Ultra Negative Liverpool Still Can’t Stop Arsenal
That was a fantastic football match - tension, excellent passing and passion all over the pitch. Unfortunately the so called ‘home side’ contributed nothing to the game.
Liverpool at Anfield were so negative I’m still shocked and p*ssed off. Arsenal dominated the game from the first minute and a set-piece from Steven Gerrard gave Liverpool something to hold on to for the rest of the game.
That’s right - something to hold on to!
This from a team which apparently is challenging for the title.
I wonder what Alan Hansen and all the other BBC ‘pundits’ make of that display, because quite frankly there was only one team who wanted to win that game.
Liverpool had 10 men behind the ball for the entire 90 minutes, which I find shocking from a home team who is supposedly in the top 4.
Arsenal had the majority of possession, played some stunning football and completely deserved their equaliser when Fabregas slotted in on 80 minutes. Fabregas also had a golden chance to score when he missed an open goal and also hit the post with only 5 minutes to go.
After the game, Fabregas was disappointed with only a point which is fair because Arsenal deserved all 3. They dominated the first half, were more aggressive and wanted to make things happen.
Whereas Liverpool just defended.
Benitez was clever in his selection because by playing Torres, Voronin and Kuyt he hid the fact Liverpool played with 5 in midfield and had 10 men behind the ball for the majority of the match.
And all the so called ‘pundits’ will say Liverpool went for it because they had 3 strikers on the pitch.
Yeah right.
But enough about Liverpool.
Arsenal proved today that they are serious about challenging for the Premier League title. Steven Gerrard scored an early goal in the 8th minute and from then on the ‘home’ side defended and were clearly happy to settle with a 1-0 win. But the players performed like they have all season, passing well but unfortunately lacked the killer final ball.
Too many times Adebayor couldn’t find his touch and being the target man disappointed with a very poor final touch. He really should have played in Toure in the first half when he should have played in a simple square ball and had numerous chances to create clear chances for his teammates, but just didn’t deliver.
If Adebayor was on his game Arsenal would have won by 4 or 5 goals, and that is no exaggeration.
In the first half Hleb, Rosicky, Eboue and Fabregas in particular contributed to some sensational build up play, but with the final ball lacking Arsenal couldn’t really force Reina into any real saves.
Liverpool were content in catching Arsenal on the break, and Almunia was called to make a few excellent saves which would have cemented his place as Arsenal’s number one.
All of Liverpool’s dangerous moments were coming from Steven Gerrard. Are Liverpool a one-man team? Let’s just say if Gerrard gets injured Liverpool will struggle.
Hleb was outstanding, and as I’ve always said his ball retention is one of the best I have ever seen. His ability to hold onto the ball for that second longer and wait for the space to open up is excellent and he more often than not will find that final pass to make a chance.
And it was no different for Fab’s goal.
He is so comfortable on the ball and defenders just do not know which direction he will turn. His poked through for the goal was simply sublime and Fabregas yet again kept a cool head and slid the ball passed Reina at his near post.
Arsene must be proud of his team because playing at Anfield is always difficult, and for such a young team to face a team which was so defensive and come back was amazing. There was hardly any space or time on the ball in the Liverpool half but Arsenal still managed to play some breathtaking football.
If we’re talking about breaking teams down and playing against a team that can really defend then Arsenal will not face a tougher test this season. Arsenal will not play another game this season which is anywhere near as tough as Liverpool to get through. Their gameplan was to defend in numbers and they did that well.
The fact that Arsenal dominated Liverpool at Anfield and are disappointed about not winning shows the attitude and character of this current group of special players.
And the bottom line was that Arsenal are still top of the league, still unbeaten and can be proud of their performance.
October 28th, 2007 at 7:43 pm
what a load of bollocks! learn to write an intellegent article instead of bullshit you fucking wanker! - arsenal were on top but we deffinatly were noy ‘ultra negative’! you prick!
