Morning all.
Mikel Arteta named the same eleven which defeated Brighton last weekend for yesterday’s match against Liverpool and the guys started well. A free kick whipped in by Martin Odegaard saw Gabriel out jump the rest to head home. 1-0, the perfect start. Alexander Arnold hoofed a long ball up to Mo Salah, Oleksandr Zinchenko, who was already out of position, made a halfhearted attempt to stop him but Salah was too good. He nipped inside before rifling the ball past David Raya at his near post and that’s how it stayed for the rest of the game.
I feel wicked writing this because the incident ended up with Tsimikas breaking his collar bone, but when he and Bukayo Saka came together with Tsimikas knocking Klopp off his feet, I laughed. I properly laughed. Earlier in the game, Tsimikas caught Bukayo Saka in the face, deliberately I thought so perhaps karma had a say in what happened next. The injury Tsimikas suffered is horrid but no way were the circumstances similar to those involving Debuchy or Holding in the past.
I laughed nearly as much when Liverpool attacked our goal 5v1 I think it was, but Alexander Arnold smashed his shot against the woodwork. It reminded of ‘that’ van Nistelrooy penalty miss.
Talking of penalties, I thought we got lucky when Martin Odegaard handled the ball in our box. Yes, he slipped but there was definitely hand to ball in there. Karma again perhaps after all the times Mane elbowed Arsenal players in seasons gone by. Up the other end, had we been awarded one for the shove on Kai Havertz, it would have been soft. Havertz now misses the West Ham game for picking up his 5th booking of the season, not that I thought he deserved to be booked mind you.
I read this in one of the newspapers:
This was as far removed from the stultifying stalemate of Liverpool’s goalless draw with Manchester United last weekend as it was possible to be. That is because Arsenal are a far, far better team than United and they came to win, not just to survive. They will be happier with a point than Liverpool.
I think Mikel Arteta and his players will be reasonably happy with the point but as Bukayo Saka expressed in his interview, the game was there to be won. What I find frustrating is losing a game because of an error. An error which quite honestly should never be made at this level in the game. Not for the first time either from our left back who doesn’t seem to have the defensive nous to deal with a player as predictable as Mo Salah has become. I know that sounds harsh but it won’t just be Klopp who targets our right hand side over the next five months.
The game highlighted just how good both clubs central defenders are. Gabriel, William Saliba, Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konate were immense. Equally as good was Declan Rice. Again.
Arsenal had a golden opportunity to go ahead in the game when Bukayo Saka beat the offside trap, beat van Dijk, rounded the keeper but just could get into a position to shoot. Gabriel Martinelli picked up the move, created space for his shot but with the goal gaping, he fired wide. Kai Havertz too had a chance but it lacked conviction and accuracy.
A draw was probably a fair result although both sides will believe they should have won it. Liverpool will no doubt feel hard done by after not being awarded a penalty but that’s football. We know only too well what it feels like to have decisions go against us. I’ve seen referees give a penalty in similar circumstances to the push on Kai Havertz so it is what it is.
My parting thought is that Mikel Arteta needs to find a solution to our weakness at left back. As good as Oleksandr might be, he’s certainly not the best at defending. Also, defences are doubling/tripling up on Bukayo Saka when he’s in possession so he needs help. He needs an early option for a pass instead of having no other choice but to try and wriggle past defenders and it’s similar for Gabriel Martinelli on the left. We’re losing possession too easily in wide areas.
Other than that and lacking a killer instinct in front of goal, we’re good. Very good.
West Ham up next at The Emirates.
Catch up in the comments…
Good summary Rico. Zinny’s a midfielder not a left back. However with Tomi and Timber out, we’re stuffed at the moment for a replacement ( unless Arteta goes really left field and sticks Kai in there). Maybe a good idea to give Eddie a start against the Irons.
Excellent synopsis.Nailed it really.Tommy was a big miss.Him on the left side & that( soft) from our point of view,doesn’t happen.
I’m also pretty confident we’ll see the scousers off in both the FA cup & home prem match.They will have Macallister back but NO SALAD as he’s at AFCON.A huge miss for them.As he has a phenomenal record against us.
