FT ~ Pool 1 - 1 Arsenal ; PEPE PAIN after last-min cock-up

zocoss SG

Sunday, August 15 2010

Mio Channel 102 & 110 - 11.00 - (Live)

Arsenal are facing up to an injury crisis remarkable even by their standards with two 18-year-olds set to make their Premier League debut for the club in the centre of midfield at Liverpool on Sunday.

Having begun last season with six players ruled out with injury, the Gunners are set to register what might well be a new record by kicking off the 2010/11 campaign with between seven and nine first-team regulars deemed unavailable.

A full injury bulletin will only be provided on Friday, but it is increasingly likely that both Jack Wilshere and Emmanuel Frimpong will both start against Liverpool. In addition to long-term injury casualty Aaron Ramsey, Arsene Wenger is expected to be deprived of four other central midfielders in Cesc Fabregas, Abou Diaby, Alex Song and Denilson.

Wenger confirmed on Monday that he expects Fabregas, as well as Robin van Persie, to be 'short' for the trip to Anfield, while Song, Denilson and Diaby failed to appear for a single minute of Arsenal's final three pre-season fixtures.

Nicklas Bendtner will be out of action until October after undergoing groin surgery, while there are also fitness doubts against Johan Djourou and Andrei Arshavin. Neither player featured in the 6-5 win over Legia Warsaw, with Wenger confirming afterwards that "We played 100 per cent of what was available".

Wenger does at least have no injury concerns over any of his goalkeepers, with Manuel Almunia, Lukasz Fabianski and Wojciech Szczesny all in contention to start in goal. Following Fabianski's latest horror show in Warsaw, there has been growing speculation that the 20-year-old Szczesny will be selected at Anfield, although with two teenage debutants in midfield Wenger might look more favourably on the experience of Almunia.

zocoss SG

Bring it on: Carragher (left) can't wait to get back to business with Liverpool

Bring it on: Carragher (left) can't wait to get back to business with Liverpool

Jamie Carragher insists Liverpool will erase the memory of last season's nightmare by competing at the top of the Premier League again.

The Reds tumbled to a seventh-placed finish in May and manager Rafa Benitez was shown the door, with Roy Hodgson coming in to replace the Spaniard.

Joe Cole and Milan Jovanovic have also arrived at Anfield while captain Steven Gerrard and striker Fernando Torres have decided to stay on Merseyside.

And Carragher is relishing Sunday's big kick-off against Arsenal after a busy summer.

He told the club's website: 'We have got to look forward with great excitement. Last season never went well but we have got to forget about it and put it behind us.

'Just like when Rafa Benitez and Gerard Houllier came in, everyone got a lift.

'That's the way it is. We are not a club that changes manager every couple of years. But it's not just that. We have made a couple of good signings, like Joe Cole.

'Not only that, two of the best players in the world have just committed their futures. That is absolutely massive and has given everyone the kind of lift we needed.

'We have got to be positive and I see no reason why we can't do well but the proof, as always, will be provided by the performances we produce on the pitch.'

High hopes: Cole has been brought in after leaving Chelsea in the summer

Liverpool vice-captain Carragher is set to start his 15th season in the first team and the 32-year-old insists some things remain the same.

He added: 'There is one thing that will never change. Liverpool will always be expected to do well and the pressure for us to be successful is just as intense as it was all those years ago; it might even be more. It will be like that for years to come.

'I know people are writing us off and saying we have got no chance but I've no doubt that we will improve.

'We are not the type of club that says we are going to do this or that. But now is the time for everyone to come together again and show that we can leave last year's form well behind.

'There will be new ideas, difference voices on the training ground and all that helps.'

a-Lost-9uY SG

every season like that one, say alot of things then ended up can't achieve any..

very the used to it liao, haha..

BobbyToon SG

every season like that one, say alot of things then ended up can't achieve any..

very the used to it liao, haha..

They going to "turn the corner" this season, just like each of the many many past seasons...

zocoss SG

But to be honest, there is a real chance they can turn it around this time... A top 4 finish shouldn't be too surprising for me...

I kind of pity Arsenal, first match of the season away at such a tough place and somemore with so many injury and goalkeeper problems... Not to mention the new manager effect Pool has at the moment... This effect could last for about 3 matches...

Against a newly motivated Pool side, The chance of the gunners even getting a win is like 10% only with 35% chance of a draw at best... Pool should win this match against an injury crisis gunners by 2 goals...

a-Lost-9uY SG

But to be honest, there is a real chance they can turn it around this time... A top 4 finish shouldn't be too surprising for me...

waaaa, u like that say, later Pool heavyboat = cannot win la.. hahaha..

zocoss SG

Sunday, August 15

Liverpool v Arsenal
Anfield

Kick-off: 11.00

TV: Live, Sky Sports 1 & Highlights, BBC Two Match of the Day 2.

Liverpool (Possible, 4-2-3-1): Reina; Johnson, Agger, Carragher, Kelly; Gerrard, Lucas; Pacheco, Cole, Jovanovich; Ngog.

Arsenal (Possible, 4-2-3-1): Almunia; Sagna, Koscielny, Vermaelen, Clichy; Eboué, Diaby; Walcott, Nasri, Arshavin; Chamakh.

Referee: M Atkinson. Matches (last season): 30. R: 122.Y: 5.

Tale of the game

David Ngog, their French striker, scored three of the four goals in two games against Rabotnicki and could continue in attack if, as expected, last season’s leading scorer Fernando Torres, a World Cup winner with Spain, is ruled out with a groin strain.

Liverpool should include Joe Cole, the former Chelsea midfielder who rejected the chance to move to Arsenal before joining Hodgson at Anfield. There could also be a League debut for Milan Jovanovi?, signed on a free transfer from Belgian club Standard Liege.

