Arsenal came away from Anfield with a point, in no small part to a string of incredible saves by Aaron Ramsdale, but having led 2-0 at one point it felt like a couple of points dropped.
At the same time, Liverpool missed a penalty, and completely dominated the second half, finishing the game with almost 4 xG.
‘Mixed emotions,’ as Aaron Ramsdale said afterwards, but let’s hope it turns out to be a good point in the end.
Here’s how the players rated this afternoon.
Read the Liverpool 2-2 Arsenal report and see the goals here
Liverpool 2-2 Arsenal – Player Ratings
The ratings are hidden by default until you vote, but if you just want to view the ratings and the comments, flick the switch at the top above Aaron Ramsdale. Also, please give the ratings a few seconds to load.
Well done guy, we move.
Of course I’ll keep telling myself to focus on the positives: first half dominance, two goals, a valuable point at Anfield. But I am very worried about how we dropped in the second half. We could have won the game.
But at the same Liverpool were very good in second half. I feel we defended well. Except for Zinny on the equalizer. Big and little Gabi exceptionell performances. Motm for me was Ramsdale.
Here’s how – a few of the brain-farts and sloppy moments that have crept into our game in the past few months. Moments we got away with vs Villa, Bournemouth and others.
Very good teams punish those moments… Granit’s idiocy giving a beaten crowd something to rally around… unfinished chances in front of goal… Mik leaving an increasingly exposed Ziiinch (who was clearly not coping defensively on our left!) to only bring KT on AFTER the ticking bomb had already exploded with that nutmeg.
Just a few moments, that’s all… but moments change games. Moments win titles.
Consistency and points win titles
Just as moments of inconsistency and missed opportunities cost points.
Don’t agree that the Liverpool noise came from their goal. Their goal came from Xhaka having a brain fart like he use to regularly. No point in glossing over it. He was fecking stupid to do what he did. We were two nil up in total control and their heads were dropping and Xhaka fired them up, the crowd and the players. Then they scored and were completely reenergised thanks to Xhaka.
Cannot believe some would downvote this… it is moments of brain-fart idiocy and sloppiness that CHAMPIONS don’t allow. Start thinking like champions, lads – we CAN do this but not if we continually whitewash these shoddy moments with excuses. I’ve been saying that better teams than Villa, Bournemouth, Leeds et al would punish such sloppiness. And that is exactly what happened today. Granit – as the ‘dressing room leader’ and arguably most senior player – deserves a fucking slap around the ears! Not only were the Scouse players’ head dropping… their crowd had gone silent and even the first boos… Read more »
Difference being that CHAMPIONS would have been given the foul on Xhaka that led to his reaction. Mahrez, Grealish etc ALWAYS get those push in the back go their way. Look at Rodri when he thinks he’s been hard done by.
As probable as that may be (and I think you’re right). the facts are that Granit DID react… it DID fire up a subdued crowd… and Puddle DID score only a minute later.
Zinchenko let his man run, dragging Gabriel out of position. Also makes high risk low reward actions too regularly for my heart.
Holding was responsible for backing off, for a goal on each of our previous two games. Ok, but a weak link.
Newcastle, United, and Pool yesterday….games we’ve dropped points in with issues at fullback.
He misread the room alas
2 Man United pundits, 1 Liverpool, 1 Man City pundits, where’s Paul Merson…Weird……Anyway this is what happens when Gooners got to listen to only idiot pundit….i.e Cara and Neville…Sky management must be full of Liverpool & MU supporters.
Mate – I watch on Supersport in SA. So have a choice of commentary and all the review programmes and soundbyte stuff afterwards. I’ve also been watching the Gooners for 53 years – I know tipping points in football matches when I see ’em. And that was – unmistakeably – one of them.
Xhaka may have contributed to their spark but Tierney the official, not our short-sleeve loving left-back, should have given Xhaka a foul before he went up to TAA. there were some calls that were dubious from the man in the middle, Xhaka retaliated but he then got hit in the back by TAA and TAA should have walked but double standards were employed. had it been another team say Man United or a Liverpool player getting same treatment from Xhaka he could have walked. The commentators made noise over Robertson getting hit on the face but failed to pay attention… Read more »
Arteta has said many times we can only control what we do on the pitch. We can’t control the ref. Trent Alexander has come out and said the altercation with Xhaka fired up the crowd and that got them going.
Basically, Alexander-Arnold is saying: “yes, Martinelli made me look like a training cone, except that a training cone is more visible; yes, I am a total liability against a team that keeps the ball; yes, every Arsenal player who tried was able to go around me or cut inside or have a cup of tea or anything else they wanted to do–but my heroic battle with Xhaka is what turned the tide.” Self-serving bullshit.
Exactly, today was a learning day.