Thanks Anthony.
I suppose the only solution right now at left back would be Kiwior or even Saka at a push but I wouldn’t want to see the latter.
I hope Nelson gets some minutes against West Ham, in fact I’d like to have seen him yesterday because of his pace.
Good morning Rico, a good summing up of a good game, thank you.
A fair result? I certainly think so and one that goes a fair way to breaking the hoodoo that Anfield has held over Arsenal for far too long.
As to the Salah goal, I can only say our defending was naive at best and dreadful at worst. Salah has made a career out of his ability to beat his fullback, turn inside and hit the back off the net inside the near post. Did Arteta warn Zinchenko about Salah’s party piece? Did he suggest doubling up on him? If he didn’t, for a manager so zealous in attending to the smallest details it is a serious dereliction of duties.
Next up is West Ham, a large proportion of their goals arrive courtesy of Bowen who operates in exactly the same way as Salah. Arteta please take note, think long and hard about subjecting Zinchenko to another evening of facing almost certain humiliation as Moyes’ men will surely target him. We need a left fullback to defend the left side of the pitch, not one who regularly goes marauding up field leaving Gabriel to move out left to cover for him meaning that Rice has to drop back to fill the void.
Zinchenko needs a “rest”, we have Kiwior, we have Cedric, either are capable of doing a decent defensive job whilst leaving the midfielders to do their own thing.
Thanks Pete. I’m confident too in both home fixtures. Even more so if we dip into the transfer market next month.
Morning Cicero, thanks.
I’m not sure Cedric is the answer but I get why you’d bring him to the conversation. Zinchenko really worries me because he’s failing on the basics. A good player we know that but just not in defence. He roams a bit too much for my liking.
Either he gets help from players in front of him, ie Martinelli- who then understandably gets knackered, or change it. I still think if it’s possible to recall Tierney, why not?
Morning Rico and all.
why not through a spanner in the works and at the last minute change Raya for Ramsdale as they will plaining for Raya to keep goal, and maybe rest Jesus and if fit give ESR a run
I wonder if Liverpool or Virgil Van Dijk will be given a please explain after the tv camera’s court him showing the motion and asking the ref if he has been drinking.
Morning Geoff, I can’t see Arteta changing the keeper for West Ham, perhaps the FA Cup match though..
Zinchenko will never be a dependable operator at left back , but then Arteta will argue that he is not meant to be. Effectively we play with 3 at the back which leaves our left wide open . I said yesterday pre match that Liverpool would target his position and that Alxander Arnold and Salah would be the combination to fear . Having Zinchenko wandering about like a loose cannon was effective last season but people have caught on and his wandering seems to cause more trouble that it benefits .
Bear in mind that their cavalry charge was caused by our so called left back colliding with our right midfielder in what once was called the inside right position.
Other teams have caught on and it will be targetted .
Anyway it is what it is , so Merry Christmas to all on here and remember ”
WE ARE TOP OF THE LEAGUE I said.
Merry Christmas all, it’s 2am in oz.
Arteta please stay away from looking at any Chelsea players.
Spot on Potter..
Merry Christmas Geoff, sleep well..
Just realised Chelsea lost again. Boo hoo…
Good result yesterday. A point at Anfield should not be sniffed at.
Zinchenko comes in for a lot of criticism, but Salah can do that to any defender. The ball from Trent was a wallop from the back that Wimbledon would be proud of. Long ball football it used to be called.
Oleg is important for our possession football. He becomes the extra man in midfield. It’s a risky tactic, but generally works. With less injuries I expect Arteta would have used Tomi or Timber, but his options were limited.
I can see us going on a big run of wins now. Looking positive heading into ‘24.
Defensively, Zinchenko deserves criticism imo but there’s no doubting his other qualities. We all know what Salah does so why can’t we find a way to stop him. Dangling a leg out isn’t the answer. 😂
It’s fair to say Zinchenko cost us two points yesterday, I believe he did a similar thing in another recent game. Those four lost points could prove very costly next May.
A very happy Christmas to one and all.
Merry Christmas to you and yours Cicero
New post up.