October 28th, 2007 at 7:46 pm
mr alan henson..he an expert is he …lol….wots he gna say ..arsenal havent played a big team yet..well by the evidence we havent …..this was as good what he wanted to c….MOD could well be renamed as anti arsenal loby ..gd articel
October 28th, 2007 at 7:47 pm
i agree liverpool were being negative i wonder if arsenal got the early goal if puds would of played differently, wow how good was hleb/ and fab
October 28th, 2007 at 7:47 pm
AMEN
October 28th, 2007 at 7:48 pm
I think you are absolutely blind! No doubt about it. your ar*e in your brain. No doubt Arsenal played pretty well but Liverpool has more shot on goal than your team. Too bad your players can’t break the wall. So what if playing flowing football if such simple open goal can’t be taken? Absolutely nonsense too. Agree Liverpool did not play well but arse nal wasn’t dominating at all. You are the worst of all ar*e supporter.
You are top just because you have played some of the lower teams. Next week i doubt you will stay up. But then I wish it will be a point each for the ar*e and the devils.
October 28th, 2007 at 7:48 pm
easily the most biased article i have read in a long time. Both teams played very well and a draw was merited anybody can punch whole in this ridiculous summary of a football match. They say arsenal fans are football lovers but whoever wrote this clearly does not subscribe to this.
October 28th, 2007 at 7:50 pm
Why was Anfield so quiet? Because Arsenal dominated the whole game!
Liverpool were a disgrace. 5 in midfield at home from title challengers is pathetic. Would you see Chelsea or United perform like that? When Arsenal had the ball Liverpool defended in huge numbers!
Totally agree, Liverpool were very negative.
If you don’t agree that once Liverpool scored the early goal they just wanted to see it out for the rest of the game then you are blind!
October 28th, 2007 at 7:51 pm
Well done Arsenal, and an intelligent article it was…
October 28th, 2007 at 7:51 pm
I forgot to add Liverpool played like Wimbledon with all the long balls from Gerrard and Riise!
October 28th, 2007 at 7:52 pm
“there was only one team who wanted to win the game”
Well then Arsenal should be worried because the team that didnt want to win the game were winning it for 75 minutes. Very strange logic.
October 28th, 2007 at 7:56 pm
Liverpool were not really negative just ordinary. Torres, Gerrard and Alonso are good players and cwould be part of a title winning side, but apart from that I do not see any genuine top, top quality. Liverpool are like Carragher - passionate but limited. Their team will certainly not win the league - Kuyt, Voronin and Crouch are just too average.
October 28th, 2007 at 7:59 pm
Liverpool scored an early goal and tried to protect it. Didn’t you Liverpool fans see that tonight?
Yes, they looked like defending the slender lead until the end but Arsenal finally broke through. Everyone knows how Arsenal are when they attack so Liverpool did well in shutting out the Premierships leading goalscorers.
In the end it’s the result that matters.
But I think the problem some Arsenal fans have is that a team which is looking to win the league would usually push for the second goal, instead of just defending a one goal advantage.
Hell, even last season Liverpool beat us 4-1 at Anfield in a performance more like a top 4 team. They didn’t just rest on a single goal, but kept pushing forward and in the end easily won that game.
October 28th, 2007 at 8:00 pm
in response to ROWAN, ARS*NAL, JOHN……ok…..your liverpool fans ……we had less shots than u, play better football and did not win……so as an arsenal fan i will apologise for being 6 points ahead of u, not losing 4-1 to u like last year and having a cheating vice captain like carragher……oh, and was it really 90 when u last won the title? wonder why (cos u draw with us,chavs and brum?)
October 28th, 2007 at 8:07 pm
liverpool are a crowd of boring long ball merchants.
October 28th, 2007 at 8:07 pm
Arsenal really fabulous, unfortunately didn’t win the game.Liverpool was just lucky to get a draw out of negative tactic. D score should have been 2-4.It was injustice that arsenal not winning d game. by putting 3 striker up front, lots of crap from pool side,pathetic..carragher is cheater by pulling fabregas on d pen box,unfortunately not penalty..blind ref!!HAIL to ARSENALLLL SHOOT DOWN POOL AT ANFIELD!!
October 28th, 2007 at 8:11 pm
Can’t believe I just spent 3 minutes of my life reading this crap.
Liverpool in their worst form for years, against Arsenal in proabably the best form you’ve had since you had your unbeaten run.
Still we pushed midfield so hard and forced you to so many bad passes, Cesc had no room at all, mascherano ate that fuck up.
