Arsenal drawing at 2-2 with Liverpool was not what many expected; as hot as Arsenal have been this season, many expected a win at Anfield. There are a lot of if’s in how the game played out and how Arsenal prepared for it. This has led me to identify three factors that contributed to Arsenal’s failure to secure a big win at Anfield.
1.POOR SUBSTITUTIONS
Arteta made some questionable substitutions, some of which were made late because, as early as the 60th minute, it appeared that Arsenal needed fresher legs for the second half, putting his midfield and attacking force in jeopardy. It was a mistake to take Odegaard out of the game since he can generate magic in the attack out of nowhere. If Odegaard had to go, why not replace him with Jorginho instead? After all, everyone knows it’s difficult to celebrate a one-goal victory. And Liverpool took advantage of Arsenal being left exposed at midfield when Roberto Firmino slotted a late equaliser into their net.
2. CHANGED FORMATION IN THE SECOND HALF
The Gunners were pressing very well with their 4-3-3 formation in the first half, and in fact, they were seeing more of the ball than the hosts on a very hostile territory where teams normally struggle, like Manchester United who were hammered 7-0.
With the Anfield faithful silenced, Arsenal should have held on to the tempo in the second half, considering that’s the half where the Gunners have been ruthless in recent weeks. It was obvious when they came back in the second half that the league leaders shifted to a defensive formation, and this led to a lot of pressure piling up in their half.
3. LACK OF TEAM MORALE
It is often recommended that it is the team coach’s responsibility to bolster the morale of his players when he notices that they are lagging behind or wandering from their mission; Mikel Arteta stayed entirely silent in the second half.
The Arsenal boss must keep doing what he’s been doing on the touchline and ignore naysayers if he wants to win the English Premier League.
Apart from these three, what else did Arsenal get wrong? Don’t be shy; tell us in the comments section.
Darren N
———————————————————-
CALLING ALL ARSENAL FANS! Anyone who would like to contribute an Article or Video opinion piece on JustArsenal, please contact us through this link…
WATCH EVERY ONE of Mikel Arteta’s and Jonas Eidevall’s Full Press conferences by subscribing to our YouTube Channel – JustArsenalVids
I 110% concur with you @Darren about the three hiccups. What was @Arteta defending after first half? One goal lead?!! I have watched Trossad play but I think he is best when he comes in the first half. I think Arteta should start to let Gabriel Jesus complete games he starts. A star doesn’t die entire 90 minutes. He always happens when least expected. As you rightly said Arteta was not the overbearing type on the touchline …. So relaxed!!!
It is 100% clear Arsenal remaining games are very hard. That’s why I am very calm and not too much excited about our hope of winning EPL as I don’t want to be so disappointed at the end of season. But I will keep supporting my team until the end
If Jesus wasn’t substituted, he could’ve made one of Liverpool’s defenders sent off, because of his tricks
Tierney should’ve come in earlier, because his dribbles could also force Liverpool’s defenders to foul him
Man, Zinny was atrocious at the back, zero pace!!! And MA went full-blind mode for 85mins! Wont say more!
Alot of us raised concerns about Zinny’s viability in a game like this.
We needed a player that can be at his best defending we are not in control of the game. Unfortunately we’re not gonna get that with Zinny. Still the worst could have been prevented we an early substitution.
Arteta knows best.
*when
Martinelli wasted seconds before passing the ball to SAKA. He looks down on the ball instead of looking out on the field to pass and move ball quickly. The pass was too further for Saka to get to it than the keeper who was coming towards the ball.
Why TIVOR he was lost to the position he should playing and almost making an error.
Zinny forgets he is a left back, he should quickly cutout the attack on the left that place is hollow
You are right with most of the points you mentioned, especially the one concerning the substitutions. I think he should have brought Terney on earlier to replace Xhaka and push Zinny upfront in Zhaka’s position. Our left side was exposed more than the right side. Everyone expected Martinelli to roast Arnold and create more chances from that left side of the pitch, but instead it was the left side that proved the assist for their equalizer. What a strange game.
