Match report – Participant scores – Arteta response – Video
Sunday’s 2-2 draw with Liverpool felt very very similar to a microcosm of Arsenal’s season to this point: Some optimism, extra Bukayo brilliance, a set-back, spectacular resilience, extra damage points, a smattering of officiating controversy, and a consequence which isn’t essentially dangerous however one which is tinged with disappointment as a result of it would/ought to have been extra constructive.
It began nicely, with Saka and Jurrien Timber within the staff, we appeared respectable on paper. The actual fact the Dutchman was deployed at left-back may say one thing about how Mikel Arteta feels about Jakub Kiwior and Oleksandr Zinchenko, however in isolation there was some logic in placing such a stable one-on-one defender towards the standard of Mo Salah.
Ben White’s glorious lengthy ball despatched Saka free behind the Liverpool defence, he in the reduction of inside Andy Robertson and slammed the ball past Caoimhin Kelleher at his close to submit. Simply ruthless effectivity within the remaining third from a participant who has, to my thoughts anyway, gone up a degree this season. It’s not the very same purpose, however the high quality and precision of the touches which rendered the defender ineffective jogged my memory only a little bit of Dennis Bergkamp’s World Cup strike towards Argentina.
The sport was fairly even at that time. Liverpool acquired again into it from a nook. Good motion from Luis Diaz noticed him flick the ball on and Virgil van Dijk was first to it, heading house from shut vary to make it 1-1. I assumed the way in which we responded was glorious although, and after that equaliser we dominated the sport. 5 photographs to Liverpool’s 0. Mikel Merino ought to have scored from a fantastic Declan Rice free kick, and worryingly appeared to harm his shoulder once more however he carried on after some therapy.
There have been almost moments when half possibilities may need transpired, however there was little doubt we had been on prime. Late within the half, one other Rice free kick noticed Merino head house from shut vary to make it 2-1. The supply was glorious, the header emphatic, however we had an interminable wait as VAR checked for offside. Why we’re nonetheless ready for the implementation of semi-automated offside checks, I don’t know, however PGMOL is gonna PGMOL, I suppose. Each weekend they make themselves the star of the present, even in mundane methods like this. It’s so tiresome.
Ultimately the purpose stood, and going into the break I assumed we had been worthy of our lead, and the second half was set-up very properly. Virtually instantly on resumption although, the damage gods struck once more. This time Gabriel did one thing to his knee below a problem from Darwin Nunez, tried to hold on, however couldn’t. He was changed by Jakub Kiwior, and I do suppose this had a big effect on the sport.
It’s onerous to quantify, or show, however I feel we felt his absence as a psychological blow. Kiwior did tremendous, however there’s a presence to the large Brazilian that was lacking, and whenever you’re already with out William Saliba, it had an affect on our mindset. Liverpool had extra of the ball with out being overly harmful, and we appeared pleased sufficient to allow them to have it and defend the lead. In fact dropping Timber with about 20 minutes to go wasn’t perfect both, which meant we performed the ultimate a part of the sport with a midfielder at right-back, our common right-back at centre-half, our third alternative left centre-back alongside him, and an 18 12 months outdated who – on paper in the beginning of the season – would have been fifth alternative at finest.
Which is to take nothing away from Myles Lewis-Skelly, by the way in which. He got here on and did nicely, I used to be impressed by his resolution making, however I discovered a few of the post-game evaluation about how Arsenal weren’t actually lacking too many gamers very odd. Do they not have eyes, or ample data about our squad? To say that again 4 was makeshift is an understatement and a half. The query as to why we don’t ‘go for it’ a bit extra isn’t an invalid one, however when you have already got the lead and you recognize you don’t have that unbelievable defensive platform that has been so essential to how we play, it’s not precisely rocket science to grasp why we would turn into a bit of danger averse in that situation.
My large remorse from this sport although is the second equaliser, as a result of it got here once we had an excellent probability to make one thing occur up the opposite finish. Lewis-Skelly performed an excellent ball down the road to Martinelli, and whereas I settle for there’s some fatigue whenever you get to the 81st minute, not for the primary time yesterday his first contact within the remaining third wasn’t what it wanted to be.