Articles like this are really disgusting, i hope adebayor and eboue gets banned from fotball for life, and cut cesc the fuck off, cut his fucking leg off. drop dead you tosser.
October 28th, 2007 at 8:13 pm
you guys are pathetic, if the carragher situation was a penalty what about the hands in the first half? please stop whining you should be happy you got away with 1-1, pathetic excuse of a team..
October 28th, 2007 at 8:17 pm
The article is mostly correct, and the fact that the Liverpool fans who have posted here clearly have had their feelings hurt proves that the truth hurts.
Liverpool can thank their lucky stars they got the opener, as had they not, Arsenal could have won this by 4 or more. With the chances they created, they still might have, to be fair.
Fabregas and Hleb were the best players on the pitch, so to claim Mascherano “ate that fuck up” in reference to Fabregas is quite hilarious.
Liverpool were let off the hook in this one, no doubt about it, but a great game to watch.
October 28th, 2007 at 8:20 pm
we will see where the teams finish in may, i beleive arsenal were the better team overall today, but i still feel they can be bullied were as i feel liverpoool are in poor form and are still only a max of six behind. a fit and on form liverpool will be a formidable force, and i still fancy them to finish second above beautiful arsenal(manu 1st). fabregas was unlucky today not to score twice but i felt that for 70 mins he was anonymous and out ran by the liverpool midfield alot of pretty passes but no grit AND THUS end product, only poor liverpool defending enabled him his goal. i feel if arsenal play well and win they are everybodies pal buthey dont know how to dig in when needed and so when a team does this against them they complain an criticise the opposition. I think alot of of the top team could play this way but realise that that is not the way to win the premiership.
October 28th, 2007 at 8:21 pm
Obviously you must have been watching a different game..
It seems kind of funny to me if you were running the midfield howcome wenger made the sub for silva? oh i don’t know wild guess, so cesc could have some more space and get his passes through..
alonso and mascherano did a superb job running midfield.
cesc got through once? the goal was reinas it was a good strike but reina should have caught it.
October 28th, 2007 at 8:22 pm
John; if the team who were 1-0 up really wanted to win it they would have gone for the security of a second goal, since 1-0 is a tenuous scoreline. And it proved to be so.
Ar*e Nal; be more specific with your facts. Arsenal had more shots than Liverpool, actually. Just liverpool had a couple more on target, but so what? Hitting the post twice and missing 2 open goals (hey would count as off target) says more about Arsenal’s profligacy and how much they should have won this game more than Liverpool’s extra couple of shots on target.
Also: Liverpool Vs Arsenal : Passing success: 73 vs 83.5 // Possession: 36.8 Vs 63.2 // Territorial Advantage: 48.6 Vs 51.4.
Basically, owned.
(p.s check out gerrard vs fabregas stats too, the little spaniard won that as well)
Rowan; yes maybe ultra-negative is too strong a phrase but negative definitely. Liverpool were at home for christ’s sake. It was pathetic, reminded me of how Bolton play. Away from home.
Peace.
October 28th, 2007 at 8:23 pm
‘pathetic excuse for a team’
This Liverpool side is just ordinary. Do Liverpool fans really get excited by this team? Apart from Gerrard/Alonso’s midfield play and Riise’s long shots there is not really anything else pleasing on the eye.
A great club, but the present team is easily the most negative and boring of the top four. I do not think such a limited team will be within ten points of winning this season. Things need to be in place soon, because Gerrard is getting older and probably only has 3 years left at the top.
October 28th, 2007 at 8:26 pm
HAHA, Liverpool twats too focused on us!, We gift you a goal in the 6th minute, and before even half time was up you useless crap footballers were time wasting every little second they could. Did Benitez really put 3 strikers on with instructions to play like defensive midfielders. What a joke, you not going to win the league while he is in charge. Sure you had some half chances to double the lead, but you never had our keeper beaten, unlike us that were only denied by the post!
Enjoy the UEFA Cup if you even get there
October 28th, 2007 at 8:27 pm
If I didn’t watch the game and just read this article I would have thought only Arsenal were attacking and Liverpool defending (a rare attack resulted in a goal?). I’m not surprised at all with your article since you are a Gunner’s fan.
