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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. Just A Hat
    • 16 Years
    11 years, 10 months ago

    I benched Giroud so I could play Dzeko

    Cue Dzeko staying on the bench

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    1. Jimmers
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 15 Years
      11 years, 10 months ago

      No he'll come on

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  2. La Roja
    • 13 Years
    11 years, 10 months ago

    19k bought Dzeko today

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    1. Little Dancer
      • 14 Years
      11 years, 10 months ago

      o/

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  3. JS27
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 15 Years
    11 years, 10 months ago

    Well, my Dzeko punt hasn't gone well. My Kolarov punt has also not gone well. I blame Pellegrini

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    1. Jimmers
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 15 Years
      11 years, 10 months ago

      Clue is in the word punt

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    2. 4-4-who?
      • 16 Years
      11 years, 10 months ago

      Cos he pressed the confirm transfers button...

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

    Vlaar playing?

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

      nope

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    2. 4-4-who?
      • 16 Years
      11 years, 10 months ago

      Lazy

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  5. Old Man
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 14 Years
    11 years, 10 months ago

    No Terry - oh great. Never mind, Chambers to come in. Oh, doesn't start. Never mind, Mert to come in. Oh.

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

      commiserations, happened to a few of us today

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  6. Parm
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 14 Years
    11 years, 10 months ago

    Which 3pm kick-off is everyone watching?

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    1. Jimmers
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 15 Years
      11 years, 10 months ago

      Ireland Wales 🙂

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

        I am watching Liverpool game again

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

        Chelsea Newcastle

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      • Little Dancer
        • 14 Years
        11 years, 10 months ago

        Saints - Stoke

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

      Lampard is going to have a big game tonight in term of points

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    4. Twelve years a slave
      • 15 Years
      11 years, 10 months ago

      Last two weeks had high scoring bench players that didn't come on , now I get a bench player on and it kosheln

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

          Did you have other defender on bench

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          1. Twelve years a slave
            • 15 Years
            11 years, 10 months ago

            Evans

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

                Unlucky, still over the course of ownership, kos rewards much more

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        • Obi Wan Elokobi
          • 14 Years
          11 years, 10 months ago

          Anyone actually keeping Kolarov. I wasn't expecting him to play every game but being subbed more than often lately.

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        • Jafooli
          • 13 Years
          11 years, 10 months ago

          Did Arsenal manage to keep a CS? I have Kos 😀

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

              You got -0.5

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

              9 points incoming.

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            • isacki: full casual
              • 14 Years
              11 years, 10 months ago

              Not sure if serious

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

            Italian clubs interested in Vidic? Of course world football's retirement home would come calling.

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          3. Twelve years a slave
            • 15 Years
            11 years, 10 months ago

            Do hazard owners who didn't capt want him to get a big score?

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            1. Just A Hat
              • 16 Years
              11 years, 10 months ago

              I think so! Not many people captained him I think?

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            2. An Púca
              • 14 Years
              11 years, 10 months ago

              of course...half the points. better than nothing

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            3. Parm
              • Fantasy Football Scout Member
              • 14 Years
              11 years, 10 months ago

              Less than RVP but more than anyone else 😉

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

              No. Everybody has him in my league

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

                Yeah, still make gain with them

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

                Yup

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              • toxik
                • 13 Years
                11 years, 10 months ago

                Want epic fail now, rival has c'd him and I've got 9 men

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            6. An Púca
              • 14 Years
              11 years, 10 months ago

              So Marriappa and Moxey out of the squad altogether, Gabb on the bench alongside Parr. Only Delaney and Ward (who had being play mf) survives the Jan transfer window fall out at Palace>
              Hardly seems fair given the number of clean sheets they were keeping but Pulis showing he can be ruthless.
              Will take another couple of games to see if Dann is a regular at 4.0

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            7. SomewhatPleasing
              • Fantasy Football Scout Member
              • 12 Years
              11 years, 10 months ago

              I swapped Ozil for Mata on a free, the first part of that plan seems wise. What's peoples opinion on Mata at Utd? I haven't seen him play so far, I just fancied some of them v Fulham.

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              1. QPR expects... glory!
                • 14 Years
                11 years, 10 months ago

                Looks so good I gave him my armband this week 😀

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              2. DF
                • 12 Years
                11 years, 10 months ago

                mata passed to rooney 12 times and rvp 4 times against stoke. that needs to increase about 8-fold if he's to make the necessary impact.

                source-BEiN sports ont' telly last night.

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            8. Hammers Select
              • 15 Years
              11 years, 10 months ago

              Any Hull fans explain whats happening to Brady?

              I thought he would be guranteed starter now hes fit again

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

              come on newcastle

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            10. thetinkerman
              • Has Moderation Rights
              • 14 Years
              11 years, 10 months ago

              Sturridge off injured, or was it tactical?

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              1. Obi Wan Elokobi
                • 14 Years
                11 years, 10 months ago

                Tactical 5-1 up was no need to keep him on

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              2. CABAYE4
                • 13 Years
                11 years, 10 months ago

                Tactical

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              3. thetinkerman
                • Has Moderation Rights
                • 14 Years
                11 years, 10 months ago

                ...and breathe...

                thanks!

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

              If utd can't finish 4th I hope we finish out of Europe all together save playing on a Thursday

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

                Yep, look what it has done to Liverpool this season

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            12. Jakob..
              • 11 Years
              11 years, 10 months ago

              I'm a bit confused about the rules regarding substitutions.

              I have a back four consisting of mariappa, gabiddon, terry and cahill. Probably only Cahill will be playing, so will both Sterling and Sagna still come on? or just Sagna?

