Despite the fact that Arsenal and Liverpool drew 2-2 on Sunday night, some Gunner critics are acting as if we lost.
Surely that draw is a decent result, given that Liverpool, other than Manchester City, are Arsenal’s main title opponents. Interestingly, some pundits have even asserted that Arsenal’s failure to defeat the Reds means they have lost the title race. They questioned Arsenal’s approach to that game, forgetting the reality that the North London side were missing some of their key players.
Interestingly, Arsenal has been condemned. Liverpool hasn’t received much criticism. Everyone thinks Liverpool performed well enough to get a point at the Emirates Stadium, forgetting that it was only the second occasion the Reds have dropped points in 13 games this season.
Without William Saliba, Kieran Tierney, Ben White, Takehiro Tomiyasu, or Riccardo Calafiori. In addition, an injury forced Gabriel to leave the game in the 54th minute, while Jurrien Timber was forced with injury in the 76th.
Clearly, the Gunners were not at their strongest, and I believe Liverpool should be the ones receiving the most criticism, not the Gunners. Why is that? Remember last season? When Arsenal drew at The Etihad last season, with Manchester City missing a number of players, there was a lot of talk about it being a poor result for Arsenal. Some criticize Arsenal, claiming they had a weak mentality and only played for a draw.
Where were the same critics on Sunday when Liverpool played for more than 20 minutes against a quality-depleted Arsenal and failed to push for a winner that would have put them 7 points ahead of us? It’s perplexing that Liverpool has not received any scrutiny. The focus has shifted back to Arsenal, emphasizing that injuries are not an excuse.
Darren N
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I was chatting to a Liverpool-supporting mate earlier and we both agreed that Arsenal were better in the 1st half, Liverpool were better in the 2nd, but neither team were at their best overall. Both teams had significant injury problems, and both could easily have won or lost. And there were some very questionable referee decisions as well, but probably in equal measure overall for both teams. So I guess a point each is fair and both teams failed to make the best of a bad situation.
First of all, we shouldn’t include (as the article does) the likes of Tierney or Tomiyasu in the Arsenal absentees (mixed in with the likes of Saliba and White) as they haven’t played for Arsenal for ages. It’s not as though they were just missing this game. Arsenal had absentees for sure but let’s not over-exaggerate by including them.
Although, unfortunately, Arsenal also suffered injuries within the match, they still lead twice. As the home team, it’s still incumbent on them to take the initiative (and all the points if they can), particularly against a potential title rival.
Liverpool didn’t play great football, so I guess that they were satisfied (if not exactly happy possibly) with the point, Arsenal injuries or not. Overall, I think they’ll still look at it as a point gained.
I tried to make a point out of your comment and seriously struggled.
Do you mean we should push for goal when we were at the point that it was necessary to cover up the make shift defence of skelly kiwior white and partey that never played together before?
This is a liverpool that has only Gk out and have been scoring freely this season.
Bertie, you got stuck between the two half glass
Maybe most armchair managers never gave us a chance
Darren N,
What is all this rubbish about Arsenal should be getting a lot of praise for getting a draw against Liverpool, with all the injury’s the team is currently experiencing.
Yes well done Arsenal for getting a draw, but lets stop all this winging about injury’s, all teams get them and they to are sometimes hit hard also.
But if you remember last season, we got off quite lightly in the injury department if my memory serves me correctly.
So come on fellow Arsenal fans, just man up and get on with it.
Hi Derek
It is too early to be sad and frustrated. Let’s celebrate every single point which can amount to something at the end.
Akin Akbest,
I’ll tell you what it will amount to at the end of the season, another trophy less season.
When will people accept the there chance has come and gone.
And until this club and it’s owners get serious in the transfer window, the situation isn’t going to change any time soon.
@Derek
Common sense, plain and simple…👍🏾
Always seems to be an excuse; VAR, refs, schedule, injuries.
Sometimes we are just flat and sloppy and get outplayed. Sometimes Arteta gets tactics wrong, sometimes we drop off too much in 2nd half.
No conspiracies to see, sometimes we underperform, it happens.