LIVERPOOL 0 – 1 ARSENAL
Arsenal: Havertz 16’
Pre-Match
Are you afraid? It’s okay to say so. These big matches tend to stir up all sorts of those darker emotions – anxiety, fear, anger – and they’re all valid. I didn’t mean to start this out as a therapy session but after hearing multiple fans say that they’re nervous for this match up, it’s worth noting. It’s not going to be an easy match by any means, but you know what, we’re actually in a good place with our set up, and hopefully going to get better. Trey Nyoni is getting
his first Premier League start today, Szoboszlai and Muñoz are both on the bench, Isak is finding ways to score, and beating Chelsea during the midweek is a welcome puff of wind in our sails. Hopefully it can carry us through these guys too.
First Half
Arsenal won the coin toss so they take the first kick and we’re underway, with the Reds working to win possession from the off. Young starter Nyoni gets an accidental foot on Martin Ødegaard to send the player down, but it’s a nice way to remind them of where they are. The Anfield crowd is certainly up for this meeting, in fine voice for these opening five minutes. Cody Gakpo takes an early shot (or was it a cross?) but the effort doesn’t find anything productive or successful and we’re back to defending. Both teams have dug their heels in early, but Liverpool are the only ones that have been able to get in front of goal, even if we haven’t found the net. Arsenal take the lead in the 16th minute through Kai Havertz, taking Alisson off guard as he’s more focused on the build-up than the threat on the other side. We now have another hill to climb to find an equalizer.
We’ve started to really cut into them, after we’re awarded a free kick and Wirtz and Barcola try to be a little cute with it, and the possession has moved more in our favor. There’s been some really poor defending on our end, though, as Virgil doesn’t look nearly prepared enough for this one, or the threat of other Bruno. At least Alisson really only makes one mistake and then not any others. We win a free kick and we finally get some passes together together in the box, but Mac Allister is being literally held back through the attack and we end up with a corner that Isak very nearly gets in but goes out for another corner. There’s two shouts for a penalty as Mac Allister AND Gakpo go down in two separate sequences, but Andy Madley decides things there isn’t enough in either instance.
Lots of shirt pulling here, despite the new rule that apparently means its not allowed, I guess Arsenal didn’t get the message, and are rewarded by no repercussions. Once we score one we can definitely keep the pressure on, as Arsenal haven’t created any other chances except to waste time. Isak has taken shots, Mac Allister has taken shots, we just can’t get around their dirty plays. We’re rewarded with another corner in the 37th minute, but it doesn’t go anywhere because Gakpo is bad at corners. Isak falls over just outside the box and we got another free kick, and Wirtz’s effort annoyingly hits the crossbar.
The final five or so minutes has brought us to the same place, with Arsenal time wasting and us unable to find the back of the net, but at least we’re turning the screw. A goal before the half would be great, but might not be possible with all the shirt pulling and wrestling moves, but two minutes are added for our troubles.
Second Half
The teams are back out for the second half and it appears no changes were made on either side, but it would be great to see Muñoz come out for Gakpo sooner rather than later. The Reds get things going, as we shoot towards the Kop. We’re the only ones that have gotten close to the goal once again, so we should be scoring at least two to take these. We’re the only ones trying to play, too, even as this half has started with about a quarter less energy than the previous. Gakpo actually sends in a nice cross to find some heads in front of goal, but they’re not able to get the ball down in a way that helps. Really, more than our lack of goals, I’m concerned about Arsenal’s inability to stay upright – did they party too hard for Halloween? Are they all afflicted with inner ear problems? It would simply be great if they could stay on their feet to actually play rather than falling over at the soonest possible moment.
Szoboszlai is preparing to come on around the 55th minute, but the excitement is shortlived as another Arsenal player literally dives onto the grass to draw a goal kick as Isak gets into the box. And the ref keeps rewarding this behavior so they keep doing it, as evidenced not even a minute later. Szobsozlai comes on for Nyoni, the youngster receiving a great ovation for his first Premier League start, and we get a little more experience on the pitch. Arsenal also make a change, taking off Other Bruno for Lewis Skelly, but Arsenal keep time wasting anyway with Raya taking a full minute for goal kicks. We’re going into frustrating territory, as Arsenal haven’t won at Anfield since 2012 and we can’t let them do that now.
We finally get a chance at a good break, a great press towards the final third and Arsenal park the bus right in the middle of it. Cody Gakpo comes off in the 66th minute for Rio Ngumoha and we get a little more confidence against the Arsenal defense. The visitors win a corner shortly after, and the commentators talk about how fresh their attackers are because they haven’t done anything, and we’re defending as they continue to find news ways to waste time – with help from the referee. Even if we pull a draw out of this, that might be enough, but we can still score against them. Rio has already started to his fearlessness in front of this defense, not just carving around them but lifting balls into the area, but Arsenal is still there to shut things down.
The last changes of the day for Iraola come in the forms of Lewis Koumas, Tsimikas, and Muñoz coming on to relieve the embattled Kerkez, Wirtz, and Araujo, just before Arsenal make chances of their own. We’re in the final ten or so minutes, no closer to an equalizer than before, and it sucks to feel like the ref is constantly out for us, but Madley’s performance today hasn’t exactly inspired a lot of confidence in the alternative. Six minutes are added to the end of this half, Liverpool are hunting for an equalizer, we win a corner, and you’re saying there’s a chance? No, not really, because Szoboszlai’s corner goes too far back and we’re back to square one. Frustration is palpable for everyone watching this one.
Final Thoughts
You know who did do the thing? Andy Madley for Arsenal. That’s it. We played well, we did our very best, but when every call is given to Arsenal it’s hard to get around it.