              My bench is in order - Sterling, Barkley and Sagna.

              I'm worried about only being able to field two defenders and if so, will this affect Sterling moving off the bench?

              (Silva, Johnson, Hazard, Benteke, Sturridge and Suarez is the rest of my team)

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              1. Jimmers
                • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                • 15 Years
                11 years, 10 months ago

                You have to have 3 defenders in team regardless of whether they play or not. Sagna will come on first if 2 of your defenders don't play

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              2. isacki: full casual
                • 14 Years
                11 years, 10 months ago

                Just Sagna will come on.

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                1. isacki: full casual
                  • 14 Years
                  11 years, 10 months ago

                  Sterling will only be subbed on if a midfielder doesn't play but looks like they're all playing.

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                  1. isacki: full casual
                    • 14 Years
                    11 years, 10 months ago

                    This is my understanding anyway, correct if wrong. You can't play less than three defenders at the back, so if less than three get gametime, the non playing ones will stay in your team with 0 points.

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

                      Yes, you have to play at leas 3 defenders. But if you play 4 defenders and one doesn't play, whoever is your first sub, comes on.

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

                        least*

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

                  He has 4 at the back. Sterling comes on too.

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                  1. isacki: full casual
                    • 14 Years
                    11 years, 10 months ago

                    Ah yeah true. "If any of your outfield players play 0 minutes in the Gameweek, they will be substituted by the highest priority outfield substitute who played in the Gameweek and doesn't break the formation rules (eg. If your starting team has 3 defenders, a defender can only be replaced by another defender)."

                    So I guess Sterling on for a non playing defender, then Sagna.

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              3. Mary
                • 12 Years
                11 years, 10 months ago

                sterling and sagna come onn

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

                Need 3 defenders, Sterling comes on for you regardless.

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              5. Messiah Hazard
                • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                • 14 Years
                11 years, 10 months ago

                3 defenders have to play...

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

                Sterling will come in for one of your defenders, Barkley won't be able, so Sagna will come one for one too.

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            13. You've got red on you.
              • Fantasy Football Scout Member
              • 13 Years
              11 years, 10 months ago

              Noooooooo, autosub is going to bring in the benched Kos for Terry. Dammit!

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              1. FPL Notebook (John)
                • 12 Years
                11 years, 10 months ago

                There will be thousands (including me) in this position,

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            14. Venom Snake
              • 12 Years
              11 years, 10 months ago

              Liverpool are the best team in the world!!

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              1. Venom Snake
                • 12 Years
                11 years, 10 months ago

                #overexcited

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              2. Obi Wan Elokobi
                • 14 Years
                11 years, 10 months ago

                No we're not let's not forget we drew with West Brom last week

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                1. Venom Snake
                  • 12 Years
                  11 years, 10 months ago

                  Dropped so many points over the last few seasons to the weaker teams but always come out firing against the big clubs. We need this to change.

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              3. Dr Dream
                • 13 Years
                11 years, 10 months ago

                They may well be today..How do you play better than that ?..you can't !!

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

                  Exactly. Arsenal were poor in the first half granted. Cant take away from Liverpool's performance though . They would have beaten most sides on the day.

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            15. Pinoche
              • 13 Years
              11 years, 10 months ago

              Chelsea FC @ chelseafc 11m
              John Terry is being rested today as a precaution due to a minor muscle strain.

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            16. toxik
              • 13 Years
              11 years, 10 months ago

              Utter bull this week, wtf No Parr, No Dzeko, ridiculous, Bruce on bench not starting, Evans injured so 9.2 men 🙁

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            17. LewanGOALski
              • 14 Years
              11 years, 10 months ago

              Have we heard anything about reason of JT's absence?

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              1. FPL Notebook (John)
                • 12 Years
                11 years, 10 months ago

                I guess its just a rest. Played every minute so far, and another match midweek

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              2. FPL Notebook (John)
                • 12 Years
                11 years, 10 months ago

                Answer above

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                1. LewanGOALski
                  • 14 Years
                  11 years, 10 months ago

                  Yeap, I see it now. Thanks anyway 🙂 good he's not injured

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

                He is round at Mrs Lampard's house.

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

              Hopefully chambers stays on the bench so I get Coleman on

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

              Szczesny already knew the result at halftime 😆

              http://tinypic.com/view.php?pic=vpetdu&s=8

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

                He looks like a young Ron Perlman in that picture.

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            20. FPL Notebook (John)
              • 12 Years
              11 years, 10 months ago

              Watched the game at Anfield with triple Liverpool in attack, but whilst feeling a bit nervy due to having not captained any of them.

              Hazard (C). Come on son! Was on Football Focus today, so hopefully a sign...

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

              Hope Chelsea can still keep a CS without Terry

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              1. FPL Notebook (John)
                • 12 Years
                11 years, 10 months ago

                Hope for a 4-4 draw!

                Hazard (C)

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              2. You've got red on you.
                • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                • 13 Years
                11 years, 10 months ago

                hoping not, as I have Terry

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            22. Tim Canterbury
              • 14 Years
              11 years, 10 months ago

              Feel sorry for those who stumped up the extra cash for JT :/ ouch

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

                I went for Cahill 😀

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            23. Bolivian Seaman
              • 15 Years
              11 years, 10 months ago

              Trying to take my mind off the arsenal game, the bbc isnt helping with its riveting news

              Stag imitation contest held in Germany

              The 16th annual stag competition has taken place in Dortmund, Germany.

              Judges rated the contestants on their ability to imitate a variety of deer calls.

              Andy Moore reports.

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