YOUNG GUNNERS down 1 and

[Karl]

they have dodged a bullet. Liverpool should have had a penalty when Galls felled Gerard.

They YOUNG GUNNERS are making too many passes a tad late...and are doing too many giveaways...antiTEAM direct passes to the opposition! The first half had the GUNNERS playing for Liverpool.

[Karl]

Mission accomplished!
An energetic Liverpool beaten at home!


...and the GUNNERS, save Walcott, were tough! They stood up to the Liverpool roughness!

...aaaaahem!
...game in hand!

[Karl]

EPL standing

Chelsea - Played 16, Points 37

BoyU - Played 16, Points 34

Arsenal - Played 15, Points 31

Aston Villa - Played 16, Points 29

Tottenham - Played 16, Points 27

[Peter R]

Arshavin's bullet down's Kop!

I wonder what Rafa's next move will be? Raise a white flag

Congrats to your team Karl; I honestly didn't think they could do it, now they are in a position to go to second if they win their game in hand..

[Dunny]

I left Anfield feeling 10ft tall,fantastic second half performance from the boys and what a finish from the little Russian!!!

[Karl]

Arshavin's bullet down's Kop!

I wonder what Rafa's next move will be? Raise a white flag

Congrats to your team Karl; I honestly didn't think they could do it, now they are in a position to go to second if they win their game in hand..

Thank you, sir!
...and that shot by Arshavin was a wonder strike!

Liverpool can still make the top 4. This season is going to have twists and turns.


...and BoyU shall not win the EPL!

[Karl]

Funnily I was not in the least worried when we went 1 down.
...but once we went ahead, I was on tender hooks thinking we needed a 3rd!

[Karl]

Gunners pile pressure on Liverpool (PA) Sunday 13 December 2

Gunners pile pressure on Liverpool

(PA) Sunday 13 December 2009


Liverpool suffered their second home embarrassment in five days as Arsenal grabbed the points in a game that was supposed to be a new beginning for the Anfield men. Manager Rafael Benitez had insisted the season started again today after the midweek UEFA Champions League defeat to Fiorentina. But he did not get his wish, even though Liverpool led at the break through Dirk Kuyt and might have had a penalty when William Gallas collided with Steven Gerrard.


Arsenal grabbed two quick goals through a Glen Johnson own goal and an outstanding winner from Andrey Arshavin to heap more misery on the men from Merseyside. Arshavin hit four last season in a 4-4 draw, but this time one was enough.


Bill Shankly's first official day behind the manager's desk at Liverpool was 50 years ago tomorrow, and Benitez will sit uncomfortably in that same office after this. Liverpool made six changes from the side dumped out of the UEFA Champions League in midweek, with Fernando Torres back in the starting line-up for the first time since early November. Fabio Aurelio was brought in at left-back against the pace of Theo Walcott.


Arsenal were unrecognisable from the side that lost to Olympiacos in Greece, only Walcott being retained by manager Arsene Wenger. With Manchester United, Chelsea, Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur all dropping points 24 hours earlier, both sides were desperate to take advantage. And at last Anfield was treated to a pulsating match after weeks of insipid displays.


The tempo and passion came from both sides and Liverpool could have had two goals in the opening 13 minutes. First Torres broke away, fed Gerrard to his right and then took the return before failing to lift the ball over Almunia when clear. Denilson was booked for a high tackle on Mascherano as Liverpool poured forward.


Arsenal survived, at times with difficulty, but still sought to play their intelligent, passing football out of defence. Samir Nasri fired wide and Cesc Fabregas tested Jose Reina as the threat on the break from the Gunners became increasingly apparent. But four minutes from the break Arsenal finally cracked.


Aurelio lifted a free-kick into the six-yard box, where Almunia, under intense pressure in the air, managed only a weak punch and Kuyt fired home from ten yards. Arsenal were furious with a supposed aerial assault on their goalkeeper, Wenger making the point angrily to fourth official Andre Marriner. The Gunners' chief was even more upset two minutes later when he felt Aurelio stopped Walcott's run with an arm across his face.


Gunners rise

Arsenal came out after the break fired up for the challenge and were level after 50 minutes. Nasri tore down the right and fired in a low cross that Johnson turned past Reina for an own goal with Walcott lurking behind him.



Mascherano was soon booked for a foul on Fabregas and it was soon to get worse for Liverpool, and especially Johnson.


Fabregas's cross after 58 minutes eluded Johnson, who then failed to stop Arshavin turning to fire in off the post from 18 yards. Benitez finally turned to Aquilani with 25 minutes left, Mascherano making way, with the watching Xabi Alonso applauding from the directors' box as the man bought to replace him trotted on. But Aquilani made little impact and finished the game limping.


