage Liverpool though.......

[J70]

Didn't see the game live, but I'd be disappointed if that (as in penalty) wasn't given to my team. I can only assume the referee thought he went down a bit too easily. Would be interesting to see it from behind the goal.

[ONeill]

Would be interesting to see it from behind the goal.

Why?

[J70]

Would be interesting to see it from behind the goal.

Why?

To get a better look at how much of a grab Kuyt made at his arm.

As I said, it looks a penalty to me.

[ONeill]

There were camera angles in front, behind and to the side. You want a camera angle at Goodison?

[J70]

There were camera angles in front, behind and to the side. You want a camera angle at Goodison?

I've only seen the footage on 101 great goals.

[From the Bunker]

Kuyt clearly made no contact as he held his arms wide out each side of him, plus the referee was only yards away and he could not have missed it.  

[girt_giggler]

Thought we done rightly tonight, Arsenal were always going to have lots of possession & create chances, although on the night there weren't too many.

Thought back 4 all were excellent, particularly in the 2nd half.  Kuyt was superb, ran his socks off as usual.  Babel done nothing, Alonso was poor.

For me I thought Arsenal should have had the penalty, if if was the other way about I would have fired the remote at the tv if had not been given.  Certainly penalties have been given for less.

Nervous enough game to watch from a liverpool point of view.  Zonal marking......i dread it from set pieces!  Although statistics will probably prove it has worked for Liverpool, how many important goals have we conceded using this system 

But anyway who cares, I don't. Away goal & advantage Liverpool!

[Hound]

I think most refs would have given a pen. Hleb probably penalised for over-doing the theatrics. Clearly there wasnt enough contact to force him over, but he threw himself down when he felt the contact. The ref gave no "easy frees" all night, it had to be a proper foul to get your free (albeit the linesmen gave a couple of handy ones to both sides).

Bendtner's goal line clearance was something else.

I thought Liverpool were poor enough, they were there for the taking so glad Arsenal let the opportunity slip. However, if Liverpool do not improve for the second leg they will be going out.

[AZOffaly]

Funny old game last night. 1-1 is a result I'd be happy enough with, because if Arsenal score at Anfield, which I'm convinced they will do, at least Liverpool won't have a mountain to climb. Last night specifically, I thought Arsenal were very good for about 60 minutes. There was a spell after Arsenal scored (similar to the Chelsea game actually) where Liverpool were dominant, and the goal came quickly in that spell. Arsenal weathered the storm though, and should have scored at least one more (I thought it was a stonewall penalty), but they didn't and that might come back to haunt them. I was actually disappointed that Rafa took off Torres, even though he was poor last night, he looked tired and flat footed. I'd definitely rest him for Saturday and give big crouchy a chance to batter away at them. The reason I was disappointed was because I knew Arsenal would tire in the last 5 or 10 minutes, and bringing on Voronin was the equivalent of just filling a jersey. If Torres, or indeed Babel was up front on his own in the last 5 minutes when Arsenal did get tired and started being really sloppy at the back with passing and clearences, I think Liverpool would have gotten another chance, and that could be just as pivotal as Arsenal not scoring in the second half.

For Liverpool, I thought Reina was dodgy enough under crosses again, especially set pieces. He needs to do some work on that at traiining to make him more confident again, but Adebeyor's goal was fantastic in it's simplicity. It looked way too easy from a Liverpool standpoint, but to give credit where it's due Wenger obviously devised this to exploit the zonal marking. Standing on the line, great movement into the unmarked space and a pinpoint cross. Excellent stuff.

The back four looked solid enough, and buttressed by Mascherano and Alonso/Lucas from the front, they kept Arsenal largely going across in front of them, which would have been the game plan. Hleb's break for the penalty and Walcott's run were the only real times they got around the back of Liverpool, and all the other Arsenal passes through the channels had to be overhit to make it through, which meant they normally ran out of play or into Reina. Having said that Flamini's excellent ball to van Persie in the first half deserved better. Mascherano was a bit uncomfortable when Arsenal passed the ball around him, he loves being able to bite into people who are receiving the ball and dallying on it. Fabergas, when he was going well, wasn't doing that but Mascherano still perservered and got in a few good interceptions, and cleaned up a lot of 'second ball' that came out of the defence into that 'hole' area. Alonso was poor enough again, and will want to forget this season. I hope he stays at Anfield, because we need a player like him in that 4-2-3-1 formation but it's just not happening for him this season.

The attacking midfield trio were a mixed bag. I thought Gerrard was excellent for the 15 minutes when Liverpool got on top in the first half, and was constantly looking for the ball and even though his influence waned as Arsenal reasserted, he was always the out ball for Liverpool, and didn't give it away stupidly. Babel was disappointing, but I do think he will improve and is a long term bet. Kuyt worked hard and deserved his goal for workrate, but I can't help feeling he's a bit, well, thick. His first touch is shocking, and he does some awful stupid things. He can count himself a lucky man this morning that he wasn't apologising for a penalty incident.

Torres, as I mentioned, was disappointing last night, and looked tired to me. He was caught flatfooted a lot of the time when passes cam towards him, and while Gallas and Toure are quick, there were a couple of occasions when, had he been at his sharpest, he would have gotten away. I'd rest him on Saturday. As someone else said, he needs to knock that diving shit on the head too. There's no need for it. I don't know if he feels he has been kicked a lot this season or something, and has decided to go down in contact, but it does him no favours and is rotten to look at.

All in all, satisfactory result, but this tie is far, far from over. It'll be a big test on Tuesday night, but likewise Arsenal will probably not be prepared for the atmosphere at Anfield that night. They've obviously played there loads of times in the league, but this will be a bit different. I expect Liverpool to be cagey, Arsenal to dominate possession again, Liverpool to score from a break or a set piece, and Arsenal to press for an equaliser. If they get it, we could be on for a shoot out, depending on when it comes. If it goes to extra time, I would fancy Liverpool, because I think Arsenal are stretched physically at the moment. It'll be edgy stuff though.

[nrico2006]

Torres missing in action again against a top side, anonymous against the likes of United and Arsenal.

When will he get to play Derby/West Ham again?

[AZOffaly]

Didn't Torres score against Chelsea this season already? Sling your hook and find another bait