Throw records out the window. Forget about the injury report. Rivalry games are their own animals and the beast showed up for a good one between Liverpool and Arsenal. This game opened up fast and furious, with the Reds in control of the first quarter hour. Liverpool had the bulk of the possession and looked like the side that crushed Manchester City 4-1 instead of the one that has struggled at times.
Adam Lallana came close to finishing off a good bit of play in the 6th minute, only to clash with a defender that as correctly not called a penalty. Only four minutes later, Liverpool would strike. After bounding around with several cracks following a corner kick, Roberto Firmino finished off a left footer through the wickets of the defender and past a helpless Petr Cech. Unfortunately instead of turning into a one-way affair, it turned into a boxing match straight out of Hollywood.
Arsenal answered in the 14th minute when Aaron Ramsey struck on a play from nothing. Arsenal had had almost no attack at all and then when the ball just slipped through the defenders, Ramsey made Liverpool pay at the near post. The pendulum swung back the other way in the 19th minute.
Firmino, like his Brazilian compatriot Coutinho (who is out injured), after it had bounced around like a hot potato outside the box and spun a brilliant curling shot into the upper 90. It was a fantastic goal and a fantastic finish to a run of play that Liverpool had shown up to that point. Alas, things would turn sour from then on.
In the 25th minute, Arsenal almost equalized but Sakho cleared the initial attempt over the bar only to see an even worse goal go in directly off the ensuing corner kick. Everything went wrong on that corner kick. Simon Mignolet did not react well to the deflection from Olivier Giroud, the defenders watched the ball with little reaction until it was too late and Liverpool had nobody on the near post when one body would have easily stopped the attempt.
Liverpool had a few runs and chances before the end of the half, but could not capitalize and would be made to pay soon after the half. Not even ten minutes into the second frame, Giroud would again strike against shoddy Liverpool defending. With bodies just flailing around and flopping on the ground, the Frenchman had a brilliant first touch and then spun against the grain to strike one past the defenders and behind a helpless Mignolet, who was left no time to react.
Liverpool, again, were not without chances. Jordan Ibe made a good run on the right only to be unrewarded and berated by Benteke, who was in no position to receive a pass due to so many players in between. Then, much like their opponents, Liverpool pulled one from nowhere. Again, taking advantage of failures to clear, Liverpool kept the ball alive. Benteke headed one across the box in stoppage time and the recent sub, Joe Allen, smashed one in off the fingertips of Cech.
The final whistle would go not long after with a 3-3 scoreline as the final of this midweek clash. It was an insane contest. The Liverpool that dominated the game for so long early, deserved much more than what they got. In contrast, the Liverpool that was floundering in the rain and snow while Arsenal consolidated the momentum deserved much worse than this result. Everything taken as a whole, it was a fair result to both squads.
Arsenal will be disappointed because they are now tied on points, instead of in sole possession of the top spot in the table. Liverpool will be disappointed because three points would have drawn them much closer to the top four. Instead, both will be satisfied because they could easily have lost as they could have won. Both will take positives out of this game due to their team's tenacity. Liverpool have another crack at glory as they take on the hated Manchester United on the weekend. Given the two clubs' positions in the table, that contest holds even more importance. For now, they must rest and focus on the things they did right on this night.
Random Thoughts:
- In an effort to not be two-faced, I will not say that this one goal does enough to put Joe Allen in a good light in my eyes. That said, as anyone who follows the club, you celebrate good performances by any player and even if only for one brief moment, Joe Allen was a huge factor.
- As a goalkeeper, I will always side with my fellow union members. I have constantly said that Mignolet is a great shot stopper and unless you can find a keeper who is better at everything - not just better at defending corners - then you don't make a change. That said, Mignolet seems to make a case against me repeatedly. There were several things that could have gone differently on that initial Giroud goal, but Mignolet was not blameless by any stretch.
