Twice Arsenal led by two goals at Anfield this evening, and in the last moments of injury time we had a one goal lead but were dragged back by Divock Origi’s late equaliser.
There were positives, with Gabriel Martinelli scoring twice, Joe Willock getting a screamer and Mesut Ozil contributing again. In the end though, we blew the lead three times and ended up losing. So despite the positives and the fun the game provided, ultimately there’s disappointment too.
Read the Liverpool 5-5 Arsenal report and see the goals here.
Here’s how the players rated this evening.
Here’s how the players rated this evening.
Ratings
The ratings are now hidden by default until you vote, but if you just want to view the ratings and the comments, flick the switch at the top above Emi Martinez. Also, give the ratings a few seconds to load.
We conceded five goals in the hands of kids… I bet you every Liverpool fan knows each player we put out but we can’t say the same for most of their players… This speak volumes …..we are heading into crisis wirh Emery…No jokes!… I repeat no jokes!
Seems to me we are up to our necks in crisis already. We were heading there since April at least but got distracted by a very positive transfer window.
#EmeryOut
Even a positive transfer window feels disrespected…trust me i don’t think it might knock on our door once again for a while
Emery needs top 4 and a trophy this season then we need to thank him and send him on his way. He’s not the future and the way he’s going he may not last the season.
holding is shit
If you think a different manager is suddenly going to turn Kolasinac into peak Roberto Carlos? or turn Mustafi into peak Sol Campbell? Then you’re delusional…. Exactly the same questions were being asked defensively on Klopp just 2 years ago. Emery gradually easing back Bellerin+Holding looks the right move, both understandably off the pace tonight. Some of our squad really aren’t very good, Emery inherited a shit show, the youngster need time and patience which won’t be forthcoming with our fan base, and whilst I think Emery will get the push at some point, I’m not expecting a new manager… Read more »
I think you’ve missed the point. The issue people are having with Emery is that it seems like he hasn’t got a solid philosophy, and that the team doesn’t seem to have a solid idea of what they are doing when they go out to play. Sometimes we’ll press, sometimes we’ll sit back and soak up pressure. Sometimes we’ll do something in between which helps no one. You can bet Allegri would have come in with a plan from day one, and the team by now would know their roles to a tee, rather than “righto boys, what is it… Read more »
Agreed, get Allegri please.
Anyone pining for Allegri did not follow Juventus. He’s not a visionary coach, he’s a very pragmatic, typical Italian coach, get the result, who cares how it looks. If anyone thinks Allegri has a style he’s going to come in and impose on the squad, keep dreaming.
Managers don’t make the players better, they make the team better… brilliantly put.
Says it all.
We have an attacking trident that is not significantly weaker than those of Liverpool and Man City. We have two fullbacks who are better than almost any pair in the league; they are being “eased” back in–though it’s hard to see why, by now, 90 minutes in a cup is much easier on Bellerin than 90 minutes in the league. We have a fine holding midfielder (watch Uruguay) who rarely plays in the league, and then out of position. We have a player (who you think is worthless) who, in his few appearances (as last night), adds coherence and thrust… Read more »
Well, I personally have heard of Joe Gomez, James Milner, Adam Lallana, Naby Keita, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, and Divock Origi. We started 3 defenders still fairly fresh from long term injuries in addition to, what, three 18 year-olds? It wasn’t like Liverpool didn’t have some players out there.
sorry to say…fans like you are the reason why this club looks stagnant… If you can actually look away from the true fact and quickly make invalid excuses for this shameful display of immaturity from a defense that can easily start 25 of our 38 premier league games
The team we put out today has played games in the Europa league and carabao cup and even in the premier league but can you say the same about the liverpool youngsters that tore us a new one…… martinelli, saka, Maitland Niles,willock and the rest have all played in the premier league,carabao cup and europa league but the liverpool youngsters haven’t gotten that chance to gel and you feel i shouldn’t feel ashamed about our display
“Liverpool youngsters that tore us a new one…”
It is a shame you aren’t even kidding. This is rather becoming unhealthy tbh.
#WorstFansInTheWorld
I don’t know where exactly what went wrong that our fanbase has attracted so many restless bile-spewing prats in the past 5-6 years.
Still, a fucking drag.
