Xhaka will probably stay. He has been first choice under Wenger, Emery and Arteta

Link players - Ceballos, Xhaka, Gwen
Holding players - ???, Torriera, Gwen
Creative players - Ozil, Ceballos

So even if Xhaka stays we are very light in midfield because Gwen is in the doghouse, Torreira hardly gets selected and Arteta doesn't see AMN in centre midfield.

Who will leave?

comment by Castor Troy (U8700)
posted 9 minutes ago
Xhaka will probably stay. He has been first choice under Wenger, Emery and Arteta
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Not probably. He will stay 100%

comment by It's Time To G... (U3245)
posted 35 minutes ago
just ate a 150g bag of crisps today. disgusted with myself
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Same here Peperoni . I am angry with myself.

Kdb and sterling rested

Man we are going to get hammered on Saturday

WHY IS THERE NO THREAD

Oh

My filter policy has finally come back to bite me

Get soares off

Probably let Minamino score

Have we touched the ball this half?

Martinez has

Arteta

Champions ChampionsChampionsChampionsChampionsChampionsChampionsChampionsChampionsChampionsChampions

Arteta's tactics of getting everyone behind the ball worked. 31% possession at home!

Martinez can NOT be dropped once Leno is fit. Let Leno fight back for his spot. They both need competition and it would be unfair to drop the Argentine.

comment by Commiseration to any non-Liverpool fans currently living in the UK (U10012)
posted 3 minutes ago
Martinez can NOT be dropped once Leno is fit. Let Leno fight back for his spot. They both need competition and it would be unfair to drop the Argentine.
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He really took his chance.

Game yesterday showed the gap between us and Pool is enormous. The way they pressed us into our own half was impressive. It looked so easy.

Martinez was showing those sorts of performances in the Europa last season. Its a shame that Emery didn't swap him with Leno as the cup keeper. Sometimes the bigger signing just gets a pass. Emi's control of the box is superb. He knows when to come for crosses and anticipates what the attacker is trying to do. Reminds me of Seaman.

comment by Gunnerthru (U6675)
posted 1 minute ago
Game yesterday showed the gap between us and Pool is enormous. The way they pressed us into our own half was impressive. It looked so easy.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
That is obviously true. However Arteta's obsession with defending does not help. Arteta reminds me more of Mourinho than pep or wenger.

comment by Jenius99 (U4918)
posted 3 minutes ago
comment by Gunnerthru (U6675)
posted 1 minute ago
Game yesterday showed the gap between us and Pool is enormous. The way they pressed us into our own half was impressive. It looked so easy.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
That is obviously true. However Arteta's obsession with defending does not help. Arteta reminds me more of Mourinho than pep or wenger.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Not sure if that was Arteta's game plan, J99.

They pressed, pressed and pressed and won the ball back immediately when we received it in midfield. We couldnt get hold of it.

comment by Gunnerthru (U6675)
posted 2 minutes ago
comment by Jenius99 (U4918)
posted 3 minutes ago
comment by Gunnerthru (U6675)
posted 1 minute ago
Game yesterday showed the gap between us and Pool is enormous. The way they pressed us into our own half was impressive. It looked so easy.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
That is obviously true. However Arteta's obsession with defending does not help. Arteta reminds me more of Mourinho than pep or wenger.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Not sure if that was Arteta's game plan, J99.

They pressed, pressed and pressed and won the ball back immediately when we received it in midfield. We couldnt get hold of it.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
It was in the second half gt. Otherwise why play with no striker? It was straight out of Mourinho's playbook.

comment by Jenius99 (U4918)
posted 5 minutes ago
comment by Gunnerthru (U6675)
posted 2 minutes ago
comment by Jenius99 (U4918)
posted 3 minutes ago
comment by Gunnerthru (U6675)
posted 1 minute ago
Game yesterday showed the gap between us and Pool is enormous. The way they pressed us into our own half was impressive. It looked so easy.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
That is obviously true. However Arteta's obsession with defending does not help. Arteta reminds me more of Mourinho than pep or wenger.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Not sure if that was Arteta's game plan, J99.

They pressed, pressed and pressed and won the ball back immediately when we received it in midfield. We couldnt get hold of it.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
It was in the second half gt. Otherwise why play with no striker? It was straight out of Mourinho's playbook.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
He rectified it with bringing in Aubameyang for example. The time he did it I havent understand. It was clear that we wanted it to bring over the line.

We we were pressing even when we had crap players at the managerial start of Klopp

You need very high energy workhorses in midfield to do this over and over again. Something you don't have.

Arsenal can fix this. They should go back to the Wenger philosophy of small technically gifted players in midfield like Cazorla and Rosicky who dominated possession like City do now.

Midfield is definitely an erea where we have to improve defensively but also offensively.