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The Dugout Discussion – Liverpool vs Arsenal

8 February 2014 2351 comments
Mark Mark
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The day’s eight Premier League fixtures begin with a lip-smacking encounter at Anfield and end with a tumultuous derby in South Wales. Let the drama, goals and Fantasy points flow.

Proceedings kick-off in just over five minutes with Brendan Rodgers’ Liverpool hosting the league leaders. The Gunners arrive on Merseyside having won six of their last seven, halted only by a spritely Southampton showing on their previous away trip. Before that, Arsene Wenger’s side had won three consecutive matches on the road and only City have scored more goals on their travels all season. Similarly, Liverpool’s home form is strong. A total of 33 goals is again only bettered by Manuel Pellegrini’s side and the 2-2 draw with Villa in Gameweek 22 was the first time they’ve failed to win on home turf since back in September, when Southampton turned up and took the points back in Gameweek 5.

The statistics point to an almighty tussle, then, with the potent pairing of Daniel Sturridge and Luis Suarez facing up to an Arsenal centre-back duo who have not tasted defeat as a partnership for 31 matches. Something surely has to give.

The team news from Anfield finds the home side unchanged with Raheem Sterling keeping his start in what could be a 4-3-3 or a standard 4-4-2 from Rodgers. Wenger makes one alteration – Jack Wilshere returns with Lukas Podolski dropping to the bench.

Our Dugout Discussion chatroom is now open to steer you through this early kick-off and will be ready and waiting for today’s three o’clock encounters.

Mark Mark created the beast. He's now looking to tame it.

2,351 Comments Login to Post a Comment
  1. Parm
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 14 Years
    11 years, 10 months ago

    Another great performance today from Sterling.

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    1. Give The Todd Some Love
      • 14 Years
      11 years, 10 months ago

      Deserves a WC place

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  2. Bøwstring The Carp
    • 14 Years
    11 years, 10 months ago

    Anyone else with Hazard(c)?

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    1. Spencer
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • Has Moderation Rights
      • 14 Years
      11 years, 10 months ago

      Yup.

      Looking promising

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    2. Bartowski
      • 15 Years
      11 years, 10 months ago

      Yep, 3 pointer incoming...

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    3. Thomass
      • 13 Years
      11 years, 10 months ago

      Yup he will score twice

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      1. Breadbin
        • 15 Years
        11 years, 10 months ago

        K.

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    4. Breadbin
      • 15 Years
      11 years, 10 months ago

      Yep

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    5. Tricknova
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      11 years, 10 months ago

      Yes. Broke my unwritten rule never to captain a player against my beloved toon. Think he may go mental today though

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  3. Milk, 1 Šuker
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 13 Years
    11 years, 10 months ago

    So glad I don't have any Arsenal representation in my squad now. Makes taking a 4 point hit to get Sagna out a very wise move

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  4. Coaly
    • 13 Years
    11 years, 10 months ago

    Defence has been decimated. Bruce dropped, Gabbidon dropped, R Bennett injured. 1.2 itb was planning AJ to Lallana which would leave me .1. If I still do that, who is the best replacement for one of those?

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    1. Colonel Shoe 肝池
      • 14 Years
      11 years, 10 months ago

      a lot of us are in the same posn........

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  5. RabMac
    • 12 Years
    11 years, 10 months ago

    I think Rodgers should introduce a ban on players donning Fresh Prince hair cuts as it is really destroying the image of the club.

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    1. Milk, 1 Šuker
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      11 years, 10 months ago

      High tops! I used to don one before most of it fell out

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      1. RabMac
        • 12 Years
        11 years, 10 months ago

        Shocking hair do, only beaten in that department by the comb over.

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  6. TorresMagic™
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • Has Moderation Rights
    • 16 Years
    11 years, 10 months ago

    Did Sterling make the England squad?

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    1. Give The Todd Some Love
      • 14 Years
      11 years, 10 months ago

      Which one?

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      1. TorresMagic™
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • Has Moderation Rights
        • 16 Years
        11 years, 10 months ago

        World Cup?

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        1. Give The Todd Some Love
          • 14 Years
          11 years, 10 months ago

          Well it hasn't been chosen yet…

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  7. mitro
    • 11 Years
    11 years, 10 months ago

    please RVP!

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  8. Home Run Baker
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 15 Years
    11 years, 10 months ago

    CHE going top tonight?

