Photo from Freepik
Morning all.
Social media was awash with criticism of Myles Lewis-Skelly because he didn’t clap as the Liverpool players walked through their guard of honour. Bearing in mind the home fans took to booing Alexander-Arnold when he came on, I think their comments on Lewis-Skelly were/are a bit rich. But that’s their problem…. What I would say about our young left back is that he really cheesed off Mo Salah and I loved it.
If ever the the saying “a game of two halves” was applicable, it was yesterday. Arsenal were awful in the first half, especially the first twenty minutes and fully deserved to be 2-0 down at the break. The defending was sloppy, midfield toothless and up front, well, it was like watching a kids game when players move around in groups following the ball.
When a golden opportunity fell our way after Partey pressured Alisson, three players stood by the ball yet not one thought to smash it into the back of the net. The best move of the half came from a free kick out on the left which Odegaard crossed into the box. The focus was on the Arsenal high line as the ball drifted over them and to the back where Saka had moved to, but he couldn’t get his shot on target. A really good move which I suspect we’ll see again.
Liverpool scored twice within a couple of minutes and I feared we were going to be on the end of a hefty defeat.
What did Mikel Arteta think about that first half?
A lot of parts, especially the defending standards that we had and the areas that after we gave the ball away which is totally prohibited against this team. Very far off it, really upset. We had a reaction; I hate reaction, I like action and especially we want to be there winning trophies. You want to be a moment that you win it or you don’t, and when you don’t have to, after you have to play another one that you have been working for nine months and that’s here today. And if you cannot win it, you have to be the best of the rest. And I was really, really upset.
Upset, and quite angry and he had every right to be. He can do all he can to prepare the players pre-game but yesterday, and not for the first time this season, the players weren’t switched on or at their best.
However, after the break, Arsenal improved. Martinelli and Trossard had switched positions and it was our Belgian who teed up Martinelli to head home. We had a few more half decent opportunities to score but when the equaliser came, it was Merino who reacted quickly to head home an Odegaard shot which Alisson tipped onto the woodwork.
Ten minutes before the end, Merino was shown a second yellow card for a mistimed challenge on Szoboszlai. Raya’s pass put the Spaniard in a difficult position in the first place.
Odegaard came very close to grabbing the winner but dragged his shot just wide.
Is there a better sight than seeing a Liverpool player peel away from the opposition goal thinking he’s scored the winner, only to see it ruled out? No, and that’s just what happened yesterday after Robertson thought he was the Anfield hero. However, his teammate Konate had shoved both of his hands into the face of Lewis-Skelly in the buildup. No booking for the Liverpool man though..
The game ended 2-2 and Arsenal moved a step closer to securing Champions League football for another season.
The Sun.
This is unbelievable and totally unacceptable. This challenge went unpunished, not even a free kick was awarded. Barely a word was muttered by the Sky Sports team either yet this is the kind of dreadful officiating which should be highlighted. Tierney and VAR should be all over the back pages this morning, as should the linesman who was stood right where the incident took place.
This isn’t same old Arsenal, always moaning, this is same old Arsenal, always refereed differently!
First half and officiating aside, Arsenal showed a lot of determination to get something from the game. But as Mikel Arteta hinted at post game, had his players started the game with that same determination, we’d have had a chance of winning.
The story of our season really.
Catch up in the comments.