Arsenal’s new left-wing back Saed Kolasinac has admitted that he thinks that Liverpool’s strike force will cause a potent threat to Arsenal and the defenders are set to have trouble trying to contain the speed of Salah and co. Roberto Firmino and Phillipe Coutinho have scored 11 goals between them while Mo Salah has already knocked in 14 on his own and Saed acknowledges that the ex-Chelsea flop is the Red’s biggest threat.
“Firstly they made a really good transfer in getting Mohamed Salah,” Kolasinac said on Arsenal.com. “He’s integrated quickly and has scored a lot of goals and given a lot of assists too. When you look at the four they have in attack and see the players they have on the bench, they are all quality. They all have a lot of pace.
“If you know someone is faster than you, don’t give them any space, get tight and prevent them from having an opportunity to use their pace. That will be decisive. If their front players are able to utilise their speed, it will be tough to catch them. Before they get on the ball, we need to be tight to them.
“I’ve followed Liverpool because Joel Matip is a good friend of mine. As a team, they work well and that’s why it will be a difficult task for us to beat them on Friday.”
I don’t think the Arsenal fans need to be told that Liverpool are a real danger at the moment, considering that Klopp’s side are unbeaten in their last 12 games and have scored at least 3 in each of their last 5 away games. Arsenal’s own strike force are making hundreds of chances but simply not scoring so our defence is paramount tomorrow.
It is not even certain that Kolasinac will even be in the starting XI after playing in the League Cup on Tuesday night and I reckon Wenger is going to stick with Ainsley Maitland-Niles in an attempt to stop Mo Salah on that wing. As Saed said; It’s certainly going to be a tough game!
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The way Klopp’s Liverpool play has shown that they have a lot of guts, by using pacey skillful wingers/ inverted forwards to disrupt their opponent’s defense. Wenger’s Arsenal do not have such players and like to play safer with backpasses.
If Arsenal do not dare to threaten Liverpool’s defense with their players’ runs, Liverpool would be able to develop their schemes and could eventually hit Arsenal from quick counter-attacks. Therefore quick fullbacks are not enough to stop Salah and Mane, Arsenal should pin them down by threatening their defense with our attackers’ runs.
Arsenal would need skillful players like Welbeck, Sanchez and Lacazette to force Liverpool’s defenders and goalkeeper to distribute long balls, instead of measured short passes. That is why Arsenal players’ stamina, motivation and bravery would be the key to win this match.
If Liverpool are much better than us then they shouldn’t be only a point ahead of us. The fact that they beat us 4 – 0 earlier in the season is not an evidence of their superiority (if so, Stoke and Watford are equally superior to us). Liverpool is a good team, especially when attacking, but they are very much beatable, after all we beat Spurs when everyone was high on a Pochettino brewed jin and marijuana.
it isn’t a sign of superiority because they dropped in form shorty after and above point meaning just one; proves that. beating arsenal with 4 goal flattered to deceive.
Klopp has to fancy this game, their away form has been really good… they’ve been scoring a lot of goals… we’ve had many chances but are not taking them… we were brilliant at home until the United game… has Arsene ever beaten Klopp since he took over at Anfield?? They have Salah who has been unbelievable so far… Ox may even come back to haunt us… So everything is pointing towards a Liverpool win….. I just hope we win!! I’m desperate for an Arsenal win just like when we played the spuds COYG ?
Wenger please start Bosnia tank.#coyg#