I take a point. And I give Zinny 10/10 for passion, I thought he was poor defensively in that action leading to their equalizer and should have been subbed a lot earlier but after he got substituted, he was on the bench in tears. I love him for that. He knew he should have done better and I know he will going forward. Anfield is a tough place, I’m angry we didn’t win, but deep down I know Anfield is a rough place and history says so, In fact, City and Man United lost at Anfield this season. Fingers crossed… Read more »
You don’t win anything by passion alone.
Gutted!!
Shut up. It’s a valuable point. Citeh lost here this season.
Still a bit gutted. Really really really wanted all 3
It’s ok to experience the full range of emotions. Being gutted allows us to enjoy runs of 7 wins more and not become complacent about them.
And being gutted is an essential experience in the development of a young footballer too.
Yeah, I think it’s possible–Ramsdale seemed this way in his post-match interview–to feel simultaneously gutted and relieved to have at least gotten the one point.
And I can’t help but think this experience could serve the boys well when they head to the Etihad.
Unless we iron out the recent trend of sloppy, lazy passing and loss of focus, we could get properly spanked at City. It caught up with us today – let’s just hope Mik works his magic and stamps it out once and for all.
And I really, really worry about Ziiinch against a pacey attack. He’s brilliant when we have the ball… KT is way better when we don’t.
A lot of unforced errors today. Lucky to get out of there with a point.
They were all over us in the second half. A point at Anfield is highly respectable, and their home form vs. away form is light and day. No reason to be too down about this. We’ll beat City at the Etihad! I can feel it in my cheesy, meaty bones!
But can you feel it in your baps?
depends on the weather
Cheeza – please don’t join the chorus of excusers! We have gotten increasingly sloppy in recent matches… sudden periods where key players just seem to lose focus, get lazy in their thinking (and passing!) or miss decent scoring chances. We got away with these against Villa, Leeds, Bournemouth and others… but the better teams will punish you… exactly as happened today. We CANNOT afford any such lapses – even for a second – when we visit City. Not if we are to be – deservingly – champions. We need to think like champions – and that means eliminating the soft… Read more »
The game was played at a breakneck pace. It wasn’t so much brainfarts as getting beaten to the second ball too often. Maybe the reason we dominated early and faded later was that Liverpool was in better condition. Arteta was late in recognizing that Zinchenko was not the LB we needed when we were not going to be in possession much. This was a tough game to officiate and both teams have legitimate complaints. But I don’t see why White got booked for exactly the same thing that was done to Xhaka late on without even a foul called. I’m… Read more »
Very good summation… and a balanced view. NB to remember that we had a full week’s rest, where the Scouse had tough midweek. So your the ‘off-the-pace’ comment, whilst spot on, is possibly even more concerning… Tierney was shite – toothless when it mattered and pedantically ‘tough’ when he didn’t need to be (and too often when it was an Arse player!). Ziiiiiinch is a worry on defence – brilliant going forward but just looks nervy and indecisive against a fast, tricky wide player… you could see Salah (and Trent) licking their lips as the game went on, not helped… Read more »
This sound like a pundit from Sky:)
Don’t watch Sky mate – not in the Uk. So much for that narrative!
night and day, even!
We had no midfield which is mad considering how excellent they have been all season.
‘Pool did a good job of switching to the wings quickly. They avoided our mids.
Not sure they were all enforced. You know the old line about two teams on the pitch. Ask Man United.
Fair point, but I would argue we let them back in with sloppy play. They were there for the taking and our sloppy passing and poor discipline let them back in.
Either way I’m happy with a point, Ramsdale was immense.
Can we win at etihad?
Yes we can. But we’ll need to put today’s 2nd half nerves behind us and be confident that we can play like we did the first 35 minutes today for at least double that time.
And would really effing help to have Saliba back… Holding defended well today but we missed the Frenchman’s passing from the back to keep possession, never mind that Halland is a whole new bag of burritos…
What worries me is that we gave ourselves the absolute dream start – there was no need for nerves, or sloppiness. And certainly no need for Xhaka’s moment of pure idiocy that only served to ignite their players and rally the silenced Kop.
Sorry, but everyone’s jumping on Xhaka for a little kerfuffle when the problem was not him. Liverpool stepped it up after a shambolic start and they were really good. Arteta did not make the appropriate adjustments in time. As Blogs said, Tierney should have come in, probably at the half.