The thing to note is that its still Liverpool’s second string. Sure they’ve got some youngsters that no one has heard of, but I prefer our second string better (apart from the systemically poor defending) and shows that outside of Liverpool’s first team there really isn’t much there (Lallana? LOL). These ‘Pool youngsters are still the same age as ours, and we bossed it for big parts of the match. I think our squad is pretty good tbh and it’ll be interesting to see how we get on later in the season, if we’re still challenging for anything. And if… Read more »
The Arsenal players are still youngsters themselves your comment is stupid. Just because they’ve had a bit more experience ie like 5 games more is ridiculous. Also you probably haven’t followed the liverpool ones and which games they’ve played so are basing this on complete speculation. Finally we were away from home and they had loads of experience in their team.
Having watched Xhaka and Auba abused by our own “fans” (I don’t regard them as fans), the Ox showing his class after being booed by “fans” today by scoring and not celebrating and Mustafi rubbished again by our former players – combined with the general toxicity around – that I don’t think TCGNR has contributed to us being stagnant at all. Whinging so called fans, who I wish would piss off to Spurs where turning your back on your team is the norm, and the bizarre behaviour of a manager are what I see as the issues. For the record,… Read more »
Those (two?) people who had a go at Auba were stupid and rude and don’t represent the fans who overwhelmingly love him. Let’s not condemn the entire fanbase because of them.
Sounds like he just stated some facts rather than blurting exagerations, kinda think you’re the problem with the fans, get a life.
Man, you’re a fucking drag.
I thought the same. Gomez was the only player with any sort of experience in their back 5. Granted 4 of their remaining 6 had much more experience, but the Arsenal team was much stronger on paper. Saka was the least experienced of all the players to travel, let alone play.
A disappointing result that only strengthens the current narrative against Emery.
You’ve not watched a lot of Liverpool then….
Please…they had a front three of Elliott, Brewster and Origi. That bunch wouldn’t scare anyone except Emery.
Emery’s ability to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory is well-recorded. Remember the Barca vs PSG UCL match? The match in which Barca overturned many goals deficit to qualify to the next round…?
Origi scored easy goals. Niles shouldn’t be losing the ball just outside the 18 for Ox’s goal. But this by all accounts was our junior team. All this shows is that we’ve got a wonderful youth system. That you know them all and are so disappointed in their loss. We had kids in that team, mate.
Precisely – AMN KNOWS Ox – musta seen what he can do from range plenty of times in training… yet he stood off, allowed Alex to shift it onto his strong foot and drift into a shooting space!
Crap.
Not sure what it worse – the fact that OX was allowed that space – or that 7 people on this forum think it was OK, God love ’em!!!
What do you call a man with a spade on his hea…
What? No jokes at all?
Yeah, not great. But some belters from Liverpool, I’d say it’s a tough one to grizzle about.
Martinelli pushing for a start in the league in place of Saka. No bad thing to see those two tussle it out for a starting berth.
Great assessment of the game. I agree with it word for word.
Great game to watch, pretty unlucky we didn’t hold out. But what about Gabby? The guy is a one man press. Unfortunately, but when was the last time one of our strikers gave up a penally in our own box? A pleasure to watch, and almost had three before half?
bet you, emery wont play Martinelli , instead he’ll push on Saka fot the position.
Özil = class
Did Emery do the thumbs down?
Emery = not class
Emery=bad ebening
??
Ozil = Next coach of AFC
“Ozil = Next coach of AFC”
Well actually when I read German coach mentioning Ozil suggested some players to him. Those players turned out to be great for their team. I thought may be Ozil can become a talent spotter for Arsenal when he retires.
Bit silly how fans are taking the side of Ozil over Emery. True fans want both to succeed, but will back the manager by default. Supporting the manager = class.
Is that Robbie? Let me know when you pull your head out of the sand Savage.
Pele 2.0 <3
10/10 game of football.
Not if you like quality defending.
Ain’t no one watching a Carabao Cup game for displays of defensive prowess. It was an excellent watch regardless of result. I was gripped from start to finish.
Save Bellerin for the league, for god’s sakes. Play our first-choice defenders, because the current ones are lousy.
Bellerin natural fit as captain as well
10-10 for the travelling support
We are no better than end game Wenger. Worse. With a better squad. I’ll take the new manager bounce anytime now. It’s very hard to believe Unai is doing any better than an average manager would with our squad. Time to move on.
Pretty sure Gunnersaurus would have us playing better football.
By just swinging the tail i guess
What does he have to do to get the nod as caretaker manager!?! Everyone wants a fancy foreign manager instead of proper football dinosaurs like Gunnersaurus.