In my opinion Arsenal attacked more and had more possessions while Liverpool were more defensive hence less possessions but definitely not ultra negative. If Liverpool were ultra negative how did they manage to have 11 shots (8 on goal)? Arsenal? 11 shots and only 4 on target!
In all fairness, Arsenal were the better team on the day but certainly Liverpool didn’t have 10 men behind the ball for 90 minutes and they didn’t just defend (were those 11 shots taken in their own half?).
Get your facts right and you can become a top journalist (just kidding!)!
October 28th, 2007 at 8:28 pm
in response 2 hhatever……if u wasted 3 minutes on this article, why respond 3 times? I have seen liverpool play the GREATEST FOOTBALL……but that was the 1970’s /80’s…….apart from alonso/gerrard u r a poor team, and your manger a fool……if u wanted 2 win why no Benayoun? Vorinin is poor, and the pony tail even funnier
October 28th, 2007 at 8:29 pm
arsenal weave pretty patterns but with adebayor up front they’ll never finish teams off.Watch next week at old trafford and you’ll see utd play great football AND finish teams off.
Arsenal will win NOTHING this season. This is a FACT!
October 28th, 2007 at 8:30 pm
Mate, you’re at the emirates next week. But yes, Adebayor was a bit poo. I still have hope for him though.
October 28th, 2007 at 8:32 pm
oh, is this the same team that lost 2 city? yup, manure are so good, and i’ll look forward 2 winning on saturday? btw, has saha joined Soljkaer in retirement yet?
October 28th, 2007 at 8:35 pm
Oh dear,
its funny how liverpool fans have nothing to say but abuse an article…man u and chelsea would never have had to resort to negative tactics….the fact liverpool had to play like the away side just went to show how well Arsenal played….regardless of form these games are never settled on form…..on paper Liverpool should have murdered Arsenal…but anyone watching Arsenal know that they are a better team from the last 2 seasons…
Come on the Arsenal
Proud Gooner!
October 28th, 2007 at 8:39 pm
Any team with Rio ‘mercked’ ferdinand playing in it, are just tossers.
Man U will come to the Emirates and be worried about playing football as usual against the Arsenal. Dementia always seems to be apprehensive about playing an open game against us.
However, I have to admit that Nani, Ronaldo, Rooney, Tevez and Anderson means that you are going to have a very bright future. If I was Fergie I would go get Anelka and then you really would be a force.
I cant wait till next weekend. However, dont like the noon kick-off.
October 28th, 2007 at 8:40 pm
Shocking. A blog called Arsenal 4 Life being somewhat biased in its account of a game? Who would have seen that coming? Hush up, Liverpool fans, write your own match reports somewhere else instead of complaining that this one isn’t how you like it.
October 28th, 2007 at 8:42 pm
i agree too that liverpool are negative and boring. You could see almost throughout the match, reina was taking goal kicks after goal kicks. Pls liverpool u are at home goodness yet playing like bolton long ball merchants! shocking!! Pool did not even dare to pass through midfield because they know that arsenal is so much better passing in midfield and they would more likely suffer even more counter attacks starting in the pool half..
October 28th, 2007 at 8:53 pm
36.8 Possession 63.2 Enough said.
October 28th, 2007 at 8:54 pm
Liverpool are shite!! end of! The scousers have as much chance of winning the league as our rivals next door! This is the first time i have seen two title challengers playing each other and the home side are so shit scared of the other team! Liverpool only got anywhere near our goal on the odd occasion cos Gallas was playing in the final third most of the second half trying to win the game! As for the souser fan who says Arsenal will win nowt ……… well Liverpool will win less!!! Your Crap.
October 28th, 2007 at 8:56 pm
pool goal post have been help by voodoo spell. 2 goals for Arsenal denied by the pool post.my beautiful Arsenal should won d game & ahead 4 point from mu..just 2 bad wasn’t d day for my Arsenal.GO..GO..my ARSENAL..U REALLY ENTERTAIN THE PREMIER LEAGUE & WHOLE WORLD..
October 28th, 2007 at 9:05 pm
65% of the possession at Anfield!
Jesus fucking christ.
October 28th, 2007 at 9:12 pm
J20 is spot on. The truth hurts doesn it?
I can understand the writers frustration, and I was surprised at Liverpools approach to the game. Being at home you would expect some possession but all they did was knock the ball long throughout the entire game. That’s why Torres looked lost and why Crouch looked dangerous when he came on!
