It seems like only yesterday that the dreaded Etihad Cartel were sitting there, poised and only two points behind the Gunners with all and sundry in the media suggesting that the Arsenal were about to ‘bottle’ it again as they stared nervously down the barrel and into their review mirror at the oil ogre chasing them. Some even suggested laughably that Unai Emery’s Aston Villa could finish above our ‘weak-minded’ favourites. How things change!
The Eastland Oiler’s had just come off of a three game run and haemorrhaged a massive six points in three successive draws where they could and probably should have actually lost a game or two. On top of that they’re in the midst of an Arsenal style injury crisis with no light at the end of the tunnel and the prospect of having to spend around £100m or more this month in order to stay in contention for a top four place. Then there is the small matter of a Manchester derby awaiting with a revitalised Benjamin Sesko leading the Salford line. Villa likewise have also crumbled.
Psychologically the prospect of delivering if not a knockout blow but a standing count presented itself to the Gunners yesterday and Arteta was keen to remind his players of how Liverpool had stolen all the points earlier in the season, just as Villa did a couple of months later. The stage was set but maybe not as we would have hoped.
No surprises with the starting XI or the finishers on the bench for Arsenal but for Liverpool there was no Eketike. The weather was atrocious so how would Liverpool approach the game, would they go for it or would they sit in?
The game kicked off under an absolutely dogs and cats North London deluge with Liverpool adding to the flooding by flooding the midfield. After the early exchanges Liverpool fell back into a deep low block looking to break quickly if Arsenal gave the ball away. Initially Arsenal ramped up the pressure and the Scousers looked a tad apprehensive, but as the game proceeded and Arsenal’s attempts on goal failed to match the approach play, the media favourites came into the game and looked more dangerous on the break. Arsenal needed to be careful as Liverpool were beginning to look a lot more confident.
Saka and Timber were the most positive outlets in the early exchanges and both put inviting crosses into the box, but to nobody in particular, because nobody anticipated them or made a run. Trossard was at his tricky best but an early yellow card seemed to knock him out of his stride, Saka was showing his full repertoire and it was he who had the first shot on target after bamboozling the Scouse defence but unfortunately his shot lack enough velocity to beat Alisson. By 21 minutes Liverpool were just a solid block of white shirts and the feeling was that patience would be needed.
On 27 a calamitous mix up between Saliba and Raya almost gifted Bradley a goal, luckily the Irish defender showed why he is a defender by missing the almost open net and hitting the bar. It was a bit of a shock and the Arsenal crowd gradually became more quiet and nervous meanwhile Liverpool stroked it around but without any cutting edge. This wasn’t going to be a walkover, not that any of us thought it would be.
As half time approached Gyokeres and Timber created a decent chance for Rice but his shot lacked conviction and Alisson easily saved. HalfTime 0-0
Half time talks by Arteta usually result in a far more energised Arsenal in the second half but not this time. 10 minutes passed without either side creating anything of consequence then on 57 minutes Hincapie went down with what looked like a hamstring which could mean 3/5 weeks out if it’s a bad one. Myles came on but had an uncomfortable few moments as a Frimpong gave him the runaround, eventually Myles found his form but for awhile it wasn’t great for him.
Liverpool seemed content to knock the ball around and to outnumber us in midfield as they enjoyed more possession, bursting quickly from midfield when the opportunity arose. Odegaard, Rice and Zubimendi worked hard but it was an uncomfortable experience for them. On 64 Arteta tried to freshen things up by replacing Trossard and the disappointing Gyokeres with Martinelli and Jesus. Gabriel Martinelli actually went on to have have a pretty impressive half an hour and came closest to breaking the deadlock. Jesus was fairly anonymous but did have a header on goal and on target which Alisson saved easily.
On 78 Arteta played his last card by replacing Saka and Odegaard with Madueke and Eze and Noni did actually liven things up, Ebbs less so. On 80 and following a great run Noni put a beautiful low across into the box and despite the space no Arsenal player gambled and the chance went begging. On 82 Szoboszlai struck a dipping free kick just over the bar but despite Liverpool’s possession stats Raya was relatively untroubled in the 2nd 45.
As the clock ticked into 4 minutes of added time Arsenal woke up, almost as if someone flicked a switch and the prospect of a late flurry gave us renewed hope but nothing really came of it until the very last moments. Finally a corner, Madueke swung across a dipping drive to the far post and there was Gabriel rising with nobody to block him, but in keeping with the match, he put it wide with Noni holding his head in his hands and the Arsenal bench in disbelief.