As much as the first half had been so positive for an aggressive Liverpool, the second was becoming deeply frustrating. Passes started going astray, Liverpool were no longer in Arsenal's collective face, rather chasing their heels. The passion had gone from Liverpool and the accomplished young Gunners had a measure of control they were not going to lose.


Arshavin was booked for one-too-many late challenges on defenders clearing the ball, then Fabregas for kicking the ball away from a free-kick.



David Ngog coming on for Yossi Benayoun and then Philipp Degen for a flagging, disconsolate Johnson did little to change the flow of the match and Liverpool now have just three wins in their last 15 games.


http://www.fifa.com/worldfootball/cl...sure+liverpool

[Karl]

Arsene Wenger outburst sparks Arsenal title tilt

Arsene Wenger outburst sparks Arsenal title tilt



Arsenal responded to harsh half-time words from Wenger

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger thinks his team are back in the Premier League title race after inspiring his team to come from behind to beat Liverpool.

The Gunners are six points behind leaders Chelsea after Andrey Arshavin's winner capped a second-half comeback.

Wenger had lost his temper at half-time, with Cesc Fabregas noting: "I have never seen him like that."

Asked if his team were back in the frame, Wenger said: "Mathematically yes, and mentally certainly."

The Gunners trailed 1-0 at the break after an awful opening 45 minutes that had seen Dirk Kuyt score for Liverpool.

But the Gunners were much improved after the break, with an own goal from Glen Johnson levelling the scores before Arshavin's superb strike on the ground where he scored four goals in the Premier League last season.

And skipper Fabregas added of Wenger's half-time team-talk: "It worked, maybe he should do it more often.

"He tried to tell us what we had to do in order to improve."

Chelsea were held at home on Saturday, while Manchester United were beaten at Old Trafford - increasing the importance of Sunday's contest at Anfield between two contenders with title aspirations of their own.

Arshavin was the danger man - Wenger

"It was a tremendous opportunity," added Wenger.

"I believe we were not ourselves in the first-half - we played with a hand-brake on.

"Liverpool had a great opening 45 minutes but in the second half it was different."

Wenger had words of sympathy for opposite number Rafael Benitez, who is under increasing pressure.

Liverpool are 13 points off the top of the table - and five points adrift of a top-four place.

"Liverpool were a bit unlucky," said the Arsenal boss.

After the first-half it is difficult to explain why we have not won

Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez

"They are a very good side but at the moment things are not going for them," said the Frenchman.

"I still believe Liverpool have a good team who can beat anyone in the league."

Benitez felt that his team deserved something from the game.

"The first half we were really good - we scored the goal, had another clear chance and there was a clear penalty turned down," said the Spaniard.
"In the second half there was Glen Johnson's goal early and that changed everything and we lost our confidence."

Benitez introduced David Ngog and summer-signing Alberto Aquilani in the latter stages but Arsenal close out the latter stages in relative comfort.
"We had attacking players on the pitch but we were not controlling the ball," he said.

"After the first-half it is difficult to explain why we have not won."

[Dunny]

Funnily I was not in the least worried when we went 1 down.
...but once we went ahead, I was on tender hooks thinking we needed a 3rd!

I was so disappointed with the first half performance and with Walcott in particular he is just not improving.I dont know what Wenger said to them at half time,but they came out for the second half looking a different team.

[Gamma]

how him get so much power with such little backswing?!!!! AMAZING!

[Peter R]

Is it little back-swing or is he just that fast? I wish I could see a replay or three cause that shot came out of nowhere, plus he had a barely a millimetre of daylight between him and Johnson to take the shot... Liverpool needs a striker like him to complement Torres, who looked rusty on Sunday. We can't just depend on Gerrard and Torres only. Other players have to step up and be counted.

The other problem with Liverpool I believe is in the mental department...we just don't seem to have that fortitude when the going gets tough.

[Peter R]

See extended highlights here... the answer to my question is : little back-swing and plenty speed... he generated an incredible amount of power with that strike. Goal at minute 2:30.
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xbh...2nd-half_sport

[Karl]

Is it little back-swing or is he just that fast? I wish I could see a replay or three cause that shot came out of nowhere, plus he had a barely a millimetre of daylight between him and Johnson to take the shot... Liverpool needs a striker like him to complement Torres, who looked rusty on Sunday. We can't just depend on Gerrard and Torres only. Other players have to step up and be counted.

The other problem with Liverpool I believe is in the mental department...we just don't seem to have that fortitude when the going gets tough.

An explanation would be in order on the comment, "that shot came out of nowhere"?

I thought the set-up came out of a YOUNG GUNNERS series of passes?

[Peter R]

I'm focusing on the shot itself and not the build up... in other words I didn't expect him to get the shot off and certainly not one of the calibre he executed as he had such little time and space; really a brilliant strike I thought.