The Battle of Britain!
It's the tie of the round - the Gunners vs. the Reds. Torres is on fire. The Arsenal showed some steel on Saturday. It's on live from the Emirates on ESPN 2. Are we watching? Oh yes. Yes, we are. I'll look forward to the pleasure of your company this afternoon.
posted by gatorbob @ 2:20 PM
93 Comments:
Here are the sides for this afternoon's match:
Arsenal: Almunia, Toure, Gallas, Senderos, Clichy, Eboue, Flamini, Fabregas, Hleb, Van Persie, Adebayor.
Subs: Lehmann, Diaby, Song Billong, Silva, Bendtner, Justin Hoyte, Walcott.
Liverpool: Reina, Carragher, Skrtel, Hyypia, Aurelio, Mascherano, Alonso, Kuyt, Gerrard, Babel, Torres.
Subs: Itandje, Riise, Voronin, Benayoun, Crouch, Arbeloa, Lucas.
Referee: Pieter Vink (Holland)
Arsenal have Emmanuel Adebayor back in their line-up. He starts up front alongside Robin Van Persie with Niklas Bendtner replaced. The other change from the weekend sees Emmanuel Eboue return in midfield in place of Abou Diaby. Kolo Toure again plays at right-back in the absence of the injured Bacary Sagna, so it's William Gallas and Philippe Senderos in the middle.
Liverpool team news and Javier Mascherano and Fabio Aurelio are both back in the starting XI for tonight's showdown at the Emirates. Mascherano is back after suspension and replaces Lucas, while Aurelio slots in at left-back in place of John Arne Riise. Jamie Carragher looks set to play at right-back again as Martin Skrtel keeps his place in a back-line which also features Sami Hyypia.
With the United result yesterday, the all-English affair today and Chelsea playing Fenerbahce in Turkey tonight, it's odds on that there will be three English-based sides of the four semi-finalists, with either an Arsenal-Chelsea or Liverpool-Chelsea all-English semi final clash.
With these two sides playing each other three times over the space of six days, you'd have to imagine that tonight's match will be a bit circumspect with neither side wanting to lose. I wouldn't be surprised to see a 0-0 draw tonight.
The Emirates looks half empty present and Derek Rae mentioned that there were 3,000 Liverpool fans in attendance? That's it?! How can you have a match of this significance and a 60,000 capacity stadium isn't sold out?
Significantly Stevie Gerrard is carrying a yellow into this match and will have to watch himself if he isn't to miss the second leg at Anfield on Tuesday of next week.
Here we go...!
First real action: Adebayor is launched down the wing, Reina comes out to meet him but misses the ball entirely. Adebayor tries to cross but he's blocked. Reina won't have inspired confidence in his back four with that routine.
The Arsenal fans are getting behind their team well early on. The Emirates crowd is often accused of being quiet, but not so far tonight. Liverpool have responded with 'Fields of Anfield Road' reverberating from the away section.
Poor defending from Toure sees his attempted clearance cannon off Fernando Torres. However, the Spaniard can't latch on to the ball as it goes too far in front of him.
Aurelio is lucky not to pick up a yellow for a wild swipe at Adebayor that would have had him missing the second leg next week.
Liverpool getting niggly with the Arsenal side no doubt to disturb their rhythm, Alonso there tripping up Hleb. He might have picked up a card.
Chelski have taken the lead after thirteen minutes through an own goal by Fenerbahce's Souza Deivid. That should do Avram Grant's side just nicely. They'll no doubt shut up shop now.
The commentators are mentioning the irony that only two English players - Carragher and Gerrard - have lined up in this "All-English" match. If you add Rio, Wes Brown, Carrick, Scholes and Rooney from United and JT, Cashley, Lampard and Joe Cole from Chelski that's eleven English players from the four English-based sides left in the competition.
Van Persie with the first real chance. Van Persie gets a ball in from the right and drills one that Reina does well to turn around the post.
GOAL! From the resulting corner, Liverpool go to sleep and Adebayor rises alone to nod home. 1-0 to the Arsenal.
Hey Bob ,
THE ARSE SCORE!!!!!
The Haircut man has finally scored!!
Costa Del Pool get a goal!!!!
Not good news
GOAL! Dirk Kuyt stabs home a brilliant cross from Stevie G. and Liverpool have that vital away goal. 1-1 and this tie has come to life.
Hey Dave, you just got in in time. The match has just sprung to life after a cagey start. Could be some goals in this one. Do you reckon that was Kuyt's goal or an own goal?
Is your bro keeping away from this this afternoon?
Did you get the picture I sent you?
Steve already replied.
I say it was an OG
I got home and two quick goals come
I am here until 4:10 and then I have to pick up Jon and then I will be back in ten minutes
Yes, he is staying away and watching later on tonight.
I did receive the picture but I was confused by it. What was I looking at beyond a geezer on a bike with some stall selling hemp gear in the background, right?
It reminded me that a mate of mine loves to send me these messages telling me it's something important and when I open it up it's bloody Rick Astley singing that naff song from the 80s.
Are you being sarky?
I don't know if you are serious or not
Arsenal probably need two more goals to be safe now with that away goal going in.
This is very much like a Premier League match, end to end stuff and I'm loving it.
