'Holic, Have You Still Got Your Boots?
Apr 20th, 2009 by 'holic
Ok, so that was the phone call that hasn’t happened since the firm’s team played the Fire Brigade, and one of the young lads was without appropriate footwear, but I was on tenterhooks all day. The news that Emmanuel Adebayor and Robin van Persie are missing the trip to Liverpool was not timed to raise the spirits.
However, you haven’t come here to read me wallowing in the morose, so let’s consider a world in which Bendtner leads the line and Eduardo slots in alongside him. Is a bold 4-4-2 the way to go at Anfield against title-chasing Liverpool? It would do it for me.
Now pinch yourself. It will be 4-5-1. Song will return alongside Fabregas and Diaby may be played at the attacking point of the five. With Arshavin surely starting on the left that leaves Nasri and Walcott to dispute the berth on the right, when both should feature.
The only good news is a possible return for Bacary Sagna, although I am going to commit sacrilege here, and suggest he has not been at his best for a while now, and Eboue may be hard done by if left out tomorrow. Did I really write that? Where is the thunderbolt?
Of much greater concern is the potential isolation of Silvestre by Torres. Hopefully the ninety minutes under his belt on Saturday will have helped the former United defender get closer to full match fitness, but the fact that he appeared to be breathing out of his backside after getting a chasing from Drogba was a real worry.
Now if all that sounds as though I don’t much fancy our chances of getting something in front of the Kop then I apologise. It’s just a week since the scousers showed themselves to be vulnerable in the extreme as they snatched defeat from the jaws of victory from the jaws of defeat at Stamford Bridge. They are hurting from missing out on that Champions League semi-final, and are missing their totem, Gerrard.
The ‘holic pound can sometimes be a complicated affair. This time around it is simple. Stan James, among others, offers 4/1 against an Arsenal win of any description. Seriously, I cannot recall the last time we were that big to win a game. Yes, I know there is a reason for that, but we are talking Liverpool here. No more confident than us. Nervous in the extreme as they attempt to land their first ever Premiership title. FOUR TO ONE. Read it again. I’m having some of that.
Here’s hoping you are back after the game reading about my winning bet, and not further injuries. I’ve had a look at the price of boots these days, and it’s frightening!
17 Responses to “'Holic, Have You Still Got Your Boots?”
wahey 1st! nice write up holic
guiness please barman
didn’t realise both RVP and ade were crock. shame
agree with u team wise, and yes nas, theo and AA should ALL be playing!!
thanks for a good time chatting at the tourch holic, i hate chavs
It’s a big ask tomorrow, despite Gerrard’s absence, so I’ll settle for a 1-1. Oh, and a pint of cider. Cheers ‘holic.
Cheers all.
Thanks to you too dizzy. It’s good to natter with someone who knew what it was really like in the days before I was born 😉
We NEVER get fours, cheeky slags! Pint please. Of G&T.
And Wenger will probably be resting Arshavin,Song,Toure etc with the excuse that we have a big,big game coming up against Stoke in 14 days time.
yep 4-5-1 all the way. wenger will stifle us again. Yes probably Diaby behind Nik. No Nasri or Eduardo in starting line up. I can read wenger like a book.
These games against the Fire Brigade are never easy, ‘Holic and you were lucky to get off with the tenterhooks and not elevate to the runs.
My pick ahead of Fabianski would be:
Sagna, Toure, Song, Gibbs
Walcott, Fabregas, Denilson, Arshavin,
Bendtner Eduardo
I’ve given up trying to read the bosses mind though and we may see Eboue rewarded with a mid-field slot. Silvestre is lacking in too many dimensions to merit another start. Kolo and Alex have looked very sound when they’ve played together.
I’m going for 2-1 win driven by the triangle who can really play Wengerball but are so rarely on the field together – step up Cesc, Denilson and Eduardo (Dudu both goals; both from Denilson assists).
Bendtner and Eduardo looks favourite with Arshavin and Walcott wide. Walcott MUST start. I see no reason why Nasri shouldn`t play instead of Denilson (if its one or the other) as he is the more creative player. We need to put pressure on the Liverpool goal as I have little faith in our defence, Silvestre in particular. This is a must win game for them, and I think we simply have to go for it.
I still fancy our chances up there. They are more of a wounded animal with the loss of Gerrard, than we are with all our absentees. I can see Theo causing havoc yet again at Anfield and more than likely a 4-5-1. Bendtner has not shown great finishing on the whole this year, but he can hold up play as well as anyone and wins more than his fair share in the air. I also think that his running off the ball has improved no end. I like the idea of Arshavin, Nasri and Theo buzzing around him.
They will be more nervous than us. It is a must win game for them and that added pressure may just work in our favour.
Keep the faith…..
I liked the idea of Arshavin, Nasri and Theo buzzing around Wembley, never mind Anfield.
Didn’t happen then and I don’t see it happening in scouseland.
Surely one or more will be rested for some unexpected event – such as playing a game of football at some indeterminate date in the future?
Given Arsene’s current level of peversity I can see ‘Holic replacing Cesc and me in goal.
Actually . . . .
Back to our winning ways . 1-2 to the Arsenal.
A bobbysque screamer from AA23.
Just incredible. 4-4 and we should have won it. Great game. What was Cesc doing with that long pass forward after we were 4-3 u? Defining moment. Should have been in row Z. As the great Jim Baxter once said, “naebuddy scores frae row Z, son”
Can’t really complain about anything after a game like that. All that haggling over Arshavin was well worth it!
Yeah, we could have nicked it, but look at the stats and think about how Liverpool fans must be feeling. I’m well happy with a draw. When we went 2-1 down, I feared the worst. Lovely to see Walcott running free and setting up a goal at Anfield again.
So proud of my team!
‘holic – you are not alone in mouring the loss of another pound, and to think we were three minutes away from having 4/5ths of a beer voucher – and by we I mean you.
Woeful defending – no real quality (Arshavin being the exception) on display tonight, despite what Arsene may be thinking. If I were he I would be roasting my defence all the way home, and I don’t mean that in any physical sense either.
Anyway, the fact remains we came away with a point, when ten minutes into the second half it looked like we would be getting nothing, so I suppose I cannot complain… too much.
*whinge moan, whinge moan, shocking defending, etc, etc, etc*
Arshavin though… what a finisher, eh?