Taking Jesus and Odegaad off at the same time was the greatest offense.
Instead MA should take off Xaha and bring tierney
Two long standing issues along with the ones the article correctly identified. First, individual players are still acting like they aren’t ‘team players’ and losing their heads when we really need them not to. Xhaka lost control yesterday, and that proved the turning point in the game. Yes, liverpool were up to their old tricks (fifty years of it and counting) diving, sneaky fouls, verbal abuse, all of which, again in time honoured fashion, went unpunished (and unmentioned by the media) but every player in the epl knows what to expect at liverpool – and yet xhaka fell for it.
Second, collectively, just as they did against city at the Emirates, the team fell apart after xhaka blew up. As such a poor liverpool side were able to take control of the game and, thanks to a non existent pep talk at half time, keep it. Arsenal were architects of their own downfall, a habit they picked in 2006, and which they are yet to let go of.
As a side dish of misery, they’ve also given liverpool an undeserved impetus to reach the top four.
I am beginning to think that the game which we recognise as Football should be reclassified as a “non contact” sport given the number of ludicrous decisions made by refs in the weekend.Neither the White booking nor the Holding penalty award were fouls imo yet The same rules did not apply to the rapidly declining central midfielders of Liverpool nor to the Spurs Danish midfielder who committed a nasty stamp on Mitoma of Brighton in the penalty area.Frustrations abound but as I would have settled for a point at Annfield before the match I am not too despondent at our failure to win.Apart from the glaring ommission of Tierney which I simply do not understand, the lack of pace and drive in our midfield 3/4, was very evident in the second half one of two athletical players in the engine room should be our top priority for next season.Partey had another fine game yesterday ,as did Ramsdale, but when the going gets tough,Odegaard, Zinchenko and Xhaka find it difficult to make a meaningful impression, particularly in defence, and,as a consequence ,we are unable to maintain control .Despite the disappointing performance in the second half, I remain optimistic that we can push Man City to the wire, and who knows, they may slip up against some lessor lights fighting for survival in this tough League.
Totally agree, Grandad. The standard of officiating in the UK is abyssmal. The managent of VAR is , for some reason, different than implemented in Europe or during the last World Cup.
Mike Reilly, the referees association and the English FA needs to take a look at why English referees fail selection to officiate at major tournaments?
Tha Xhaka hate was waiting for a reason to be resurrected. Granit was not a reason we lost yesterday.
Shame on you all!
When Arsenal were kicked right front and center and the referee doing nothing you turn against your own player who refused to be bullied him and his teammates!
Shame on you for Shame times two!
Xhaka lost his head, and not for the first time. Do you deny (dont answer that) that xhaka, times beyond count, has cost us dear? If you choose to respond to retaliation you will get a yellow card. If you do that in a major fixture it will cost your team dear. Xhaka knows that, as do all players, yet he still lost his head. If you cannot accept that, nor accept this behaviour is in keeping with past actions, then please let me have some of what you’re smoking..
Pls, lock up. Yesterday’s defeat wasn’t as a result of Xhaka.
Nor did I say it was. Please read all of a post, not just what you want to.
We did not lose!!
Easier to point to a finger at one player winding the opponents up than to a whole team who refused to turn up beyond 40 minutes. Xhaka didn’t cost us anything in the game.’ Sunday league’ defending from Zinny and White cost us.
If you bother to read the whole post I agree that the articles three factors, plus our collapse after xhakas ‘moment’ that cost us the game. No-one is blaming one man, his actions though, were pivotal in what happened next. Deny it as you will.
How did Xhaka cost us? Did he get run over? Did he score an own goal? Was he the cause of the goal? What wrong did he do? Is defending himself an offence? I just don’t get his crime.
