Why bitter Benitez has got it all wrong, Blackburn preview
Arsenal scored six goals at Anfield outplayed Liverpool and dumped them out of their only realistic chance of a trophy.
The Beast got 4, but Aliadiere, Cesc, Toure and Djourou ran the show. It was a deserved win against a team suffering a crisis of confidence after Saturday's 3-1 FA Cup defeat.
Don't get me wrong, Liverpool are a decent side who play the game in the right way and have a wonderful captain. Their fans on the whole are alright and they have the history and class to match the best.
But Rafa has lost the plot.
He selected a reserve team against a young Arsenal side who have more experience of this competition and it backfired, simple as that.
But why does he constantly moan on about being envious of our spending power? The bloke is clearly getting agitated and looking for excuses. He has spent big, £19m on Crouch, Bellamy, Pennant who are all good quality Premiership players but are neither young enough to change the way they play or good enough to win you the title.
Then he has bought in the like of Palleta who was ruined by Aliadiere on Tuesday and Gonzales who looks a good prospect so it's not as if he hasn't had the money or the chance to bring in young players.
He said Diaby was too much, he cost us £2m Rafa! Walcott was less money than Pennant up front and Adebayor the same as Crouch! Someone tell me what is this guy on??
Where is the logic? If I was the reporter and he started on I would have to just stare at him in disbelief, and maybe utter something non sensical in reply like Alan Partidge when says 'They're sexy' live on air cos he's thinking about lap dancing.
Next up is another trip to the dreaded north west (surely we have lost to Sheffield United, Bolton and Man City and beaten Man Utd, Liverpool, Everton, Wigan?!) with almost a full squad, Ljungberg, Lauren (both rumoured to be in talk with West Ham although I can't see it really) Eboue and Gallas out injured.
Blackburn have been on a good run of late and it will be a tough game but I have a feeling that we might do a 97/98 and go up there and start like a house on fire. We shall see. It's on Sky at 5:15pm by the by.
The only problem Wenger has is he has too many players pushing for a spot! A 16 man final squad to choose from 20 fit players.
Does he start with his 4 goal striker? No.
Does he start Aliadiere, the man that ran the game in the final third? Doubtful.
Does he start with Adebayor? Probably not.
Will he play 4-4-2 with Van Persie and Henry? Probably so.
I expect Song, Aliadiere and Diaby to miss out but as Walcott's versatility is seemingly essential to team lacking natural width I can't tell who the unlucky one of this 17 is! You decide..
Arsenal from: Lehmann, Almunia, Hoyte, Djourou, Toure, Senderos, Clichy, Flamini, Walcott, Gilberto, Hleb, Rosicky, Cesc, Henry, Van Persie, Baptista, Adebayor.
posted by JoeBoni @ 9:27 AM
10 comments
10 Comments:
"It was a deserved win against a team suffering a crisis of confidence after Saturday's 3-1 FA Cup defeat."
Dude, the win maybe deserved, but it wasn't the same team that lost 3-1.
"Rafa has lost the plot"
Our league position this year, last year, and our trophy cabinet say otherwise.
"He selected a reserve team against a young Arsenal side who have more experience of this competition and it backfired, simple as that."
Nail on Head, Hitteth... he done this because of what happened to big Momo Sissoko, who dislocated his shoulder earlier on in this comp and is one of our best centre mids. Gonzalez and Garcia provide further evidence for the defence.
"But why does he constantly moan on about being envious of our spending power?"
Liverpool were in for Walcott, Diaby etc but the board wouldn't stump up the cash. We're presently looking at some more, its his way of pushing the deal through. After those comments were made, we've suddenly signed a few bright young prospects, Leto, Insua and Padelli - theres your answer
"He said Diaby was too much, he cost us £2m Rafa! Walcott was less money than Pennant up front and Adebayor the same as Crouch! Someone tell me what is this guy on??"
I think Rafa was in for him but the board wouldn't spend that much on a prospect after such Houllier diamonds as Diouf, Diao, Le Tallec... etc
"Where is the logic? If I was the reporter and he started on I would have to just stare at him in disbelief, and maybe utter something non sensical in reply like Alan Partidge when says 'They're sexy' live on air cos he's thinking about lap dancing."
To be fair most reporters talk rubbish, and ask him stupid questions because he is mild mannered.
Anyway, I can't imagine why he would be bitter, he can always go back up to the trophy room and polish his nice, shiny, permanent European Cup. Any talk of him being under pressure is pure rubbish.
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Love that squad list!
Once you add Gallas, Lauren, Diaby and Ljungberg to it, it going to get pretty damn tough to choose a first 16...