Mate – here’s the thing: The toughest, closest matches usually tend to turn on just a few key moments. I am not saying that Granit hasn’t been excellent for us this season: calm, a leader, inventive, energetic… you name it! But… We had the Scouse totally on the back foot – doubt (after their poor recent run) creeping in to both players and fans… their team looked rudderless, skittish and full of doubt; the fans has gone quiet and there were even a few boos and the first ironic cheers starting to ring out when they (eventually!) won the ball… Read more »
I suggest you watch the game again and see which moment the liverfool fans were quiet and when they were not…You will find that even earlier on when they managed to break behind our back lines on two occasions the crowds have already erupted …but our second goal managed to silent them again. It was the goal we let in before half time and not Trent violent conduct that got their crowd excited. If we managed to defend that defensive actions better and went to half time 2-0, I think we might managed our transition game in the second half… Read more »
Couple of problems here: 1: I’m outside of the UK so can switch between commentaries – I NEVER watch SKY for exactly the reasons you list above – nauseatingly biased pricks,bar 1 or 2. 2: the instant Xhaka got involved – the muted crowd neerby instantly started baying and booing him, galvansing both stadium and team. Yes, we were sloppy in allowing the ball to even get to Salah, and giving him the space to slip in behind Big G. But that move came off a surge of momentum DIRECTLY resulting from the Trent/Xhaka argy bargy. It was eerily similar… Read more »
Not if we sit back and let them play the way we did today. Horrible tactics in the second half. No pressure and no gas. We are best keeping possession and creating chances.
I think when the emotions cool down we’ll look back at that as a good point. Let’s face it, if Mané still played for Liverpool we’re losing that by a couple. 4 points from Liverpool in any season is an very good result. COYG
How I felt straight away. Big point. And once again up against more than just 11. COYG. Big win next week against hammers then get a result at £ity and knock the wind out of their sails. They’ll drop points.
Yeah that’s a very good point about Mane. Can’t believe they thought Nunez could replace him!
Other bonus: no injuries, no red cards.
Well if Alexis still played for us, he would played that last ball into Saka’s feet for 2-3. You play the team in front of you and it’s not about Liverpool. It’s about dropping two points in a cut-throat title race run-in after being 2-0 up within the first 30mins. There’s a reason this is called the business end of the competition, only points matter, not whom they come against.
Fine, but Liverpool should have won that game with the players they have. Their XG was almost 5, including a missed penalty. You take a point and get the bell out.
Well said. You wanna BE champions… then start thinking like champions.
Today’s second 45 was shite – loose, nervy, sloppy.
And as for Granit’s utter idiocy, giving a dead crowd something to get noisy about…
Downvote if you will lads – but here’s the thing: I’ve been watching this team for 54 years… I’ve sat in the rain through the nil-nils, the unfair reds, thrown my Guiness all over the ceiling at The Cock when Sylvain scored THAT goal at Old Trafford… I love this club as much as my own kids – and I hold them to the highest standards. Bottom line, champions don’t let teams wriggle out when they have their foot on the neck. No-one is more a Gooner than I. But that doesn’t make me blind to things that must be… Read more »
love your kids more
Not possible mate… maxed out there!
Others are not blind …They are just not one of those easily influenced by the so called professional pundits…There’s a reason most of this guys make a living talking about football rather than teaching football…
For a final time – you’re banging the wrong drum. I have been through a hundred commentators and pundits down the decades mate… good and bad. I have spent way too many hours on both the North Bank (with an old-school radio & chunky ear-phone to listen in, as we did in those days!), as well as sat on my sofa watching and listening – in different countries, on different providers, to different voices and yes, even languages… watching Oh-Aaar-se-null in Portugese is a bucket-list experience, I can tell you. Bottom line – been round way too many blocks to… Read more »
Apols for the gabrled final para: ‘we’ll no doubt agree…’ ‘loss of focus’
Lads, I really hope we don’t bottle it. We have come so far. I won’t be able to face the chels**t and utd supporters if we bottle this
Let’s say we lose at the Etihad and City end up taking it. The idea that that’s a bottle job is ludicrous.
100%
I don’t know that it’s even about bottling it. Even title-winning teams drop points. There’s no shame in a draw at Anfield. If we have a good, but not perfect run-in, and City wins every one of their last, what 14 games, I wouldn’t call that “bottling it.” I’d call that simply getting run over by an unstoppable machine. But that said, just because they look unbeatable right now doesn’t mean they actually are. Once their Champions League efforts re-engage this week, they’ll be pushed in a different way and be more vulnerable. I don’t think we need them to… Read more »
Troodat. Remember that the pressure is on them. WE have the points on the table… they have to chase. Even a draw at the Etihad will favour us. We just need to regain our focus and tighten up on the moments of sloppiness that City will – remorselessly – punish.
Keep the faith.
We have exceeded all expectations, overcome many situations… Even if City wins the title, we are not bottling it.. We have given a real go at it.. Love the team and the football they play..Let’s try together… Just keep believing and doing.. COYG
They will say it’s a bottle job if we don’t win the title no matter what so don’t let those salty losers convince you it’s so. Even before liverpool this was 50/50.
Not really a fan then are you? Been far worse times to face Chelsea and Utd supporters!
How can you look at this Arsenal team and talk about bottling, they have been amazing, far beyond any expectations or hopes I had for this season, they are up against a financial juggernaut that has been a decade in the making and are a relentless winning machine, no matter how this season ends Arsenal have been fantastic.
Irrespective of the destination of the silverware, Arsenal have been the most entertaining side to watch this season in the Premier League
I hear people saying City now control their own destiny in the title race. Well, Fuck That! So do we. One game at a time, and when we get to the Etihad, smash those fuckers.
