Late Equalizer Gives Reds Much Deserved Point

Heading into an all important matchup with their Londoner rivals, Liverpool again employed a rather unusual formation with seven midfielders and three defenders.  Although you can argue whether it can sustain this squad for the rest of the season, it has yielded decent results.  Not only has it improved the team on the scoresheet, the team itself just seems to flow better and have better energy.
Liverpool came out and dominated the first 45 minutes of play.  They probably should have had more goals at the break than they did, given the effort.  However, despite a quality goal from Coutinho, the Reds ended the first half tied up due to their lack of defending set pieces.  Much like their counterparts, Liverpool again struggle to attack the ball and keep track of their man on free kicks and corners.  It was again their downfall in the first half.  After dominating possession and scoring chances, Liverpool could not hang onto the lead.  One may question whether the offense whistled against Steven Gerrard was actually a foul or not, but the fact is it was called and Liverpool failed to defend it.

Surprisingly, the Reds have defended as a team better with only three true defenders but they still continue to prove that no matter who cracks the lineup that changes are in order.  Whether they happen in January or during the summer window, there are still changes that must be made in the back.  This fact was on full display for the go-ahead goal by Oliver Giroud.  Arsenal did come out with more pep and possession in the second half, but still were not creating much.  Then, in the usual lapse of marking, Giroud was allowed a full strike on the ball just steps away from the six yard area with all three Liverpool defenders being in a triangle around him but at least two meters away.

For long stretches it appeared as though Liverpool would miss out on any points, very similarly to the Manchester United fixture.  Both matches saw Liverpool create chances aplenty and possess the ball in fine fashion, only to see mistakes at the back cost them.  Fortunately for the Reds, whether by injury or simply current form, Arsenal is not United.  Even after Liverpool were forced to go down by a man, following Fabio Borini's red card (and perhaps final act in a Liverpool kit), Arsenal were more than willing to let Liverpool run at them and create.  Blame the players or blame Arsene Wenger, the bottom line is Liverpool will take it.

The Reds deserved better than a loss.  Yes, sometimes you lose when you don't deserve to.  That's football.  That's sports.  But, on this night, Liverpool got at least partially what they deserved.  One could argue they deserved all three points, but at least a draw was something this club needed.  While they did not gain any ground against Arsenal, it was still a valuable point.  Even though there is still half a season to go and this writer has done his best to see the positives, a loss in this match would have made it exceedingly difficult to see Liverpool making a charge at the top four.  Liverpool have not fared well against the teams above them in the table.  They needed actual representation of the improvement they have seen rather than just moral or mental victories.  Three points would have been much better, but not giving up on the match and banging home a header from Martin Skrtel to equalize was a good way to go into the Christmas break.

Questions continue to rise for this team.  Though I have long argued for a two striker system, I am not quite sure you alter the team just yet.  What can be done about the defense?  There is no doubt the team has performed better with three at the back, but there is little doubt that whether you use Skrtel, Kolo Toure, Sakho, Dejan Lovren, Javier Manquillo, Glen Johnson or Moreno they still seem to give up unnecessary chances.  It is a team rife with question marks and doubters, but there are at least tangible positives to see.

Lazar Markovic, while still raw, is starting to look like a good talent.  There were flashes of a Raheem Sterling from two years ago.  Much like Sterling's first chances in the first team, you can see the talent there, it just needs to be nurtured and brought along.  Even from the beginning of the season, Markovic's touch has gotten much better.  Whether he is worth the transfer fee is up to discussion.  The team as a whole is producing a lot more as well.

Three goals against Bournmouthe, two against Arsenal and lots of chances against United have at least given fans hope that the ball will hit the back of the net each match.  Fans were hoping for three points, but a gift of one for Christmas will at least tide them over until Boxing Day where they can hope for the full three against Burnley.

Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays and best wishes to Liverpool FC and all the fans from St. Louis to New York and out to the rest of the world.  Walk on.