That was that, Arsenal lacked their usual zip whilst Liverpool continued a 10 match unbeaten run. The sooner Mo Salah returns and upsets the applecart again the better.
Next up Arteta will have to mix and match at Fratton Park but who knows what kind of Portsmouth will await us because this is the FA Cup!
Arsenal are six points ahead after a gruelling period of a game every few days and it’s going to continue that way into the rest of January with 7 League Cup, FA Cup, CL and Premier League games in 23 days up to January 31st which is pretty much a game every 3 days! Arteta is going to need every player in his squad so nobody is going out on loan or should be allowed to in my opinion.
We march on.
By Kev.
Morning Gooners and Morning Rico.
It’s a foul day outside and I’m off to visit a friend in Sussex, couldn’t have picked a better day for it.
Hincapie, minus his mid-season break, obviously broke down. Despite the calendar we really need to revisit that idea again?
Morning Kev, good post, thanks.
Hope you’ve checked your route. 😜
So disappointed with last nights performance and result.
Thanks Kev, enjoy your trip to Sussex, we lived there for five years and loved the County.
I know Eze came on as a sub because I saw his number come up, but I’m not sure if he actually touched the ball, was he on the pitch?
Looking at this month’s games, I hope we rest all our top players against Chelsea for the EFL cup, including Raya as we have too many bigger matches coming up.
Martinelli apologizes for pushing injured player, I must admit at the time I thought the Liverpool player was just trying to waste time,
Eze certainly didn’t play like a guy who wants to take Odegaard’s place. I think he’s more of a starter as he comes into a game better, as a sub, I don’t think he’s has a big impact. Subs need to be game changers, not drifters.
Typical Arsenal, or indeed Arteta, the quickies come on and start crossing balls into the box after Gyokeres goes off.
Renée Slegers has extended her stay with Arsenal. Good.
Liverpool boss Arne Slot said after the game that he feared “the worst” for Bradley, who has already missed considerable time out this season through injury.
“I don’t know Gabriel Martinelli but he comes across as a nice guy,” Slot said.
“The problem for him, and it’s a problem in general in football, is that there is so much time-wasting in the final parts of games that sometimes you can be annoyed when you want to score a goal and you feel a player is pretending to be injured.
“I’m 100 per cent sure if he knew what the injury might be, he wouldn’t do that. But it doesn’t look great if he has the injury, which we fear he might have, of course.
“Football, time-wasting, diving has come to a situation that players think in the 94th minute that probably it’s happening again, because I’ve seen it happening against us so many times this season.
“I can understand that Martinelli might have thought that this was time-wasting as well.”
Rico @10:17. Imo, Bradley rolled into the field of play, and that would’ve been the reaction of most footballers to push him off in the heat of the moment. They were diving most of the game to waste time. Slot is totally correct in his assessment.
Btw, Kev on the previous post. “If you want to use last nights game as your overall view of the team and manager then good luck.” Respectfully Kev, it is not just last night. Overall, in his years at Arsenal, he does that. This year alone, he has done it twice against Liverpool, City, Man U, Chelsea and first half against Villa just to name but a few.
Taking Slot’s comments into account Bradley was shall we say half way off the pitch and he definitely rolled back , so I too can understand Martinelli’s attitude at the time .
All he did was show his frustration at only getting half an hour against a defender that he had the beating of and his final contributions showed why he should have been on earlier.
last night Kev said :- Liverpool pretty much nullified our deep block threat by not conceding set pieces. and one has to conclude that other managers know that basically that’s all we have .
Throughout my time on the North Bank I have seen Rocastle , Brady , Bergkamp, Charlie, all had one thing in common the ability take take a man on and surge through the midfield and what we have now is Denilson who had the best passing stats for a couple of seasons but hardly ever played anything penetrating. Odegaard goes in circles until he can lay it to Saka , Rice who I have a lot of time for lays long diagonals , Zubimendi is neat and tidy but unless our wide men get to the touch line there is no point in making a run into the box .
I said a few weeks ago that we are like a one trick pony and Last night proved how easy it is ti nullify us .
By the way I forgot to add that even if our wide men get to the byline they most often cut in and try a shot from a narrow angle rather than look up and find someone better placed . I remember hearing Andy Gray say that it was the forwards job to get on the end of a blind cross , I just thought of the old time wingers that used to be able to pick their players out rather than just put over a hopeful cross .
