Welcome to Saturday; let’s talk about some things.
I do find it quite incredible that there is a certain section of the fanbase that think refereeing decisions aren’t of interest and shouldn’t be part of the conversation.
The referee that sent off Rob Holding for a shoulder barge, let Harry Kane get away with this.
Does that challenge look like Harry Kane playing the dark-arts with ninja like subtlety? I don’t think so.
Simple fact with referees this season is that shocking decisions go against us more often than they do other teams. Some call it a conspiracy theory chatter, I’d say just look at how we’ve been treated, look at the mad decisions that have gone against us, and tell me how 1 soft penalty against United makes it better?
The reffing has been so bad for us this season we’ve actually had moments when the refs have invented new ways to fuck us… remember Martinelli getting two yellows in the same passage of play? How about Tomi getting his face stamped on with no action? How about Palace booting Saka in the air? How about the Xhaka sending off? The list goes on. We are treated differently.
If Rob Holding is sent off for standing his ground on 26 minutes, then Son should be sent off for throwing an elbow. The main difference seems to be that Bob Holding doesn’t scream like he’s been hit with a wet towel in the snow.
Paul Tierney had to really want to ruin that game to do what he did and the only people who think differently on that seem to have a history of wanting to see this Arsenal team fail this season. Embarrassing.
Ok, I’m done moaning.
Let’s take a moment to accept where we are right now: IN CONTROL OF TOP 4.
My view is that if we beat Newcastle, Champions League is ours.
The Geordies are THE banana skin game.
Eddie Howe will ask questions of us.
We have to treat this like our Cup Final.
They are no mugs in 2022. Below is the half-season table. It looks pretty close to what we did last season.
The positives we can take from this is their 3 tough games against Liverpool, Spurs and City have seen them beaten. They conceded 10 between Spurs and City alone.
The negative is this is their last home game of the season, it’ll be under the floodlights, their players will want to sign off in style, they have nothing to play for, so they’ll fly into us to put on a show.
The hope is that the news from the medical team is positive. Our players have been quite good at tapping themselves out early this season. Ben White sat on the bench at Spurs which was smart. Gabriel is quite robust, hopefully he took himself off the same way Bukayo did in the game prior. Having actual centre backs feels like an important part of the day… The thought of Tomiyasu and Big Mo in the middle with Lord Of Chaos starting fires on the left makes feel a little queezy I have to say.
The other worry I have is around fatigue. Saka looked blitzed the other night. A few of our players looked tired. 10 men for 65 minutes isn’t ideal. If we go to Newcastle tired, they’ll use their freshness to rattle into us. All the great managers say tiredness is part of the job, our young men need to find their inner Red Bull, crack it open, and let the wings carry them through the 90.
Ok, I apologise for that last line. Not my best.
If we play with the mindset we started the Spurs game with; we’ll be in good shape come the end of the 90. The absolute key is to not let the moment get to us, like it did Rob Holding. We need to control our emotions and manage the moments. Make it to half time without conceding and we’ll be in a solid spot to take the game from there. Arsenal away fans will be huge, I just hope they are prepared to suffer for a chunk of the game.
My pragmatic view of Top 4 is that if we can’t be Newcastle, we just weren’t ready to take the club to the Champions League this season.
If that happens, there will be recriminations with weirdo fans that have been gagging for a bit of bad news, but the reality is, we are at the start of this project and we know VERY clearly what we have to do to get better.
I thought this comment from Pep was really good as some preparation if things don’t go well.
This is savage 😂 pic.twitter.com/axDILal4ZF
— Le Grove (@LeGrove) May 14, 2022
‘Character’ and ‘bottle job’ comments at these players cannot be sitting in people’s drafts. The Premier League is the highest standard of football on the planet. What this squad of players has done this season has been exceptional. We can still finish with 72 points, with an average age of 23 years old. That is a marvel. If we make Champions League, it is a huge overachievement, if we don’t make it, it’s just a learning XP moment for a young squad of players with an outrageously high ceiling.
Being in control at this moment shows character, delivering on Monday merely demonstrates we got it right on the day, no broad-brush slander is going to land however things go.
