Matteo Guendouzi says Arsenal are unperturbed by last season’s heavy defeat to Liverpool and insists Unai Emery’s new-look side are travelling to Anfield to win.
After a creditable 1-1 draw with the Reds at the Emirates in November, the Gunners were ruthlessly dismantled in the away fixture a month later. Despite Ainsley Maitland-Niles putting us in front, the home side found themselves 4-1 up by half time before Roberto Firmino completed his hat-trick after the break.
The result marked another low point for a team that has often struggled against top six rivals on the road, but Guendouzi says confidence is high after two wins on the bounce.
“Last year was not our finest hour but it’s very different to last season, it’s a new game and new team so I don’t see why it would be the same result, Guendouzi told Sky Sports.
“We’ve had a much better start as well – last year we started with two losses but this year we are already six points up.
“We have a better team overall and we’re feeling good about ourselves, we have a good team and we believe in ourselves.
“I know we can do really well, we are going there to win and I believe we can beat any Premier League side.”
There has been talk that Guendouzi’s performances over the last 12 months could see him rewarded with a new contract at the Emirates. He seems keen to continue improving, especially with new faces (and hair) bringing additional qualities.
“David Luiz brings a lot of experience and is a very comprehensive defender,” he said of the deadline day recruit from Chelsea.
“[Dani] Ceballos is a very technical player and played excellently against Burnley, while Pepe is a player I know well from France.
“I think all three bring a lot of strength and positive aspects to the team.”
Bring it on ouzi we can do it.
Optimism is good and all, but this is getting out of hand.
First let’s start by preventing dross like Burnley and Newcastle from taking 15+ shots against us. Then we can talk about going toe to toe with the likes of city & pool.
Take this with a pinch of a salt. It’s youthful arrogance exuberance at best, youthful arrogance at worst. Guendouzi will soon learn that actions speaker louder than word.
What the hell is wrong with you
Duh! So much for positivity.
Shame.
You must be fun at parties.
It’s also the attitude winners need to have, so we’ll see.
Oh yes, of course. He should of said were going there to get trashed, that the club had no ambition and previous two wins were just pure luck. Absolutely. Why would ya wanna be confident before a big game anyway?
I think “Guendouzi: We could potentially maybe nearly almost beat any Championship side” makes for much better reading, don’t you?
..or or or and this is just a thought, not say anything.
I forced to say something, then just say something to the effect of ‘we will see on the day’.
Yeah I love the positivity, but oppositions love it too, gives them some extra incentives to beat you: “you can beat anyone in the league eh? we’ll see about that…”. I’m glad this is how they feel in the squad, but I’d prefer this positivity and high morale stayed within the squad a bit more. The puddles are a fuking excellent football team, don’t give them more ammunition for motivation. But hey, if we win then fuk it…go for it lads!!!
If Liverpool, whose goal is to win the league, need extra incentive to play a historic rival at home, then they have no chance to finish ahead of Man City. This is provocative for the tabloids, not Mo Salah.
He could have just said how determined they are to give their best possible performance. Our players said the same thing about the Europa League final. The year before they wanted to beat Atletico for departing Wenger. Bellerin who came out to say that had his worst performance in career.
Could we have a day on here where everyone can only be positive?? No thought not…☹️
Im so fed up with these so called supporters who says “1 point would be massive”. Planning for failure is worse then not planning at all. How do you as fans expect the players to perform in a game when the general standard all over social media is: “arsenal aint good enough to beat liverpool, a point would be massive”. How about believeing in our squad? Newcastle won against city last season, why on earth wouldnt we be able to beat pool?
All I know is if we beat Liverpool and Tottenham I will have a lot of confidence in this team to do very well this season! If Leicester could win the premier league a few seasons back then this shows ANY team can win the premier league 😉
It’s hard to criticise them for it until we show it. Because over the last few seasons, and one could argue longer than that in the league (and pundits do) we haven’t shown it in these big games enough for them to truly believe this squad can until they prove otherwise – it’s kinda fair isn’t it? Great to get 6 points against Toons and Burnley, but really…it’s the puddles, $ities, Chel$eas, Manures, even the fuk $p*ds of the league we need to show we can beat. Time to back up this talk is just before tea-time tomorrow!
