Arsenal shared the spoils in a 2-2 draw against Liverpool this evening, despite losing Gabriel Magalhães and Jurrien Timber to injuries.
Arsenal made a perfect start, with Bukayo Saka justifying his place in the starting lineup by scoring a superb opener. The Gunners stunned Liverpool with that goal and continued to dominate play. However, nine minutes later, Liverpool responded with a well-executed corner routine.
The Emirates crowd has grown accustomed to Arsenal’s proficiency in defending and scoring from set-pieces, but this time, Liverpool outdid them with their own strategy.
Arsenal regained control in search of the next goal, which came just before halftime when Mikel Merino converted a fine free kick from Declan Rice. The Gunners went into the break ahead, having dominated the game, particularly in midfield where Thomas Partey frequently dropped deep to form a diamond shape during possession.
Liverpool emerged from halftime determined to find an equaliser, putting Arsenal under significant pressure, especially after the Gunners lost Gabriel Magalhães to injury. The Reds’ persistence paid off when a quick counter-attack created space for Mohamed Salah to score a straightforward goal.
Before conceding the equaliser, Arsenal had also lost Jurrien Timber, further hampering their defensive efforts as Liverpool pushed for a winner. Despite losing two key players, Arsenal stood firm, even creating a few chances of their own, but ultimately couldn’t find a decisive third goal.
Eh. Liverpool were awful and Arteta has NO bravery. Every time we score we sit off and let the opposition come at us. Theres no reason our midfield couldn’t attempt to keep controlling the game 2nd half. Instead, we let Liverpool do it and they create a pretty easy chance. Obvs injuries at that point too, but we wasted all 2nd half playing like scared sheep. 2-1 lead against Liverpool is not a result that holds ever. This team won’t challenge for the title because the manager is too scared and doesnt let this team play.
It is pathetic you failed to see the referee didn’t want Arsenal to play.
Well played Partey. Martinelli so wasteful. Rice had a brilliant first half and Merino is starting to shine. The injuries are piling up, but it looks like Arteta has moved on from Zinchenko.
@JBGS
In all fairness, besides Saka, Martinelli was the only other guy taking it to them, even with 2/3 players marking him.
My comments are borne more out of frustration than criticism. He does the hard stuff but the end product is woeful at times.
Can’t argue with that
In all fairness, besides the referee, Mertinelli was the reason we didn’t win.
Martinelli was absolutely a waste of space. No end product, runs down blind alleys, crosses to nobody, no idea. Haverz and Martinelli second half were poor and their positioning was poor. Thats why we lost control in the second half. I thought Martinelli should have been subbed earlier.
Great game , albeit feels unfair to come out with a point. Dominant first half ,with great chances but in the end not clinical enough. We really should stop this ceding of possession once in the lead.
Two obvious corners against Liverpool and MC denied in the last minute? Once may be a mistake …. Why wasn’t Nwanieri brought on earlier? We always look more dangerous when he’s on.
Agreed that was obvious
I really enjoyed that! I think our set-piece coach needs to drill the team on defending corners, as that’s two we’ve conceded from in consecutive league games.
The one at Brentford was wonderfully worked . . .
The last one against Liverpool, Martinelli was sleeping.
We take a point and we move on….without all these red cards we would have been above City….
Pires,
What does it matter about that we would be above City but for the red cards.
The fact is we ain’t, so what’s the point of the if’s and buts.
If Arsenal hadn’t faltered at the last in the past two seasons, they would have been champions.
There’s that word again. (IF).
Derek:
I think you meant:
if the officiating hadn’t been terrible, Arsenal would have been champions.
thrill,
I didn’t mean that at all, to put it down to referee’s decisions is ludicrous in the most part.
Maybe if Arteta got more serious in the transfer market, and stop buying players that are clearly not up to the task in hand, then maybe, just maybe Arsenal will then have a better chance of crossing the line.
Fellow Arsenal fans, stop blaming the officials, It’s getting embarrassing to be honest with you.
Derek:
had Manchester City with same coaching staff and players bore the name, Arsenal…
They would not have won the EPL the past two seasons.
know that!
There is a conspiracy against Arsenal.
You might be a PGMOL official from my observation.
thrill,
You should be totally embarrassed by your response.
I have nothing to do with the PGMO, and would never want to.
I just see it as it is referee’s make mistakes, and yes it can sometimes be costly to the teams concerned.
But this conspiracy garbage needs to stop. It makes me laugh it really does, the player’s spend half the game feigning injury, trying to get their opponent booked or even worse sent-off, going down easy in the challenge, and then managers and players alike complain when the referee gets some decisions wrong.