I do agree with the poorly learned United supporter though about Adebayor. He really has to step his game up if Arsenal are going to push on over the coming months especially with Van Persie out because tonight he was disgraceful.
Next weeks game should be more open since United aren’t a negative team like Chelsea and Liverpool tend to be.
October 28th, 2007 at 9:27 pm
lucky 4 pool this time..i just wonder how many goals if Arsenal can convert all
d chances created. Ade should have been drop to benched,should put on theo
& eduardo.Yet again, pool was lucky, ade was up front.i totally disappointed
with ade & Liverpool goal post also carragher coz he pulled down cesc in pen box
October 28th, 2007 at 9:39 pm
check out sir alex in the stands.. looked a little worried.
October 28th, 2007 at 9:40 pm
i dont understand the liverpool fans slating arsenal.. fair enough an article like this would rile you but you seriously were outplayed today. even the most biassed pundit of all time jamie cuntface redknapp was sucking wengers balls after todays performance. we didnt take our chances so we didnt deserve to win. as long as we do well against the big teams at home we will be fine this year.
i couldnt care less about liverpool now. played the away game and ahead of them in the league. their fans thiking things will pick up are insane. they have played such uninventive football since they smashed derby and after getting torres, mascherano and alonso injured today will it improve any time soon?
October 28th, 2007 at 9:52 pm
Hehe
I’ll glady save this link on my deskop and come back when you’re out of the quarters as usual in cl and when you’ve once again lost the league.
You all speak with great confidence like your brilliant play and passing abilities earned you some silver in the recent years, where is it? mm ?
October 28th, 2007 at 10:01 pm
WHATEVER RESPONSE…….its earned us 4 titles in silverware since your last WON one…….TWAT
October 28th, 2007 at 10:05 pm
btw whatever, better (financial) to lose in quarters than not 2 be there……1point in 3 game……your team is shit
October 28th, 2007 at 10:09 pm
Arsenal of course better than boring pool..Pool looked like d away team at anfield.defend most of time at home,scared of Arsenal attacking,eiy??
wat a shame!!Lucky pool helped by goal post that denied Arsenal 2 goals.Lucky pool escaped pen claim after cesc down by callagher cheater.so liverpool is just a lucky team,just like winning at everton by 2 penalties..Wat a joke!! yet pool still proud of winning by pen.get a life,mate
October 28th, 2007 at 10:15 pm
I sed to a frend last night i hope wenger plays gilberto instead of flamini and i feel i was proved right. im not saying flamini was bad or is bad he has been 1 of my players of the season, but gilberto is more experinced much much better technically and i felt that stevie g was massive but if you noticed, i never saw anything from him after gilberto came on and all their long balls were mostly not effective flamini can play against most teams but when it somes to pool, man u, the barcas and that i hope wenger puts gilberto on because of that technical ability.
October 28th, 2007 at 10:21 pm
i don’t agree with No.1,gilberto often do wrong passing.that is bad..also gilberto is slow..not suite Arsenal fast pace style. Ade should b benched,bring on eduardo & theo..Ade too many mistakes!! he irritated me.
October 28th, 2007 at 11:07 pm
haha this blog is so funny you are so narrow minded, its all just so great in your camp. all fairytales and butterflies, haha.
Sure your passing game is amusing to look at, but where did it get you the last 2 seasons?
Everyone speaks of rafa having the pressure on him, but what about wenger, haven’t won anything in 2years now? I wouldn’t be a happy camper if you once again..got out of it all emptyhanded this year.
The last 2 years me and my gooner friends have had sidebets of who will finish best in the league, it always reminds me how amusing your football is, but it never does seem to get you anywhere?
October 28th, 2007 at 11:09 pm
also a response to les:
We’re busy keeping our 17 clean already..come back in 50 years or so mate? If even..
