{"id":4252,"date":"2021-11-19T15:04:17","date_gmt":"2021-11-19T15:04:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/?p=4252"},"modified":"2021-11-19T18:57:59","modified_gmt":"2021-11-19T18:57:59","slug":"here-we-goooooo-saka-and-emile-smith-rowe","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/?p=4252","title":{"rendered":"Here We Goooooo – Saka and Emile Smith-Rowe !"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Without lows there would be no highs, and as yet another too long Interlull grinds to a boring halt, we face the adrenalin rush of an away trip to Liverpool. Adrenalin, this time, produced by the possibility that we might actually take something from the game, rather than the dread of another crushing, incompetent defeat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The last time we won at Anfield our current manager was playing in our midfield, partnering Abou Diaby in what was probably the latter\u2019s best ever game for us – a performance that still lingers in the memory but was sadly not to be repeated, due to the long term effects of the terrible leg break he suffered so early in his Arsenal career. Santi Cazorla helped us that day to a 2-0 win against a Liverpool team that included Luis Suarez, Steven Gerrard and Raheem Sterling. Our own team that day in full was –<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mannone; Jenkinson, Mertesacker, Vermaelen, Gibbs; Diaby, Arteta; Oxlade-Chamberlain, Cazorla, Podolski; Giroud.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It contained the two men who now run the first team and the academy – almost like somebody knew something \u2026\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Liverpool away is supposed to be one of the games of our season but in recent years it has been spent peeping out in trepidation from behind the sofa as they have repeatedly taken us apart. But hang on, this time, if we pull off the still admittedly unlikely feat of a win, we will go above them in the table.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So what\u2019s changed ? Are they in the throes of a crisis, or are we suddenly just brilliant ? The truth, as ever, lies somewhere in between. If we look back over the last six games, they have drawn with Brentford, Manchester City and Brighton, recorded 5-0 victories away from home against Watford and Manchester United, and lost 2-3 at West Ham.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the same period we have beaten Tottenham, Aston Villa, Leicester and Watford, while drawing frustratingly with Brighton and Crystal Palace. A win in either of those two games would have us already level with our hosts on 22 points from the first 11 games – a remarkable recovery from our very poor but very difficult start to the season.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That recovery has not only been down to our two headline heroes either. Our summer transfer business is looking better and better by the week. Kieran Tierney should be available again for this game but in his absence, four of our playing back five were added in the summer transfer window.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Aaron Ramsdale looks an inspired signing, Takehiro and Tavares have made excellent starts, as has Ben White in forming with Gabriel our best centre back paring for a long time. Ahead of them, Thomas Partey has looked more like the player we thought we had signed from Atletico Madrid – albeit not by some distance the indestructible one – and has formed a fine partnership with Sambi Lakonga which is more mobile and forward thinking than Granit Xhaka.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Congratulations to Bukayo Saka, Emile Smith-Rowe and Aaron Ramsdale, who all started for England on Monday night in San Marino. A clean sheet for the keeper and a goal each for the other two was a fine return. Yes, it was only San Marino, but you can only beat what\u2019s in front of you, as the cliche goes, and it certainly won\u2019t stop the cheaty, want away bloke from the nasty end of Seven Sisters Road adding his haul to his international total. A haul for which he seriously owes the two fine young men from the nice end of Seven Sisters Road, who provided assists and engineered penalties which he selfishly gobbled up in his quest to be regarded as England\u2019s greatest. Ahem !<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These young men, in return, are extremely well looked after and will travel north in the lap of luxury rather than having to drive themselves to Liverpool in their shiny new cars and risk having their sports wheels \u201cborrowed\u201d by the local youth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Speaking of which, in surprise news, Ferrari fired their entire pit crew yesterday and replaced them with a number of young scousers, in response to a government plea to give more employment opportunities to youngsters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This move followed a documentary on how unemployed youths from Toxteth were able to remove a complete set of car wheels in 6 seconds with no special equipment at all, whereas Ferrari\u2019s existing crew could only do it in 8 seconds with millions of pounds worth of specialist high tech tools. It was thought to be an excellent, bold move by the Ferrari management team as most races are won and lost in the pits, giving Ferrari an advantage over every other team.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, at the new crew\u2019s first practice session, not only were they able to change all four wheels in under 6 seconds but, within 12 seconds, they had resprayed, re-badged and sold the car to Maclaren for 8 cases of Stella, a bag of weed and some photos of Lewis Hamilton\u2019s girlfriend in the shower !