I'm starting this before the game to confess that considering the way we're playing I am not expecting to get anything from this game. I will be delighted to be proven wrong. Kickoff is in a few minutes.
It could have been a lot worse at halftime. Arsenal had a couple quarter-chances at most. I don't remember Mignolet having to do anything. Cech, on the other hand, was a very busy man. He made some big saves and interceptions, but was stranded on the goal. It could easily have been 0-3. What's going wrong? It's an old story: too many giveaways, poor defense. Xhaka was particularly bad. It's not as though Liverpool has been perfect; they've misplaced the usual number of balls. It's that we're really bad. Can Wenger turn this performance around?
Uh, yeah, he can, and yes, he did. A deflected shot from Salah got past Cech to make it 0-2, but then an electrifying 4:45 saw three Arsenal goals. The first was a courageous header from Alexis, who was really up for this game, challenging for everything. Next, Xhaka uncorked a screamer from about 30 yards that swerved enough to evade the one arm Mignolet saw fit to use to try to stop it--it was straight at him a foot over his head. The third was a brilliant interchange between Lacazette and Ozil that left the latter one on one with Mignolet, who had the shot dinked over him for 3-2 Arsenal. I had a feeling it wouldn't end that way. When a clearance came out to Alexis on the sideline, he saved it in for Liverpool instead of just knocking it on or heading it out. A couple passes later, Firmino was found by himself on the edge of the area, with time enough to hit one that Cech got two hands on but it looped under the crossbar.
I expected another goal or two in the final twenty minutes, but it remained 3-3, and I think that was a fair (if disappointing) result. It was, as they say, a tale of two halves. Liverpool was worth more than their one goal advantage in the first, and we were worth more than our one goal margin in the second, in my opinion. Our lack of bench firepower was underlined by the substitutions of Iwobi and Alexis with Welbeck and Walcott, who both looked fine when they touched the ball but didn't factor into anything important.
It's worrying that Monreal had to be subbed out for an injury; he may be our best player this season. Xhaka redeemed himself in the second half. Jack had a solid game offensively and defensively; I think he has to start when he's fit, especially with Ramsey out. Lacazette was excellent, and deserved a goal for his hard work--the assist was fabulous though. Alexis was all action. He looked disgusted to be taken out for Walcott--I'd have left him in. He still gives the ball away too much, but I can't stay mad at the guy. He challenges for every ball, even in the air against guys a foot taller. Ozil had one of his best games. Our fullbacks were quite good. Maitland-Niles did well against Salah. The center backs also did well for the most part, but were under huge pressure all game. Cech definitely outplayed his Liverpool counterpart and had more saves to make.
As you saw up top, I'm reasonably happy with the point, and the boss and the players should have learned something about playing 90 minutes. We can't start slow every game and expect to be in the top four.
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