What are smoking there HH? Xhaka lost his head and fell for Pool players tricks which afterwards, resulted to their first goal. The yellow card he got slowed him down. Xhaka as a senior player should know better. But the greater blame goes to Arteta who will always not see anything wrong in the performance of Xhaka, Zinny and Odegaard. He is always afraid of replacing them even when it’s glaring that they are liability on the pitch. And who said a substitute can not be made in 60th minutes? I just hope he will take corrections and play those that will give him results.
Stupid article with stupid opinion. Probably the first two points can be accepted because of given elaboration. But blew it with the third point of team morale. No team can have high morale if fake fans keep telling the club, the manager and the players what to do without the expertise and responsibility. Arsenal came away with a point from a place both Man clubs lost. Why is it when Arsenal boys always bounce back again and again this season while fake fans have an embarrassing meltdown again and again? Shameful.
Since when did any manager, player of even other fans give a monkey’s what other people think. Only the media influence opinions, on the mistaken basis they are ‘experts’. Casting around looking for people to blame does not mean you are more ‘loyal’ than other fans pointing out what should be obvious from yesterday’s game.
Arteta has been making these mistakes all season. The pain of loosing two points at this point of season is too much for fans to bear. Can anyone explain why Arteta should keep quiet all through the second half in the face of his team’s capitulation?
Why would he removed Jesus ? Why would he left Xhaka on the pitch and Zinny until his defending cost us the points? Arteta should have known that Zinny can not face high pressing teams as a result of his poor defending. He will always drift to the middle thereby exposing the left side defence. Arteta I know will make the same mistake against City and Newcastle except he lays aside his personal interest for the interest of the team. Unless he do away with biased in team selection, we will lick our wounds by the time manc will lift the trophy.
Arteta has been making these mistakes all season. The pain of loosing two points at this point of the season is too much for fans to bear. Can anyone explain why Arteta should keep quiet all through the second half in the face of his team’s capitulation?
Why would he removed Jesus ? Why would he left Xhaka on the pitch and Zinny until his defending cost us the points? Arteta should have known that Zinny can not face high pressing teams as a result of his poor defending. He will always drift to the middle thereby exposing the left side defence. Arteta I know will make the same mistake against City and Newcastle except he lays aside his personal interest for the interest of the team. Unless he do away with biases in team selection, we will lick our wounds by the time manc will lift the trophy.
This is a ridiculous rant. It was a disappointing result based on how we started and initially controlled the game but your comments demonstrates a complete lack of perspective.
Listen, Arsenal title is gone. 2nd place is not a bad result. No one can compete with Pep small cojone syndrome (spend trillion to buy 3 set of God players, still no CL though). I am happy with second place
Only you alone will end up 2nd in this year’s premier league, not Arsenal.
It frustrates me the way some of you are sounding, after securing a vital point on a ground Arsenal used to suffer humiliating defeats for over ten years. We are still 6 points up in the table for crying out loud. Yes I’m well aware that Man City have a game in hand, but a game in hand is not a point in hand. Some of you are forgetting the fact that this is football ⚽⚽ and any team can get beaten up, especially in the premier league.
I said this some time back and I’m saying it again, we need to try and be positive towards our team, especially the way they are performing this season. Let’s drop this attitude of “crying down” (👎👎) our team at every given opportunity.
I don’t care what anyone thinks or feels, but as far I know, this premier league this time around is Arsenal’s. I’m hundred percent confident that the premier league belongs to Arsenal this time around and nothing is going to change that, not even Manchester City.
MARK MY WORDS!!!
The gunners failed to make it because of the refer who showed up that in all means Liverpool to win in order to stop Arsenal from the first position .
I hope some of you read this, and respond.
If we could afford just ONE player in the summer and we only had $100m to spend, which player would you buy who you think could have helped us WIN that game against Liverpool,
and why!
Great idea! If anyone wants to write an article and send it in we can discuss it fully…
A lot of the things that needed to be done, namely the choice and timing of the substitutions, were clear as day and yet inexplicably not carried out!
