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Can you make head or tail of Liverpool V Arsenal today?

Published by Ian John on December 13, 2009

Are you confident who is going to win the Liverpool v Arsenal clash today?

No I thought not. Me neither.

It’s become increasingly difficult to judge either side in recent weeks. Liverpool’s problems have been well documeted, 3 wins in their past, ooh, 1500 games or whatever it is clearly isn’t good enough. We’ve heard Rafa blaming injuries and this week it was the lack of money and having to deal with the clubs debt that is to blame. While I find the desperation to point the finger of blame anywhere else other than himself and the bizarre decision to invest £17m of money a club can ill afford on a player who only made his first full appearance for the club in mid-December, frustrating, I do find it endearing too. So I guess, with Gerrard and Torres likely back and Aquilani now close to full fitness too, we should be expecting a big display from Liverpool?

No, I’m not confident that will happen either.

Arsenal on the other hand have been excellent at times this season, but they have shown a rather alarming tendency to be defensively frail at times and they have not been in the best of form themselves. Van Persie and Bendtner are out and their attack is seriously weakened by their absence. Arshavin, Liverpool’s chief tormentor last season, is in form but other than the mercurial Fabregas (surely a contender for Player of the Year) it is hard to see how else they are going to breach even a shaky Liverpool back line.

And therein, lies the problem.

How will the game go today? Usually when big teams clash I have an idea of how the game will pan out. Whether it will be open, free flowing, tight, lots of goals few goals. Today’s game. I really don’t know. Anything of ten billion possibilities could happen. Any team could win, and win easily, it could be a classic, it could be a dull, drudge of a draw. It could be a showcase of passion and perfect passing football, or it could be a boring, unimpressive 1-0 win for either team.

The point of all this? Well this highlights the problem that both these sides face in becoming genuine title contenders along with Manchester United and Chelsea. Arsenal, for all their beautiful possession football, are lacking a bite in attack at the moment and allied to defensive frailties that have been exposed against the better sides, it has hurt them. Liverpool, well, Rafa had better be hoping that the return of key players for a crucial time of the season starts to reap rewards starting today, otherwise he is going to find it hard to keep coming up with excuses, however inventive, of why his Liverpool team have spectacularly under-achieved this season.

Normally I’d like to leave you with a prediction of how the game will go, but today I honestly have no idea. The only bet I’d take is that I don’t think this game is going to finish 4-4 like it did last season. However, the way things are going and with the accuracy of my predictions, that could just be the case.

Head on the line, I fancy a draw. I think 1-1 with Liverpool coming back after Arsenal take the lead.

However for both teams, I don’t think that will be judged as a good enough result.

Image Courtesy of ***Crystian Cruz*** at Flickr.com

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