- On a personal note, it was a fantastic result for me personally. I desperately wanted the win, but given the cloud of doom and feeling of unworthiness over the St. Louis area after the Rams left in the manner they did, it was nice to be distracted for a few hours and see some good football as well. For those that want further insight into my feelings on that matter you can see my YouTube show here: https://youtu.be/kcTno6Ir4qY
- For fans, two points out of six against Arsenal isn't great, but the way each individual game played out it was more than enough. Now, onto the weekend.
Walk On
Showing posts with label Olivier Giroud. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Olivier Giroud. Show all posts
Wednesday, January 13, 2016
Saturday, April 4, 2015
Liverpool Gunned Down by Arsenal
The international break was not very kind to Liverpool Football Club. Following an incredibly disappointing performance against Manchester United, that saw the Reds fall 2-1, many had hoped that a little breather would be beneficial. It was not.
Arsenal came out and dominated the match right from the get go. If not for two great saves from Simon Mingolet, Liverpool would have been down 2-0 in the first 10 minutes of the match. Instead, the Belgian keeper bailed out his club and they settled into the match - for the midsection of the first half anyway. Unfortunately for Liverpool, if the first half was a sandwich, the middle would have been a sweet tasty jam, but the bread was riddled with mold.
Liverpool were dominated in the first ten minutes, settled in and created chances in the middle of the first half and then fell to pieces in the last ten minutes. In a span of eight minutes, Hector Bellarin, Mesut Ozil and Alexis Sanchez all bulged the net and Liverpool were finished. Even more interesting was how quickly things turned.
The Reds were actually on the charge just prior to Bellarin's goal. They had pressed their way into the attacking third, were stringing together passes and actually looked threatening. Liverpool, by all rights, should have taken the lead in the match when Lazar Markovic elected not to take a shot and passed it off to Raheem Sterling. The pass was too far for Sterling to get a foot on and as went the chance, so went Liverpool's offense for the rest of the game.
Liverpool did manage to score a goal from a Jordan Henderson penalty kick in the 76th minute, but really that came down to a lack of urgency from Arsenal. Being up 3-0, the Gunners took their foot off the gas pedal and got sloppy. They stood back and absorbed a little bit of pressure and Bellarin tackled Sterling, leading to the penalty. Arsenal would get another goal in stoppage time against a 10 man Liverpool squad when Olivier Giroud made the Reds' defense look silly and banged home the Gunners' fourth.
The bottom line is, Liverpool never had a chance and that's a scary thought. The Reds were the in-form team for the better part of four months, but when they are off they struggle to look like a team that is better than mid-table. For two games there has been a lack of form, a lack of defending, a lack of mental fortitude and worst of all, a lack of fire. As fans and observers, it seems unthinkable to be unable to get up to face your biggest rivals with so much on the line. Two games in a row that would have put them in the top four for sure had they won. Instead those two games may end up being their downfall.
Liverpool now find themselves in a position of trying to hold onto fifth place, standing only one point ahead of Southampton and Tottenham. They are not eliminated from a top four finish, but they have taken it out of their own hands. With only seven games remaining in the Premier League season, Liverpool are now seven points behind fourth place. The Reds have plenty of winnable games, outside of a match with Chelsea in early May, but manager Brendan Rodgers will have to work his magic touch and figure out a lot of what ails his club.
Liverpool find themselves in a situation that even the great Bill Shankly could not guide them out of. Not only have they played poorly the last two matches, but hair pullingly bad decisions have put their future in question. Steven Gerrard, Martin Skrtel and now Emre Can have all taken themselves out of competition with poor choices.
Brendan Rodgers was forced to play a defensive midfield comprising Joe Allen and Lucas that was ineffective at best and incredibly inept at worst. The back three, a lineup of Can, Kolo Toure and Mamadou Sakho looked immensely uncomfortable on the ball and often put their own goalkeeper in tenuous situations. Now, with Can out, Rodgers must continue to tinker with a lineup that has increasingly few good options.
Liverpool must find a way to overcome this adversity. Whether there are problems in the locker room or if this is just one of the valleys for a team that has had plenty of peaks and valleys, the Reds have to figure out a way to come together. They simply cannot regress the way they have. Much like the beginning of the season, the midfield is non-existent. There is a void between the defense and the attack. Much of that is due to players being out of position or getting playing time following long layoffs, but there just cannot be excuses at this point of the season.
