Arsenal were up against the European champions, a side who haven't lost since... I really don't know when, who have won goodness knows how many home games in a row and who are a good 4 years ahead in their 'project' compared to where Arsenal are - reasons for that to nonetheless be discussed later. So whilst on the face of it a 3-1 defeat doesn't look encouraging, from where I was sitting there was plenty to take out of the game. Liverpool away is one of the two most difficult games any team will play all season.
It took me a few minutes to work out the tactics, but once I got them I understood them completely. The extremely low block conceded tons of possession, but meant that all the play was restricted to areas where Liverpool could not get behind the defence - barring errors, that is... Diamond or flat 4-3-3; I'm not sure it really mattered.
The press only started 25 years from goal, severely compressing the play. And also meaning that with Liverpool's full backs pushed well forward and two rapid players up top, they'd have the added advantage of likely being left two on two, with loads of the pitch to work with, against the opposition's central defenders. And it so nearly worked. Aubameyang and especially Pepe missed gilt-edged opportunities in the first half, and for once van Dijk looked genuinely rattled in one on one situations against Pepe. Goodness knows what Pepe will do to inferior defenders, but it's something to get very excited about!
I found this tweet which tells its own story:
50 - Nicolas Pepe has become the first player to successfully dribble past Virgil van Dijk in the Dutch defender's last 50 appearances in the Premier League, since Mikel Merino in March 2018 for Newcastle.
So, whilst a 'blown coverage' at a corner, a slightly contentious (OK; definitely a penalty) shirt pull and a wonder goal were the reasons for Liverpool's three goals - and one can easily argue that they took their foot off the gas at 3-0 - on the whole it worked, and there's plenty of encouragement to be had.
But again, I'd suggest that playing out from the back - with the ball lost too close to goal on a dozen occasions or more on Saturday - needs more consideration; admirable as the plan may be.
Easy to argue, of course, that Emery picked the wrong personnel and played the wrong formation, but I'd argue that Torreira for Xhaka might have been the only thing I'd have done differently; notwithstanding that Lacazette can't have been pleased to have missed out. Willock justified his inclusion, and there is cause for great optimism over the forward line. I'm not sure that Ceballos quite knew what had hit him, though. And David Luiz? Well, that's what you can get from David Luiz. Let's face it; he's no Kurt Zouma...
So in Top Four terms I'd rather be putting up a reasonably decent fight at Liverpool than losing at home to Newcastle. Or to Crystal Palace. A bit of perspective is needed.
It's worth considering why Liverpool are so far ahead of Arsenal at this time. It's been discussed all over the place, and for years, but I think that for the moment we have to put the past behind us and look forward, as the Board appear to now be doing. If one wants to seek out the villains of the piece, we'd should probably look no further than Danny Fiszman - yes, really... - and Ivan Gazidis. But it would appear that there are genuine plans afoot to narrow the gap. We need to be patient, and accept whatever progress we can get. Realistically, Top Four and the Europa League look reasonable enough targets for 2019-20.
And so to Tottenham. A dressing room that appears unhappy, and a Manager who is showing an element of frustration; and that's been reflected in their performances so far this season. Of course, we will come out and play against them, and that will help them. But I would imagine that there will be worse times than next weekend to be playing Tottenham Hotspur.
Before I go, a word on Ben Stokes. Sunday's performance was quite possibly, in context, the greatest innings by an English batsman ever. Certainly the best I've ever seen (and I've been watching cricket since the 1970s). How he has come back from his mauling at the hands of Carlos Brathwaite in the World Twenty 20 Final just over three years ago, and the cloud of the charge of affray for that incident in Bristol 18 months later, to become one of the biggest players on the world stage is a testament not just to his ability, but to hard work and an incredible psyche. He has that 1-2% that makes the difference. If only he could have a word with Mesut Ozil about how he does what he does...
Big game Sunday #coyg
Not sure why you mentioned fiszman and gazidis whilst leaving out the arch culprit, David Dein. Was it not he that brought in the wonderful kroenke's in the first place (due diligence anyone?) and then compounded the issues with the Uzbek slug that completely jammed everything for a decade. Dein made arsenal, Dein then killed us (for a while at least).
ReplyDeleteI could have named a number of culprits. But it was Fiszman who wielded the power when those decisions were made.
ReplyDeletePress didn't start 25 years from goal. Maybe it would have worked better
ReplyDeleteThey let them have to ball almost all the way up to the edge of our penalty area, and filled the space behind with every spare body they had. No?
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