Maybe I am too old and can’t adapt but who was it that said “” Football is a simple game made complicated “
Morning all
Not much positive about that,a draw against Liverpool not so bad,and a clean sheet welcome. Apart from that I thought Liverpool were the better team. I’m glad you mentioned midfield,I thought Szoboszlai (?) was the best player on the pitch,both Rice and Zubemendi were strangely subdued. I would rest them both for Sunday,that probably won’t happen,I love the FA Cup but the League Cup semi final has to take priority,and Stamford Bridge will be a real test.
A bit hypocritical of Gary Neville and Roy Keane saying Martinelli was a disgrace,some of the things those two got up to. Neville on Reyes for one,probably loads of examples for Keane. Martinelli couldn’t have complained about a red card though.
The shots on target stat is misleading,some of our shots were weak and didn’t test the keeper. For them the Bradley open goal hit the post and didn’t count,but was surely a bigger chance.
Fair play to Slot for his comments about the shove,downplaying the situation. A lot of managers wouldn’t have been so sensible.
We’re still 6 points clear,hopefully rest a few Sunday,then destroy the West London mob.
Thanks Cicero, my friend lives in Winchelsea a beautiful village, in between Hastings and Rye. Not the best time of year to visit, I know but nobody except a weather anorak expected a storm.
Last night’s game for me had some unfavourable issues. 1. The weather was awful – driving rain due to the wind. Not easy conditions to play in. 2. Arsenal did not come out all blazing from the start or more importantly in the second half. They looked depleted and tired. Tactics should have been changed in the 2nd half as us fans could all see that Liverpool in the first half were very defensive making it very difficult for Arsenal to get those important goal(s) in. 3. Arteta should have not have started with his usual team as we are becoming yet again “predictable”! Why did he not play Martinelli, Eze and Madueke first and then for the 2nd half bring on Trossard for Matinelli, Saka for Madueke, and Merino for Zubimendi and Ben White for Hincapie? We are suppose to have a solid bench as well as a solid 1st Team. Does Arteta not believe this anymore by leaving some of these players on the bench time and time again!
Martinelli incident with Bradley. Not good but I agree with what Slot and others said at the end of the match. Heat of the moment. Yes and why? Because it’s well known that many players again and again towards the end of the match fake/make out that their injuries are worse than what they are to add more time in the hope of clinching a last minute goal! Perhaps the time has now come for Referees to take a stance by calling on their medical team every time a player is rolling around or not getting up, saying that they have to leave the pitch for treatment and wait to be called back on which could take least 2 minutes). I think we would see many a player getting up quickly if this happened.
All in all. A poor performance from Arsenal losing out on two extra points. They did not take advantage of Liverpool’s major injuries / lack of strikers! They only have themselves to blame. Hopefully they will learn a big lesson from last night’s poor performance or they will run the risk of coming 2nd or even 3rd yet again!
No problem Obi, if you want to be entertained in every game then Arsenal aren’t the team for you, figuratively.
I support Arsenal regardless of the good or the bad, I don’t expect to be entertained in every game because competitive teams don’t roll that way, sometimes they grind out results. If you don’t like the manager then that’s fine, I love him and I wear it.
If I have a fault it’s that I’ve got very little patience with fans who always seem to look for the negatives. At one time I used to avoid offending fans and I still try to but my inner Victor Meldrew comes to the fore more often and as I get older I guess I don’t give a fig anymore.
But good to chat 😉
Forgot to say we always seem to have to work harder/run further than the opponent. Not a problem with most teams,we will overpower them eventually.
Last night Liverpool kept us at bay easily,which suggests Slot won the tactical battle. I saw somewhere he is now 4 unbeaten against Arteta,I couldn’t stand him but he’s gone up in my estimation after his Martinelli comments.
Agree Obi. I thought Neville’s comment after was dreadful, encouraging violence on a football pitch? Sackable imo.
I’m with you there Rico, Sky should sack Neville for inciting violence on the pitch.
As well as for the colour of his socks or any excuse whatsoever. Just get rid of him.
I won’t repeat that it was a bad night with a poor performance. It seems to me that it’s time to do an analysis at all levels and perhaps conclude that Arsenal creates more opportunities, is more dangerous, takes more shots without Gyokeres than with him; that the recent results, in general, have been fortuitous; that the defense is making many mistakes, for example in the last game and yesterday with Gabriel and Raya.