I’m feeling bullish about the game. If we can put out a well-balanced side and the team can channel their grievances in a productive manner, we’ll exit with a win.
If we exit with a win, then we have to beat an Everton that will be safe, and properly on the beach.
Let’s see what the boys have got. We’ll be doing a BEFORE THE WHISTLE tomorrow after the Spurs win against Burnley. So be sure to tune in… but before, check out the Spurs post-game analysis.
Give us a 5* rating as well. x
Bankz is here for the tr4phy again.
Let’s do this!!!!!
grooveydaddy, come outside!
(((BOOOOM))))
Clean sweep.
This was a bit easy
Evening Bankz, hope your well.
This Final is a snoozfest just like last year.
FA Cup Finals rarely tend to be spectacles anymore. We’ve always been involved in the more entertaining ones in fact.
Newcastle, and more to the point Eddie Howe has impressed me.
They had ten points in December and no team has ever stayed up with that amount at that time of the year.
Don’t be fooled they won’t roll over.
Even Everton at the emirates won’t be a breeze, there away form is bad but we never do it the easy way.
I’d definitely be starting esr, and leave saka on the bench for a 30 minute cameo, he looks shot.
How ironic is it that Lukaku has ballooned back up in weight and looks like his prime Utd unit days. Concrete blocks for feet and a hopeless first touch.
So the only time he has managed to slim down and remain trim was when he was living in Italy, fucking Italy with all that amazing food.
Conspiracy theory Pedro is still amok
WE
This was pretty much my last post on the previous thread.
WengerEagle
We have been in some epic finals , Arsenal Hull was just bonkers .
As much as I can’t stand Chelsea I would love for Liverpool to finish the season only winning the League Cup after boasting about a Quadruple run.
Newcastle have their best striker and dead ball specialist back just in time for Monday night.
They have the best their best header of the ball [Callum Wilson] and best crosser of the ball [Keirean Trippier] back
Jonjo Shelvey and Joe Willock are our though
DS
Yep one of the best ones that, also the 2015 Final we blitzed Villa in style.
Dissenter
Its not conspiracy theory if its true , you just chose not to believe it
Does anyone thin Tuchel will sub in Kepa for the penalties again?
Pedro you need to drop this start of the project line,
We’re two and a half seasons in.
I’ve warmed up to Arteta this season, but he’s still making mistakes. Hopefully he’ll have learnt from them for next season.
We also haven’t over achieved this season, currently we are exactly where we should be. If we knicked third I would say it’s over achieving.
This has been an absolute fucking borefest
WengerEagle
As much as I can’t stand Chelsea I would love for Liverpool to finish the season only winning the League Cup after boasting about a Quadruple run.
I want Chelsea to lose so I can banter my Chelsea loving cousins for losing 4 FA Cup finals ( Arsenal 2x , Leicester and now Pool ) xD
Top 4 will soon became top 5, pretty soon
Top 5 placed teams will proceed to the CL draws by 2023-2024.
Pedro, Lee Dixon is clearly a Spud fan now, or wants Arsenal to fail, clearly.
Jonko
What are you talking about?
Chance after chance after chance.
Not “a borefest”
Graham62
Did you switch on the game when Extra time started , Game started 90 mins ago , lol .
Graham
Not really. Most were half chances except for Robertson hitting the post.
Pulisifc is dogshite
Klopp knows how to ditch unwanted players
He’s not given Oxlade even the slight glance at all.
Yeah Pulisic has really gone backwards since his debut season with Chelsea.
Looks half the player.
Both teams are trying very hard to win the game
How can that be a “bore fest”?
Lets put it this way – it’s an end to end borefest
Pulisic before his injury looked the real deal.
This game is fucking boring to say the least, they should have just gone straight to Pens!?
Our 2005 FA cup final win was the most boring final there can ever be
Only one team came to win in regulation and ET … and it wasn’t Arsenal
From the first minute we were hanging on
What the PL.really lacks is a world class striker…don’t think any team has one…that’s why there will be no stopping City for the next 3 years at least
Dissenters
.
