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 end result which isn’t essentially dangerous however one which is tinged with disappointment as a result of it’d/ought to have been extra optimistic.
It began nicely, with Saka and Jurrien Timber within the crew, we appeared respectable on paper. The very 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 last third from a participant who has, to my thoughts anyway, gone up a degree this season. It’s not the very same aim, 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 received again into it from a nook. Sensible motion from Luis Diaz noticed him flick the ball on and Virgil van Dijk was first to it, heading dwelling 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 an amazing Declan Rice free kick, and worryingly appeared to harm his shoulder once more however he carried on after some remedy.
There have been practically moments when half probabilities may need transpired, however there was little doubt we had been on high. Late within the half, one other Rice free kick noticed Merino head dwelling 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.
Finally the aim 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 beneath a problem from Darwin Nunez, tried to hold on, however couldn’t. He was changed by Jakub Kiwior, and I do assume this had a huge impact on the sport.
It’s laborious to quantify, or show, however I feel we felt his absence as a psychological blow. Kiwior did wonderful, however there’s a presence to the massive Brazilian that was lacking, and once 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 comfortable sufficient to allow them to have it and defend the lead. After all dropping Timber with about 20 minutes to go wasn’t ideally suited 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 yr previous who – on paper in the beginning of the season – would have been fifth alternative at greatest.
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 choice making, however I discovered a number of the post-game evaluation about how Arsenal weren’t actually lacking too many gamers very odd. Do they not have eyes, or ample information 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 understand you don’t have that unbelievable defensive platform that has been so essential to how we play, it’s not precisely rocket science to know why we’d turn into just a little danger averse in that state of affairs.
My large remorse from this recreation 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 once you get to the 81st minute, not for the primary time yesterday his first contact within the last third wasn’t what it wanted to be.
Arteta is so not often publicly essential of his gamers, however he referenced it afterwards, saying:
The second is the transition second. We’ve got to finish up within the last third with an opportunity to take, and ten seconds later, we’re 2 v 1 inside our personal field at this degree towards this crew. Clearly, you can not give that away.
To be truthful to Liverpool, they executed that transition very nicely. The go from Alexander Arnold is implausible, and we had been a bit disorganised on the again which allowed somebody nearly as good as Salah to take benefit, however for me it stems from not being environment friendly sufficient once we had the prospect 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 ‘aim’ we had disallowed, I simply don’t assume that’s any form of foul from Kiwior. The very fact the ball was put in a few seconds after the referee ultimately blew his whistle makes it laborious to analyse correctly as gamers react to that, however that preliminary choice 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 no less than booked for his double kick out at Havertz early within the first half. If that was Granit Xhaka and so forth and so forth. There was a giant penalty shout within the first half too when Konate steamed by Martinelli. My guess there may be they’ll say Martinelli wasn’t totally in command of the ball, however I feel Liverpool received a bit fortunate there. Or, to place it one other approach, if that was at Anfield and the roles reversed, I feel the choice would have gone their approach.
Finally although, this was a recreation that we had in our arms, however as soon as once more let slip. I don’t assume it’s potential to speak about why with out referencing that again 4, and the way which may affect the crew’s solidity. The central defensive partnership is mainly the most effective 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 nearly 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 cause, and it appears like each recreation there’s one thing new to cope with from an damage perspective. After final season once we had a reasonably clear invoice of well being for many of it, the scales have tipped too far the opposite approach now. Please let it cease.
Arteta sounded the positives afterwards when requested if he felt like nothing was going our approach, 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 style that we do, I see the crew I’ve no doubts, three days earlier than I informed you we’re going to be flying on Sunday, and we began flying and had been the higher crew by far. However we would have liked to seize the factors right this moment 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 so forth, and nonetheless be there or thereabouts will be seen as encouraging, since you assume what you’ll be able to once you get the gamers again. However this morning, that gained’t essentially be the balm that soothes the frustration once you get pegged again late on. And we all know the margins within the Premier League are so tight. There are some tough video games developing earlier than the following Interlull, so we’ll should hope the issues we sustained yesterday aren’t too critical. And with a Carabao Cup recreation in midweek, the supervisor has some very critical pondering to do in regards to the crew he places out towards Preston earlier than a visit to Newcastle on Saturday lunchtime.
Proper, I’ll go away it there for now. We may have an Arsecast Further for you in a short while, after all. We’ve put out the decision for questions on Threads @gunnerblog and @arseblog with the hashtag #arsecastextra – or for those who’re an Arseblog Member on Patreon, go away your query within the #arsecast-extra-questions channel on our Discord server.
Pod ought to be out round midday. For now, have an excellent one.
