Whatever else you could say about last night’s game between Liverpool and Arsenal, you could never say it was boring! It was gung-ho end-to-end stuff that is usually described as ‘a great advert for Premiership football’ although I personally would have preferred a boring 1-0 win for the Gunners!
But our acting captain Per Mertesacker thinks it was a fair result as Liverpool fought right up until the end. “They put pressure on us until the last second.” he told Arsenal.com. “We suffered a bit in the second half but we will take the point. We are obviously disappointed with how it went at the end but we couldn’t keep the ball as much as we wanted – especially in the second half. They put a lot of pressure on us in the last 10 minutes. Benteke came on and they were more dangerous. We will continue with that point and it is still a good point for us and we are still at the top.
“We came back twice so they gave us a lot of confidence in the second half. It was such an intense game for both sides. The fans carried the – especially at the end. Maybe they deserved it with how they played in the last 10 minutes and we will take the point. We are a bit disappointed in the end but we will take it.
“…. I feel we gave absolutely everything until the end. When you give your best until the end that is always a success. We will take the point and we will continue and we are in a situation where we can drop points and it was not what we wanted. They put a lot pressure on us in the end and maybe they deserved to score at the end because we could not get out of this situation. On the counter we were not good enough and we suffered in the last 10 minutes. We came back twice and scored the third and took the lead for a long time in the second half. That must give us more confidence for the game against Stoke on Sunday.
“It is what it is in the Premier League. It was an intense game and was back and forth and what we saw today ws a brilliant display from two sides that gave absolutely everything to take the point. I’m happy with the effort but not 100 per cent happy with the result and we will carry on.”
I can’t help but agree that the last ten minutes were awful for Arsenal, especially as Liverpool brought on Benteke and we brought on…..Gibbs, the Ox and Arteta! I wonder if that could have had anything to do with it…..
Gotta say, Mert did put in a good shift last night.
2 important clearances, and a last ditch tackle all were clear cut chances
Still gutted conceding so many goals against a strikeless and defenceless liverpool. I respect wenger but the old man is clueless when it comes to tactics.
So tactically clueless that we’re top of the league.
@koss
Have to agree with you.Wenger ‘s substitution s over the years whether it’s players or timing is mediocre. Still a points a point away from home
In those conditions was hard earned.
@Koss, @cheeterspotter
The best thing to do in football circle is analysing a football match after watching it.
As far as I am concerned, Wenger and our boys did well, but we met a resolute Liverpool. Remember how resolute and ruthless we were against Man Utd ?? Before we played Man Utd, we were playing poorly. No gunners ANYWHERE in the world were confident of dispatching United in 20′ only.We did it. That was resolution !!
Back to yesterday game, if Liverpool had scored the 3rd goal before us, and we laboured to equalize in the 88′ as they did, we would have celebrated the game more than this. Getting a point at Anfield ANYDAY is a good result.
As regard the substitution the people faulted, we can only say that because the game has ended. Ozil was pulled out so that Arteta can stabilize the team for the remaining paltry 10′ left. This is not a bad idea especially when Gibbs is also on to assist both the defence and the attack,what else should Wenger have done ?? The substitutes simply failed us. Period !! And how is that suppose to be Wenger’s fault ??
Some argued that Gabriel should have been brought in rather than Gibbs, forgetting that Gibbs has been more potent in this role in recent times. Check the games we needed to guide slim victories in recent time and see Gibbs contribution. In fact, he scored the leveler against Sp*rs – which would have been a pain-in-the-anus defeat, considering what Sp*rs means to us.
If Wenger had kept Ozil and he got injured or lost a ball that led to goal, we would have easily said why did he (Wenger) not remove him and let Arteta played the remaining few minutes ??
There will always be a hiding place to justify our excuses.
We are still OK for the title.
Substitutes, especially Arteta, failed us simple !!
I knew that we wouldn’t win as soon as Arteta came on!
Gabriel would have been a better choice, especially as we were on the backfoot trying to hang on to the lead.
Yep, I’m on the blaming Wenger side for bad tactics and substitutions, If your plan is to defend in the last ten minutes then you have to bring on all your players who can defend!
Gibbs, Gabriel and Chambers would have been a better option than Arteta and the Ox.