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  9. Thomass
    • 13 Years
    11 years, 10 months ago

    Might get Rahmibinho

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    1. Give The Todd Some Love
      • 14 Years
      11 years, 10 months ago

      Again, who?

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    2. TorresMagic™
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • Has Moderation Rights
      • 16 Years
      11 years, 10 months ago

      Chasing points again Thomass.

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  10. The Baby-faced Assassin
    • 13 Years
    11 years, 10 months ago

    Dzeko owners, what are you doing with him for the midweek game?

    1. Stick and hope he plays
    2. Swap to either Negredo/Jovetic
    3. Avoid man city front line and look at someone else.

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    1. Pedram
      • 12 Years
      11 years, 10 months ago

      Keep him for midweek game and then ditch him.

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  11. Hampe
    • 13 Years
    11 years, 10 months ago

    Where the F did the Gabbidon rotation come from...

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    1. The Shadow
      • 14 Years
      11 years, 10 months ago

      Broke the bank (relatively) to sign Dann.

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  12. FACUPARSE
    • 13 Years
    11 years, 10 months ago

    Brendan Rodgers has done a great job at Liverpool

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    1. jas5sk - Youtube channel
      • 14 Years
      11 years, 10 months ago

      They wanted him out the first season

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    2. Give The Todd Some Love
      • 14 Years
      11 years, 10 months ago

      Shows how shite Kenny was

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  13. Chucky
    • 12 Years
    11 years, 10 months ago

    Non Suarez(C)ers Group Huddle 😎

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    1. 50shades of o'shea
      • 11 Years
      11 years, 10 months ago

      🙂

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    2. Milk, 1 Šuker
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      11 years, 10 months ago

      Haha! Proper dodge. Who you gone for?

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      1. Chucky
        • 12 Years
        11 years, 10 months ago

        See my name 😉

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        1. Milk, 1 Šuker
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 13 Years
          11 years, 10 months ago

          Nice choice. I've gone for El Matador

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  14. RÏɠBY
    • 14 Years
    11 years, 10 months ago

    salute all the non captaining suarez players

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  15. PogChamp
    • 14 Years
    11 years, 10 months ago

    Luckily i went with Cahill and dodged the JT bullet.

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  16. Royal5
    • 14 Years
    11 years, 10 months ago

    Is kolarov on the bench at least?

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    1. Give The Todd Some Love
      • 14 Years
      11 years, 10 months ago

      Yeah

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    2. Billy Gilmore
      • 13 Years
      11 years, 10 months ago

      Yeah, he'll make his customary 1-pointer.

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      1. Colonel Shoe 肝池
        • 14 Years
        11 years, 10 months ago

        just need to be told that coleman doesnt start and im completely fudged

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      2. Royal5
        • 14 Years
        11 years, 10 months ago

        Better than kosc!

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  17. The Chosen One...
    • 13 Years
    11 years, 10 months ago

    Giroud got subbed at 59+ minutes which I thought was considered 60 mins....same happened to Yaya and yet he got his extra point. That man can just do no wrong

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    1. Mile Plankton - Myth and Ch…
      • 12 Years
      11 years, 10 months ago

      Actually, Yaya was limping and he came off the field after the clock went 60:00. I think that counts, not the time the sub is anounced.

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  18. Lizard Lips
    • 13 Years
    11 years, 10 months ago

    Sterling looks a must. I dropped assuming his place would go but must bring back in.

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  19. Chef Ramsey
    • 12 Years
    11 years, 10 months ago