Technically City now control their own destiny, but beating them in a few weeks can put us back in charge. Unfortunately they have a much, much easier schedule than we do so a win today would been huge and kept our cushion, but not we cannot slip up again.
With this game out of the way, our schedule isn’t as daunting as before. I certainly fancy our chances better at Newcastle than at Liverpool, for instance, even if it likely won’t be easy.
Why so? If they win all their games and we win all our games but the game at Etihad, we’re level on points with them. What’s to say we don’t better their goal difference in the remaining games?
They have an easier PL run in but play between 5 & potentially 8 more games over the same period of time.
Why do ‘City control their destiny’? That’s utter bollocks.
FACT: they are SIX points behind us.
FACT: they still have to win their game in hand… not draw, but WIN, and that is never a given.
FACT: they ‘just’ have to beat us at the Etihad… well, by the same token, we ‘just’ have to draw at the Etihad.
We are still – on the facts – in pole position to win this thing.
COYG!!
Erm because they can do all of the things you listed and not rely on anyone else
Let me spell it out for you in little words:
We…have… more… points.
So… they… have… to… rely… on… us… losing.
This title is OURS to lost. End of.
‘lose’
Citeh losing to us at the Etihad would be like losing to Tarzan at strip poker. City have better players than Arsenal and their bench is deeper. It should be given the money they have spent to ensure they prevail. Our only realistic hope is that the Champions League proves a distraction.
“Technically” only Arsenal control their own destiny. If we win every match, we win the title, no matter what City do. If City win every match, they *probably* win the title, but it is not mathematically certain–because if we win all our other matches and overtake them in goal difference, we still win the title.
Spot on.
Last time I checked we were still top, so these people can fuck right off.
Ignore the voices in your head and keep on killing
I don’t think I have ever been as pleased to get a draw in a game that we were winning 2 nil. I expected Liverpool to play all game like they did in the second half and I do think a point at Anfield is always a good point. Citeh lost here remember
Gabriel gets 1 point extra for playing defensive LB and LCB simultaneously for most of the game
Has been for most of the season tbf
Yep – Ziiiinch is a very frustrating watch. Brilliant going forward… squeaky-sphincter time on defence!
You can have a great product but bad managers. That’s precisely what EPL referees are about.
A great point and a great lesson in my opinion. Now we know what Etihad will look like in the title showdown. This experience will come in handy. I’m interestingly positive about our title chances. Maybe Tierney for Odegaard could have been a better sub, but I still back my manager. He’s got me dreaming.
Whoever signed Ramsdale needs a raise. What a guy!
Honestly with all of the praise that’s gone to Saka, Martinelli, Odegaard and Zinchenko, and those 4 have been world class, I’d put Ramsdale right up there along them as the players responsible for winning us the most points this season (with the two centre backs, White and Partey just behind them)
Defence wins you championships. We’re where we are right now because of incredible work from front to back. Ramsdale transmits a certain confidence that doesn’t put his back four in two minds.
Spot on …Arteta brought Kiwior after Firminho come on becoz at that point they have 4 forwards up front in Nunez, Salah, Gakpo and Firminho…I have high hopes for Kiwior next season but for a game of this magnitude I think Tierney would be a better option as the left center back. I also think we could have sub Ode with Tros…and let Jesus take over Ode role as the main linker ..Jesus like Martinelli have outstanding defensive qualities and I tot up to the point when he was subtituted it was him and Martinelli who was causing Liverpool the… Read more »
Not saying Arteta got it wrong because in matches there could/would be a lot of permutations that could change the end result ….but if we are going for defensive substitution to protect the 2-1 lead I would go for Tierney for Ode instead of Kiwior and if we are going to play on a front foot like the first half I would go for Tros for Ode instead of Tros for Jesus. No complain about the draw though becoz its Paul Tierney and we got tru it with a point instead of a 0-1, 1-2 or 0-7 loss. For me… Read more »
Paul Tierney was the equivalent to playing Dani Ceballos in a game of this intensity….just couldn’t handle the occasion
Not the reason we didn’t take all three points though, I’d like to make that clear
Maybe he was the reason. The White yellow card could have resulted in him playing more carefully, which resulted in Saka’s supply line drying up.
That and he had 3 passes intercepted today two of which turned into a Mugsmasher break and the other into a yellow as White, not unreasonably, stopped the break with a foul.
0/10: our time wasting. we dont like it when others are doing it, why are we doing it. we could match them but we retreated and wanted to see the game out. an opportunity missed to end the anfield hoodoo. onto the next game!
