Sunday’s clash against Liverpool was always going to be a tough one for Arsenal from a mental perspective.
After crashing out of the Champions League at the semi-final stages, the last place they probably wanted to be was Anfield, the home of the Premier League title winners.
A guard of honour was given and Arsenal actually starting vibrantly, Bukayo Saka missing a chance from a matter of yards out. Here we go again, it’s going to be another one of those days.
Indeed, that certainly looked the case when the Gunners found themselves 2-0 down after 21 minutes. This was the perfect encapsulation of this season. Arsenal could have been two up themselves but squandered their chances and as they found in Paris on Wednesday, they were up against it.
This time, Mikel Arteta’s men rallied and put in a brilliant second-half performance to walk away from Merseyside with a point in their battle to finish inside the top four.
Arsenal's finest performers against Liverpool
While Arteta was left to bemoan some uncharacteristically lapse defending from William Saliba in the first half, shutting off for the second goal, in forward areas, there were some more encouraging signs.
Saka was his usual effervescent self, while Gabriel Martinelli was perhaps the standout player on the away side.
The Brazilian initially started the game on the left flank but a few tactical tweaks at half-time saw a renewed display, not just from Martinelli but the whole side.
Leandro Trossard moved out to the left and Martinelli moved into the centre of the pitch. A matter of minutes into the second half the two attackers combined brilliantly to get Arsenal back into the game.
The Belgian winger crossed into the box, where Arsenal’s number 11 was ready and waiting to head the ball home. In truth, that tactical tweak changed the game. Martinelli made a number of threatening runs in behind that also brought out the best from Martin Odegaard.
The Norwegian has had a troubled campaign, only scoring five times, but he looked closer to his best in the second period at Anfield, playing a number of balls towards Martinelli.
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Odegaard also had a vital role to play in the equaliser. Plenty of supporters have bemoaned his unwillingness to shoot from range this season but it was his fierce effort from outside the box that the second goal came from.
The captain unleashed a fizzing drive that Alisson tipped onto the post but Mikel Merino followed up well and headed the rebound into an empty net.
It was yet another crucial moment for the Spaniard who has enjoyed a fabulous back end of the season. Well, that was until he was given a red card for a late challenge on Dominik Szoboszlai, a tackle that saw him branded with a second yellow card.
Still, Merino was far from the worst player on the pitch.
Arsenal's poorest performers against Liverpool
Arsenal’s defending since Gabriel got injured certainly hasn’t been the best but one has to commend the displays of Jakub Kiwior who notably stood out in the two-legged win over Real Madrid.
That being said, it hasn’t been plain sailing for Saliba who, without Gabriel, doesn’t look quite as assured at the back.
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The French titan is no doubt a fabulous player, but there have been some nervy moments for the centre-back when playing out from the back. He also switched off completely for Liverpool’s opening goal.
Despite grabbing an assist, it was largely an afternoon to forget for Trossard too, whose woes were compounded in the 78th minute when he was substituted with an apparent hamstring injury.
For Arsenal, that is not good news, particularly after Merino’s late red card. Who Arsenal will play up top against Newcastle next week is anyone’s guess.
Either way, Arteta should consider axing him from the team. Even if it’s not fully from the team, he should be axed as the main centre forward.
In the words of Arsenal writer Connor Humm, the £27m signing is a “waste of time” as a striker, not boasting the physicality to hold the ball up and perhaps also lacking the sort of runs we ultimately saw from Martinelli down the centre when they swapped positions.
Minutes played
78
Touches
61
Accurate passes
31/36 (86%)
Shots on target
1
Shots off target
1
Successful dribbles
3/5
Key passes
2
Accurate crosses
1/3
Duels won
7/13
Possession lost
16x
Trossard only won seven of his 13 contested duels during the clash and failed to have a single shot on target. To make matters worse, he also lost the ball on 16 occasions. That isn’t what you need from a role that requires bringing others into play.
There was a wasteful moment that rather summed up his topsy-turvy season in the first 45 minutes. Arsenal pressed well in Liverpool’s penalty area and won the ball back. However, neither Partey nor Trossard took control of the situation and waited for each other to pick up the possession. Had either done so, it probably would have been a goal. Instead, the chance went begging.
Moments like that are why the Belgium international has frustrated supporters so often this season. There is talk of a new contract and perhaps he might deserve one. There aren’t many better squad players in Arteta’s ranks.
However, if Arsenal are going to sign one or two attackers, Trossard should be given the boot to accommodate them.
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