Like I said on a previous article, resting players has its disadvantages too, Ozil was still on holiday as he definitely wasn’t his normal self last night, it just goes to show when you rest a player who is on fire, you blow out his flames in the process.
Last night’s draw was Another opportunity lost, (as far as I’m concerned) Which is becoming a bad habit,
Surely,this now has to be taken into consideration that we are simply too short of being champions material.
The only positive that keeps us in contention, is that all the big boys are struggling, At the moment.
Next up. .. Rugby boys away!
I think Arsenal will now
pull away from City.
I predict a 5-7 point
Arsenal lead after the Chelsea game.
I think City have given up.
I am prepared to call it now.
Arsenal EPL champions 2015/2016.
City usually struggle in the new years period. And with 17 games to go, isn’t it a bit early to talk about champions? We have to go to Everton, Spurs, United and City away and our record away at those grounds isn’t the best you’ve seen. There is still a lot to be decided and Leicester might be in the mix, if things continue like that. Calm down. There’s a long way to go.
Must we always look for who to blame?? Now you are blaming Wenger for the subs???
Campbell was clearly tired..
Walcott was invisible
Ozil was tired too….
He has been bringing Gibbs in like that all this while to protect our lead and we have always won, why the complain now??
Are you telling me Arteta can’t even play well just for 10mins?we shouldn’t pretend we love Arsenal more than Wenger..
Sometimes, we have to give our opponents some credit too..am sure the neutrals will agree that draw was a fair result for both teams…liverpool didn’t give up,credit them for that not blaming wenger for the subs…
Great game. Fair point.
Say what you like, Ox and walcott,especially Ox, won’t take Arsenal to the next level,he came in and he couldn’t do anything…
If wenger ever tries to bench campbell for any of them, I will forever hate him….if Sanchez comes back, walcott should drop to the bench immediately..I can’t believe Campbell is more technicaland hardworking than walcott…campbell and Sanchez to flank Giroud…we need fighters in this team,not some overrated English fools
I agree with goonerboy…walcott wasn’t bad despite his shambolic start for the first goal. Ox had absolutely ZERO impact yesterday at a time when we needed his pace to launch meaningful counter attacks. Ox on loan or out, elniny/ rabiot to replace arteta/flamini. and we are good to go!
tricky game to call a fall guy, but I feel Ox is the one player who didn’t do much of anything felt like we had 10 men after the Campbell change
It’s these pundits,or so called football experts who analyse matches in slow motion and blabber on about what a player should or shouldn’t have done when infact players only have half a second to decide what to do.
We all gave le coq credit, but cazorla really helped him, am not saying the credit we give Coq is not merited just trying to say that Ramsey always fails to give protection to whoever partners him in midfield…Am really confused about Ramsey now…what is his best position??
Surely,he can’t play the no.10 role for us,he can’t even manage the ball well..he can’t play DMF,and in the box to box role he is not disciplined enough…same with Ox, we don’t really know his position…to start with, let’s get rid of Ox…no more pity,its time to be ruthless
Some fans think in football only their team has the ability and right to take the full points hence if doesn’t go in their favor they start the blame game. A point at Anfield in a game were we went down twice is a fair result to me. Especially on a night the so called Title-favourite Man City team drew at home to Everton, rejuvenated Chelsea drew at home to Westbrom and Spurs? at home to Leicester? You guys need to appreciate our team. Any football lover who has been watching Liverpool v Arsenal at Anfield for over ten years now will understand that it is always a game of action with spectacular results. Kudo to the boys. We are still very much on track for the title.
@Prince AFZ
Well put Gooner…
You guys are happy with the point,
Well, That’s fine… If you’re happy to finish 4th!!!
But the real point is, we lost two in the 90th minute!
And that’s not champions material in my book.
We have messed up far too many opportunities to go top or to even put some distance between us and the rest of the pack for my likings!
If anything, It looks as if destiny is shinning on Leicester City’s side ? Fair play to them and their manager, who is more than likely to get them relegated next season ?
Just like Blackburn when they won the premier league.
Our best first eleven f now! Cech Bellerin mert Koss monreal Elneny Ramsey Campbell Ozil Alexis Giroud