So much potential but the clown doesn’t know what to do with it
Emery knows too much. Chambers or AMN can’t cut it as a defensive mid.Willock can’t be an attacking midfielder. Matteo is our only ball handling midfielder. Lucas is too small to receive the ball in our half. It is all dogma.The set up/lineups reek of self fulfilling prophesy. I can’t try it in a league game, because these adjustments wouldn’t work. Risk aversion and conservatism in approach.
Wasn’t it lovely to see players and fans celebrating together……..after the AMN goal…….makes me wonder, hmmm, is there a bit of hope.
And then minutes later it went back to square one….bad old days never stay far away from arsenal… We made Origi look like a prime Ibrahimovic
It’s call football. We will give away stupid goals every now and then. Jesus. The sun comes out most days man.
To be fair Origi played very well and he is quite talented. The only reason he isn’t a starter because Salah, Mane and Friminio are in front of him.
#EmeryOut
#ErikTenHagIn
Freddie in
#AnyoneButMourinhoIn
Fuck Jose
martinelli’s fingers look busted
Yeah, it did. Bloke stepped on it. He’s a gamer, with talent and fire. Bit gassed at the end. Can’t blame him.
Get Emery out now ! I don’t care if Mourinho is an old foe, he certainly is a master tactician. #MourinhoIn
Come on man, there are a lot of other options, why the hell we need to get that twat…
Because he knows how to win
go away.
I keep seeing Mourinho name mentioned with Arsenal, and part of me feels it is more a ploy by him to get one over on Wenger… Saying that he does know how to organise a defense, he loves Ozil. Personally I would much rather have him with us than him going to the Spuds if they sack poch…
And I would much rather have Poch at Arsenal than Mourinho if the lot there are stupid enough to sack him. That guy is class and deserves a better club, unlike Mourinho who is poisonous and sucks the life and respect out of any club he goes to.
Oh stop using that disgusting word. How could you even think that, let alone type it? After all the nasty things he said about our club and wenger over the years…. The man has no class and didn’t exactly cover himself in glory during his last 2 Premier league appointments.
I’d forgive him if we won the league
YOu fuckwit
#MourinhoIn is the day I go find a lower league team to support instead I fear
That is the day The Arsenal will see Hong Kong style protests.
#GunnersaurusIn
This guy is a troll paid for by Jorge Mendes.
#MourinhoInAToilet
Emery In.
No way! Even if Mourinho would win us something (which is in no way guaranteed), he would destroy the club and bring back the boring arsenal. Our team should always stand for the art of football and not for scrappy but successful games. For that a change is clearly needed, but I would much more like to see a coach like Lucien Favre or Erik ten Hag who are not afraid to try to win something by playing forward.
We currently have a decent bunch of youngsters so I don’t see how appointing mourinho to watch him slowly suck the life out of them and destroy their confidence can be seen as a positive?
Apart from Origi’s first I’m not sure Martinez could have done better with their goals, must still be deflating especially after the penalty shoot out. Thought AMN was pretty good as well, linked up with Ozil well and glad he got his goal. All in all an incredible game but also lowkey worrying that we couldn’t even beat Liverpool’s kids. Their backline was a shambles, as was their keeper, and most of our goals came from forced mistakes. We pressed very well and had a much stronger side out than them, including the benches, so you really do wonder what… Read more »
He should have saved e the 5th goal definitely and the 5th penalty as well.
Isn’t it interesting how if you put proper players in the right places they play better. Ozil makes Saka and AMN play better than they did before.
Emery’s substitutions were all so wrong. Takes Ozil off when we needed the goal. Took Torreira off when we needed to defend the goal.
Think it was done with Saturday in mind, expecting both to feature in that game.
hmm… the voice of reason…. rare.
I hope you’re right but I suspect Emery will have Torreira on the bench and Ozil in the stands.
I’m not ready to hold my breath on Emery playing them Saturday.
but on how we saw Ozil in this match, it would be a good thing. That link-up play has been missing for us in the league.
Maybe I was missing something, but I thought Torreira got bypassed a bit easily at times..
If they both start Saturday, it may have been the right move. This game didn’t matter too much. Wolves in the league is critical. Especially to Unai.
Absolutely gutted..
Looked like someone hadn’t yet turned Tierney on in the picture on top of the article
Or maybe it was after the game, and someone had turned him off.