    So it's all looking very bleak for Arsenal but we all know what's going to happen
    -Liverpool own goal in the 91st
    -Cazorla scores 30 seconds later
    -Cissokho gives the ball away with a failed backpass and Giroud scores the 4th
    -Gibbs misses a sitter in the 95th and the score remains 5-4
    -Wenger subs himself on for Giroud in frustration
    -Wenger hits the most powerful shot ever recorded straight at Mignolet; he dives out of the way and the ball goes into the net, and breaks it. The ball hits the ad board and flies back across the pitch, hitting Arsenal's crossbar. Then it flies back across the field and goes past Mignolet once again. Wenger's first touch as an Arsenal player scores 2 goals and makes it 6-5. Wenger, overcome with happiness, repeats Henry's celebration against Spurs, and the Arsenal fans invade the pitch.
    -Suarez bites Wenger in frustration and his teeth break. He subsequently flees the country and moves to Burgandy and rebuilds his carrer with AJ Auxerre, leading them to 4 consecutive Ligue 1 titles.
    -Wenger starts up front against Man U and scores four goals
    -He then scores 4 against Liverpool in the FA cup
    -Lord Bendtner resigns and appoints Wenger as his successor
    -He scores 2 against Bayern in the first leg, and 2 in the second leg, providing 3 assists for Cazorla over the 2 legs. Arsenal win 7-0 on aggregate
    -7-up becomes the official shirt sponsor of Bayern Munich
    -Wenger scores 26 goals over the course of the season as player-manager, claiming the golden boot
    -Arsenal win the treble with a 5-0 win over Real Madrid in the CL final (Wenger scores a hat trick. Bale scores 2 own goals out of respect)
    -Wenger smiles during an interview during preseason, leading fans to beleive he has signed Reus, Draxler, Thiago Silva, and Dani Alves.
    -Wenger signs Joe Mwasile from Morecambe instead, and the fans grow disgruntled when Wenger rests himself in preseason and arsenal lose to Trabzonspor
    -He signs Julian Draxler on deadline day and immediately sends him on loan to Malaga
    -Arsenal win the Septuple in both the 14/15 and 15/16 seasons, Wenger scores 61 and 77 goals respectively.
    -He then retires from football is replaced by co-managers Thierry Henry and Dennis Bergkamp, who usher in a new period of dominance for the Gunners.

    So you see my fellow Arsenal fans, It's not all bad

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    1. mitro
      • 11 Years
      11 years, 10 months ago

      isn't giroud already off?

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      1. Chef Ramsey
        • 12 Years
        11 years, 10 months ago

        he scores from the bench. it's controversial, but the ref doesn't see it

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    2. FACUPARSE
      • 13 Years
      11 years, 10 months ago

      It's one loss to a very good team which City and Chelsea have to go there also...

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    3. jas5sk - Youtube channel
      • 14 Years
      11 years, 10 months ago

      😆 stopped early, but +1 for best fictional story today

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    4. Thick Of It
      • 13 Years
      11 years, 10 months ago

      TL:DR

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    5. Mile Plankton - Myth and Ch…
      • 12 Years
      11 years, 10 months ago

      You started writing this when Giroud was still on?

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      1. Chef Ramsey
        • 12 Years
        11 years, 10 months ago

        he scores from the bench. it's controversial, but the ref doesn't see it. I thought that was implied

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  20. Colonel Shoe 肝池
    • 14 Years
    11 years, 10 months ago

    love that i had the money to get JT so i did........... wish i had to be frugal this week

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  21. Brouhaha
    • 13 Years
    11 years, 10 months ago

    Sterling the undisputed top teenager in the prem!

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    1. RabMac
      • 12 Years
      11 years, 10 months ago

      Would prefer Januzaj personally.

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  22. The EJJ
    • 14 Years
    11 years, 10 months ago

    Delighted with the win but disappointed with only 5 points for Suarez.

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  23. Total Foot 5
    • 12 Years
    11 years, 10 months ago

    Sterling looks like the real deal...

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  24. Colonel Shoe 肝池
    • 14 Years
    11 years, 10 months ago

    really need a kolarov goal from off the bench today

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  25. Spencer
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • Has Moderation Rights
    • 14 Years
    11 years, 10 months ago

    Time to lose Koscielny at the back?

    Thinking of a Chelsea double up instead.

    Boruc - McGregor
    Coleman - Ward - Koscielny - Azpilicueta - Shaw

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  26. MarkyMarkovic
    • 12 Years
    11 years, 10 months ago

    What the pluck!?!?
    Worst start to a GW for a while.

    -4 hit.
    Scezney + Mert
    Suarez.

    JT injured.
    Dzeko© benched!?

    bye-bye top 10k.
    Red arrows all the way

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  27. JT's Dog
      11 years, 10 months ago

      People sad about Suarez only 5 points.
      I still think he can score from bench

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    • Lazarus
      • 11 Years
      11 years, 10 months ago

      Non-Suarez captainers got a "get out of a jail free card" today, perhaps some of you will have the humility to see that. Doubtless some won't.

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    • DonTheSpecialOne
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 15 Years
      11 years, 10 months ago

      Chambers 5 mins would be lovely. 1 more point than Mert in that case.

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    • There's Always One!
      • 15 Years
      11 years, 10 months ago

      Please stay on the bench dzeko

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      1. Milk, 1 Šuker
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 13 Years
        11 years, 10 months ago

        No! You haven't captained him have you?!

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