Referee’s must wonder if their coming or going at times. So, instead of this conspiracy rubbish, and always blaming the referee.
Lets try blaming the real culprits a lot of the time, and that’s the cheating players.
But unfortunately, it’s a lot easier to blame the referee, because that seems to soften the blow of a defeat to look for an easy scapegoat, which the referee is.
Right, I am sure there will the usual crowd, saying that the injury ravaged defence lost us the game. I would say why did we play a different game to the first half. Why are we sitting back when we have a lead and not trying to win the game. I am sorry but Martinelli has not got a scooby what to do, when he has the ball and at the moment is a total waste of space. His lack of ability to actually do something is shining like a beacon. Is Haverz doing what Haverz did for Chelsea, go into his shell. This game, we had our chances and we squandered them, mainly by poor quality and decisions. The only players that were remotely dangerous for Liverpool were Diaz (who went off) and Salah. Why after Martinelli relinquished possession again in the attacking half, did 3 Arsenal players on that side give Salah so much space. Basic defending. Its a game we should have won and it was down Arsenal decision making we didn’t. Not Liverpool brilliance.
Reggie were in agreement. I have a comment “pending moderation” saying the same thing. Why are we sitting back after going 2-1 up. We just sit and wait for the opposition to score. Having players out is no excuse. Either we have a footballing philosophy or we dont .And we’ve seen both Liverpool and City still play attacking football and go at team when they have injury crisises too. Heck we’ve seen full strength arsenal go a goal up then start playing so injuries have nothing to do with it. Arteta has no bravery and is scared to have his teams play. Won’t win the league like this. Liverpool were nothing special today and there for the taking. But 2nd half, we did nothing. Shame.
*then stop playing.
100% RSH. Arteta said himself we stopped trying to win the ball in their half. Well sort it then because it isn’t the first time. We still should and could have controlled that game and we allowed Liverpool to.
was he at the stands? i wonder! why couldn’t he push them to win ball higher?
We are playing Liverpool remember? So we can’t av possession through out. The blame should be on stupid martinelli and arteta for not to have ejected him since
@Reggie
I agree with you, with the exception of Martinelli. He puts in a shift both offensively as we as defensively. At times he seems to be on his own moving the ball forward. I agree, his decision making leaves a lot to be desired, but I’m not holding that against him. The fact he tries, goes a long way with me. I feel, it’s the managers job to address this side of his game and have the coaches work with him on it.
NY, we want to win big. We need more than triers. Hus lack of quality is costing us. His miss against Bournemouth, his poor crosses and his lashes today over the bar are bringing us nothing. I had high hope for Martinelli but he isn’t training on. He isn’t producing anything. Triers don’t win you leagues NY, especially those who don’t produce. Their goal started from him (for not the first time) being in a great attacking position and losing it cheaply. You have to keep the ball at this level.
@Reggie
Fair enough Bro. My assessment of the dude still stands though…
👍 just wish, i could share your assessment NY but we will agree to not agree😁
Oh and i hope he does come good.
@Reggie
All good Gooner…👍🏾
NY_gunner:
That should mean sending him out on loan to see if he does improve.
Not good enough is not good enough.
Reggie,
I’m afraid that Martinelli is becoming a one trick pony.
He gets himself in good positions, but far to often then has no end product due to bad decision making.
It’s a shame really, because in his early days at Arsenal he looked full of promise.
Now he’s just looks full of ?, (I’ll let you come up with your own tagline).
Enjoyable and nerve wracking at the same time, a draw was about right I think, though if we had taken our chances, especially in the first half, we would have beaten them out of sight. By the way, we didn’t sit back in the second half, we were pushed back by Liverpool and let’s not forget we lost two of our best defenders in Gabriel and Timber.
No GB we weren’t pegged back, we went for the win after they equalised.
No we didn’t go for the win. Not until they equalised and then it was too late.
Thats what i am saying Reggie! we just let them control the game, and after they equalised we went for the win.
Kenya, I don’t think we were pegged back. We sat back.
Reggie
Explain what you mean by saying we say back, because as far as I know, we were on the offensive when Liverpool scored their second goal
Martinelli was on the offensive on his own and lost the ball. Generally and it is Generally being mentioned by most, we sat back and tried to defend 2-1. Saka himself and Arteta said basically the same thing.
We did go for it, but didn’t take our chances!
Not in the second half, until we were 2-2. Why was the second half possession heavily in Liverpools favour, if we went for it?
Exactly Kenya, but I was making the point to all those saying we sat back when in fact we didn’t, we were trying to win it and when we were defending hard it was because of Liverpool putting on the pressure, sheesh.