Arsenal manager Arsène Wenger must decide who lines up in goal, with a decision to be made over last season’s first choice Manuel Almunia and Polish goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianksi.

Captain Cesc Fabregas, who has rejected the chance to join former club Barcelona, is not regarded as match fit while Robin Van Persie is also unlikely to start for the same reason. Striker Nicklas Bendtner and midfielder Aaron Ramsey are out while winger Andrei Arshavin is also unlikely to be fit in time.

Last season: Liverpool 1 Arsenal 2, Arsenal 1 Liverpool 0.

Stat of the game: Arsenal are unbeaten in their last six Premier League meetings, home and away, with Liverpool.

Betting tip: Arsenal have the upper hand over Liverpool; take 1-0 on the Gunners at 7-1.

What they are saying:

Liverpool's new signing Christian Poulsen: "With this move here I have a lot to prove. If you come to a club like Liverpool, you have to deliver. I will hopefully show I can be a good player for Liverpool."

Arsene Wenger: "Bendtner will be out for four weeks I think with a groin problem, but we have Ramsey who is coming back in November now. All the rest of the injuries are short term.

"Diaby has a calf problem, but he is back in full training. He might be available and Andrey Arshavin is all right.

"But I still have to make a decision about whether I will include van Persie and Fabregas in the squad."

Rock^Star SG

as long as carragher is around, liverpool will leak goals. he shd retire.

zocoss SG

Arshavin played so badly for Russia against Bulgaria in a midweek friendly that some in his homeland have called for him to be stripped of the captaincy.

And Arshavin himself admits a problem with his right thigh is also preying on his mind.

The 29-year-old playmaker, set to play against Liverpool at Anfield on Sunday, said: "I am so worried about an injury I picked before the beginning of the season.

"They haven't even started to kick me yet - but my leg is already in pain. Working with the ball is painful.

"I would not like a repetition of last season when one injury after another did not allow me to play to my full ability.

"As to what form I am in, let's see against Liverpool. But judging by the match against Bulgaria, it is very bad."

zocoss SG

Tomorrow will bring a certain ambivalence to Anfield on an afternoon when there ought only to be unmitigated excitement at the start of a new campaign. The ownership issues linger yet supporters who yearn for the club to be bought must also wish the best for the manager Roy Hodgson. However, the visitors could also be uneasy since Arsène Wenger has not yet made the signings to give Arsenal a greater durability and key players such as Cesc Fábregas and Robin van Persie have yet to reach optimum fitness.

Venue Anfield, Sunday 4pm

Tickets £43-45

Last season Liverpool 1 Arsenal 2

Referee M Atkinson

This season's matches 30 Y123, R5, 4.27 cards per game

Odds Liverpool 6-4 Arsenal 2-1 Draw 23-10

Subs from Cavalieri, Aquilani, Torres, Aurélio, Pacheco, Kyrgiakos, Kuyt, Babel, Mascherano, Wilson, Spearing, Poulsen, Shelvey, Kelly, Ayala, Amoo, El Zhar

Doubtful Reina (shoulder), Skrtel (ankle), Torres (groin)

Injured None

Suspended None

Form guide n/a

Disciplinary record (last season) Y56 R5

Leading scorer (last season) Torres 18

Subs from Fabianski, Gibbs, Eboué, Song, Frimpong, Wilshere, Rosicky, Lansbury, Emmanuel-Thomas, Van Persie, Denílson

Doubtful Denílson (abdominal), Diaby (calf), Song (calf), Fábregas, Van Persie (both match fitness)

Injured Bendtner (groin, Sep), Djourou (hamstring, Sep), Ramsey (broken leg, Nov)

Suspended None

Form guide n/a

Disciplinary record (last season) Y56 R1

Leading scorer (last season) Fábregas 15

• Liverpool have won only three of their last 18 top-flight ecounters with Arsenal

• Andrei Arshavin has scored five goals from just six shots on target in two visits to Anfield in the Premier League

• Liverpool hit the woodwork more times (16) than any other side in 2009-10

• Since January, Arsenal have failed to win a league away game without the opposition having a player sent off

• Liverpool v Arsenal has featured more hat-tricks scored (five) than any other fixture in the history of the Premier League

zocoss SG

Ok, this match will be on in under 3hrs... What's your predictions?

My guess is a Pool win cos of the new manager effect, home ground and an injury hit gunners side...

2 - 1 to Pool...

Poignant SG

Reina; Johnson, Agger, Carragher, Kelly; Gerrard, Lucas; Pacheco, Cole, Jovanovich; Ngog.

This squad like no difference from the past one man

stellazio SG

looks really weak on paper..

SGporkz SG

hmmm should be under 2.5.

Bus&Soccer l0v3r (VO3x 1) SG

hope draw

Lolx

Poignant SG

looks really weak on paper..

i've to agree

kelly, lucas & ngog -.-

TTFU SG

Gunners ggooogo

DemonFox SG

arsenal team sheet from arsenal.com

Arsenal team in full: Almunia, Sagna, Vermaelen, Koscielny, Clichy, Eboue, Wilshere, Diaby, Nasri, Chamakh, Arshavin
Substitutes: Fabianski, Gibbs, Song, Rosicky, Walcott, Vela, Van Persie

no fabregas at all. hope wenger do the right thing. and surprising wilshere start instead of rosicky. hope gamble pay off

Poignant SG

that chamakh guy not bad one, hope carra can stop him

DemonFox SG

chamakh quite hardworking. always fight for ball not bad i like him haha. so much better than adebayor :D

so different the 1 u say earlier. so much stronger lol