Liverpool FC Forum

[1234ram]

Freddie: We lacked fight





ha ha



ArsenalFreddie Ljungberg has conceded that Arsenal lacked the appetite for a fight during their defeat at Liverpool.

The Swedish midfielder feels The Gunners did not earn the right to play their trademark passing game at Anfield, and ultimately paid the price for their approach.

Ljungberg confirmed that harsh words were exchanged in the visitors dressing room at half-time with accusations of players not going into challenges fully committed.

The 27-year-old has now warned his team-mates that they cannot expect to get results in The Premiership if they do not apply themselves physically.

"Of course it was frustrating to concede a goal in injury time at Liverpool on Sunday and lose," the Swede declared.

"In the first half we did not play well. Liverpool wanted to have a fight and it was a real battle. We had to speak about it at half-time.

"Some of us were saying that we weren't going into the battles 100 percent and that we lost most of them because of that.

"We were not pleased with how we played in that first period.

"When you want to play the ball on the floor, as we do, sometimes you have to battle to get the ball in the first place. That's part of the English game and how we play.

"So that was mainly what we talked about, that we need to win the fight to get the ball."

[ICE-MAN]

i must admit, i dont like all this talk coming from arsenal, freddie saying they werent up for a fight and wenger saying we were very physical and i think henry said something similar, this makes us out to the neutral fan who didnt see the game on sunday as if we played like an old wimbledon, just playing the long ball up to our strikers and then battering everything that came onto the floor!

for at least two-thirds of the match we played arsenal off the park with some great passing and we were fully commited in our tackles which is no less than every liverpool fan expects and thats what we want in every game!

think its just a case of sour grapes from highbury!

[andy_g]

its true. but so many people are ungracious in defeat - especially among footballers and managers. arsenal are the worst now - especially that ****** wenger - because they think they should win everything. and when they don't its because the other team aren't playing the game properly.

but to be fair, i think ljundbergs being pretty honest here. arsenal were not up for it like we were.

[XSD]

i must admit, i dont like all this talk coming from arsenal, freddie saying they werent up for a fight and wenger saying we were very physical and i think henry said something similar, this makes us out to the neutral fan who didnt see the game on sunday as if we played like an old wimbledon, just playing the long ball up to our strikers and then battering everything that came onto the floor!

for at least two-thirds of the match we played arsenal off the park with some great passing and we were fully commited in our tackles which is no less than every liverpool fan expects and thats what we want in every game!

think its just a case of sour grapes from highbury!

We conceeded 6 fouls, they conceeded 16 and had 2 bookings to our none.
I think they were more physical, we just played with more determination.

[Redrider]

It's all about being first to the ball, first into the challenge etc. and that's where Arsenal lost the 'fight'.
So, they became frustrated and compensated by an over physical approach, aka. Henry on Alonso and Vierra on Alonso.
And as for Vierra diving from Hamman's challenge !! What was that about ?
I think they have had their way for too long, they have become arrogant and can't take it.
They obviously thought they were going to pi$$ on our 'weak' side and to their surprise found the game coming at them faster than they could cope with. Stevie Gerrard charging down the channels was a major success, supported by the capability of Alonso and Hamman controlling the middle.
No wonder, they thought they were outfought, when they were actually just 'outthought'  

[isyarah]

good stuff!!!

[SouthernScouser]

not very gracious in defeat
shades of the Scum surrounding the referee a few years ago

does go to show how differently we all see things though
(probably biased) but I actually thought we were a bit hard done by the first half hour by the ref - some of the tackles on Alonso - I honestly thought that was their game plan - Gerrard is a few games away from full fitness - so we'll kick Alonso in the air every time he gets near the ball

but if you listen to their winging after the game - the ref didn't give them anything, Alonso is a diver & we provoked Henry & Vieira
What a load of B*ll*cks
Quite funny though - they must be on the slide