That Was Anfield!

Talk about nerve-wracking! But whatever emotions we went through during a breathless and fraught 90+ minutes, the end result will do very nicely, thank you very much.

Arsenal have had real problems at Anfield recently - draws, let alone victories, have been few and far between - and I think that we’re all aware how tough a place this can be when Liverpool and their fans are fired up. And Klopp had made sure that they were.

No personnel changes from the win over Brighton - the key alternatives are out long-term injured - and so it was clear to us all from the outset that Liverpool’s right hand side, and Arsenal’s left, was going to be the key battle ground. Liverpool’s two biggest attacking threats operate down that side, as we know, and so there was trepidation in the ranks at the thought of the amount of work that Zinchenko was going to have to get through. We’d have hoped that Martinelli would occupy TAA, and push him back; but Mo Salah is something else. A world class footballer; of that there is no question..

I'm not going to run through the actions too much; I'll merely give observations on the key elements I took out of the game. And we may as well start with Zinchenko. We've been here before with the Ukrainian, but this game summed his good and his bad perfectly. The way that Arteta has developed him to 'invert' - move into midfield to create an overload - is key to how Arsenal play. But in the same way as people complain that a goalkeeper's first job is to save goals, not distribute the ball better than his predecessor (the Raya/Ramsdale debate can be far more starkly illustrated by Manchester United's switch from brilliant shot-stopper De Gea to the technically gifted Onana - who has nonetheless managed to concede over 40 goals already this season in all competitions!), we have to take the rough with the smooth. Zinchenko's presence in the side makes a huge difference to how well Arsenal attack, but it also affects how the team defends. He isn't always in position to do the dirty work, and therefore relies on Gabriel or Rice to bail him out. And when he's up against the likes of Salah; well...

And so we saw his willingness to take risks in possession both aid and hinder his team. Some of his one-touch work, and general close control, helped spring the team forward, but he of course also lost the ball in dangerous positions on several occasions - especially early in on the second half when Arsenal found themselves under severe pressure. And we have to expect this. Although he certainly didn’t cover himself in glory for Liverpool’s (admittedly brilliant) equaliser. 

But that’s no reason for some fans to be spouting nonsense like: ‘He’s cr*p. A liability . Get rid!’ In games like this, Timber or Tomiyasu would be more likely starters because whilst they cannot contribute as much going forward, they are more reliable defensively. What Zinchenko gives to the team compensates for what his defensive inadequacies take away. I personally find the way Arteta uses him fascinating. Yin and Yang.

Also on the minus side in this game, I was disappointed in Martinelli’s performance. We’d been hoping that he’d occupy TAA, but the latter had little difficulty dealing with him most off the time, and had plenty of time to aid his own team going forward with some trademark sublime long passing. Martinelli himself made a number of promising forays into the Liverpool final third and penalty area, but so often the final ball lacks the required finesse. Where Saka on the other side delivers with goals and assists, there is a lack of end product on the left. Certainly Trossard, when he replaced the Brazilian, made more of an impact on the game in just 20 minutes. I’m not losing faith in Martinelli, but I’m sure that he’s as aware as we are that he needs to do better.

Similarly, this wasn’t Jesus’s best game. I’m all for a focal point, and sometimes Jesus gets too carried away with the harrying and work rate to remember what his primary function is. Eddie Nketiah, when he replaced Jesus late on, gave more focus to the Arsenal attack.

And now onto the standout performances. Those of the defensive triumvirate of Saliba, Gabriel and Rice. Gabriel got the crucial early goal with a neat run and header from Odegaard’s well-flighted free kick. He was, I feel, partly at fault for the equaliser; failing to get out quickly enough to the danger of Salah cutting back inside Zinchenko. But he was otherwise the perfect foil for the magnificent Saliba.

Comparisons could easily be drawn between VVD and his heir apparent. For me it was the younger man who showed the better temperament. Both had excellent games (credit to Konate too, by the way), but whilst VVD looked rushed and slightly flustered at times, Saliba was in the main imperious; not just with his defending, but his passing and link-up play. VVD is 32 now, of course; 10 years older than Saliba. And it makes one wonder quite how much better a player Saliba may become as he reaches his peak years. Of course, he needs to win trophies in order to gain Legend status.

Ahead of Saliba and Gabriel, Declan Rice was once more magnificent. If there’s such a thing as a £105m bargain, it is he. Solid, reliable, dynamic… and omnipresent - his capacity to sniff out and snuff out danger is uncanny. His fitness is key to his side’s success this season and going forward. Worth remembering that he himself is just 24 years old.

That moment when we all had our hearts in our mouths; the Liverpool 5 on 2 breakaway following a crazy collision between Zinchenko and Odegaard following an Arsenal corner. I’m sure that we all thought that this was it; the moment that the game went away from us. And, for sure, TAA should have scored. But we have to give credit to Rice for doing the absolute maximum to make things as hard as possible for Liverpool. Not engaging Salah. Managing to run backwards for 60 yards at almost the same pace that the Egyptian was running forwards. And having the clarity of thought to prevent him from getting properly onto his left foot. So the pass, when it comes, is with the right foot, and bobbles - wham; onto the bar and away. Kudos, Dec.

Next, the pitch. And whilst this is perhaps a subject only for conversation amongst Arsenal fans, there is a point to be made here. Because Arsenal players were slipping on the surface quite a lot. I’d suggest that Liverpool, due to their more direct style, had asked the groundsman to over-water the playing surface. And it wouldn’t surprise me to learn that they were wearing different footwear to Arsenal. 

It’s worth reflecting that some of the key moments in the game were caused by Arsenal players slipping. The Odegaard handball penalty shout - to be honest, I’d have been annoyed not to have been given a penalty had that happened at the other end of the field, but… - there are angles and slow motions that show the Norwegian losing his footing (along with Salah grabbing on to his other arm) in the split second before his left arm goes down to the ball.

The Tsimikas tumble into Klopp that led to his injury. What caused this, if you look closely at the slow motion, is Saka’s right foot slipping on the surface and forcing his momentum out of control.

And the second Saka incident late on, when once again his standing foot slips as he makes the challenge that sends Gravenberch into orbit.

I guess, however, that we’ll never know about the watering instructions.

A side note here about substitutions. If anything, Klopp’s changes on the hour adversely affected Liverpool’s performance. It was, in hindsight. a mistake to move Salah - who’d been tormenting Zinchenko all night - into the centre and into the clutches of Gabriel and especially Saliba. At a time in the early part of the second half where Liverpool had all the momentum, this really slowed them down, allowed Arsenal back into the game, and by the end the away team were perhaps more likely to sneak the win than the home team.

A great game, a hard earned point, and Arsenal are top at Christmas (for the second year running). 

Of course, they need to keep up the momentum - and even push on harder now if they can. West Ham at home next - and they are not to be taken lightly as they have several players in scintillating form. Then Fulham away, and another game against Liverpool - this time in the FA Cup.

There’ll need to be at least one change on Thursday, whilst King Kai serves a one match ban. But surely Arteta will look to rotate in any case in the two London derbies.

Of course, that takes us well into January and into the next Transfer Window. I wonder what Arteta, Edu and Garlick have up their sleeves; if anything.

Meantime… COY(Top Of The League)G!