Markovic did little to affect the game other than the missed chance. Joe Allen and Lucas were not working together and Lucas was awful on the ball to begin the game. Toure and Sakho looked like high school freshmen, the way they passed and looked shaky. Jordan Henderson played very hard, like a captain should, but was listed as part of the top three to begin the game and after about three minutes, was playing behind Markovic. Sterling was back in a striking role after spending a couple weeks as a wingback, which is puzzling in and of itself.
Liverpool must regroup and quickly. They have an FA Cup tie, on the road, on Wednesday. On paper, it could be the perfect opportunity to turn things back around. In reality, it has just as much a chance to dash all preseason goals. Liverpool will be without three key players for the FA Cup match and next Monday's league game. The Reds still have much to play for, but they are not making it easy, for their fans or themselves.
Random Thoughts:
- Is Europa League even worth it? Arguments can be made that any extra competition would be beneficial to teach a young team how to prepare for extra matches. However, Liverpool's run a year ago and Manchester United's charge back this year would argue that not having the distraction of European matches and getting extra training time may be more beneficial. By no means would any right thinking person want Liverpool to tank, but if the team cannot finish top four then finishing behind Southampton or Tottenham may not be so bad.
- Raheem Sterling better get things figured out quickly. I fully understand wanting to maximize your earning potential, but the games against United and certainly Arsenal prove that he is not to a caliber that deserves 150,000 a week. Sterling is only a promising prospect. He has great skills and speed in spades, but his shot is poor and weak and he dribbles into defenders too often. He needs to sign the deal in the offseason, continue to grow as a player and person and then the bigger contracts will line themselves up.
- Brendan Rodgers needs to be more proactive. He can be a top manager, when he is on his game and things are working well. However, he tends to react a bit too slowly. He hesitated to switch from a back four formation early in the year and the team labored. Now he stuck too long with his 3-4-3 and given the troops available, was made to pay the price due to its ineffectiveness. It will be interesting to see, not only who lines up but how they line up against Blackburn.
A Happy Easter to you all. And as a shameless plug, feel free to subscribe to my YouTube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQi3KGDK7lDPU0AyvCbBOfA. I discuss the hot sports topics, with a Midwestern slant during the week.
Walk On.
Arsenal came out and dominated the match right from the get go. If not for two great saves from Simon Mingolet, Liverpool would have been down 2-0 in the first 10 minutes of the match. Instead, the Belgian keeper bailed out his club and they settled into the match - for the midsection of the first half anyway. Unfortunately for Liverpool, if the first half was a sandwich, the middle would have been a sweet tasty jam, but the bread was riddled with mold.
Liverpool were dominated in the first ten minutes, settled in and created chances in the middle of the first half and then fell to pieces in the last ten minutes. In a span of eight minutes, Hector Bellarin, Mesut Ozil and Alexis Sanchez all bulged the net and Liverpool were finished. Even more interesting was how quickly things turned.
The Reds were actually on the charge just prior to Bellarin's goal. They had pressed their way into the attacking third, were stringing together passes and actually looked threatening. Liverpool, by all rights, should have taken the lead in the match when Lazar Markovic elected not to take a shot and passed it off to Raheem Sterling. The pass was too far for Sterling to get a foot on and as went the chance, so went Liverpool's offense for the rest of the game.
Liverpool did manage to score a goal from a Jordan Henderson penalty kick in the 76th minute, but really that came down to a lack of urgency from Arsenal. Being up 3-0, the Gunners took their foot off the gas pedal and got sloppy. They stood back and absorbed a little bit of pressure and Bellarin tackled Sterling, leading to the penalty. Arsenal would get another goal in stoppage time against a 10 man Liverpool squad when Olivier Giroud made the Reds' defense look silly and banged home the Gunners' fourth.