Both teams are trying very hard to win the game
How can that be a “bore fest”?
Both teams trying very hard not to lose the game.
No stopping City as long as Pep is there, he is winning the league even without a seasoned striker.
People complaining Arsenal players are gassed and need rotation…… both Pool and Chelsea have played 60 plus games already and Mo Salah has clocked over 5k minutes for club and country this season.
This is the level people.
You know the game is boring when commentators start talking about different games/finals instead of the current one , in the second half of extra time !
DevineSherlock
…by repeatedly launching attacks in the oppo box?
Don’t mistaken the impact of fatigue and natural caution to not concede so late as a lack of ambition to find a winner.
Literally falling asleep at this
Divine and Jonko
I’m sorry guys but if you think it’s been a boring game then I’m afraid you must be watching another channel.
Devine
Commentators always talk about other games during a game
More so when Liverpool were daft to let the talk of the quadruple deep into the talking points
Any good commentator has to link Salah and VVD subs to the larger picture.
Dissenter
.
Klopp knows how to ditch unwanted players
He’s not given Oxlade even the slight glance at all.
It’s incredible that Oxlade never had a sniff at the starting IX in his career at Liverpool. Probably his biggest mistake (not financially ofc) as he is never playing football on regular basis.
Glad we got shot of this player but what a waste of a talented player.
How on earth wasnt that a foul on Ziyech by Trent? Might have been outside the box but a clear foul nonetheless
And when I say talented, i mean that he could have gone elsewhere to make sure he could play regular football.
We better get pens at least after all this.
Late winner now would be a real buzz-kill.
DB10, he’s made 29 appearances this season. Some players would rather be a squad player at an elite club than play 34 games for Brighton every season.
When I think of boring games, the one that pops readily into my mind is the “disgrace of Gijon”, when Austria and Germany strolled through a 1982 World Cup group game to eliminate Algeria.
I don’t think anyone on the field ran up to the mile the entire game. They just knocked the ball around for 90 minutes
Graham62
Can you really say with honesty that this the best Liverpool or Chelsea have played this season ? Even Tuchel and Klopp wouldnt agree with you . The game is textbook definition of playing it safe.
WengerEagle
Be interesting to see if Tuchel brings Kepa on again , atleast there’ll be some drama
Finals tend to be quite cagey because there is so much on the line. Players play with fear and more of a desire not to lose than to go out and win.
Semi-Finals are where it’s at. We see that every season in the CL.
DS
Doesn’t look like he’s going to. In fairness Kepa was hopeless in the League Cup Final pen shoot-out, didn’t save 1 out of a dozen taken.
Pedro
I know what you mean.
It’s common knowledge that he loves Liverpool anyway. So I don’t blame him to accepting being a bit part player.
I just find it odd that he prefers the easy route to fame when he is perfectly capable of tearing it up at a lower level and get proper respect for it.
Crazy that this is only the 3rd ever pen shoot-out for an FA Cup Final.
Chelsea losing a 3rd final in a row, and this one on penalties, would be pretty funny.
To be fair Liverpool actually tried winnng via Luis Diaz despite losing Salah , Chelsea werent even close barring some chances . No Kepa , fuck you Tuchel xD Bring on The Pens.
Divine
Did I say that?
I was reacting to the comments that the game was boring.
Diss
I was at that final in 2005 in Cardiff, daylight robbery 😂
Made up for 2001 though, when we played Liverpool off the park, but Owen bagged a late brace
Graham62
I know I know but if they had then we wouldnt be having this conversation
Mendy is shite at saving pens.
Mendy is doing his damn Best but these ‘pool penalties a few just perfect
No skipping for Jorge
Mendy knows Mane penalties style
Right
Attaboy Mendy, finally a save.
Ha ha ha
Mané misses!!!
Lolz!!!
There goes the quadruple
They will end up with the league cup only
Mount going 6th shows he lost his bottle beforehand.
Poor Chavs.
Lol
Damn, they are still running on the dream of a quadruple
Chav tears are delicious tbf.