Poor old Arsene ;-)
Liverpool fan here and I have to agree with what has already been said I think Rafa has lost the plot a bit. But in Rafa we Trust as the saying goes. He will get it right.
Also, I just want to say something to the Arsenal faithful, I have read bloggs from time to time, Chelsea Man U etc, and I haven't really heard anything from Arsenal bloggs that show anti Liverpool feeling like I have done with Man U Chelsea. It's like you can have a proper convo with the Arsenal fans without the constant berating you get from the likes of Chelsea, Man U glory hunters.
Carry on Gunners, you're going well, and between us we can close the gap on Man U and Chelsea.
To be honest I don't rate the Man U midfield one bit and sooner or later they will slip up.
Nice One Wazza! Bloody Manuscum/Chelscum fans...can't stand them! Even Spuds fans talk more sense than those lot (did I just say that?!).
Benitez can moan about not being able to compete financially in the transfer market, but I suggest he doesn't use Arsenal (net transfer outlay of something like 60 mil over a 10 year period!) as the baromoter of spending power.
I like Benitez as a manager, (record speaks for itself) but he has bought badly imo with Bellamy/Pennant/Crouch.
Yeah it's a shame for Pool fans. Arsenal and L'pool have always had good battles 88-91 for example. L'pool have had 2 big name manager's in Houlier and Benitez, but they have both bought badly and will never develop into the long term managers that Arsenal & United have.
I remember in when you use to buy Tott***** players, errrk. I'd quite like to see Sam Allydyce at Pool. He has strong physically players who can always finish with head and feet, he adding and evolving his team with more flair pace and power (Diouf, Anelka) every year.
Your managers have not been good enough long term, but they have still manage to bing you a treble and a the CL. Besides that the last two managers made continous mistake that have hurt you and cost you badly, both in personnel and team selection, Pool managers always tinkering too much and playing players out of position that clearly cannot play there. FACup he told Gerrard to sit back with Alonso becuase he was afraid of Arsenal counter-attacking pace. But Gerrad can't defend anymore, he is no longer that player that use to go head-to-head with Viera. He has not been for two years for England or pool, as is evidence with his poor defensive display in both game against us, Gerrard is now a forward driving player for scoring goals and Benitez subdued him (yes I know, no Sissoko).
Wazza, our fans have always had respect for each other. Lets catch Chelski 1st and see if Ronaldo throws a wobbly.
Liverpool remain, in my opinion a strong squad, with a great coach in Rafa.
At the beginning of this season, I said this about Liverpool squad on where they needed to improve their squad. But they haven't done that, or at least they haven't bought the right players. The problem is at the back. Most of their defenders lack pace; and that was the main reason why they've lost against Arsenal. By the way, those who see in Pennant/Bellamy/Crough a bad business, I am telling you: just go back to learn football before you come and discuss about football.
Bellamy, Pennant and Crough are all fantastic footballers. Liverpool current problem is down to a lack of pace in their defence(back four), including Reina who is not put under serious pression by Dudeck, because Benitez has not geven him enough time of play.
A gunner.
“He said Diaby was too much, he cost us £2m Rafa! Walcott was less money than Pennant up front and Adebayor the same as Crouch! Someone tell me what is this guy on??”
I do belive that Walcot cost an intial £5m rising to £13m & Pennant cost you half as much as we have sepent on him when he was 16 years old. So a 16 year old reserve now is worth more than a 23 year old first team player which cost you way beyond what we spent on teanageres when you boaught him!!!!!!
Though Wengers buying policy has been critisised for different reasosn, the idea that Arsenal havent spent and big is fals. You have several players costing more than £10m and we have 1. you have several reserve players costing what our senior players cost, and all of this is due to the bad perchasaing by the previouse regiem.
The other point worth making is the time it has taken for Wenger to building his youth system. 10 years to rafa’s 2. given simmiler time he will achieve something more susbstantial. While if he were to be given the reasourses of Chelski or manure he will be unstoppable IMO.
Pennant cost you guys £6 - £7m right? Walcott was £5m up front and admittedly more than, up to £12m that if he wins every competition he ever enters and scores 50 goals for england and amasses 100 caps. Those kinda deals are good because if he is not a success we don't pay any more so apart from the initial fee (which is less than Pennant) we haven't gambled.
Plus we actually made money on Pennany by selling him for £3m to Birmingham and had a sell on clause in his contract.
Other than JAR I challenge you to name any £10m+ players we have bought in the last 3 years? The only one is Reyes who was £10m up front with £7m if he was a success which he wasn't really.
You guys have bought Cisse for £14m in that time as well as Kuty, Bellamy, Crouch, Pennant etc so I think if you were to work it out we have actually spent a lot less than you.
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