The bottom line is, Liverpool never had a chance and that's a scary thought. The Reds were the in-form team for the better part of four months, but when they are off they struggle to look like a team that is better than mid-table. For two games there has been a lack of form, a lack of defending, a lack of mental fortitude and worst of all, a lack of fire. As fans and observers, it seems unthinkable to be unable to get up to face your biggest rivals with so much on the line. Two games in a row that would have put them in the top four for sure had they won. Instead those two games may end up being their downfall.
Liverpool now find themselves in a position of trying to hold onto fifth place, standing only one point ahead of Southampton and Tottenham. They are not eliminated from a top four finish, but they have taken it out of their own hands. With only seven games remaining in the Premier League season, Liverpool are now seven points behind fourth place. The Reds have plenty of winnable games, outside of a match with Chelsea in early May, but manager Brendan Rodgers will have to work his magic touch and figure out a lot of what ails his club.
Liverpool find themselves in a situation that even the great Bill Shankly could not guide them out of. Not only have they played poorly the last two matches, but hair pullingly bad decisions have put their future in question. Steven Gerrard, Martin Skrtel and now Emre Can have all taken themselves out of competition with poor choices.
Brendan Rodgers was forced to play a defensive midfield comprising Joe Allen and Lucas that was ineffective at best and incredibly inept at worst. The back three, a lineup of Can, Kolo Toure and Mamadou Sakho looked immensely uncomfortable on the ball and often put their own goalkeeper in tenuous situations. Now, with Can out, Rodgers must continue to tinker with a lineup that has increasingly few good options.
Liverpool must find a way to overcome this adversity. Whether there are problems in the locker room or if this is just one of the valleys for a team that has had plenty of peaks and valleys, the Reds have to figure out a way to come together. They simply cannot regress the way they have. Much like the beginning of the season, the midfield is non-existent. There is a void between the defense and the attack. Much of that is due to players being out of position or getting playing time following long layoffs, but there just cannot be excuses at this point of the season.
Markovic did little to affect the game other than the missed chance. Joe Allen and Lucas were not working together and Lucas was awful on the ball to begin the game. Toure and Sakho looked like high school freshmen, the way they passed and looked shaky. Jordan Henderson played very hard, like a captain should, but was listed as part of the top three to begin the game and after about three minutes, was playing behind Markovic. Sterling was back in a striking role after spending a couple weeks as a wingback, which is puzzling in and of itself.
Liverpool must regroup and quickly. They have an FA Cup tie, on the road, on Wednesday. On paper, it could be the perfect opportunity to turn things back around. In reality, it has just as much a chance to dash all preseason goals. Liverpool will be without three key players for the FA Cup match and next Monday's league game. The Reds still have much to play for, but they are not making it easy, for their fans or themselves.
Random Thoughts:
- Is Europa League even worth it? Arguments can be made that any extra competition would be beneficial to teach a young team how to prepare for extra matches. However, Liverpool's run a year ago and Manchester United's charge back this year would argue that not having the distraction of European matches and getting extra training time may be more beneficial. By no means would any right thinking person want Liverpool to tank, but if the team cannot finish top four then finishing behind Southampton or Tottenham may not be so bad.
- Raheem Sterling better get things figured out quickly. I fully understand wanting to maximize your earning potential, but the games against United and certainly Arsenal prove that he is not to a caliber that deserves 150,000 a week. Sterling is only a promising prospect. He has great skills and speed in spades, but his shot is poor and weak and he dribbles into defenders too often. He needs to sign the deal in the offseason, continue to grow as a player and person and then the bigger contracts will line themselves up.
- Brendan Rodgers needs to be more proactive. He can be a top manager, when he is on his game and things are working well. However, he tends to react a bit too slowly. He hesitated to switch from a back four formation early in the year and the team labored. Now he stuck too long with his 3-4-3 and given the troops available, was made to pay the price due to its ineffectiveness. It will be interesting to see, not only who lines up but how they line up against Blackburn.
A Happy Easter to you all. And as a shameless plug, feel free to subscribe to my YouTube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQi3KGDK7lDPU0AyvCbBOfA. I discuss the hot sports topics, with a Midwestern slant during the week.
Walk On.
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