30 Sep 2024 20:26:28
ED14 of your about, I know this is the Liverpool page…. But I really like the banter you bring and would like to know your thoughts on Arsenal and Arteta.
Where do you think you will finish this season and what would you see as a successful year?
For me, this is not a dig but if arteta doesn’t win a big trophy this year, it’s time for him to move on. I think so far he has done well but has spent huge sums of money for little actual reward in trophies.
I still think arsenal are lacking that killer edge to get it over the line, with Rodri out for city you have a good chance of winning the league but have a feeling arteta isn’t the man to drive the team to it.
I’m hopeful the mighty pool are up
There this year and so far so good, but a long way to go yet. Anyway good luck for the season and let’s hope one of us stop the cheating mancs to the title!
{Ed014's Note - hi mate, fair to say I wasn’t an Arteta fan initially but he has won me over.
The most important thing is that Josh Kroenke has taken charge and made the decision to back Arteta and between them and Edu they have weeded out all the weak willed hangers on and swapped them out for so much better quality and changed the mindset totally.
I never worry about money, if the club have it, spend it to be the best you can and if Arteta went he’d be leaving a great squad for the next one.
I remember you having the money and backing Klopp with VVD and Allison and look what happened.
We’ve not cheated in spending money, the same as you guys haven’t.
Don’t get me wrong, we’ve had two great opportunities to get over the line and this year will be the hardest I’m sure.
But I have faith he and the boys can do it, I no longer look at other teams wishing we had this or that player as there are very few I see as huge improvements.
Two sendings off (our own fault) have cost us four points after a pretty difficult start but we sit 1 point behind you. I might have this a little wrong but the only team you’ve played inside last years top 9 or 10, you’ve lost too, as in Forest. I’ve liked some of the stuff you’ve played though.
I don’t see the loss of Rodri as a big issue for City, they have so many players.
I definitely think we’ll get stronger as the season progresses with the integration of Merino and now with Califiori and Timber up and running.
We obviously need Odegaard back as soon as possible. I don’t normally ever big up youngsters, but I do like what a see from Nwaneri and think he will be a plus this season.
You talk of the killer edge and I hope they show it this year, the pressure has been on early already and we’re not looking to shabby. The first one for any team is the hardest as you’ll remember from 2019/20.
Totally agree it’s us or you, City outside the top four and United relegated! ??
01 Oct 2024 07:33:03
We have Bologna and Palace next which will be tricky games but after the next international window that run of fixtures is going to tell us where we currently are under Slot and in the title races.
Chelsea, Leipzig, Arsenal, Brighton (2), Leverkusen, Villa, Southampton (not so much), Real, City, Newcastle and Everton is quite the run of fixtures.
As tricky as it is it’s also quite exciting.
01 Oct 2024 09:18:43
Hard to disagree Ed014. It was only a bit of naivety and bad luck that stopped you winning it last year.
I've said, over the years, that if Liverpool can't win it, I've always favoured the Gunners to do so.
You have Ian Wright as an old boy, how can anyone begrudge you?
{Ed014's Note - thanks mate and I grew up watching when Shankley was the manager and watched the likes of Ray Clemence, Ian St John, Steve Heighway, King Kenny, Graham Souness, Larry Lloyd, Kevin Keegan and John Toshack!
Bob Paisley thought the best ever manager for me and Tommy Smith my favourite player!
Always had a real soft spot for Liverpool which is now helped by the fact my wife is a supporter! ?♂️
Hence if we don’t win, would love you guys to do it!
01 Oct 2024 10:06:16
Personally for me, I think Arsenal have improved year on year. From falling away badly the season before last to coming within a point of winning it last season, they have shown that they are to be taken seriously. Admittedly, Arteta has been "lucky" too especially when it comes to injuries. But then again, we had very little injuries in the seasons we won the CL and PL as well so I don't count it as a point against him. I still think Arteta needs to win a trophy this season. He has been backed admirably so it's time that he replays that backing. Arsenal has the squad to challenge for all 4 trophies.
{Ed014's Note - I think our medical team has improved, our team doc went to United last year and look what happened! ?
Agree we definitely need to win something and I’m hoping it’s the league but it’s going to be a long tough season.
So many teams seem like they can cause an upset this year.
01 Oct 2024 10:19:58
To a degree I think Arteta has the same problem Klopp had: The presence of an exceptional Man City side created through shrewd transfer business, an outstanding academy, excellent tactics, world class coaching and definitely no cheating.
Klopp managed to overhaul City once, but in any other era of the Premier League, Klopp's Liverpool would've won at least three. He might even still be here cos he'd have been under less pressure to beat them (although Slot is proving a more than able replacement so far) .
Ditto Arteta, who without City would probably be a double PL winning manager. The general view of him would be very different then, imo.