Our team looked lethargic in all of the second half, they were slow to the punch, always. It looks like they were already drained just for playing the first half, very strange.
POOR SUBSTITUTIONS – I agree.
CHANGED FORMATION – Not too sure about this one. This was probably caused from poor substitutions.
LACK OF TEAM MORALE – Totally disagree. Do you think morale was low after leading 2-0 after 30 minutes? And if team morale is an issue for anyone at this late stage of the season, (and a successful one too), we do not deserve to be premier league champions.
After conceding two early goals, Liverpool simply upped their physical intensity and tweaked their formation denying us space in the midfield. We had no plan B and panicked.
Well done Boys we got four points from Liv this season and Liv only got one point. The tides are clearly turning… this season is an early marker and we’ll improve in every area moving forward, so well done boys, now let’s beat the hammers
It is very annoying when self styled analysts start to denigrate the manager and our loyal players for no clear reason. Can you imagine someone blaming Arteta for making substitutions of some players who were looking tired. How about blaming Xhaka for standing up to bully tactics? Is it logical for anyone to say that when you play at Anfield you should accept any treatment lest you arouse the Liverpool fans to turn against you? Did the fans invade the field? It is true that the crowd has a big impact on the game but if we had kept to our game plan and tempo we might have won the game. This is a lesson learnt by our young players. Hopefully next season we shall do better.
I take exception to all those who have given up on winning the trophy. I believe we still have a good chance of winning the trophy because Man city will also lose some points. It is not possible for them to win all their 9 remaining games.
How did Xhaka cost us? Did he get run over? Did he score an own goal? Was he the cause of the goal? What wrong did he do? Is defending himself an offence? I just don’t get his crime.
None of the above but as one of the few senior players, he bit.
I would not dream of pinning anything on Xhaka – however- something after that incident turned the tide. Bad luck, bad timing, call it what you will, but that was the turning point that gave a voice to Liverpool and they very nearly took the prize
Unfortunately, there is this view that there is a need to ‘stand up for oneself’ in an aggressive manner in football. However:
-This is not MMA or a boxing. You get no extra points for winning a head butting contest.
-You will often get a card; if ‘lucky’ you get a yellow card and become less effective for the rest of the game as you have to be more careful
-the dynamics of the game can change; this is where psychological factors come into play all the more; especially when you are playing away at a very difficult ground
Of course Xhaka was not directly responsible for the goals but his play became more passive as the game progressed. If he hadn’t picked up that card I’m pretty sure he would have made much more aggressive challenges when the game became more difficult.
I as arsenal fan, I can say we played a nice game as we to first half, then after second start arteta fail us by doing a wrong substitution by removing odegard, Jesus and zinchencho and the three are our firemasters
Paul tierney ???? Maybe
I suspect the team was ordered to run down the time which slowed down the entire team resulting into sustained pressure in our box with this slowness meaning that we lost many balls in the middle of the park. That was a wrong strategy, because I believe the best way to defend is to attack. Xhaka did not show the usual leadership. I agree Zinny could not handle the intensity of the match and the decision to substitute came too late. Players with some pace like Nelson were needed in the second half. On many occasions in similar circumstances like that break when Martinelli fail to press that killer pass to Saka, the Brazilian seems always to suffer a brain lock and fail do simple things. I don’t know why🙌🙌 we now need to approach whichever match as a cup final with a no nonsence attitude.
Poor substitutions and timing – agree.
Moving to a more defensive lineup to defend only a one goal lead – agree, particularly in allowing Liverpool to push forward.
Loss of player morale – totally disagree.
Mikel Ateta should’nt have introduced jakub kiwior at Liverpool,instead we needed some players with EPL expirience.
Martinelli should be cautioned on time wasting with the ball and learn to release passes on time.. Also Arteta should have substituted Zinchenko at 60 minutes having been unable to mark Salah and bring in Tierney.