Arteta is so hardly ever publicly crucial of his gamers, however he referenced it afterwards, saying:
The second is the transition second. We have now to finish up within the remaining third with an opportunity to take, and ten seconds later, we’re 2 v 1 inside our personal field at this degree towards this staff. Clearly, you can’t give that away.
To be truthful to Liverpool, they executed that transition very nicely. The move from Alexander Arnold is implausible, and we had been a bit disorganised on the again which allowed somebody pretty much as good as Salah to take benefit, however for me it stems from not being environment friendly sufficient once we had the possibility to make one thing occur up the opposite finish. Arteta placed on Gabriel Jesus and Ethan Nwaneri for Saka and Martinelli, and the Brazilian did have a shot which Kelleher saved.
As for the ‘purpose’ we had disallowed, I simply don’t suppose that’s any sort of foul from Kiwior. The actual fact the ball was put in a few seconds after the referee finally blew his whistle makes it onerous to analyse correctly as gamers react to that, however that preliminary resolution to award Liverpool a free kick was very, very beneficiant for my part. There have been different moments too. I’m shocked van Dijk wasn’t at the very least booked for his double kick out at Havertz early within the first half. If that was Granit Xhaka and many others and many others. There was an enormous penalty shout within the first half too when Konate steamed via Martinelli. My guess there may be they’ll say Martinelli wasn’t absolutely accountable for the ball, however I feel Liverpool acquired a bit fortunate there. Or, to place it one other manner, if that was at Anfield and the roles reversed, I feel the choice would have gone their manner.
Finally although, this was a sport that we had in our palms, however as soon as once more let slip. I don’t suppose it’s doable to speak about why with out referencing that again 4, and the way that may affect the staff’s solidity. The central defensive partnership is mainly one of the best within the Premier League, and we ended the sport with out each of them. Saka and Timber appeared 75% match, which is comprehensible, and it’s to their immense credit score they had been pretty much as good as they had been on the day. And oh for Martin Odegaard’s craft on a day like that.
We had been lacking quite a bit from the beginning, and ended up even weaker by the top. Which isn’t an excuse, however it’s a motive, and it looks like each sport there’s one thing new to take care of from an damage perspective. After final season once we had a fairly clear invoice of well being for many of it, the scales have tipped too far the opposite manner now. Please let it cease.
Arteta sounded the positives afterwards when requested if he felt like nothing was going our manner, saying:
No, that is soccer, circumstances are going to make us higher and they’re making us higher. So if we had been in a position to be the place we’re and competing the way that we do, I see the staff I’ve no doubts, three days earlier than I advised you we’re going to be flying on Sunday, and we began flying and had been the higher staff by far. However we wanted to seize the factors as we speak to make a mirrored image of the place we’re and the place we wish to be, we couldn’t do it however for certain we’re there.
I do know what he means. To deal with all of the accidents, absences, suspensions and many others, and nonetheless be there or thereabouts might be seen as encouraging, since you suppose what you’ll be able to whenever you get the gamers again. However this morning, that gained’t essentially be the balm that soothes the frustration whenever you get pegged again late on. And we all know the margins within the Premier League are so tight. There are some troublesome video games developing earlier than the following Interlull, so we’ll must hope the issues we sustained yesterday aren’t too severe. And with a Carabao Cup sport in midweek, the supervisor has some very severe considering to do in regards to the staff he places out towards Preston earlier than a visit to Newcastle on Saturday lunchtime.
Proper, I’ll depart it there for now. We can have an Arsecast Further for you in a short time, in fact. We’ve put out the decision for questions on Threads @gunnerblog and @arseblog with the hashtag #arsecastextra – or if you happen to’re an Arseblog Member on Patreon, depart your query within the #arsecast-extra-questions channel on our Discord server.
Pod needs to be out round midday. For now, have an excellent one.