Eyelids Inside Out Boy is available to manage…. Just saying
I am an Ozil critic but he played really well. He deserves more game time. So too does Martinelli. What a talent, potentially world class.
Agree.. Özil playing with that sort of work rate gets in the team any day. Martinelli is such a joy to watch; sets a template for the rest of the squad with his work rate.
Özil CLASS is PERMANENT
Yeh, as they say, form is temporary but class is permanent. He’s an artist on the ball, no one can take that away from him.
It’s got to be said that Emi was terrible. They say goal keepers can win you games, well Emi sort of did the opposite today. I don’t mean to be too harsh on him, I just think he usually plays much better. This is a reminder of why he plays second fiddle to Leno tho
Totally agree with that. Didn’t deserve a 5. Probably a 2 but nothing better. Awful on 2 of their goals and basically gave them an open goal during the penalty shootout, he might as well not have been there
Somewhere Andrei Arshavin is giggling about this game and helping himself to another pie.
Martinelli should be offered improved terms and a release clause of half a billion
Have to disagree with Emi Martinez’s rating. was at fault for at least 2 of those goals.
Yup. Martinez 2 at best
We conceded many goals..this means weäk defence and goalkeeping
We gifted them three goals: – 1st goal an own goal after Willock lost the man on the right to the corner – 2nd goal Ozil on the edge of the box tries a little flick on a ball he should have aggressively gone to and their player gets it and drives into the box for the PK – 3rd goal AMN does something similar to Ozil on the edge of the 18 casually waits for the ball while Ox plows through him to get it For any good Ozil does in the attacking half it’s lack of effort plays… Read more »
Ozil was r
Dispossessed on the half way line under pressure, they still had a lot to do before they eventually scored, while AMN was robbed out side the box and the ball was in goal in about 2 seconds, more a case of brilliant play by Ox than bad play AMN. IMO of course
Absolute bullshit! If that’s what he looked at why the hell would he completely ignore it weekly with Xhaka, Guendouzi, Kolasinac, AMN..? NO ONE knows what our clueless coach looks at with Ozil.
You consider those gifts?
How about that one goal where ozil didn’t press hard enough one of the CB and 10 min later they scored?
How about that other goal where ozil and AMN didn’t intercept a pass and than 10 possession changes later they scored?
Fucking A, the narrative will never stop.
I remember one, last season, about Mustafi clearing the ball to concede a throw-in (a throw-in!) and getting blamed when the other team scored soon after. (Mustafi makes enough genuine mistakes without blaming him when he does the right thing.)
Wonder why Emery doesn’t freeze out all players who lose the ball then…
Do you have a blog where I can read more of your insightful commentary? If not may I suggest you start one? In fact YouTube video of shot by shot breakdown using squiggles would be A1.
Hardly a lack of effort by Mesut on his interception>flick to Saka for our 3rd goal. Also hard to put the ‘lack of effort’ label on his touchline back heel for AMN’s goal.
You seem to have made the mistake of watching the match. If you had simply listened to the pundits, thus saving a couple of hours, your opinions would be far more trustworthy.
Probably going to be unpopular here but I don’t honestly mind tonight’s result. It’s the league cup. It isn’t our priority this season. Sure, it would be fantastic to get to the final, but our focus is elsewhere. But, what a game of football that was to watch. Let’s look at the positives from the game. Bellerin is looking good, considering his absence from regular football. Ozil looked brilliant and it was great seeing his passion celebrating with the fans after the goal from AMN. Torreira looked like he was out to prove a point, he was everywhere. Martinelli, well,… Read more »
I don’t understand how you can say you don’t care about the results?
This wasn’t a game where we were getting crushed so it didn’t matter at the end. We had 2nd team or fringe players out there so there isn’t any problems with 1st team problems. We had the lead going towards the end and still had a chance to win with the shootout.
This is definitely a game you should care about for the results.
Love it when a game like that proves Emery wrong for almost all of his usual selection calls, Özil and Torreira first and foremost.
I would like their early substitutions to be a sign that something good might come up this weekend, but I will hold it until I see it – we might see Torreira as N.10 and Özil on the bench.
You think Ozil will make the squad? Progress.
When was the last time we have seen Ozil so competitive? The steal and back pass to Saka to set up Gabby’ s second, the move to keep the ball in bounds for AMN’s goal, and I think I even saw him compete for a header(ha)!! He was up for this game, and it showed. The front three really should be his domain, as our pressing seems to be hit or miss so far this season. Hope he can kick on from this one, as he definitely played like he had a point to prove.