Fully agree with this, I really dislike this timewasting, although, saying that, if we’re 1-0 up at city with 5 mins left…
with 5min left yes. but we did what bournemouth was doing (ie very early on) but we know what happened at the end. fortunately we didnt have the same fate
the game is about winning. they’re playing on their turf going forward with nothing to lose with their crowd behind. you’d be too good or too stupid not to try and cool the game down every chance you have. and we’re not good enough to walk past liverpool at anfield yet. it’s ugly but it’s called being competitive, and it worked for 87 minutes.
i think we could have walk past lfc in that game if we didnt retreat in the 2nd half.
onto the next!
Ramsdale an easy MOTM. White has been excellent for us all season but that was one of his most challenging games, and was especially sloppy on the ball unfortunately. And I’d score Gabriel a little higher, he was colossal today.
Ben was on a yellow.
It changes things….
The most annoying thing is how that frosty haired chode Firmino ALWAYS seems to score against us
Liverpool’s Andy Carol
Isn’t that Andy Carol?
Thankfully it’s confirmed he’s leaving them at the end of the season.
He’ll probably join Sp*rs.
Yep good riddance to Firmino. One of the more punchable faces in football with a knack of scoring against us. I’ll be glad to see thr back of him, probably even more so than Harry (one of our own) Kane. Sadly there’s always someone else somewhere who replaces them. It used to be Drogba, next probably Haaland but he’s just an indestructible robot guy, which is cheating. What the fuck were Dortmund doing selling him for £51 million. Should’ve been well over £100 million. Despite their collossal funds City hardly ever seem to overpay with the exception of Grealish. Anyway…… Read more »
Release clause is how City got Haaland on the cheap.
I’m not sure if Liverpool replace Firmino this summer. Even without him, they have 6 forwards (Salah, Gakpo, Nunez, Jota, Diaz, Carvalho) and that’s possibly without Champions League football next season.
That’s a pretty good sextet. It’s the midfield where I think they’ll strengthen. I suspect they’ll go for Bellingham and/or Rice.
Not that cheap – check out the recently released table of club’s payments to agents… they had to bung Erling’s bloke a bloody fortune.
You need to balance your meds
I think two mangerial moments made a big difference: Toothy Von Kloppenshtein’s bringing on that bloody ringer to score on cue; Mik leaving an increasingly struggling Ziiiinch on when Mo and Trent were running him ragged… and then subbing the poor bugger AFTER the nutmeg! Mik had to have noticed – surely – that Ziinch was not coping on the left flank? Brilliant on attack but IF – as we clearly did – we’ve decided to sit back defensively on a slender lead, then you gotta bring on the better defensive LB, especially if that’s where the threat is increasingly… Read more »
Need to get our heads up and win the next game. Thats it. Everything else is noise. Would have. Should have. Forget it.
Aye!
Might be unpopular, but whole Martinelli’s goals have been so valuable, there are also times when he really needs to improve his awareness and final ball. Number of occasions today he either dribbled down a dead end or mishit/didn’t sed the right ball.
You are unfortunately right
Most times he did that, I can bet all but one arsenal players would’ve been behind him/the ball. Can’t really expect a forward player to dribble once and then boot the ball long to the keeper
The most important thing at that point is ball retention…He could have go back , keep hold of the ball and pass to the most available player at the back rather than trying to get thru a crowd of opponents in front of you on his own.
Agree 100%. The reality is his decision making, although improving, is poor. But this is not a negative – – he’s going to get better and better as he makes better decisions
He’s young – and outrageously gifted. That will come… as will our title.
Given his age and experience you might forgive some of it but not in the 95th minute when he attempted the difficult pass to Saka when a ball the other way to Trossard was far the better option. Still think the two points VAR took away from us at home to Brentford will be the difference at the end of the season.
Yup ..true…I tot he was our biggest threat up front but Arteta still needs to sit him down on this…One time is fine but he did this 2 or 3 times in the second half I think…
Can we do a whip-round for Paul Tierney’s castration
there’s a tip for you
Nah – it’s a load of bollocks.
They were all excellent, especially in 1st half. Rambo motm. More importantly, we weren’t afraid and tried to win, just like we’ve done all season. Let’s keep going and see what happens in the end.
Such a mixed reaction. We could do easily have lost. Anfield is such a tough place to go to. But…we were so good for most of the first half and we let them back in. I love how positively we approached the game and actually seeing Arteta’s and Rambo’s reactions afterwards gives confidence too, they exude confidence.
It’s not over. Let’s see what happens next game by game 👍🏻
In theory, man city will win the league if they win their remaining games, though their PL fixtures looks favorable, i dont believe they will win remaining of their PL games considering they have the fa cup and ucl. Title is still in our hands, anfield is a tough place, and they always turn up against big teams… considering how it went at the end, I’m pleased w the 1 point… we move on and we cant drop anymore points esp at Etihad and St James. I believe in this team. Coyg!
In theory we will win the league if we win all our remaining games!
Actually, we can drop 2 points at both and still win it by a point. The key match is Etihad though. Lose there and City’s kinder run-in will probably see them coast it. Win there and it’s in our sights.