I'm being totally serious. What was it about? Is it your brother in law on the bike? And what does it have to do with supporting Newcastle. I don't get it.
Arsenal are finding Liverpool to hot to handle. Kuyt looks like he's been nobbled.
It's Jaunde Ramos and his Mrs. walking past The Hemp Store
You're brother recognized him. My son's Tom and Matt recognized him.
Put on your glasses mate!!
Rafa was pretty non-plussed when that goal went in.
They lost to Newcastle FOUR ONE at HOME
Liverpool have started to dominate.
Chelski are still one up
Oh, okay. I've just gone back and noticed that my screen had only included the left side of the pic. Juande could certainly do better than that, don't you think. His week looks like the tea lady.
So if his side lost he can't go for a walk in Camden Market and buy a hemp bag? What's he supposed to do? Lock himself in the training room with some charts and videos? Apparent Fergie likes to take the missus out and gorge on the Pick and Mix after a bad loss. Do you have a photo of that?
The Penny dropped!!!
THis is some end to end stuff
Sorry, that last message should have read "his WIFE looks like the tea lady." And she does, you know.
When you take a short corner, make sure the guy is looking at you when you pass it to him
It's Cambridge Market!!!
Half time... entertaining half.
Arsenal need a couple of goals.
I would much prefer to have Liverpool get something from Saturday and not today
hellava finish by the the Fenerbace player!!!
Right, Dave. Here's your half-time treat. Check this out:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=ZOU8GIRUd_g
Loveley jubbly.
JHJ should have Rick on their next tour methinks.
Why do they have to call it Arsenal Stadium during European nights.
What is wrong with The Emirates?
RVP hurt. Not good news for The Gunners.
Second half starting....Theo's coming on for the Arse.
Senderos is laboring here at the beginning of the half and he's forced to hack down Torres as the Spaniard turns away from him.
Nice save from Almunia
Kuyt with a snapshot that's well saved and held on to by Almunia.
Eboue's had a terrible match tonight. They're really missing Sagna.
Benayoun coming on
How about a United-Liverpool final in Russia, Dave? Do you fancy it?
Arsenal are really going for it now.
I would take that
Babel's coming off - he hasn't been in it tonight.
How's the weather in Scotia today? It's a high of 86F today here - bloody hot!
Looks like Liverpool has decided not to attack
It is sunny and pleasant. A lovely spring day. It feels great to have some nice weather. It feels like 86 after what we have had
Clichy will pick up a yellow for obstructing Torres.
Good to hear
I am off... I will be back in couple of minutes
What a run from Walcott and then Hleb.
THAT WAS A PEN!!!
I am off now
Penalty - Arsenal! Hleb wriggled through and was bowled over by the labrador.
No, the ref has thought against it. It's a corner instead. Arsenal were robbed there, for sure.
All I've got to say to you then is:
"Never gonna give you up
Never gonna let you down
Never gonna turn around and desert you."
Fenerbahce have equalized through Kazim-Richards in the 64th minute, so both matches are evenly balanced now.
Bloody hell - Bendtner's cleared it off the line like a defender there. Well, he was offside anyway, but surely the smart move would've been to step off the pitch there.
Liverpool have dropped ten men behind the ball at this point with Kuyt in particular trying to harass the Arsenal players at the edge of the box.
Gerrard wins a rare corner for Pool.
Dangerous free kick opportunity here. What can they do with it....
And it goes out for a corner. No offside called.
Lucas is coming on for Alonso.
I am back. Where have you gone?
Some frustration creeping into Arsenal's game now. They've been forced into that typical game of diddling about at the edge of the opposition box.
I'm here - mate:
"Never gonna make you cry
Never gonna say goodbye....."
I see you are still here.
Did Bendtner clear off the Arse's line or Costa's?
2117: "Ha-Ha-Ha. The only Englishman to score tonight plays for Fenerbahce. Also, he grew up just down the road from me."
Colin Kazim-Richards, once of Bury, Brighton and Sheffield United, runs on to a ball over the top, takes a touch and powers it past Carlo Cudicini.
I'm very disappointed in Adebayor. He just isn't giving the Arsenal midfield any target to aim at.
Even if The Arse don't score again, they won't be intimidated by Anfield
Was Torres pulled down there?
Off Liverpool's line. He couldn't get out of the way. But it wouldn't have counted anyway, because the big wally was offside.
Torres is coming off in favor of Voronin.
Yikes, Chelski are losing!!!
Let's hope they rest some players for the second leg at Citeh
This ref doesn't seem to mind pulling players down.
And it's Souza Deivid who's scored. He's had one in the same net on either side of the half-time interval.
Finally an Arsenal player sticks his head in where it hurts and it's Fabregas. Straight at the keeper.
Will Arsenal rest players on Saturday morning?
That's it!!
Still not over by a long shot.
Best of luck next week Steve(not so much on Saturday)
Full-time: 1-1. The tie's definitely on a knife's edge now. It could really go either way. I'll be teaching next week, so I'll have to tape what should be a fascinating match.
Cheers Bob,
talk to you on the weekend.
Dave
Chelski have lost.
I just got a call from you but something is up with my Skype.
I keep trying to open it up and it closes.
Sorry mate
Great winning goal for the Turks
Good talking to you, mate. I was just trying to torture you with Rick Astley.
Glad it didn't work!!!
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