Alexis Had A Game To Forget But A Liverpool Draw Is Not To Be Sniffed At

Match Review: Liverpool 2 Arsenal 2 - Premier League 21.12.14

We have been baffling this season. Inconsistent would be an understatement, we’re such a Jekyll and Hyde team at the moment it’s hard to know what to expect from each game. Even after the game on Sunday, I was unsure as to whether I was happy to have escaped with a draw or gutted at giving away a winning position so late on. Whilst it was a worryingly inept performance from the team, a draw away at Liverpool isn’t a bad result and it could quite easily have been an embarrassment like last year. But we failed to hold onto an unlikely victory which would have done wonders for our confidence and been hugely damaging for our top four rivals.

We were forced to make one change from the victory over Newcastle, with Chambers replacing Bellerin at right back and Debuchy continuing at centre back. Liverpool played their new ‘Strikerless’ system again and it worked a treat for them. They dominated the first half almost entirely, while we chased shadows and gave up the ball easily when we had it. I haven’t seen us dominated as comprehensively since games against Barcelona in the Nou Camp and Bayern at the Allianz. This is as much a complement to Liverpool as it is a criticism of us.

There are times when you have to just admit that the other team has played brilliantly and whilst you also can acknowledge that we failed to stop them playing well, it would be churlish and petty not to credit Liverpool for their performance. I’ve seen a lot of people moaning about how we failed to beat and got dominated by a ‘terrible Liverpool team’, but I’m sorry, bad teams don’t get over 60% possession against us, no matter what state we’re in. This new formation has actually worked for Liverpool, despite the widespread derision over it. Offensively it worked against Man Utd, they dominated the opening exchanges and could have scored four or five goals in the game had they been able to shoot either side of De Gea. They tore Bournemouth to ribbons at times and whilst Bournemouth aren’t Premier League, they are the best team outside of it at the moment. Rodgers, for all my scepticism about him as a manager, has got his team playing some very good football going forward and with their back line still an absolute state, attack is the best form of defence for them.

For all Liverpool’s domination though, it took them until just before half time to break through and even then it was down to us shooting ourselves in the foot. We managed to lose the ball from our own throw in and then stood off Coutinho, allowing him to work a shooting angle and fire in off the post. It was exactly what both teams deserved, Liverpool were excellent and we were well off the pace. But, crazily, we didn’t go into the break behind.

Almost immediately we went on a rare foray forward and won a free kick on the edge of the box. The initial ball in was half cleared, but when Flamini headed the ball back towards the back post, Debuchy beat Skrtel and nodded over Brad Jones. To be honest, it was a fairly scrappy goal. Skrtel shouldn’t have been beaten in the air and Brad Jones’ attempt at a save was absolutely pathetic, but I’d expect nothing less from the worst keeper in the league. All in all, I think we’d all agree we were fortunate to have parity at the break.

It really wasn’t an enjoyable game and not much improved in the second half, most of which I spent on the edge of my seat or nervously pacing the room. But I would say we had a better foothold in the game than in the first half and in an act of sheer cheek we actually managed to snatch the lead. The goal game from a nice bit of interplay as Cazorla played a one-two with Giroud before cutting the ball back to the striker to sweep home. Giroud’s shot went straight through Brad Jones’ legs and gave us an unlikely and undeserved lead.

Rather predictably, we then spent the rest of game holding on for dear life as Liverpool poured forwards. Chamberlain worryingly went off with an injury and was replaced by Coquelin, who not long ago was playing for Charlton. Our makeshift midfield made it easy for Liverpool dominate and we lacked any pace to break away with. Having said that, we did limit them to mostly long range attempts, but Szczesny was called upon to make a host of important saves. Nine minutes of stoppage time were added, owing to the fact that the referee had allowed Skrtel to be treated on the pitch for a ridiculous length of time. But, when Borini was sent off for two yellows, one of which left Cazorla with a nasty cut on his chest, it seemed that we had done enough to hold on for a smash and grab victory. Wrong…

With two minutes left to play, a Liverpool corner was swung towards the penalty spot and there to power home was Skrtel. He had a completely free header, a run at the ball and headed right into the space that Gibbs should have been occupying on the post. It was eerily and depressingly similar to the equaliser we conceded against City at home and equally preventable. Skittle was barely challenged and the fact that there was no one on the post was infuriating. Whilst Liverpool deserved to take at least a point from the game, it was a criminal mistake on our part that prevented us from leaving with the win.

Looking back at it, a point from the game is a decent result and it’s a difficult away trip out of the way. We were also a long way from our first XI, especially with Chamberlain looking unfit at best in the centre of the pitch. We are down to our bare bones in places and not all of that is down to failures in the transfer market. There are a lot of players to come back into this side that will make it a lot better and I think our best of team would have given Liverpool a lot more problems.

In light of that, some of the reaction from Arsenal fans has been hyperbolic to say the least and the vitriol being spouted towards players like Mertesacker is well over the top. The German isn’t annoying a great season and didn’t cover himself in glory for their equaliser, but in the summer he was pretty much everyone’s choice for club captain. He’s been in an ever changing back four and is going through a patch of poor form and suddenly it’s now the in thing to abuse and barrack him. Woe betide the man who should seek to support a player going through a dip in form! Mertesacker is still a quality player, but as is the Arsenal way, it seems that many would rather vent their anger at specific players rather than support and encourage an important player in our side.

It’s extremely annoying to lose a lead that late on and the performance wasn’t brilliant by any stretch. But I don’t think that it was a disaster by any means. We are still in a good position to secure a top four spot, as West Ham and Southampton will inevitably fall away and we get important players back from injury. My advice to all Gooners would be to relax, let go of any anger and just enjoy your holidays.

I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas!

Teams

Liverpool (3-4-3)
Jones, Toure (Lambert 81’), Skrtel, Sakho, Markovic (Borini 74’ (Y/Y-R)), Lucas, Gerrard, Henderson, Lallana, Coutinho, Sterling
Subs
Mignolet, Enrique, Lambert, Moreno, Manquillo, Can, Borini

Arsenal (4-2-3-1)
Szczesny, Chambers, Debuchy (Y), Mertesacker, Gibbs, Flamini (Y), Chamberlain (Campbell 90’), Welbeck, Cazorla (Y), Alexis (Monreal 94’), Giroud (Coquelin 82’)
Subs
Martinez, Podolski, Monreal, Coquelin, Campbell, Walcott, Maitland-Niles

Player Ratings

Szczesny - 8/10 - Produced an excellent performance with a number of important saves
Chambers - 6/10 - Had a tough time with Sterling and was beaten by Skrtel for the equaliser
Debuchy - 6/10 - Made a mistake for the first goal, but made up for it seconds later
Mertesacker - 5/10 - Poor for both goals and caught out of position a few times
Gibbs - 6/10 - Had a pretty good game, but didn’t have much influence going forward
Flamini - 5/10 - Overrun in midfield and struggled to cope, but did grab an assist
Chamberlain - 4/10 - Looked unfit and off the pace, had a game to forget
Welbeck - 4/10 - Had little influence on the game at all
Cazorla - 8/10 - Defensively excellent and provided an excellent assist for Giroud
Alexis - 4/10 - Another who had a game to forget, barely got on the ball and often lost it when he did
Giroud - 7/10 - Did a good job as the target man and scored an important goal
Subs
Coquelin - 5/10 - Didn’t really sure up the defence, which is what he was sent on for
Campbell - N/A
Monreal - N/A

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