Arsenal 2-2 Liverpool Match Report
Hello fellow gooners. I have been away from the blogosphere for some time now, mostly due to a combination of 2 things: work and no internet. The lack of the internet mostly is the problem. I live in a country where a service can just be terminated without any explanation, apology or compensation offered... Anyway, let me finish and post this blog before the internet goes again and I have to get on with work... argh!!
So, Liverpool came to the grove last night and they were in the groove. Right in the groove baby. I had spent the evening giving my car some love up until 5 minutes before kick-off. So I thought I would take a shower then settle down to watch the game. When I emerged from the shower the scoreline was 1-0 in favour of Liverpool!! I thought we were up the creek for this one.
Arsenal went with the team that hammered Westham a last week. For the most part, I think we looked decent and a bit more balanced going forward with Ramsey playing centrally and deep. The problems however showed when Liverpool counter-attacked. I was really starting to have a quizzy feeling in my gut about this game.
But we soldiered on and we began to dominate the match completely. There were some fantastic passages of play resulting in shots off target by Giroud and Podolski. I thought Theo came to life midway throught the first half but then he started to fade away towards half time.
And just before half time, Kieran Gibbs pulled something in his left leg that saw him substituted and replaced by Andre Santos. I think this affected our rhythm a bit.
After half time, Arsenal started brighter, closing down the Liverpool players, passing at a faster tempo. Wilshere was doing what he does best and that is run through the Liverpool midfield with the ball before making key passes to team-mates. Cazorla looks to have regained his mojo because he was excellent too with his distribution and trickery in midfield.
However the threat of Liverpool on the counter remained and it proved costly once more. Henderson got the ball on our left, cut inside and easily between Metersacker and Santos, Ramsey tried to clear the ball but the 3 Arsenal players and the goal keeper got in each other's way and the ball bounced off one of them, fell kindly for Henderson to tap into an empty net. 2-0 to Liverpool. Arsenal were doomed. Or were they?
We got a very luck free kick when Jack Wilshere tripped himself and fell. He floated in a ball which Olivier Giroud headed downwards emphatically to beat Pepe Reina in the Liverpool goal. Game on. 2 minutes later, some brilliant pressure and interplay saw Giroud lay a pass in the path of Walcott on the right. Walcott absolutely thumped the ball past a helpless and hapless Reina. 2-2. I was by now very confident that we would go on and win the game.
However, Liverpool regrouped defensively and started hitting us on the counter. The game was hanging in the balance. Both teams could have won the game by a margin of 2 or more goals. Thats just how entertaining and open the game was. Thankfully, we didnt concede any more goals.
Afterwards Arsene Wenger was very honest in his post- match interview. Asked if we would make any signings today, he was none- committal. what else is new?
so from being 2-0 down we came back and drew 2-2. that's a very good draw I must say. However, I can't help feeling we wasted another chance to gain 3 points. with a bit more defensive organisation (and a defensive midfielder in the transfer market!! ahem...!!) we could have gotten 3 points last night.
But, a point is a fair result on the performance last night. I thought Liverpool were very good value for their 2 goal lead for an away side.
Today is transfer deadline day. I'm not holding my breath.
COYG!
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