alexf

We can still find someone more useful than Shola so not a great loss. Just hope we sign someone at least.

Similar performance and set up to the team that went there 2 years ago in the orange shirts please. Was a fantastic first half performance. Maybe a game to bring in some fresh legs like Ben Arfa and dare I say Cisse.

Can't say I'm not happy Liverpool have fallen 6 points behind the top after the media began all the chat about them winning the league. Rodgers with his whole "It's unprecedented for a team to go from 7th to 1st" carry on.

In the 5th place season. He didn't cement his starting position until post January, so plenty of time for him to get back in the team. Although do have a horrible feeling he might leave in January, but I have that fear every transfer window, so nothing new.

Yeah he came, then tried to go back and ended up in no man's land.

Never had a hope of being involved anyway?

Well he did regularly 2 years ago when we came 5th, when he was starting games. So he already proved you wrong.

Simply put, it was a tough game against a very good team who we restricted to very few proper chances. The only difference between the two sides on the day was a soft set piece goal, that we should have defended better. But other than that we more than matched them and unfortunately just couldn't grab a goal ourselves. We did have two very decent shouts for a penalty though in my opinion. Sissoko first half and Debuchy in the second.

Just put "Ben Arfa isn't Messi" as the title. Some still don't seem to get the concept that he isn't perfect and his inconsistent end product is the exact reason he plays for us and not someone better.

He's playing at a level now where I don't think he needs protecting so much. Think we can try Ben Arfa and him as a right wing partnership once again.

Because a lot of the time it's unfair criticism. Sure criticise the end product/decision making but at the same time you have to commend the ability and skill to create those opportunities in the first place. He's not like a striker who needs service, he is making all his chances on his own. If you want the marvellous individual wonder goals he sometimes scores then we can't slag him off when it doesn't quite come off with the final shot. Games like the Hull game where he really was poor in everything he did, then he deserves everything he gets. But games like today where we are creating fuck all going forward and he's having to go it alone to try and create something, then I cannot understand what people want? to sell him because he isn't perfect?

That isn't the story of his game at all though, it's the rambling tale of a drunken Garth Crooks. What's the story of his game, then? Came on after we struggled to create hardly anything all game. Just after we concede a soft set piece (not Hatem's fault, although some may argue that too) Then we are chasing the game, Arsenal switch to 5 at the back and defend their lead. Hatem goes on a few runs, tries to pick out Shola and Remy with the first couple. Then burns down the wing and puts Flamini on the floor (all his own doing) then see's we are out numbered and decides to shoot but miss hits it. Finally he criminally shoots at the end rather than risk losing it while Krul is out of his goal. Yeah he was shocking, can't wait til Ryan Taylor is back so we can put him on instead.

Some proper trolls on here. Before he came on how much creativity was there? Honestly think some of you would prefer someone who doesn't take on their man or anything but doesn't occasionally lose the ball/shoot instead of cross either .

He's playing well and works his socks off but why is he "undroppable"? You never heard of squad rotation before? It's actually quite common so I'd be surprised if you haven't. I would "drop" Sissoko at home if we're going to play 4-3-3 like, not Gouffran. People on here mocked Martin O'neil for never changing his 11 and then his team suffering from fatigue in the second half of the season. Well we're doing the same thing and I thought it was obvious Gouffran was struggling today.

Thought we waited too long to go for it but that all could have been different had Arsenal not scored when they did. No problems with Shola being chucked on when we were chasing it as we needed to mix it up and he's the only one who can win the occasional header, whereas Cisse probably wouldn't of had a sniff.

I bet no one is laying into Shola for his tame, weak shot? or Santon for blazing over with people in the box etc? He's not perfect but all these moments are usually created entirely by him in the first place. You can slag him for shooting instead of crossing in that moment but who else in our team could have burned down the wing and cut in and made that opportunity? You can't slag him off for one thing and not praise him for the other. If other people were giving him chances to cross on a plate then fair enough but he always makes the chances through his own brilliance.

Shame they scored just after he came on as we had to chase it then. Not going to blame him for that shot. More often than not he hits the target with that near post strike and it would have been incredibly difficult to pick out a newcastle player with a cross looking at the replay. He is snatching at all his shots at the moment and needs to relax a bit. He does everything right up until the final cross/shot. Needs to start against West Brom, purely because Sissoko and Gouffran in particular look shattered and need a rest.

Soft goal from a soft freekick. Shame really as they really didn't have too many good chances. Thought we waited too long to have a proper go at them. We are a tough team to stop when we are attacking at home and we should have piled the pressure on soon. Still though solid performance and we were unlucky not to take atleast a draw from that. First goal was always going to be crucial.

When do we unleash the hatem? Nice to know we still have him fresh and ready.

Nervous as fuck for some reason. Really hope we go for it

Haha I know, shame it's wonga.

Not having that, Jonas had a good year in the championship, a good year in 10/11 and was a huge part of the team effort which saw us get to 5th in 11/12. Yeah last season he was absolutely atrocious as he seemed to lose whatever athleticism he once had and suffered a dramatic decline in performance. But that doesnt mean hes been hopeless for his entire time here. Yes you can argue he hasnt contributed enough with goals and assists, but anyone who watched us regularly over the years knows he contributed in different ways.

With all the stuff pardew said about getting it wrong changing the team in the first half against stoke, I fear ben arfa will be back on the bench and brought on against tired legs. Which isnt the worst thing but hope game isn't lost before he comes on.

Yeah if refs were that strict all the time I'd imagine Tiote would pick up more reds than he does.

Everyone needs to be at 100%, full concentration and maximum effort. Otherwise we could be beaten heavily beaten. I'd like to think the level of opponent will get our lads fully motivated and help us potentially get a fantastic result.