That’s not true last year we only struggled with Liverpool and City. The other lot we had better records against.
Oh so we only got smashed by the teams we have to beat to challenge for the title…gotcha. Time to stand up and be counted!
I doubt Emery splits the boys up into small groups to trawl through social media for a couple of hours before a game to gauge whether or not they can win. I actually get the impression that Guendo is up for this and I think the squad will be confident in its ability to get something from the game. From a supporter’s point of view I can say I’d be very happy with a point. Why? Context. This is a fixture that we haven’t won for like 7 years. We’ve not only lost, but have been been humiliated on more… Read more »
What a braindead comment. I dont even know how to respond to that
No worries mate – you already have 🙂
Who pissed in your cornflakes today?
aparently “Post Januari Blip” did.
“I doubt Emery splits the boys up into small groups to trawl through social media for a couple of hours before a game to gauge whether or not they can win.”
If thats not a braindead comment, i dont know what is. And speaking truth on this website results in thumbs down. no exceptions. Remarkable.
‘Newcastle won against City’. You are taking something that was (almost) a one-off to illustrate your point, not many teams took points off City last season, let alone won.
If we get one point and play well then that would give us and the players more confidence for the rest of the season, if we can see an upward trajectory. Obviously a win is better but don’t knock the benefits of a good draw.
Loser mentality
In my dreams, we won the game against Pool, with a scoreline of 6-8!!
1 point would be massive.
That is fact like it or not.
I think we mostly have the right players to hurt them. But still they are the champions of Europe and much better sides were thrashed at that stadium.
I think the confidence and belief that is growing amongst the squad, it’s really great. But now is the time to prove it. They are playing one of the best teams in Europe on their turf. Get out there and show them that you are serious and smack them in the mouth – prove it on the pitch. Talk is one thing (and it’s great for morale), but actions and empirical evidence are another; talking a big game only works when you back up that big game with an actual “big time game” [game here meaning not just one match,… Read more »
shut up. why do you have to say these things? wait until you actually defeat the top sides.
I personally hate the fact that majority of our fan base still have doubts over the team. Guendouzi is right about what he’s saying. The team feel much stronger and with 2 wins out of 2 you can’t blame his confidence. I’m not one of those fans who believe Liverpool will beat us or we can only get a point. The match is 90 minutes, anything can happen. We have a very strong midfield and very strong front line. Liverpool is equally scared of us. It’s a new year, new improved squad and a new game. I want to win… Read more »
There’s no real evidence one way or another so what are you basing your comments on? Victory over two teams we almost always win against?
We all hope we can push forward this season and the team is certainly stronger than last season but we simply don’t know yet – and probably won’t get a reasonable idea until at least Christmas.
Unfortunately, in football as in life, saying something – even with great conviction – doesn’t make it so.
Thank you! someone who trusts the manager and the team
It’s great Matteo and the team are thinking positively but the $64,000 question is: Will they translate this into the quality performance on the pitch that’s needed if we’re to come away from Anfield (in this case) with something? I hope that we’re not basing too much of this welcome new spirit of optimism on the early wins against Newcastle and Burnley though as they both have the kind of record against us that we have against Liverpool. If we’re going to mount a sustained challenge for a top four place this season then 17:30, Anfield, tomorrow is when the… Read more »
When we come out with this kind of statement, we tend to lose. I wish he hadn’t said that. At all.
Is giving yourself a high 5 in the mirror part of the motivational program for building self confidence?
lol
I remember Aubamayang and co running their mouth about beating Chelsea in the Europa League final too, only to spectacularly fall flat on their faces. It’s better to say less and let actions speak for you.
Calm down sir.
You would think that our players would be less cocky. After all, didn’t we have a run last year where we were undefeated against smaller teams, only to end up with nothing?
Petit Matteo, last year you lost the first two games, yes, to City and Chelsea… This year it was Newcastle and Burnley. Not the same class, petit Matteo.