Sorry mate, but that is a bollocks comment – you left out the crucial bit: City need us to lose at least one match, EVEN if they win all of theirs, which is by no means a given.
I’d love to be wrong but can’t see us even getting a point at the Etihad. That said, I agree that Man City will likely still drop points before the end of the season. It’s going to be a close run thing
Gabriel a 10. I know the ratings are subjective, I know blogs has his own reading of things – Gabriel was a 10 out of 10. He stuck to Salah (Salah) all over the pitch often with no-one else around to cover for a mistake, kept pace with him every time, bullied him off the ball every time – it was a one-man demolition job. I feel if Saliba or Tomiyasu did what Gabriel did today everyone would be talking about it because we expect it of them and Gabriel’s the big lunk who heads the ball today – no,… Read more »
Absolutely! Gabriel was amazing… again! Not given the love he deserves. Also Rambo, saves in the last 3 or 4 games alone. Honestly think Gabriel is a serious shout for our player of the season. Plays two positions in this system. Passing also immense and can pass through the lines. Wins every dual. His strength and hunger. Honestly, name a better centre half?
Couldn’t agree more – Ziinch is amazing going forward but he does leave Big G with a lot of ground to cover. And he’s nervy and less than solid on defence, which only adds to the task Big G has to shoulder. For 87 mins yesterday, he did so magnificently.
But Mik shoulda brought KT on for Z earlier in that second half… the cracks were showing, and widening, from about 50 minutes in.
Completely agree. Big Gabby and Ramsdale were outstanding. I think a lot of the other ratings are extremely generous. I know we love these players (quite rightly), but it’s an insult to their talent to give them all a 7 minimum when they get dominated for 50min.
Yet Salah reacted quicker to the deflection for Liverpool’s first goal?
I give him a 9.5 or 10 too…So impressed with him in this game.
We were soooooo good ……..1st 40 mins. The referee let a lot of challenges on us go ( but booked Ben straight away) . One challenge particularly from Fabhino was ugly as hell…….nothing (as in no card). Another over on the far right touchline, was just a foul, but not given. Granit, who I absolutely love, brained it, lifted their subdued crowd with the stupid barge on AA, and things turned, I mean, really turned. I prob will be disagreed with here, but that was a massive moment. We are so good, and despite biased refs, we have to keep… Read more »
Yeah, I disagree with Blogs. It completely changed the momentum of that first half. The Liverpool players looked beaten and their fans were quiet as a church mouse. It was very reminiscent of Arteta getting involved with Klopp and getting their fans riled up.
Granted it had nothing to do with how badly we defended the 2 goals, but it felt like if the game just carried on the first half would peter out 0-2. Then it’s a different half-time team talk and maybe the crowd doesn’t have that same energy.
Defs – we had our collective foot on their collective throat. Not only were their fans quiet, the first ironic cheers had started to ripple around on the (few!) occasions when they won the ball back.
Remember – this Scouse team, and their fans, have taken a battering of late…
worst season in many of their memories… defence shaky as fuck… all those botched recent matches starting to loom large, as we totally dominated.
And then Grannie decides to be macho… feckin’ eejit move!
Paul T is the new Mike D. Just when we thought we’d gotten rid of that skinny cunt, his chubby-faced, bastard love-child (spawned when he paid the nanny for a quickie at age 15) comes along…
When you start blaming the match officials for your own shortcomings you don’t have your problems to seek. Mike Dean’s record for refereeing Arsenal games isn’t even that damning.
He’s still a skinny cunt, though. And take read through my numerous comments above – I blame the ref last! The team should and must take the ref out of the equation but putting the match beyond doubt. We did that. And then we didn’t.
‘by putting the match…’
@ Blogs – please get a bloody Edit function on this thing!
Ultimately a good point, all things considered. Some pretty strange decisions by Arteta though? What I was wondering was: why no Jorginho, particularly in the second half? We needed some experience and control in the centre of midfield, and he could’ve very well got us that.
Also, why wait so long for the subs? We were pretty much under the cosh from the opening 2-3 minutes of the second half.
All that said though, could easily have been worse. Take this point and run with it!
Yep – I felt these would have made a big difference:
‘jolt OF energy’ – ooops
Also, did anyone think Ben White pretty much dropped out of the game after his booking? I thought he looked shell shocked, and really hesitant to attack the ball for the whole game after that. Maybe he was afraid of getting sent off and suspended because he’s our only right back atm?
A Big question relater to the tactical substitution of Odegaard with Kiwior, who have only a fem minutts of PL game time. A bit unfair to play him at Anfield. Better to keep Odegaard and maintain his creativity. Alternatively bring White in centre.
