Morning all.
Social media was awash with criticism of Myles Lewis-Skelly because he didn’t clap as the Liverpool players walked through their guard of honour. Bearing in mind the home fans took to booing Alexander-Arnold when he came on, I think their comments on Lewis-Skelly were/are a bit rich. But that’s their problem…. What I would say about our young left back is that he really cheesed off Mo Salah and I loved it.
If ever the the saying “a game of two halves” was applicable, it was yesterday. Arsenal were awful in the first half, especially the first twenty minutes and fully deserved to be 2-0 down at the break. The defending was sloppy, midfield toothless and up front, well, it was like watching a kids game when players move around in groups following the ball.
When a golden opportunity fell our way after Partey pressured Alisson, three players stood by the ball yet not one thought to smash it into the back of the net. The best move of the half came from a free kick out on the left which Odegaard crossed into the box. The focus was on the Arsenal high line as the ball drifted over them and to the back where Saka had moved to, but he couldn’t get his shot on target. A really good move which I suspect we’ll see again.
Liverpool scored twice within a couple of minutes and I feared we were going to be on the end of a hefty defeat.
What did Mikel Arteta think about that first half?
A lot of parts, especially the defending standards that we had and the areas that after we gave the ball away which is totally prohibited against this team. Very far off it, really upset. We had a reaction; I hate reaction, I like action and especially we want to be there winning trophies. You want to be a moment that you win it or you don’t, and when you don’t have to, after you have to play another one that you have been working for nine months and that’s here today. And if you cannot win it, you have to be the best of the rest. And I was really, really upset.
Upset, and quite angry and he had every right to be. He can do all he can to prepare the players pre-game but yesterday, and not for the first time this season, the players weren’t switched on or at their best.
However, after the break, Arsenal improved. Martinelli and Trossard had switched positions and it was our Belgian who teed up Martinelli to head home. We had a few more half decent opportunities to score but when the equaliser came, it was Merino who reacted quickly to head home an Odegaard shot which Alisson tipped onto the woodwork.
Ten minutes before the end, Merino was shown a second yellow card for a mistimed challenge on Szoboszlai. Raya’s pass put the Spaniard in a difficult position in the first place.
Odegaard came very close to grabbing the winner but dragged his shot just wide.
Is there a better sight than seeing a Liverpool player peel away from the opposition goal thinking he’s scored the winner, only to see it ruled out? No, and that’s just what happened yesterday after Robertson thought he was the Anfield hero. However, his teammate Konate had shoved both of his hands into the face of Lewis-Skelly in the buildup. No booking for the Liverpool man though..
The game ended 2-2 and Arsenal moved a step closer to securing Champions League football for another season.
This is unbelievable and totally unacceptable. This challenge went unpunished, not even a free kick was awarded. Barely a word was muttered by the Sky Sports team either yet this is the kind of dreadful officiating which should be highlighted. Tierney and VAR should be all over the back pages this morning, as should the linesman who was stood right where the incident took place.
This isn’t same old Arsenal, always moaning, this is same old Arsenal, always refereed differently!
First half and officiating aside, Arsenal showed a lot of determination to get something from the game. But as Mikel Arteta hinted at post game, had his players started the game with that same determination, we’d have had a chance of winning.
The story of our season really.
Catch up in the comments.
Good morning Rico, the old cliches are the best , a game of two halves indeed.
I hope that someone somewhere will take a look at Robertson’s throat grab and take retrospective action against him, not that that will help our chase for the one more point from two games which will mean Champions League football foe another season.
Forecast to be 75 f here today, the apple tree is in full leaf so that’s where I shall spend a fair amount of time. 😎
Morning Cicero, they certainly should and Tierney along with his sidekicks should be penalised too.
Morning Rico, oh dear, Myles didn’t clap the champions, the effrontery of it all, how dare he insult the media darlings from Luckypool. He should be sent to bed early with no supper!
Personally I just laughed when I saw him with his hands together, it makes me love him even more because he doesn’t give a toss, he only cares about Arsenal and England.
No mention of the insulting tifo aimed at Arteta that was held up by the Liverpool fans at Anfield in the media, one can only imagine the furore if Arsenal fans had done that about Slot. Will Liverpool FC apologise for allowing the banner?
Unlikely…
I think it was some 10 years ago when Luckypool last surrendered a two goal lead at Anfield in the League and maybe the first time Arsenal fought back from a two goal deficit at the same venue to get a result.
The Scousers are still sore because Arsenal haven’t, in their world, respected them to the level that they think they deserve – well suck it up.
Merino gets a shove in the back by a Scouser before launching into his red card ‘tackle’ but that’s ignored – of course it is…
I guess we should be grateful for the officials disallowing the late Robertson goal, we’ve seen them given many in the past haven’t we Rico, regardless of legitimacy?
Seems as if it’s going to come down to a shoot-out with Newcastle next weekend, a team who’s beaten us three times already this season!
I wonder if after a whole week of rest, recuperation and the medical staff working their magic that Trossard will recover and that Havertz will return?
I guess it depends on the seriousness of Trossards hamstring and Rice’s hip injuries?
Nice read, Rico 👍
I couldn’t bring myself to watch the guard of honour live, but saw pictures on Twitter of MLS clapping. I also saw a couple of their banners in the crowd; one of Arteta in a dress with always the bridesmaid on it and a picture of Odegaard talking a picture of the word champions! Oh I hate them. I’m glad we came back to draw, wish we’d just nicked it but oh well that’s the 3rd season running we’re unbeaten against them. Salah’s been crap since signing his new deal (hope it’s the beginning of the end for him). I thought he’d get his customary penalty, but I guess the pgmol’s job is done now.
They’re such a dirty lot and without the pgmol and all that luck, they’d be bang average imo. Roll on next season!!
Morning Kev, me too. I love him for his strength and don’t care attitude. He reminds me a bit of Maitland-Niles but with his feet on the ground.
I think offside ruled the goal out Kev and even VAR couldn’t mess that up now is decided by technology.
Thanks Sue.
I’m hoping both VvD and Salah fade into the distance next season, in a way Auba did after signing his new contract.
It’ll be more of a challenge for Slot next season that’s for sure. This was their lucky season.
How good was Martinelli yesterday, especially playing central. I’m sure someone here on HH suggested that move a couple of months ago….. 😜
Off subject here, we need to convince Jakub Kiwior that his future lies with Arsenal, since we have no idea when Gabriel will return from injury and how his performance has been affected, his continued presence in the squad is vital.
It might be Arteta sees Calafiori as our backup left sided defender, if the bloke can ever stay fit..
Good afternoon Rico and all
Nice report Rico. Do I care about MLS not clapping??? No and never will. Tbh I don’t give a rat’s arse about those guards of honour. And probably neither does MLS. Does one honestly think that if Arsenal win the EPL and Totts are the next game will the players line up?? We have won the EPL at the spuds ground but if we won it before and the next game will be at their ground will they give us the guard of honour?? I am not holding my breath.
Rico you hit the nail right on the head…..its the story of our season….after the performances of the 1st and 2nd halves.
If throughout the season we showed the same determination we had during the 2nd we would have got something from each game. And I am not exagerating when I repeat that if we had luck with injuries and correct officials we would have repeated another season unbeaten.