I like it, but we have to remember we played two very good sides at the start last year. This team still has to test its mettle and that’s exactly what these next two games will do. You hate to say it, but it’s not preposterous to see us take 0 from 6 from our next two games and be basically where we were last season after 4 games last season. Last season we were not competitive at all at Anfield, and it took arguably our best performance of the season to see off Tottenham at the Emirates. Let’s just… Read more »
The reason I’m excited about tomorrow is that I’m confident we will at least compete. Last year (after our goal), we gave up very easily. Baby steps but I want my Arsenal to compete at Anfield, Etihad Stadium, etc,.
Yes, I think that’s a sensible approach. I fear that too many Gooners are getting a tad carried away at this early stage with the expectation arising from the Summer transfers. I’m sure the new look team will be a success, but it will take time and it’s unlikely that we’ll sweep all before us from the outset of the season (although I’d certainly welcome it if we did). Liverpool are going to be a very tough proposition and we’ll need a performance far better than either of those in the season so far. Competing on the pitch, whatever the… Read more »
He’s absolutely right, of course, though some are going to be more difficult than others.
The real test, however, is twofold: to beat enough of them that our points tally (or cup run) at the end of the season translates into some universally interpreted citation of success and, possibly more importantly, to do it in such a way that makes us proud to be an Arsenal supporter.
This season neither is impossible.
Criteria for success is clear, isn’t it? To get a CL place either by EPL qualification or by winning the Europa League. A fourth consecutive season without it would have serious consequences for the club going forward.
It’s certainly not impossible, particularly with the players brought in, but two games played is far, far, too early to draw any conclusions. We all hope of course – but we cannot know.
Haha, GUN-douzi. Nice one, Blogs!
Does every photo of Guendouzi look better when there is David Luiz also in it?
I would feel a lot better if Bellerin, Holding, and Tierney were part of the back four against Liverpool. I can’t wait for the them to be back in the lineup. I think once they are all back, we will be a team with which to be reckoned.
Why are we calling him out for being confident? Isn’t that what we want out of our team and players? Do you want him to say “they’re better than us and we’re going there to survive at best”?
Well lets start with Liverpool this weekend. We can beat them if we get the basics right in defense. Was impressed with the diligence by Guendouzi and Nelson tracking back to cover against Burnley. But Liverpool are far more slippery opponents. We will need to be extremely aware and pick up movements into the box or off Cback’s shoulders. Guendouzi tried to cover for Luiz against Newcastle when the Brazilian was guilty of ball watching and lost Barnes. We need to have far better awareness of we are going to contain Liverpool. AND as with Burnley, fullbacks (AMN) need to… Read more »
Still acting as Mustafi’s unofficial agent, are we? That particular parade has long since passed by, just accept that Emery (who’s opinion counts a little more than yours, and he expresses far more succinctly) is obviously finished with him. Hopefully, Mustafi will be moving on … you should do the same.
I wonder if how we finished last game is a precursor to how we will prosecute against Liverpool. If we go toe to toe front 3, we may be risking it at the back with a flat back 4. 3 at the back ( on their forwards, denying space) plus two wing backs to contain their fullbacks, may be a more water tight solution. Then a midfield 3 as we had with Cebellos in the hole, Guendouzi and Willock (or Granit) UP top just two with Pepe and Auba on the counter. ………………………Auba…………….Pepe………………………… ………………………………..Cebellos………………………………. Kolasinac…………………………………………………………..AMN …………………….GUendouzi……….Granit……………………….. ………..Monreal…………..Sokratis………..Chambers…………… ………………………………..Leno……………………………………. Doubling up… Read more »
Fine and dandy and I’m sure Emery will read it with interest (not).
But you leave out the most important point: what’s the score going to be? (Just 1:0, 1:1, 0:1 or whatever will do. No essay required.)
Not to pour water on his confidence but this are the things one shouldn’t say in public lol. It never turns out well especially right before playing the champions of europe.
Seeing a load of comments about arrogance, and that he should just shut up. Why the hell shouldn’t he be begging up our chances? Jesus some of you lot are so fucking negative I’m surprised you all aren’t suffering with ulcers.
*bigging*