Funny, Arteta alluded to us not pushing, Walcott said we sat back and didn’t go for the win. Saka said similar. And others in the media said the same. We had less possession than Liverpool second half so that points to we sat back.
Reggie
A bad habit with Arteta; getting a lead then sitting back and defending. He plays not to lose, he doesn’t play to win.
Needs to be more ruthless, get a lead on an opponent and go for their jugular, not drop off like we do. He doesn’t have that killer instinct, not yet anyway, maybe never will.
Agree Durand.
It’s not a “bad habit”. It’s about playing in a way to try and maintain control of the flow of the game.
Given the defensive issues and injuries it would have been counterproductive to go gung-ho against a team as dangerous in transition as Liverpool. However, we could not control the game as well as we could have in the second half.
Exactly. Imagine the naysayers on here if we were going full throttle and lost 2 3 !
It’s very early in the season….we are in the mix despite 3 red cards and lots of injuries. !
When we were leading last couple of seasons everyone said wait until Xmas and then March so let’s do the same this season!
COYG
Durand,
The three games that Arsenal have drawn have the same pattern. They led in all three, and couldn’t see any of them out.
Although two of the draws were with ten men, but who’s fault was that.
Please conspiracy theorists, please don’t say the officials. It was players bad decision making, and nothing more.
That’s how I saw it GB. It was wastefulness when chances were being made and nothing to do with sitting back.
Only first half Sue, not second. We only went for it at 2-1. Please tell me why the possession stats were heavily in their favour, if we went for it. We are a possession based team.
Sorry we only went for it at 2-2 not 2-1.
I think, Reggie, that with both Timber and Saka returning – probably not entirely fit – was a fillip, but it also meant that their fitness over the course of the game diminished as was shown by being substituted. I have read on previous threads of yours that we fielded a strong team, which was substantially true, but doesn’t tell the whole picture. Partey, who did very well, was played out of position and the loss of Gabriel in conjunction with Saliba’s suspension was difficult to come close to replicating with replacements. I thought they hung on pretty well until Salah scored and had Martinelli made more of the chances that he created but then conspired to balls up, we wouldn’t be having this conversation. I genuinely didn’t think we deliberately sat back. Why would Liverpool not come out fighting in the second half? They were losing after all
SueP:
not Saka only.
Arsenal players were being kicked all over the place . . .
The referee made Arsenal sit back at some point because they were going to face more injury threats, and suspensions if they did not.
Sue P,
We need better quality forwards me thinks.
Derek,
I had the good fortune to be at the game, sitting in a position where I could see plenty of action in the second half with Martinelli making runs into the box. It was also fairly obvious to everyone near me that Saka was being fouled so needed protecting and came off. It was equally obvious that TImber was running out of steam after his longer lay-off. I don’t see it as an excuse that this and the injury to Gabriel had a material effect on the game. What I can agree with you on, is the lack of finishing power in general compared to the chances made. Skelly probably wouldn’t have got game time yesterday in such an important fixture but was drafted in and was vulnerable at times as the Liverpool right side had more space.
Sue P,
Unfortunately Skelly needed to sprint back and get goal side of Salah and Nunez for their second goal, if had he done so, then just maybe Liverpool wouldn’t have got there second goal.
That word IF, only has two letters, but it Shaw has big meaning, don’t you agree?.
For me we’ve looked a bit lost ever since Odegaard got injured. He is the real spine of that team. Thank god for Saka and set pieces.
Once again partey had a good game at right, thought he will struggle with Diaz but he neutralised him. could have done better with the marking for liverpool first goal. cant complain much today, just disappointed for loosing on the three points.
*right back
Their goal was down to Haverz getting beat in the air by someone 10 inches shorter at the front post and Partey not expecting him too. Van dyke reacted. Partey didn’t. I will say for probably the last 4 games Partey is class on grass and controls his space.
Havertz did head the ball but inadvertently made the assist by heading it in the wrong direction.
Diaz headed the ball, Haverz got beat to it.
Well, watch closer.
Someone allowed that guy run away from him, freely.
Harvertz had his back against the run.
If any, Martinelli is to blame.
Yes he did. In fact I thought he was as good as he could be
Martinelli owes us
Lol
We must give Thomas Partey a year extension.
This guy is special.
So cool on the ball
Class on grass!!!!!!
He was absolutely awesome today. Being there and seeing the pitch as a whole, he barely put a foot wrong
This results has to be seen as a positive, both the champions and Liverpool had to fight and come from behind to share the spoils.