I would dock Emi points for his distribution – did he complete even one of his bombs? I know that our playing out from the back is diabolical, but there has to be something in the middle…literally.
I almost forgot how enjoyable it was to watch Ozil.. so smooth
Tried to make sense of Emery’s comments post match. It just seems symptomaic of the entire malais in the club that a year on no one has said: Unai, nice teeth job and haircut, but when you speak to the media, speak slowly – no one can undertand you. Don’t open with “good evening” because your accent makes it sound funny and people are mocking you. But then we have a website which runs year-old profiles of players and this week reporting on an under-23 game without putting our line-up in. We know we struggle for leadership on the park… Read more »
even if we had our first team defence, we would have conceded goals. defensive coach is a joke. do we even have one?
Seems we are already in crisis
Ceballo and Emery will not be remembered in north of london in a positive way…
Anyone notice how the overall level just dropped when the subs came on? Another strategic blunder by our manager, I’m afraid.
I love Guen but he wasn’t there last night – sloppy passes gifted possession twice, none of his usual tiger-tackling and he was nowhere for their crucial 4th goal…
Likewise – Dani didn’t really add anything. Why Torreira off unless injured?
Well in the travelling fans! ARSENAL!! ARSENAL! ARSENAL!!
I’m so happy we have Martinelli! WHAT A TALENT! And what a match it was yesterday. It wasn’t Ceballos who lost us the game, it was our poor defending and goal keeping. Mustafi and Martinez should have done better, but it is what it is. We got an exciting game at last. If Emery start with Tierney, Torreira ad Ozil this weekend, I might start to drool a little. Let’s get serious in the big boy competition (PL) now, and show the opponents who we really are (the real fans, the creativity of Arsenal and the players). We all need… Read more »
Give Hector the strap…Give Unai a slap
Mixed emotions about this one. It was a really entertaining game, and wonderful to see players who deserve a chance get their minutes. Martinelli was a joy, and Ozil was exquisite. Bellerin was solid and it was great to see him and Holding continue on their way towards the first team. It’s clear to see how our midfield should be working; Torreira and Ozil are a great pair and I think with Guendouzi we’d have a really complete midfield trio. I have to say I was happy to see the Ox playing well. He’s a great guy and we never… Read more »
Brave of Ox to come out to clap the Arsenal fans at the end. He didn’t have too and he was booed when he was on the ball most of the game. Respect to the guy. He’s got talent and it’s a shame we rarely got the best out of him.
95% with you. I love the OX, so sad that some fans thought it a good idea to give him some stick. I would think a midfield of Özil, Xhaka and Torreira as DM would work better though in terms of balance. They would be deadly in opening up the game and providing for the front three. As much as I and everybody else rate Gwen, he does not bring the qualities or tactical awareness to cover for the shortcomings of our potential DMs. He would be brilliant in coming from the bench to provide some extra energy later in… Read more »
RoUh: I think a combination of Xhaka and Ozil would be the opposite of dynamic, whatever that is. That’s what I’d expect Guendouzi to bring to the trio – the dynamism.
I thought Holding was terrible; he kept misjudging balls in the air so that the attacker got behind him, turned easily for a goal (two matches in a row), often out of position, and many misplaced passes. Bailed out a couple of times by Kolasinac (!) and Mustafi (!!). I think it was just one of those matches for the most part, but the ability of strikers to turn him when he gets close is genuinely worrying.
Can’t say I enjoyed that overly. Ozil clear MoTM. Emery begone.
I don’t enjoy the final result, but the game was a thrill ride. Skills! Ozil Goals! Martinelli Fuck ups! Mustafi.
If you watched that and got nothing from it I wonder if football is really for you?
What can I say, I was raised on a steady diet of 1-0s.
Emery can’t catch a break at the moment. VAR cancelling out goals, VAR not available to cancel out dives.
And by the way, Liverpool have become a really divey team.
Still in liverpool. I’m hoping all this stuff will leave my mind by time I get to Euston. Crazy match but need a break from thinking about it.
Not sure where the ratings for the centre backs come from. I thought Holding was shocking. He made Divock Origi look like Lionel Messi more than once.
get read for Mourinho before jan window.
a game full of goals and mistakes so enjoyed and OK with result also kinda happy it was Ceballos that missed and not one of the young players he is a seasoned player that can take it on the chin