October 28th, 2007 at 11:25 pm
Yes it is all great in our camp and im sure it will stay like that all season IF we continue to play the way we do. I bet it aint all ‘great’ in your camp tho is it? 1 point from 3 matches in the CL and i know for a fact that if i was a fan of liverpool i wouldnt be happy with the way yous preformed today, so called title challengers at home being dominated and perhaps a little lucky to get away with a draw? The fact that we play ‘total football’ is fantastic for a fan to watch and great entertainment. Do yous find it great entertainment by watchin a professional team punt the ball forward all the time like a sunday league team? no didnt think so..so how about u go and leave comments on ur own liverpool blogs and talk about how boring you lot are to watch instead of ‘wasting ur time here’…Tosser
October 28th, 2007 at 11:44 pm
Arsenal are top of the league, playing wonderful football, keep clean sheets, score plenty of goals and have won all their games in the Champions League.
Liverpool on the other hand will be in the UEFA Cup (if they’re lucky) can’t keep clean sheets and have a manager who rotates his team far too much!
But on the plus side, Liverpool don’t seem to be able to concede penalties!
October 28th, 2007 at 11:45 pm
whatever response………simple facts…….we’ve out scored u this season in the league, have more points in the league, more wins than you, out played u 2day…….the only thing u have done better than us is score more goals against derby………WELL DONE………can’t beat spurs either…….u spent 51.7million and we sold our best player ever…….its really sad when u lose your best player…….as you’ll see when Gerrard leaves in june
October 29th, 2007 at 12:14 am
Whatever sounds like a scum, not a scouser. Completely unreal. Nice imitation of Bolton, lads. Guess we’ll have to wait until next weekend for a real “big test.”
October 29th, 2007 at 2:28 am
The fact is pool was owned, got blessed with their first goal and went on the defensive (at home) for the rest of the game. I can just imagine if pool hadn’t scored the first goal or stevie had missed high or wide. pool would have been beaten 3-0. Arsenal, lads, we have nothing to worry about this season. Especially from teams like pool who play ‘negative’ boring, common football and have fans who are glued to the past. Gooners 4lyf.
October 29th, 2007 at 3:59 am
It was Gerrard Vs Arsenal. Kops stop living in the past coz’ Reds SUCKS
October 29th, 2007 at 8:22 am
It’s a really great match.
What a pity we conceded a goal in first ten minutes.
We should have never given so great place to Cops, which was perfect for SG’s free kicks. SG played a great match, but the Cops didn’t. Arsenal should have won the match by two goals.
Next EPL game is also a great match, we can prove we will grab the championship this season.
October 29th, 2007 at 9:35 am
Just read the bulldog in the rd team said he dreamt Arsenal would draw and taht part 2 of his dream is the rd will win thw game.
I’ve news for him.Arsenal will score a 3-1 win and so far 100% of my dream have come true.
I dreamt taht his boss will fidget in the dug out and arnt and swear at the ref.
October 29th, 2007 at 10:54 am
Standard Arsenal blogg. Biased and full of Wenger specked analysis.
If Arsenal were so dominant how come they only managed to nick a goal at the end of the game?
Lets face it, Arsenal have had an easy run in so far this season. Your toughest game to date prior to Liverpool was West Ham away where u struggled and didn’t deserve the points. Spurs should have buried you but playing the way they do I wasn’t surprised they didn’t. And then you play an out of form liverpool, nick a draw and think you are the dog’s bollox.
Yeah so you can pass a ball, Liverpool still had more goal scoring oppurtunities.
You haven’t been tested yet no matter how you dress it. You are going to finish third at best.
October 29th, 2007 at 11:07 am
Simple fact. Liverpool will be happier with a point than Arsenal….
Arsenal did dominate that match and exposed Liverpools limitations on the ball.
There’s nothing wrong with long balls, but to keep continuously lumping 60 yard balls up to Crouch/Kuyt?? This from a manager who has spent £130 million on players and £40 million of that this season against a manager who has made a profit on players shows who has invested the more wisely.
So what if they have more shots than us, anyone can shoot from 30 yards, which is basically all Liverpool could muster AND for a home match???
Arsenal played like the home team and attacked from the start to the final whistle. Did Liverpool?
Gerrard was excellent last night, If he gets injured, well i dread to think what Liverpool will do without him. Pray he stays fit scousers.
October 29th, 2007 at 11:25 am
‘The need was for a player who thought a good game, rather than fought one and Rafa Benitez, in his infinite wisdom, decided that was the cue for Steven Gerrard to come off the pitch.