01 Oct 2024 10:21:50
Arsenal will just dive, cheat, whinge, time waste, grab and block their way to second place again. Awful team of overrated players and an even more overrated manager in Simarteta (you see what I did there? ) .
Only joking Ed14 I actually believe this is by far your best chance to win the league if you don’t do it this year you never will.
City will undoubtedly be weaker without Rodri and KDB is having a lot of injuries as he gets older.
Liverpool have a new manager and are likely to go through some difficult spells during the season. We did comfortably beat Utd who finished 8th last season and West Ham in the cup who finished 9th.
Forest actually finished 17th and I see those teams as our weakness. I think we’ll do well against teams that want to come out and play but we’ll struggle against teams that want to sit in.
It’s all there for you this season but like any season you will need a bit of luck with injuries and decisions.
{Ed014's Note - so you can be nice!
You still can’t count United though! ?
01 Oct 2024 12:05:15
I’m always nice Ed14 I just have my opinions like everyone else and sometimes opinions differ. It would be boring if we all thought the same! I am also the most biased Liverpool fan you will ever meet so everything I say will be heavily weighted towards Liverpool being amazing and everyone else being crap. I just can’t help it! ?
I am genuinely sorry if I upset you or any other posters it’s never my intention and most of what I say to you is banter designed to wind you up.
I stand by my comments about Arsenal’s style of play recently, it’s not my cup of tea but that doesn’t mean it can’t be successful.
{Ed014's Note - you never upset me BP so no probs and I’m assuming you’re talking about the 2nd half against City as that is not our style of play.
Scoring 90+ goals last season will tell you that mate, going gung ho against City with 10 would have been nuts.
01 Oct 2024 12:45:40
No it’s not just that game, if you’d pushed up they would’ve destroyed you and you were leading so why would you?
It’s more the way Arsenal defend using grabbing and body checking off the ball to stop attackers getting in behind and the over reliance on set pieces where I maintain they are committing fouls by blocking everyone to leave a player clear to attack the ball. Usually Gabriel. They seem to have adopted Arteta’s petulant attitude in their style of play which I just don’t care for and find extremely frustrating to watch.
I have no doubt though that if it was Liverpool doing the same I would be defending it and pointing to games where we’ve played great football just like you are. That’s the life of a supporter!
I don’t support Arsenal so to me it’s frustrating that they get away with it. You do support them so for you it’s being clever and streetwise and not being a soft touch. We are both biased towards our own teams and rightly so!
{Ed014's Note - wow mate you have got it bad, I don’t see any of this so called petulance from Arteta or our players.
They just no longer take any shit!
I really don’t get that you find some of the great football we play hard to watch, you have to be basing that on that one half mate as that’s not us at all under normal circs and they weren’t normal circs.
From a defence point of you that was an incredible half of football, we got right under their skin, wound them and Pep right up and I loved it, as would you if Liverpool had needed to do that exact same thing.
We’re not committing fouls in our set pieces otherwise the goals would be disallowed, it’s just part of our armoury.
We didn’t score 90+ goals from set pieces.
I’m not biased as I say it as I genuinely see it, if I think someone is a tit or out of order in our team I’ll say it.
We’re a completely different animal to the one you’re describing, which just shows your dislike of Arsenal.
01 Oct 2024 12:55:51
Ed014, top responses, man. For me, I have no qualms whatsoever with the way you played after going one man down so those complaining about that are just hypocrites cos the Spurs fans saying that, are the same ones who were peeved at Ange for playing a high line and open vs Chelsea last season and got smoked so there's that.
Now, I see you said that Rodri will not be a big issue for City and I can agree with that. However I watched the Newcastle game and frankly they may have a lot of players but none of them are Rodri. and it showed.
Newcastle showed a lot more impetus cos with Rodri not being there in DM and Akanji was, they weren't scared at all and Akanji Im sorry, ain't Rodr and it showed. Just saying that it may not be a shoe-in for them this season esp with the way they struggled with you guys laxt season. Cheers, mans.
{Ed014's Note - thanks Oli I just think they should be able to find a way mate.
No doubting Rodri is class and we know from losing Saliba at a critical moment the season before last and how the loss of VVD affected yourselves but I don’t think we, the same as you, had the players to cover that.
John Stones may be the answer for them in that role. Matheus Nunes is shown as being an option as a DM too.
01 Oct 2024 16:25:09
Not sure that losing Rodri is something City can make up for, statistically speaking it doesn't exactly look good for them given that they tend to not pick up points when he's not on the pitch. He is arguably their most important player, even more than KDB is. As for Arsenal, I don't like Arteta at all and I don't much like watching Arsenal play at all but Saka is a ridiculous player in terms of ability and workrate, Odegaard is fantastic and Saliba is probably the best center half in Europe.
01 Oct 2024 16:18:39
Ed014, I see you, mate and we shall see what happens. All I was saying was that the Newcastle game does not bode well for them cos neither Stones nor Akanji are at Rodri's level. Nowhere near it, really. I don't rate Nunes at all so ain't scared of him but like you said, wait and see.