11.02 Potter, both Nwaneri and MLS are prepared to do that. However….
Laura, it’s easy to be a critic after the event. We might have started with a different 11 and still suffered the same issues up front.
Before kick off, I didn’t read a negative comment about our starting team.
They should have sacked Carragher ages ago too Cicero, when he spat at that kid.
Same here Limey, Slot could have laid into Martinelli like those two Sky muppets Keane and Neville, but he showed a lot of class and although I can’t stand all BS surrounding his club, I respect him.
I’m sure when Arteta picked this side, he went with a team that he thought could win, but instead the player just gave them too much respect and, in the end, they played into their hands.
As for Neville he should be sacked, no matter who or what club he said it against, his comments don’t set a good example to any parent or young children who enjoy playing the game.
Hopefully this issue with Martinelli and Slots comments will make the officials take a serious look a time wasting in general and player just falling over claiming injuries only to get up and run straight after the ball when they don’t get a free kick or penalty.
I too respect Slot for his comments and he’s right, every player is probably guilty of feigning injury at one stage or another, how on earth can a player know when an opponent is injured or not?
Still don’t think Martinelli should have bounced the ball on Bradley though..
Yeah Rico, but it did make me laugh.
I laughed too Kev. But then it kind of became unfunny when it was clear Bradley was badly injured. I fully expected VAR to look at a potential sending off.
When a Liverpool player fell over in the box demanding a penalty the ref waived play on. When the ball eventually went dead Virgil van Dickhead ranted at the ref saying the player could be injured and in need of treatment. Shortly after the poor injured player was on his feet and sprinting down the wing.
When Martinelli went down and the ref waived play on van Dickhead encouraged this team mates to carry on and not put the ball out of play. Hypocritical?
With both Calafiori and Hincapie injured would it not be logical to move Timber to left back and bring in Ben White at right back?
Totally logical re moving Timber..
We’re delighted to announce that Jodie Taylor has been appointed Arsenal Women Technical Director.
Jodie enjoyed two spells with us as a player, scoring 10 goals in 17 appearances between 2016 and 2017, before rejoining on a short-term deal in March 2023.
After retiring from the professional game in September 2023, Jodie joined our technical set-up and played an important role in shaping the direction of our women’s first team in her previous role as Technical Services Manager.
“I’m immensely proud to step into the role of Technical Director,” said Jodie. “It’s 10 years since I first joined Arsenal as a player, and the progress and growth of the club since that time has been remarkable.
“Building on the strong foundations already in place, we want to nurture a high-performance environment where our players, Renée and wider staff have the right tools and the best possible environment to deliver at the highest level.”
Director of Women’s Football, Clare Wheatley, said: “We’re thrilled to appoint Jodie as our first Technical Director. This role will be integral to the continued development of our team, as we push to challenge to win major trophies consistently.
“Jodie has already made a huge contribution to our environment here and will continue to drive progress in her new role. Jodie knows the club so well, and we’re proud to continue to have our former players still working with us and further support the growth of our game.”
That along with the Renne signing a new contract is very good news.
Indeed..
Good news keeps on coming as Bukayo Saka has agreed a new contract – Sky sports
By David Ornstein
Jan. 9, 2026Updated 5:17 pm GMT
Bukayo Saka has committed his future to Arsenal by agreeing a new and improved five-year deal.
Saka was tied down until June 2027 but talks have been taking place about an extension and fresh terms are now in the process of being finalised.
They will secure the 24-year-old England winger to the Emirates Stadium until the summer of 2031, in what comes as a huge boost to Mikel Arteta’s men.
Was there any doubt about Saka signing a new deal, he knows what side his bread is buttered.
I’m delighted.👍
Never imo, he loves the Arsenal.
I’m thrilled too…
I think all the Hale end boys love the club but whether the club love them is a different matter. It is a different kind of love from the club because although they might not get the playing time they have a residual value .
Whilst we have a man like Berta scouring the world for young talent our home grown has not only got to stand out at Hale end but also with the ones being bought in .
One by one they get their chance with the first and second teams the problem has always been that we eventually seem to let them go and never seem to realise their true value .
Not everyone makes it , that’s a given but i believe that we need to get as smart selling as Berta seems to be buying.
The new Saka contract is huge, absolutely huge and for 5 years. Gotta hand it to Berta, he gets this stuff done.
Guendouzi, Lazio to Fenerbahce?