This contest had everything: controversies, spikiness, injuries, and best of all, lots and lots of champagne football from both teams. All the goals were beautiful. Every player gave everything. Arsenal scored in the first minute, Martinelli slipping past his marker to receive a perfect entry pass from Odegaard on a break, and finishing expertly past fellow Brazilian Alisson. The Reds equalized on another break, with Diaz setting up Nunez with a fantastic cross. Then, 15 seconds before the 5 minute extra time ended, Martinelli assisted Saka at the end of another lightning break for 2-1. Controversies include a handball by Gabriel that was not given, and a hand to the face of Saka that was not carded.
The five minutes was for several injury stoppages. Ramsdale, Alexander-Arnold, Saka, and Diaz were among those who took their time recovering from hard accidental knocks. Unfortunately, Diaz had to come off after a knee-to-knee with Partey. Alexander-Arnold had to come off at the half--he was being roasted by Martinelli anyway.
We were on top in the second half, but on Liverpool's first attack, Firmino (in for Diaz) finished expertly into the far corner of Ramsdale's goal. 2-2. It was mostly Arsenal after that, but the game was open and both sides had their moments. Jesus, who was battered on several occasions, most notably with a nasty elbow from Tsimikas that left him on the ground for minutes and even had the Liverpool players concerned, was kicked in the area as he was about to turn in a cross: PK. Saka dispatched it in fine style. Liverpool threatened several times after that, but so did Arsenal, and we saw the game out without too much worry.
It was a fair result, and one that will be especially bitter for the Reds, who may have lost two more important players. It was good to see the players talking in friendly fashion afterwards (especially the Brazilians, of which there were five on the field), because it got rather heated during the game, with lots of pushing and shoving, hard words, and harder tackles.
Next up is a trip to the Arctic Circle for the return match with Bodo/Glimt in Europa League.
PS Alex Iwobi just scored for Everton. I like that guy.
It was an entertaining game all around. CP also got back in the win column. The league seems more evenly balanced this year than in the past two or three years, so far.
ReplyDeletePalace outplayed Leeds by a wide margin, I thought. They'll be fine this season.
ReplyDeleteThe EPL has gotten more wide open in recent years. Leicester showed in 2016 that the "Big Six" were not the only possible contenders for the crown, but other than that it was the big spenders who won the league. Below that, it was more fluid. People used to talk about the "Big Four" before Man City crashed the party and Tottenham regularly contended. In recent years, clubs like West Ham and Wolves fought for European places. There will always be favorites; $250M does buy the talent that makes a European place almost a given.
Nottingham Forest is a wild story. The owner, a Greek shipping magnate, bought 22 players over the summer in an attempt to stay in the Premier League, which they were promoted to this season. So far it isn't working out, but there's plenty of time and there are teams I can see them passing. Then there's Newcastle, owned by the Saudi government, with all the money they could possibly need, and looking very strong. Weirdly, if there's a "big" team that drops to mid-table this season, it'll probably be Liverpool, the club that was talking about a quadruple last year.