I did not realize the throwing someone to the ground was considered a legal footballing act. How many times did our mids and Jesus find themselves tge recipients id judo throws? Conversely, Holding’s touch on the attacker in the box was not called anywhere else on the park. It felt like Paul Tierney (and several others) have, to borrow an old phrase “Arsenal Rules”. The opponent can be as physucal as they like with impunity but Arsenal may not. We became much less aggressive after the Xhaka and White yellows and the penalty. Were either of Konate’s bowling ball tackles… Read more »
Key moments: White instant yellow, even though he won the ball. Yes, he goes through with 2 feet so a free-kick, nothing more. Contrast that with the utter leniency shown to the Scouse for identical challenges (3 of them! The ‘penalty’ – if anything, Jota trips Rob, who’s not even looking at him, simply tracking his run; Xhaka – yes, he was idiotic to get involved (that bloody macho ego of his!), but Fuckface Tierney shoulda acted immediately on the first foul (on Xhaka) and snuffed all that bollocks out before it even happened. Tierney – all game – was… Read more »
Was gob smacked to see kiwior come in for odegaard – someone’s got to explain that one to me.
what did arteta say at half time because it did nothing. we were the same eleven players but couldn’t string two passes together. No game management from the boss. We’ve lost the Premiership here.
Yea arteta out. All day long. Lets get mourinho or conte in
1st in the league after 30 matches played and an FA Cup in the trophy cabinet? Why is this immigrant charlatan being allowed to come over here and take jobs from Sam Allardyce, Tony Pulis, Steve Bruce and Stevie Gerrard? This is the reason this country voted for Brexit!
Unless we haven’t.
Take it easy, Bro. This would go to the last day: and we are beating Wolves that day to win the league, with Man City having a torrid time at Brentford.
I don’t do this often but… you twat.
I guess we shouldn’t complain too much about the White booking, given Robertson got one for getting elbowed by the linesman. Just imagine if he had picked up another yellow.
What I saw was Robertson grabbing at the linesman’s arm and the linesman shrugging Robertson off. I predict a retrospective suspension for Robertson.
Exactly – minimum full season ban for that prick.
No for the full season ban. Yes he’s a prick but a very good player (and wind up merchant nonpareil)
That official should be fired. It wasn’t even against us, but that was outrageous.
Looked innocuous to me (but I’m Glaswegian)
Ok the manager has to keep the players positive and need to move on – but understand the circumstances of this game at 2-0, we’ve absolutely dropped two points and I am livid. F*uck that City lost here, f*uck that the oh majestic Anfield – 3 out of 4 in LIV backline on yellow before 2nd half began. None of them looked like they could live with our attacking players. Needed to professionally win at football and not in passion. They came out fired up at 2nd half, go the opposite way and use it against them. Put on Trossadd… Read more »
You know that Emery won the Europa League in 2021 by eliminating Arteta’s Arsenal and Villa are 6th in the table on a 6 match unbeaten run right?
I’m quivering in my boots of Spanish leather!
Idiot Wind (pardon)
If we go to city and get the result we got today. I’ll be a very happy man.
This might be the point gained that might win us title.
Referee let so much go, especially Fabinho, Konate & Arnold. Unfortunately Martinelli & Saka did not take advantage of breakaway chances, no clear end in view for them, just end up with indecision.
I understand people’s frustrations about our second half performance. Regardless of how subpar they have been this season, you would be naïve to want to go toe-to-toe with that lot at Anfield. A devastating loss at this point of the season knocks a huge dent in the team’s confidence. I don’t think the result in itself is (as) disappointing.
Still 4 points off them this season and some lessons going into the City & Newcastle games. I say COYG!!!
Take the point, we just have to believe
….and ensure Man City don’t amass more points than us at the end of the season. Some people believe they are Jesus Christ, Napoleon and Elvis but this doesn’t make it true.
The people who voted online at BBC Sport made Martinelli the POTM. Well thought he played, let’s be honest, POTM was Ramsdale. Perhaps it was a load of Everton fans trying to keep Pickford at the top!
-thought +though
Saka as well as he had played this season just wasn’t at the races today – 6
Partey broke up loads of their attacks – 8.5
We’ve been here before after disappointing results and look where we are.
Bukayo wasn’t at the races because he’s been at the races for 2 season’s straight including for England. The kid is exhausted
He’s been saying exactly that for a few weeks now.
If arteta wants this kid to deliver his magic consistently then he has to stop playing him into the ground.
Hence his brilliant performance against Italy. Stop conflating a below par Saka performance with ‘tired’ just to suit your agenda
First forty minutes, groovy business as usual, after that, arguably our worst performance of the season. A weird mixture of relief, frustration, regret, and Ramsdale awe. Only time will tell if today was the moment our title hopes got bollixed or whether it was the moment we scraped through to ultimately triumph.
Ramsdale. Awe.
12 months ago we lose this game.
I was begging for Tierny brought on 10 minutes before he was.
I wish he’d have put on Nelson or Smith-Rowe too. Saka couldn’t even run at the end and their back-line was there for the taking on the counter.
