Liverpool postponement convenient for them but a blow for us!
For the first time in a long while it seemed as though luck was on our side, yet that is now not the case!
Our semi-final Carabao cup tie against Liverpool really could not have come at a better time for us, what with the Covid issues and AFCON absences they now have, it was the perfect time to play them and get some sort of a lead in the first leg. We hoped!
Yet, after Jurgen Klopp was going to be absent for testing positive, his assistant Pepijn Lijnders has now also tested positive, giving the EFL an even bigger reason to postpone the game.
This news comes 24 hours after it was reported that Liverpool put a request for the game to be postponed anyway.
Of course player, staff and fans health and wellbeing is the most important thing, however I cannot help but feel a little frustrated at the fact that had it been Arsenal with these issues, the EFL would have found a way to reject our request and ask that we field what we have!
Call me selfish but that’s how I see it.
Anyway, another postponement in a season that is already marred by a long and rescheduled fixture list will do no wonders for any player that is going to the World Cup, or any player in general.
I wish nothing but the best for all those affected by Covid, and as someone who has seen it and lived it first hand, it is no laughing matter, but we have seen in a Christmas period where the Premier League cases were recorded as over 100, that this is no joke and that many teams have had to have games called off due to this, but where does it end?
Why can the PL not just suspend the league for the season and focus on getting the players fit and ready for the World Cup, because clearly this is not going to be the last postponement in the world of the PL due to Covid and injury issues, but I bet it will not be because Arsenal have requested it to be!
And so, we can only play what is in front of us, but I feel that some teams have priority over others, and this for me is just proof of that!
I would say onwards and upwards Gooners but if the game is rescheduled and it is in the time where Liverpool have both Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane back and are a fully fit team and Arsenal suffer injury and Covid issues, the words FIX will come to mind!
Rant over!
Shenel Osman
@sh3n3l_
THE JUST ARSENAL SHOW – Dan Smith has a rant over Arteta and ‘Players Welfare”
I am sick to death of hearing, from Admin and fans alike, that Arsenal as a team is treated unfairly and/or corruptly and is constantly the victim of biased or fixed decisions meted out by the Premier League, referees and football authorities in general. I don’t recall such complaints in the glory days of 1998-2004. These things (decisions adverse to the club’s interests) happen from time to time. Get over it.
Yes it is its silly to suggest Arsenal is treated differently. If you watch other clubs fan vlogs/blogs like I do they all say they are treated the worst and that teams like Arsenal always get preferential treatment. Essentially what it means is that emotionally loaded, biased reporting sells where as balanced factual analysis is too difficult or too boring for fans to consume. It’s just business. Foootball fans like the Mirror the Daily Mail and the Sun style of reporting. The Guardian or the Telegraph not so much. It is what it is.
Exactly right. FANS IN GENERAL, AT MOST CLUBS, ESP BIG CLUBS, are rarely fair minded when discussing decisions which went for or against them.
They choose to forget those in their favour but rant incessantly over those which go against them. Nothing so unfair minded as the average passionate fan who is one eyed and full of his or her own team bias.
Its nonsense of course. All refs make mistakes and all refs hate Arsenal it seems .Funny how those same refs also hate Spuds, Chelsea, Man Utd, Liverpool, etc.
Fill in your own team, according to who you support and who your personal bias is towards.
Unfortunate yes but please stop withe conspiracy theories or rants. Both teams will still be able to field the same players because the players at the afcon, will still be there. We still play them home and away and both games will be over 90 minutes.
Well, some Clubs never see red cards or penalties, others for no obvious reasons but haters cheering – right so – same here. LP has enough players, and I’m sure there are Coaches (assistants) that could take over – Klopp is getting desperate
I will guarantee you one thing, if Arsenal get hit by covid next week and ask for a postponement of the first or 2nd leg it will not be granted.
You can guarantee that all you want to! Doesn’t change the fact that it’s not true.
Forget your little conspiracy theories and take off the tinfoil hat.
The victim mentality of some fans is so pathetic honestly, shared by some of the players too.
If we can only beat Liverpool because certain players are away/injured then we probably don’t deserve to progress anyway.
Get over it and focus on the next game.
We can always play our fringe players and youngsters for the League Cup games, so the delay doesn’t really matter. I’d be more concerned if our EPL games got postponed
this weak-ass conspiratorial mindset started in the latter Wenger years when many within the fanbase were no longer willing to buy into the whole “stadium repayment” excuse narrative, so it became increasingly pertinent that the organizational finger of blame be redirected toward one or more outside entities(refs, media, corruption, oil money etc..)…of course, at times it logically appeared as if we received the short end of the stick, as it undoubtedly occurred, but all teams could claim likewise…the real problem with this type of systemic scapegoating is that it becomes so deeply imbedded within the psyche of the fanbase that it creates a very debilitating “wag the dog”/built-in excuse for organizational failures, which can have a crippling effect on any organization as it has a tendency to shift the focus away from the “real” problems at hand…hopefully moving forward we can rid ourselves of this horribly unproductive psychological stumbling block
If the situation was the other way round I think a lot of Arsenal fans would be quite excited to see our Hale End boys playing Liverpool in a cup semi. I know I would.
I would have preferred for the game to go ahead as scheduled. Not because it could disadvantage Liverpool (although that would by a brilliant by product) but there are already games piling up.
As long as Arsenal are treated similarly if we end up with multiple Covid cases then I see no problem
As things currently stand for the upcoming EFL semi-finas, and as they concern Arsenal in one hand and Liverpool in the other hand. I think there is no cause for us Arsenal to raise alarm or be worrying nor to start panicking.
For, I believe even if Sallah and Mane happened to return from the Afcon to play for their Liverpool team against us, Arsenal can beat Luiverpo in the first leg match at the Ems to take a least to Anfield in the return leg match. And there at Anfield, I believe the Gunners will carry the day in the game to undo the Reds in the match. Consequently knockout Liverpool from this season’s EFL competition.
Therefore, Arsenal should within their regular EPL matches training schedules set aside special training sessions for their two legged EFL semifinal match against Liverpool. So that Arsenal would have ahead of their playing the match be specially prepared fully to deal with Liverpool in the match..