Match report – Player ratings – Arteta reaction – Video
Arsenal are high of the desk for Christmas after a 1-1 draw with Liverpool at Anfield yesterday night.
Mikel Arteta picked an unchanged aspect from the one which beat Brighton 2-0, and we got here flying out of the blocks. Gabriel Jesus had an early effort deflect over the bar, there was one other header on course which Alisson saved simply, earlier than Kai Havertz was fouled within the Liverpool half.
Martin Odegaard delivered, Gabriel timed his step backwards to remain onside completely, and his header was very properly executed because the ball was simply dropping marginally behind him on the level of contact. 1-0 to the Arsenal. Jesus blasted over the bar after one other good transfer, and up the opposite finish Mo Salah fired a shot into the side-netting after getting away from Oleksandr Zinchenko a bit simply. A portent of what was to return.
There was a giant penalty attraction when Odegaard dealt with the ball in our field and had that occurred up the opposite finish, I’d have been fuming if it wasn’t given. I believe we received fortunate there, and whilst you would possibly say {that a} determination going our means is considerably overdue, to me that’s completely a penalty. I do know he slipped somewhat, but when there may be continued debate as to what’s and isn’t handball as of late, that one is apparent to me.
Simply earlier than the half-hour mark, Liverpool have been degree. I believe we’ve got to acknowledge the standard of the move from Trent Alexander-Arnold, and the end from Salah, however Zinchenko’s defending was terrible, and I do suppose Gabriel might have gotten out faster to shut him down. He had already pointed to Saliba to maintain the person within the center, and if he had the possibility to do it once more, I’m certain he’d do it in a different way.
Liverpool have been pressured right into a change when Kostas Tsimikas collided with Jurgen Klopp after a 50/50 with Saka, and ended up breaking his collar bone. Unlucky and unfortunate, and hopefully he recovers as shortly as doable. I do suppose Saka ought to in all probability have accomplished higher when despatched in behind by Jesus, however a mixture of his contact not being fairly proper and good defending pressured him large. From there although, Gabriel Martinelli pulling his shot large with the keeper half-stranded felt like a giant second that we let slip. You don’t get too many possibilities that good at Anfield.
I believed it was fairly fascinating how comfortable Mikel Arteta was after the sport, and I believe the begin to the second half is a giant a part of why. Arsenal have been actually sloppy, our move completion dropped from 81% within the first half to simply 70% within the opening 10 minutes of the second interval. We gave it away in harmful areas, we did silly issues on the ball which allowed Liverpool to win it in our half, and on the reside weblog I made the remark that ‘The sport is tilting too far Liverpool’s means.’
It felt just like the momentum was shifting, we’ve skilled that at Anfield earlier than, and it’s so tough to deliver it again the opposite means. However that’s precisely what we did. ‘Management’ is an Arsenal buzzword this season, and we noticed how it may be utilized otherwise final evening. It’s not nearly dominating possession and territory towards so-called ‘smaller’ groups, it lets you stem the tide of rising stress towards the perfect sides too, and that’s what we did.
The yin and yang of Zinchenko was on full show final evening. Defensively poor at instances, careless throughout that 10 minute interval at the least twice (maybe thrice), however then once we received again into the sport, he was pretty basic to that ingredient of our efficiency too. Most groups gained’t have the ability to exploit the defensive weak spot in addition to Liverpool, however I’m certain it’s one thing Mikel Arteta is properly conscious of. I believe Tomiyasu would have began this one if match, so it’s not as if we ignore it – we simply had no various final evening.
I’ve to say the defensive triumvirate of Declan Rice, Gabriel and William Saliba. Though it was Odegaard who made extra tackles than every other Arsenal participant, these three have been so commanding. Saliba particularly was imperious, unflustered, unflappable. He defends like he’s received some type of means to decelerate time, like a capturing mechanic in a online game which helps you to put the true world into half-speed and take goal. His absence on the finish of final season have to be the largest ‘What If’ in latest Arsenal historical past. A phrase too for Ben White whose type has been a dialogue level, however neither Luis Diaz or Darwin Nunez did a factor all evening, and his aggressive defending was excellent from begin to end.
An Arsenal nook was a superb probability for Liverpool when Zinchenko took out Odegaard they usually had a 4 on 1 break. Salah discovered Alexander-Arnold, and I’m not having the justifications in regards to the ball taking a bobble earlier than he hit it, he completely ought to rating there and it’s a nasty miss. He mentioned the identical on Sky afterwards. If the penalty determination was a let-off, so too was this. Generally although, you want a break or two to get a consequence, and I believe a draw at Anfield is a really first rate end result for Arsenal.
I used to be bit shocked on the chat on the TV protection about this was an excellent weekend for Man Metropolis at our expense. This was a really completely different sport to final season once we nearly held on for a draw after the momentum shifted in Liverpool’s favour fully. These Ramsdale saves, oof. I simply suppose there’s extra to take from this one than going 2-0 up final trip, and whereas there are clearly issues we might have accomplished higher, this can be a constructive consequence.
Afterwards, Arteta mentioned:
It was an unbelievable sport of soccer, one of the intense and hectic video games that I’ve witnessed in 20 years on this league. The standard, the intentions of each groups… It was very good to observe it and we as a workforce with the boys prepared to play at that degree, to have the braveness to play at that degree, the dedication and perception to do what we’ve accomplished right here, I believe my gamers deserve massive, massive credit score.
I believed the distinction between his feedback and people of a frustrated Bukayo Saka was fairly fascinating, however I believe that speaks extra to the participant’s need to have made extra of a few moments than unhappiness with the consequence itself. So, it wasn’t fairly the win we wished, however a draw there may be to not be sniffed at, and that means to deal with that shaky second half interval is a really promising factor.
And we’re high at Christmas, ho ho ho.
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We will probably be recording a festive Arsecast Further for you this morning, however due to the day that’s in it, it may be a bit shorter than typical. We’ll have that for you in all the standard locations round noon.
Till then.