<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of the youths, Billy, was in class at school one day when the teacher asked \u201cwho supports Liverpool ?\u201d Everyone put their hands up except Billy. The teacher asked him who he supported and Billy said \u201cMillwall, sir !\u201d The teacher asked why he supported Millwall if he lived in Liverpool. Billy said \u201cwell, my mum is from south London and she supports Millwall, and my dad is from south London and he supports Millwall, so I support Millwall too.\u201d The teacher said \u201cI see, but you can\u2019t just go through life doing everything because your parents do it. For example, what would you do if your mum was a prostitute and your dad was a burglar ?\u201d \u201cWell\u201d Billy said, \u201cthen I\u2019d support Liverpool like you c*nts !\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some would doubtless wish to defend the virtues of the scousers, but it can\u2019t just be coincidence that Liverpool has been stripped of its World Heritage Status, as seen here \u2026..<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Anyway, the teams.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

There have been a number of reports of injuries coming out of Liverpool this week, some complicated by the events of the latest Interlull, some not. The latest information I can find, from a site called LFC Transfer Room, quotes Juergen Klopp as follows –<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sadio Mane has a bruised rib, but is fine. Andy Robertson was thought to be out but apparently \u201cthere\u2019s a good chance that he can be involved\u201d. Jordan Henderson is \u201ca little bit more injured than Robbo, but has a chance for the weekend\u201d. On the other hand, Joe Gomez, Naby Keita, James Milner, Roberto Firminho and Curtis Jones are all out.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

That\u2019s quite the injury list for Liverpool and in sharp contrast to that, and generally our own injury situation in recent years, Arsenal approach this game with an almost clean bill of health. The only two players unavailable this weekend are Saed Kolasinac, who sustained a nasty ankle injury playing for Bosnia and Herzegovina during the international break, and Granit Xhaka who suffered a medial knee ligament injury at the end of September and is not expected back in full training until January. Quiet at the back !<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I would expect Mikel Arteta to continue his minimal change policy of recent weeks and go with the following line up –<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ramsdale;<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Takehiro, White, Gabriel, Tierney ;<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Smith-Rowe, Lakonga (or AMN), Partey, Saka;<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Odegaard (or Lacazette), Aubameyang;<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Holic Pound<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Despite the injury news and our proximity in the league table, the bookies don\u2019t seem to think we have that much of a chance. Paddy Power have Liverpool to win at 4\/9, the draw at 7\/2 and an Arsenal win at 11\/2.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Coral are only offering 11\/8 for Liverpool to score three or more times against us, 1\/2 for a Liverpool win, 18\/5 for it to end in a draw, and also 11\/2 against an Arsenal victory.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There you go Mikel, stick that on the dressing room wall – team talk done !<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kick off is on Saturday 20 November at 17.30 UK time and is on Sky Sports.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The referee is Michael Oliver, fourth official is Andy Madley, and the VAR will be Chris Kavanagh, who even has an assistant, don\u2019t you know – one Sian Massey-Ellis. I\u2019m sure they are all very, very nice people and hope they read this blog !<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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That grainy old photograph is of Russian-American 1950s film and stage star, Yul Brynner, most famous for his role in The King And I. He was a life long Liverpool fan and despite his bald, clean shaven look, as Liverpool fans well know, he never wore aftershave in his life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That\u2019s right – Yul never wore cologne !<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Enjoy, \u2018Holics !<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Without lows there would be no highs, and as yet another too long Interlull grinds to a boring halt, we face the adrenalin rush of an away trip to Liverpool. Adrenalin, this time, produced by the possibility that we might actually take something from the game, rather than the dread of another crushing, incompetent defeat. […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":15,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[5],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4252"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/15"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=4252"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4252\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4259,"href":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4252\/revisions\/4259"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=4252"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=4252"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=4252"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}