The 2nd half had us pegged back in our own half practically the whole time. Why then would Saka (21) and Martinelli (21) be ‘exhausted’ or ‘unable to run?’
i watched the game and saw they were tired. watch the game. they defend too and counter.
its not theoretical mate, you could see it.
15-20 mins before he was! A blind mule could see that Ziinch was being really stretched by Mo and Arnold. And overloading Big Gabi with having to repeatedly cover that flank.
Typical Arteta failing to make the subs early enough. Jesus stopped running as he was knackered and Zinchenko stopped playing his dynamic midfield role and stayed at LB. Ode did nothing in the second half so why weren’t these three pulled earlier? At like 70 minutes? No clue why he continues to let tired players trudge around with no gas. Hope this doesn’t come back to haunt us, though I would have taken the point this morning.
I agree with you, mate. They were there for the taking at the end. All of our goals were because Van Dijk and Alexander-Arnold were poor. Konate and Fabinho were unhinged too. Saka and Martinelli made some great chances at the end but they were wayward because they were exhausted. Conversely, Firmino get the second by dispossessing Saka, then Zinchenko gets megged, then Firmino heads it in. What fresh-legs can bring you, eh? Smith-Rowe or Nelson. Giving either a change in the last ten minutes. And putting Tierney on well before because it was obvious they were targeting Zinchenko and… Read more »
3 subs. All not on long enough to rate. Not good. Arteta has to improve this aspect of his managing next year. Should have received a lot of training in this from time at City, so I have faith in him!
Bang on. It’s no coincidence that pools subs were instrumental in their better play, and obviously Bobby F scoring. Such a shame.
Firmino comes on and dispossesses Saka, Zinchenko then gets megged, then Firmino heads it in. Does this happen if he trusts Tierney and either Nelson or Smith-Rowe to do a job for the final ten minutes + stoppage time. I really don’t think it does.
That’s on the manager. I hope he learns from it.
Not sure how Blogs can rate Thomas and Ziiiinch the same?! I’ve said this before and bring on the red thumbos but Ziinch is NOT solid on defence – his positioning is not always sound, he gives attackers too much space to run at him, and his tackle technique is sometimes lacking. Now for some more red thumbs – this draw is on Mik – Salah (and Trent, for that matter) were getting way too much purchase down our left in the second half. To bring Tierney on AFTER Ziinch got nuttied (some form of that was on the cards… Read more »
I personally thought Partey and Xhaka were really outstanding. Partey is like watching a Rolls-Royce driving around the field. The issue is the stuff he does is so understated and consistent I think people can forget that most of the players on the field couldn’t do it. Even when Henderson tried to foul him, Partey brings the ball down in an impossibly tight space and chips it forward to Martinelli then bounches off Henderson like its nothing. He’s unbelievable. I felt Xhaka a few seasons back gets sent off in this game and Liverpool tried to rile him up because… Read more »
Agreed – Trosser for Saka wide right. Reece on the left, for Granit, keep Gabi M on and put him in the middle for the break-away counter as Scouse push up. KT for the obviously exposed Ziiiinch, leave Ode on as the outlet to launch us against their entire backline on yellow cards – why on why did we sit back, having done all that hard work to shell-shock their defence onto tippy-toes??? We just had to run at ’em in the second half – Mik had to know they were going to try to come at us… hit back… Read more »
Funny how Zinchenko has gone from inverted full back genius to pariah in less than 90 minutes. I don’t feel we sat back willingly. Liverpool were just relentless in that 2nd half
My own view on Zinchenko has been consistent. I can’t comment on how narratives change.
As has Ziiiinch himself… invariably great going forward, but too often squeaky bum on defence
Surely the Liverpool crowd woke up after the Xhaka Trent incident. There were a lot of fouls by Liverpool players until that point which the clueless ref didn’t punish, looked to me like Xhaka was trying to get one of his own on Trent. Trent reacted and Xhaka should have just ignored him, rookie mistake there.
If we’d got in at half time 2 nil ahead, I’m sure I wouldn’t be typing this.12 months ago we would have lost this game so the giant steps we’ve made in the interim are palbablevbut the football gods will now bestow their mercurial favours on Man City for the title.
Somehow, after seeing this game, it feels like we won’t drop any points again till the season is over.
This game against Liverpool is the toughest we’ll play this season.
Man city should be worried!
Mark those words guys!
All the games we’ll play against Man City this season will be much tougher than against what is the worst Liverpool team for at least 7 years
We should have sub xhaka to Jorginho
I think you should add a rating for the manager. I’d be interested to see what other people thought of Arteta’s tactics throughout the game. As the team now pretty much picks itself, this was another game where I think he left it too long before bringing on replacements for players that were clearly blowing, or just to mix it up and give tired fullbacks on yellow cards something new to think about.
We should’ve played our own game instead of sitting back and letting them attack us. Our intensity dropped so much in the 2nd half, I am still surprised. I did not like the apporach to the game in the 2nd half.
This is our season I’ve no doubt
We move