Rob Holding: Anfield Atmosphere is Real
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Despite the many wild claims that Anfield’s atmosphere is a myth, Arsenal defender Rob Holding is the latest to name it as his toughest ground. The 27-year-old has played at Anfield six times with Arsenal and only come out on the winning side once. Speaking on the Jaxxon Podcast, Holding said “Definitely, in the Premier League, Anfield, Liverpool” when asked to name the ‘craziest’ stadium he had played at.
Holding’s most recent trip to Liverpool was the 2-2 draw in April, which saw Arsenal take a two-goal lead only to slip up following an altercation between Granit Xhaka and Trent Alexander-Arnold. Alexander-Arnold’s clash with the midfielder riled the supporters up and Liverpool turned the tide with ease, coming away deserving three points. Holding explained “We were 2-0 up and suddenly there was an action and their crowd lifted and got aggressive. You could see it boost their players. Their players then look a bit taller, run a bit faster. So it is a tough, tough place to go and take all three points. We should have [won], to be fair, just the Kop just sucks the ball into the net. It’s energy, it’s like pressure, pressure, then it breaks through. So yeah, definitely Liverpool.”
The Testimonies of Elite Players
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Rob Holding is not alone in his opinion of Anfield’s atmosphere. Patrick Vieira described Anfield as having “the best atmosphere that I’ve ever experienced in my life.” The former Arsenal midfielder joined the likes of Arsene Wenger, Alex Ferguson, Jose Mourinho, Pep Guardiola, Thierry Henry, Johan Cruyff and countless others in conceding its influence.
That 2-2 draw served as the perfect example of this in action, with Liverpool struggling until the touch-paper was lit by Xhaka. It is clear that Anfield’s atmosphere has an effect on players and teams alike, with its influence often proving decisive in tight games.
Anfield Atmosphere: A Force to be Reckoned With
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Anfield has been home to some of the most iconic moments in football history, with its atmosphere playing a huge role in many of them. From the Miracle of Istanbul to the incredible 4-0 win over Barcelona in 2019, Anfield has been a fortress for Liverpool over the years.
It is clear that the atmosphere at Anfield is real and has an undeniable effect on players and teams alike. Rob Holding is just one of many elite players who have testified to this fact, with Patrick Vieira describing it as having “the best atmosphere that I’ve ever experienced in my life.”
The power of Anfield’s atmosphere cannot be underestimated and it will continue to be a force to be reckoned with for years to come.