{Ed014's Note - we sure will mate, obvs I’m hoping they don't cover for his loss but in reality I want to beat everyone at their strongest so disappointed he’s missing.
01 Oct 2024 19:00:14
Like I said you’re biased and that’s fine. You see it as not taking any sh! t but I see it more like it actually is because I don’t support Arsenal. I have no dislike for Arsenal at all mate why would I?
It’s got nothing to do with that half of football although it did magnify the tactics Arsenal use so it was more obvious in that game.
I’ve been saying it for ages and you’ve pulled me up on it before about Arsenal’s pulling, grabbing and blocking tactics. For me it’s lazy defending and it’s frustrating to watch. It could be any team doing it but it’s Arsenal and that’s why I criticise Arsenal for it. Not because I have any strong opinion about Arsenal as a club at all but because it should be picked up by the officials but as usual they are clueless to it.
The set piece blocking tactics to me, should be a foul which is why it’s frustrating to watch them do it. I believe it’s against the rules of the game but they get away with it. Again, not specifically an Arsenal thing but it’s Arsenal that do it so that’s why I criticise them for it.
You are calling it as you see it ‘as an Arsenal fan’. If it was Spurs purposely blocking your players, including keeper from getting to the ball with Romero getting a free header at the back post you’d be the first to call it a foul. That’s the nature of football fans. When it goes for you you’ll look for reasons why it wasn’t a foul and when it goes against you you’ll look for reasons why it is.
For me, if a player stands by the keeper as the kick is taken and doesn’t move then it’s the keepers job to get around him. However, if the player is standing at the back post as the kick is taken and then runs to the keeper to block his attempt to get to the ball then that’s a foul. It’s very straightforward.
You won’t agree because you love your team and I’m ok with that but don’t try to say that you see it as it is because none of us do when it comes to our own team. Again, that’s exactly as it should be.
{Ed014's Note - mate I’m not biased and it’s just not a foul so I wouldn’t complain about it, rather annoyed that we let it happen.
That’s a crazy view of football, we play some great stuff and did against you last season.
There are very few teams/players who don’t grab or pull or bring down opposing players to stop a quick break away, Fabinho your own master of it. That’s just a small part of the modern game.
To say that makes our football poor or boring is madness mate. It’s like suggesting it’s something we do for the whole 90 minutes.
Like I said a crazy view of what our football is all about.
I’d guess you slagged off Declan Rice for the way Southgate had him playing in an England shirt, as if that was genuinely the way he played.
I’m dumbfounded by your view of football if I’m honest mate ?♂️
01 Oct 2024 19:55:00
I think use will win it ed14,excellent defence which prob best in Europe. Credit to your owners for backing manager time and again, fair play to them showing ambition.
I think when arteta came in he had to put an 'edge' in2 arsenal as u always felt they soft touch and he has done that v well.
I must admit I don't enjoy watching them at times as they seem to delay everything and slow game up a lot, it's obviously a tactic and it hard to watch at times.
Arsenal 1st, city 2nd, lfc 3rd is how I see it planning out, I don't think lfc will be too close to use to be honest, but we have done well so far.
{Ed014's Note - thanks mate and good luck for the season
01 Oct 2024 20:45:54
I don’t know why you care what I think anyway Ed.
It says something when all of the talk after the City game was of Arsenal’s ‘tactics’, I hate the phrase dark arts so I won’t use it. Then it comes to light that a number of clubs have complained about Arsenal’s tactics last season too.
It doesn’t make you a bad team and you can keep supporting them no matter what I think. My opinion of Arsenal is irrelevant but it is my opinion and many others have said the same.
I just don’t like watching them. They remind me of Atletico with the snide blocks, professional fouls and gamesmanship. But that’s ok mate the world will still turn and you might still win the league and I’ll congratulate you if you do. It’s really not a problem.
{Ed014's Note - I truly don’t care mate, you just make me laugh with the way you look at football and if that’s true that teams are complaining, I love it.
You are also spot on, your opinion is irrelevant ??
I’m outta here.
01 Oct 2024 21:35:20
My view on football is that I love to see quality, fair football played at pace with the players enjoying themselves. It is an entertainment after all.
That’s why teams being coached to block and grab to gain an advantage sticks in my throat and when you see a set piece coach celebrating it coming off in a game like he’s just invented the wheel it’s just not what football is about for me.
I love my club with a passion, Liverpool is literally part of my DNA passed down through generations. I wouldn’t know who I was without it so I’ll openly admit I’m biased towards Liverpool. How could I not be? Whether I know I’m doing it or not it’s inevitable.
You’re the same but you just don’t have the self awareness to admit it. Doesn’t make you a bad person though Ed and I do enjoy our chats.
Night night x.
{Ed014's Note - I have no words ?♂️