Arsenal - Liverpool, Sunday Dec 13 2009 - Live updates blog

13 minutes into the game.

Torres has missed a golden chance to go up front.
The referee has possibly screwed up another (very silly attempt by Gallas on Gerrard. That was a penalty!).
Liverpool are the better side so far. Usually, Arsenal wouldn't want Denilson to jump into Mascherano and roll down to get possession.

18': Aurelio practices his shoot. Way off target there, mate.
19': Kuyt gives it away for the third or fourth time there, all within twenty minutes. Arsenal threaten. Good defending from the Anfield side.
22: Mascherano has decided on a physical game.
23': Kuyt has received some beautifully sent passes so far. Nothing has come out of it. One click and it'll be a goal.
24': Yellow for Denilson. Intentional kick, that?
26': Mascherano is still down. Badly hurt?
29': I have a feeling Denilson falls down whenever possible. Freekick taken by Fabregas.

Arsenal are not at their best now. That, according to me, is because Liverpool hasn't let them get in to the groove. Though I wanted Arsenal to win at the beginning, I can't help clapping for Liverpool at times.

Arsenal is letting me down here.

32': El NiNo is offside.
34': Sagna waits till Liverpool have eight defenders in the box. Beautiful run up to the moment wasted.

36': Arsenal begin to show glimpses of settling in, Liverpool take their feet off the accelerator here.

Is the TV transmission signal itself bad or what?

38': Alonso in the stands. There's a guy Liverpool will always miss.
40': Gerrard gives Denilson a taste of his own medicine. Freekick for liverpool
41': Kuyt scores!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Almunia punches out what he should have caught.
Kuyt slots into a net protected only by Gallas.
43': Wenger looks like he's frustrated. He should be.
44': Yellow for Aurelio. Cesc takes the freekick again.

Two minutes of added time.

46': Torres gets all aggressive here.
47': Everyone's defending for Liverpool. Let's see Arsenal crossing that!

HT
Arsenal 0 - 1 Liverpool

A win here will mean a lot for Liverpool. Their sign of arrival. All wins from here and who knows? They might win the league. Uh, that sounds improbable.

Liverpool might not lead by the most incredible of goals, but Liverpool should be leading in this game anyway.

If there's any visitor at all here, tell me if Arsenal's demand for compensation from Netherlands is justified. Looking at the first half, it sure looks justified to me!

Second half underway. Arsenal need to improve vastly to get away with a point or three.

50': Johnson - Own goal. Johnson makes up for the missing Arsenal striker. I was just thinking that Arsenal were getting into place and RVP would have made it perfect. Too many defenders spoil the broth for Liverpool. Nothing much that reina could have done.

53': Almunia gets his hands on the ball in this half. 'Round, is it?' he asks the attacker.
53': Long and good runup by Torres. The ball ends its journey in Almunia's hands.
56': Missed a couple of minutes reading up on the info provided by the only visitor on this blog. :)
57': Torres is offside.
58': ARSHAVIN Scores and how! Killer shot! A long pass missed by the defenders comes to pappa and it'sshot past Reina! 2 -1 for Arsenal. All odds have changed in a matter of minutes.
61': nasri is down after taking a Gerrard kick. He should be ok in a while.

Three entirely avoidable goals so far. The third was avoidable till Arshavin locked it on target.
63': Johnson is behaving like every other guy who has scored an own goal. Angry.
64': Aquilani gearing up to get some action.
64': Yet another offside - Torres.
65': You should have seen that take by Nasri.
65': Aquilani in before Cesc takes the kick. In for Mascherano. More of an attacking mood.
66': Arshavin tried a stunner of a pass, and failed.
67': Wenger still doesn't look particularly happy.
68': Loads of back passes from Arsenal. Not exactly Arsenal-ish.
69': Arsenal take back possession of the ball...and give it back.
70': Walcott off. Diaby in.
72': Will Arsenal take it till goal? Yes, but Reina blocks like Chetan there.
74': Change in possession over n over n over again.
74': corner for Liverpool after a near comic take by Almunia.
76': Torres would have fired that in, had Almunia not run in to take it.
77': Liverpool play with the ball for a while before taking it forward.
78': Five Gunners take it away from Gerrard. Nice wall there.
78': Would that Denilson mis-header prove costly? No.
80': Ngog for Yossi.
81': Yellow for Arshavin.
82': Nasri yellow for fouling Aquilani. Johnson out, Insua in. Eight min + injury time left.
83': Good start from Insua. Bad cross. I would consider that a missed goal.
84': Francesc with tha ball. Feels like near magic.
85': Lucas yellow.
86': A forward surge from either sides made up that minute.
87': Traore out, Silvestre in.
88': cesc vs three defenders. Crosses line for a liverpool throw in.
89': Wide header from torres.
90': Is Arshavin injured? Better not be... Four added minutes.
91': Beautiful effort to keep the ball in play by Ngog.
92': Starts with an Almunia kick.
92': Foul by Aurelio again. Arshavin out. Ramsey in.
93': Starts with a Reina kick.
94': gerrard fouls. Freekick Arsenal.
94': last chance for Liverpool. Nothing there.
95': Arsenal fans celebrating here, as Arsenal win 2 - 1 today.

FT Arsenal 2 - 1 Liverpool. Sure didn't see that coming midway through the game! Brilliant game for Arshavin and Arsenal. Liverpool's second half jinx continues...

Ivan: So it ends.
Me: For Liverpool, the saying's "So it ends again!"