Saka 9 – He’s almost world class now.
Raya 6 – The Spaniard hadn’t much to do
Timber 7 – If he had remain on the pitch Arsenal win.
White 7 – A ball playing defender, maybe Southgate would be still in charge if he was allowed to replicate those passes to the young Englishman
Magallanes 7 – The team got a little nervous when his assurance wasn’t around
Party 8 – Played out of position but showed how powerful a player he is.
Rice 8 His assist was perfect , he is quietly turning into a dead ball specialist
Merino 7 – Started off a little shaky but grew into the game, with his first goal in the bag, he will be better for the outings
Tossard 6 – Have been bold and did tried his best under the circumstances
Martineli 6 – Work tirelessly for the team, but Konate seems to have him in his back pocket
Havertz 6 – Caught ball watching and should have make himself difficult and prevent the goal as he always do.
Kiwoir 6 – Suprisingly didn’t show any ring rust
Skelly 6 – The midfielder will be better for the outing
Jesus- Came on too late to have an impact
Nwaneri- The gaffer has to start trust his kids
I’m in tune with you Gunsmoke
Gunsmoke,
You say that both City and Liverpool had to come from behind against us, and that we should look at that as a positive thing.
I do look at it as a positive, Positively frustrating that they can’t keep a lead.
There was a feeling of inevitability about the draw after Arsenal lost a couple of players to injury in the second half.
The positive is that Arsenal’s performance overall was much better than in the two most recent games (except Raya’s silly yellow card for time wasting – what good did that do?). Overall, Liverpool will be the happier to get a valuable away point. Not the end of the world, but a setback.
City will be the happier. We are letting them get away. So much for them struggling without Rodri. They find a way.
Reggie:
nice way to find a way with the referees against both Arsenal and Wolverhampton.
It was clear that the returnees were very welcome indeed but there is no doubt in my mind that fatigue- lack of match fitness bit in the end
Gabriel’s departure was also problematic considering the makeshift nature of the defence. The second goal was on the cards as the Liverpool right side had acres of space
Martinelli doesn’t appear to have the so called footballer’s brain. Plenty of endeavour but no finished product
Partey was excellent. Struggled to notice Havertz particularly or Trossard
Having read the post match analysis from contributors, it doesn’t entirely match with what I saw from the stands.
Make shift defence costume us the second goal….
Martinelli has clear through shot on goal 3 times in last 3 weeks and scored none of them – that is 3 points there against Bournemouth, Atalanta and Liverpool tonight…all the pace and trickery looks great but counts for nothing unless he scores
Im afraid that is Martinelli.
Same old BS that I’m so accustomed to. Get a lead and stop attacking, giving the other club 75 percent possession in the second half. We will never win a title under Arteta. So sick of playing so scared,who the hell wants to be a part of that??
Agree with Reggie 100%
Martinelli cost us as he lost a ball that he had under control very easily which led to the pass to Nunez.
He could have driven past Konate but he is another Walcott. No end product. A brilliant game every once and a while but really no quality to posses or pass accurately. He lost a few duels with a slower bigger Konate and aside from helping defensively not much else there.
Spot on👍🏽
wingers are expected to lose the ball. Goal was more down to our makeshift backline. If Saka had lost the ball nobody would be saying this. I do agree in general Martinelli needs to stop with his bonehead decision making, but wingers losing the ball is a function of the game.
When Skelly was sent on by Arteta. He should have said to the boy, I want you that close to Salah all the time, I want you wearing his shorts. And to Kiwior, back him up. The only danger from Liverpool was Salah and Diaz. There was no creativity from anywhere else in midfield or up front.
That I can agree with
losing the ball is part of the game, but doing so in such manner is horrible.
I counted 4 times during the game Martinelli could have run his defender and he turned back. He doesn’t know when to go and where to go most of the time.
Reggie:
Martinelli is scared of Konate. Perhaps, he thought the defender was going to beat him up. It was so clear to see. The guy played like he was paid to make Arsenal not win.
Mourinho could have subbed that guy off in the twentieth minute. Mad man, maybe, but I like his ruthlessness.
Hey Man, dont bring on Walcot in this debate. He was almost sharp infront of goal. He was a 14/15 goals a year player despite regularly missing a lot games due to injuries.
CFArsenal:
looks an insult comparing Martinelli to Walcott.
Walcott was much better, and more handsome, too.
😁
I am starting to have doubts about our title chances!
deyoris,
You say that your starting to have doubts about our title chances.
Let me put you out of your misery, what title chances!.