How many FA Cup finals in a row have Chelsea lost now?
You put your foot in it Diss with that premature ejaculation of a comment!
Three straight FA cup final losses for Chelsea
Chelsea have only won 1 of the last 5 FA cup final matches they have reached
Chelsea going for the Buffalo Bills ‘how many finals can a team lose in a row’ achievement
Lolz
I hate Chekski so I am glad they lost.
It does suck that ‘pool had to win it.
By Jove….hope Citeh put The Hammers to the sword tomorrow….can’t stand more of this “Quad!” waffle.
But fair play to Pool. 2 trophies in the kitty….
WengerEagle
Chav tears are delicious tbf.
Every . Single . Time.
Tuchel bottled another final , how many times will you go into a game with a back 5 and expect a different result ?
Wenger eagle
Was trying to will it into being
Who cares, there’s no skin off my teeth regardless of who wins.
You wrote that Mane was shit at penalties and then he saved a crucial one.
Was only a piss-take Diss, lighten up lad.
I’d be ok with Pool winning the two mickey mouse cups…anything more and you won’t fucking hear the end of it in this lifetime
These two team had played >62 games this season already
There’s a case for just proceeding to the penalty shootout after regulation time
That’s Pool’s 3rd major trophy since Klopp has taken over.
Not actually a staggering amount tbh, bit surprised they haven’t won more although I suppose Man City are the reason.
Yeah really need Real Madrid to take care of business in the CL Final for the summer to be bearable on my end.
This summer’s transfers have to be solely rotating starters
Conspiracy theories? no examples of refs interfering in a biased, criminal or unfair way in any leagues world wide that I can think of? And even if there was, our English referees are different, because all is fair here, cheating refs is a foreign thing, right?
Pedro, I am with you on the refs, but honest question, any idea why this team are getting this treatment? The only answers I can think of are pretty unpalatable.
As for the game, cometh the hour, cometh the Martinelli , he’s gonna blow at some point, now would be a great time
Well Klopp has won everything tbere is to win with Liverpool now.
They will be a force for a few more years yet under him too so no doubt they will win some more.
For me he is level with Shankly and Paisley now given all the factors.
I think that Klopp will stay on even if he wins the CL again.
1 PL title isn’t the stuff of dynasties as brilliant as his Liverpool have been, he’ll want another title at least before calling it a day there.
WEagle, Klopp has taken them to many finals though
Klopp might have won all of it but not enough of it. Unfortunately for him , his prime collided with Peps.
No doubt Tom but City and Pep have dominated the PL since his arrival.
WEagle, and they will continue to do so as long as Pep remains and they keep making the signings that they do make.
Last two transfers alone total fees paid out – £ 210m
Exactly, he has been unlucky in that respect.
If it were even the City of the Mancini/Pellegrini days then Klopp is sitting on 3 PL titles by now.
Well , tbf Klopp’s rise coincided with City’s oil money.
Tom
Not disputing that but people don’t care about figures like spend, etc and some even forget over time.
Nobody mentions about the Chavs blitzing through the PL in 2004-2006 because of their ridiculous spending power,. Even Fergie and United compared to us when they were dropping £30m a piece on players like Ferdinand, Carrick, Rooney, Veron, Berbatov, etc.
I really think the next season we will witness a complete downfall of CFC, unlike anything in the recent past
I wonder what terraloon has to say about the 2 possible penalty incidents today, both i would say more likely to have resulted in clear cut chances than the tottenham penalty
2 potential reds for both incidents without a doubt, I’m sure if that was Arsenal we would have seen 9 men on the pitch and 2 pens against us and Terraloon would be finding ways to justify the decisions..
Will he find a way to justify the decision not to award a pen or red card on either occasion in today’s game .
I just listened to a podcast with w prominent Brazilian sports writer who said Marquinhos is the real deal
He said Arteta will be wise to have him join the preseason before deciding whether to loan him out or now. He said the only reason why we are signing him ahead of Portuguese and Italian clubs is because if Edu’s outreach to the biggest Brazilian clubs.
He described the quoted transfer as daylight robbery