I, like so many other Arsenal supporters, came out of yesterday’s clash at Anfield feeling an immediate sense of relief but a gradually increasing feeling of being completely gutted we’d not won. It wasn’t the lateness of the equaliser but the inevitability of it that at some stage whether it be the 60th, 87th or 95th it was going to come.
There are some already thoroughly discussed reasons behind why the game swung with all the pathways meeting at Granit Xhaka’s confrontation with Trent Alexander-Arnold. “Don’t wake up the crowd,” I remember shouting at the television as I frantically and simultaneously wrote out the live blog covering the game.
However, after a night’s sleep and a short morning of reflection, I now have a feeling of appreciation to how damn good Arsenal are. After more than a decade of lacklustre and hopeful trips to Merseyside ending in disappointment and dropped points there was a stark difference to this year’s visit.
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Although the table makes it obvious at a glance that Arsenal are now the team Liverpool are looking to chase, to emulate, to match. Arsenal are good, very good.
They’re not perfect and that was evident in the way the Gunners responded at half-time and certainly in the missed opportunities by Mikel Arteta to influence the game more positively with his substitutions. But at no point in the game were Arsenal not close to the three points, either when the scoreline leant in their favour or when it was level.
The approach in the second period lacked the bravery to take back control that should be learned from. When Liverpool sacrificed a midfielder, this was the time to punish the spaces, not invite pressure by introducing a fifth defender.
However what the first thirty minutes displayed was the team’s confidence to go into any stadium, arguably the toughest in the case of Anfield, forget where they are and just gun for their opponents to try and kill off the game quickly. Ironically, they perhaps became so blinkered that forgetting the consequences of Xhaka’s actions, in particular, changed this game like it would in a few other locations.
Looking ahead, Arsenal have two games before they face Manchester City. The last time the pair met, Arsenal had lost to Everton, been robbed of a win against Brentford after an officiating blunder and lost Thomas Partey to injury at the last minute.
Mistakes cost the Gunners and despite creating clear goalscoring chances they couldn’t take them. Fast-forward to April and this Arsenal side must beat West Ham United and Southampton to go into the Etihad ten game unbeaten, nine wins, Partey back and Gabriel Jesus leading the line with no fear.
Many will say that City are showing the ruthless form and momentum that’s won them four of the last five titles but in they would have been watching Arsenal’s Anfield performance both impressed and relieved their old rivals were able to steal two points from the Gunners. Try to tell me City fear no one right now and I’ll vehemently disagree, this Arsenal team is ready to take on the champions in their own back yard and Anfield gave them the perfect preparation and lessons for how to and how not to do it.
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