With Arteta tactics we will hardly win the league. We the fans make so much excuses for the team, always praising them for doing nothing. This Liverpool team was beating by Forest at Anfield. Why must we sit back once we take a lead, this is arsenal for God sake, we should be bold and ruthless against any team so as to make teams fear us. I was disappointed with the team because Liverpool was there for the taken but we threw it away. Arteta should instill a champions mentality into the team if we are to win any major trophies under him.
Days before the game I was willing to take a draw but I feel like we should have won it! I’m happy with the performance. 2 unlucky injuries to key defenders were, understandably, too much for us. I believe we would have won it without those missing. That said, Havertz is beginning to look pathetic, totally out of sorts. Can’t hold up play, can’t keep possession, can’t drubble and most importantly, can’t score! I think it’s time for Jesus now, with Havertz we are a man down.
But Jesus hasn’t scored a goal since January.
@QD, spot on, I tried to figure out one thing that Havertz is good at, but couldn’t. I don’t know why he kept playing and kept getting a lot praises from JA fans. He was so bad that any other player would have done far better. I think it’s time for Arteta to drop him.
Well remember, some said he will score more then Halland
Very tunnel vision on here by a few about Haverz. Haverz for me was a poor buy. BUT he improved tremendously. BUT he isn’t a striker at all and he isn’t and never will be consistent enough to LEAD this team.
@Reggie
Realness…👍🏾
Quantic Dream,
You say we are a man down with Havertz, and then go on to say it’s time for Jesus now.
That would be an even worse decision to make, have you not been watching the dross that Jesus gas been playing game after game.
I’ve got two new positions for Jesus, one is right back in the dressing room, two is left back in the dressing room, you decide.
But he should certainly not be anywhere near the team.
Obviously not a bad result considering our injury woes,but there is this terrible tactics that Arteta deploys while playing a big team: as soon as the team is in the lead,they automatically recoil into their shell only to come out of their shell when they team concede. This needs to stop ASAP
Funny, that is the case against many sides not just top ones. But many on here do not see it. Its funny, some are now, outside Arsenal the new Mourino. I wonder why?
So.e are saying
Some are saying
Havertz was awful yesterday theres no way round that. However he’s not really playing the same cf position as last season. Without Odegaard both himself and Trossard are playing a strange swap around between 10 and 9. I would hang fire on judging Havertz contributions until we have the magician back in cm. Jesus who hasnt scored since January is 100% not the solution.
Mikel Merino goal
Mikel Merino scores from a Declan Rice free-kick. Goal is given on the field, a lengthy VAR review is to check offside and eventually, the goal is given.
FL review: The correct decision is indeed given and you may be asking why this is even featuring. However, the length of time it took to get to the call was unhelpfully and unacceptably long where Van Dijk’s foot was clearly playing Merino onside.
Yes, we want to see the correct decision reached, but the process needs to be improved. The introduction, eventually, of semi-automatic offsides should help with this process.
FL verdict: Correct decision, goal given.
Gabriel Jesus goal ruled out
Anthony Taylor blows for a foul by Jakub Kiwior on Dominik Szoboszlai in the build up to a late goal scored by Gabriel Jesus. Premier League confirmed the foul was indeed given for the foul by the Polish defender.
FL review: It is an extremely soft call by Taylor but what makes this so egregious is the length of time it takes to make it. Taylor watches the play develop and once Havertz is through on goal, he blows.
If this was indeed a foul, which it is not, the VAR should be allowed here to make the call. There are two further points of note, the aerial duel which follows hits Havertz on the arm although it is likely too high up to matter and it is Jesus who eventually scores not the German.
However, upon several watches, Havertz is likely to be pulled up on the foul on Alexander-Arnold. There is a clear barge on the Liverpool defender which gives him an advantage – although how the play might have gone through had Taylor not blown when he did and allowed for a potential post-play review instead could have avoided this.
FL verdict: Incorrect decision, no foul by Jakub Kiwior.
Famochi,
But as you say, there was a foul before Jesus put it in the net.
One thing though, I’m surprised that Jesus hit the target to be fair. 🤣
The defenders didn’t leave Salah as though they wanted to . . . The were out on massive attack when Martinelli deliberately handed the ball over, for Liverpool to score, rather than Arsenal scoring.
Reggie:
who, then, is the striker???
Holy Arsenal.
Harvertz may not be as elite as your expectations, but there is none better at Arsenal.
Striker upgrade?
I’m in.
But you’d first have to dispose of anyone you might consider a striker at Arsenal, and some others, to sign the desired striker and relegate Harvertz to the bench.
I’d suggest Haaland.
Who do you think Arsenal should sign?