Liverpool - Arsenal preview: The goal search continues..

The football finally continues today after what has seemed like an endless week. All the transfer disappointment is now in the past and we must focus on matters on the pitch. Football is a results business after all. Today we face Liverpool at Anfield with the home side under new management in Brendan Rodgers. It won't be an easy game. Last year we won in stoppage time thanks to an excellent goal created by Alex Song and volleyed into the near post by Robin van Persie. Liverpool dominated the game and squandered chance after chance. Szczesny made a fine double save, first from the penalty and the second from the rebound. We ended up getting the result through belief and determination, two characteristics which saw us scrape 3rd place. 

This challenge is in complete contrast to the one we faced last week in Stoke. Under Brendan Rodgers they will play passing football, very similar to Swansea. Obviously it will take more than a few months to drill the philosophy into the players. They have quite a small team. Their only real physical presence come in the form of Skrtl and Agger. Andy Carrol is not there anymore, which leaves a front 2 of Fabio Borini and Luis Suarez. I expect them to line up as follows:

Reina

Johnson - Agger - Skrtl - Enrique

Allen - Sahin

Gerrard

 Borini     -    Suarez   -    Sterling

I expect Sahin to make his debut, while Sterling will keep his place instead of the disappointing Downing. I'm surprised Arsene wasn't interested in Allen. His price tag probably put him off. Allen plays in the 'Arteta' role. He doesn't do anything fancy, but he is excellent at retaining the ball and keeps things ticking. I don't know what to expect of Sahin. He is a deep playmaker as far as I know, with a peach of a left foot. Rodgers may opt to play Shelvey as the holding midfielder after Lucas was ruled out for 4 months. We can't let Suarez in particular run at our defense. He has a knack of winning penalties against us and generally loves causing havoc.

Arsenal will make a few changes from last weeks 0-0 against Stoke. Word from insiders is that Szczesny has failed a fitness test and Mannone will continue in goals. I also hear that Oxlade-Chamberlain will be given the nod today. Koscielny is back in the squad and I would hope he starts. Mertesacker against Suarez and Borini gives me nightmares.

Mannone

Jenkinson - Koscielny - Vermaelan - Gibbs

Diaby - Arteta

Cazorla

    Walcott    -      Giroud     -     Chamberlain

The front 3 will be quite a mystery. A reliable Twitter source stated Chambo will start, whether in midfield or on the wing is a mystery to me. Gervinho didn't have the best game against Stoke last week so I expect Walcott to replace him. I think Giroud deserves his place up front today. He can cause problems against a team which doesn't contain many big players. Podolski might start instead of Walcott and then Chamberlain would move to the right. 

We have to get at least a goal and hopefully our new found defensive solidity will help us today. I expect a good, open game and there will be chances. We must be more clinical than we have been.

My prediction:

Liverpool 0 - 1 Arsenal

The clean sheet continues! Hopefully have haven't jinxed it.

Catch the match review later!

'Till Then

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