Liverpool FC
Ngog(46)
1 - 1
Arsenal FC
Reina(90 og)
Most of us would accept a point away from Liverpool, yet this morning we all wake up feeling like this was 2 points dropped instead of a point gained. So why the disappointment? Is it because we struggled to score against 10 men? Is it because we were let down by slack defending and poor goalkeeping again? Or is it because it’s scary to think that we could put in such a below par performance in the first game of the season?
Arsenal starting 11 against liverpool saw wilshere making his 1st Premier league start for Arsenal.
I predicted that Liverpool would not pose an attacking threat and it proved that way. We controlled much of the possession and for the first half Liverpool was content to sit back and try to hit Ngog with a long ball. unfortunately for them Arsenal’s defence looked well organised and easily dealt with Liverpool’s tactics.
Conversely, for all the possession we enjoyed Liverpool’s well drilled defence proved difficult to break down, and scoring chances were at a premium.
Joe Cole’s red card did not mean it was easier
I suspect a big part of our disappointment was down to the fact that we had a man advantage for 45 minutes, and we failed to make that advantage pay off. Instead taking the game to Liverpool after the break, we were the ones under the cosh. 2 minutes after the break a series of errors from Wilshere to Almunia gave Liverpool the lead. Ngog took his shot well, yet there is that feeling that Almunia could have done better.
Once they took the lead Liverpool sought to hold on to their advantage. It is natural to think that 11 v 10 is an immediate advantage for the full strength team, but it’s not cut and dried as the numbers suggest. The player sent off had little to no impact on the game before his sending off. Had it been a defender that was sent off then we might have seen a difference. Losing an attacking player in a team that is set up to defend and play on the break means that team overall strategy doesn’t change.
Two banks of 4 with Cole to link up Ngog, becomes 2 banks of 4 with Ngog alone up front. That they scored a goal is reason to be vexed, but being down a man did not weaken their defence.
Finally another lacklustre display by Arshavin, this guy doesn’t seem to understand that it’s a team game. He was so anonymous that it could be argued that the sending off simply made it 10 v 10.
Koscielny looks to be a good buy
There is no doubt that the lanky defender needs to beef up for battle in this league, there will come a time when he’ll find it hard against some of the brutes playing in the league. What I liked about his play yesterday was his excellent reading of the game and his nose for danger, he does a very good job at anticipating and negates the attack. The other defenders can take a cue from his propensity to clear the ball from danger areas instead of faffing about in the box.
Honest Stevie G tried to cast aspersions on Koscielny’s character questioning how easy it was for him to come back on the pitch for the second half. When are these people going to understand that a red card is not for actual injury caused, nor is it for intent to cause injury, it is for acting in a way that is dangerous to the opponent.
I’d like to know if the red card can be appealed on the basis of inconsistency. Earlier in the game the referee chose not to book Ngog for an even more blatant handball. Unlike Kos, Ngog’s hand ball was a deliberate effort to gain an advantage, yet the lesser offence got the more severe punishment.
Rosický and Walcott should have started
Rosický more penetrative than Nasri
I can understand why Wenger started with Eboue. When he is on the pitch it gives us a defensive shield on that side whilst possessing an attacking threat. Jovanovic was one of the better players for them, but I will maintain that the pace and unpredictability of Walcott forces teams tactics to accommodate for the winger. Yes he’s not the greatest winger in the world but once he’s on the pitch, the opposing defender is forced a little wider and a little deeper, freeing up space for our attack to operate.
That space was more effectively used by Rosický—I must admit that I think the world of the Cech captain, and will be a teeny bit biased—. Compared to Nasri, Rosický is a lot more direct, and he releases the ball quicker, creating more danger for the opposition. Rosický created more in his thirty minutes on the pitch than Nasri did for the entire game. Whilst Nasri ability to retain the ball is exemplary his ability to created chances is not quite up there with the likes of Cesc and Rosický.
Overall anyone who says that they would not have accepted a point away to Liverpool, in this regard it is not 2 points dropped but 1 point gained. Yet it would be remiss not to say that it is a disappointing point when the spectre of 3 point loomed large at 45 minutes.