As the Liverpool manager attempted to explain — following a pulsating derby win over Everton — that he wanted a more cerebral presence in midfield for the last half-hour, after the opposition had been reduced to 10 men
Someone who listened to his head more than his heart.
The furore over one of the most contentious rulings of his three-year reign was only just subsiding when Benitez took his seat in the dug-out at Anfield yesterday, but one thing soon became clear. His line of thinking may not always endear him to others, but it applies to himself as well as his players.
Liverpool needed a manager who used his head for the visit of Arsene Wenger’s latest brand of Invincibles and were served as well as at any time since the studious Spaniard replaced Gerard Houllier.
There have been times in the last few weeks when the man who disrupted the long established order in Spain by winning two La Liga titles with Valencia looked to be losing his touch, if not the plot.
From the baffling decision to leave Fernando Torres on the bench against Birmingham in order to save him for a Carling Cup start at Reading three days later, to his failure to guard against complacency in an alarming home Champions League defeat by Marseille, Benitez has found his methods questioned like never before.
Another reversal against Besiktas in Istanbul on Wednesday has left the five times European champions on the brink of elimination but, if misgivings over Benitez are beginning to surface, they were exposed as wholly misplaced by an overdue return to his tactical best against previously unstoppable Arsenal.
Should a Flair Play League ever see the light of day, there would surely be only one winner. Arsenal would run rings around the opposition, just as they currently do on a weekly basis. Most neutrals would join in the applause for a team who eclipse even Manchester United as the game’s great entertainers.
Not the hard-nosed Benitez, though. Sensing some opponents were standing back and admiring Arsenal’s artistry as much as any diehard Gooner, his priority was to draft a masterplan unashamedly designed to stifle a style that weaves intricate passing moves the length of the pitch at breakneck speed.
He could — and did — reason that the inclusion of Fernando Torres as a spearhead, flanked by Dirk Kuyt on the right and Andriy Voronin on the left, signalled Liverpool’s attacking intent. The argument was further reinforced by the sight of Gerrard being given licence to charge forward from the centre of midfield, but this was no blueprint for throwing caution to the wind.
Goals may be their stock in trade, but the job requirements for Kuyt and Voronin also demanded keeping a watching brief on the offensive instincts of Emmanuel Eboue and Gael Clichy, so often a key element of Arsenal’s attacking armoury.
Behind Gerrard, Javier Mascherano and Xabi Alonso were under orders to deny Cesc Fabregas and Tomas Rosicky the space they use to such devastating effect and, as with every detail of a carefully devised game plan, instructions were followed to the letter.
Arsenal may remain unrivalled exponents of the quickfire, one-touch approach. But Liverpool may just have shown the rest how to combat them. In front of Sir Alex Ferguson, too. There was the faintest of smiles on his face as he left.
- From Daily Mail. That is a well written article not like your shower of shite!
No wonder you write for crap like this rather than a decent website!
October 29th, 2007 at 11:57 am
“In response 2 hhatever……if u wasted 3 minutes on this article, why respond 3 times? I have seen liverpool play the GREATEST FOOTBALL……but that was the 1970’s /80’s……”
The greatest football? The reason Liverpool fell apart in the 80s was the abolition of the fucking BACK PASS.
And they’re still defensive long ball merchants now.
Crap to watch last night, and the fact there are scousers here bleating in defence of it shows how sad it is. Cup football in a league match. That’s why they won’t win it (again).
October 29th, 2007 at 12:11 pm
rowan - liverpool, apparently title contenders, playing at home, and their ambition was to stop arsenal playing and hope to nick a win. Im sorry but thats the tactics we expect to see from Derby and Bolton and not a team supposedly tipped to win the league.
And the statement “But Liverpool may just have shown the rest how to combat them.” thats nothing new is it. The way to “combat” them is to play 10 behind the ball and hope arsenal are wasteful in front of goal , while hoping to snatch a goal from set pieces. It relies on hope and luck while showing no ambition to play football.
Liverpool scored early and then tried to hold onto that lead. Rafa sacrificed both Kyut and Voronin as attackers and used them to stop Sagna and Clichy as an attacking force. He used Mascherano and Alonso to shackle Hleb and Cesc. Then he was relying on the pace of Torres and running from deep from Gerrard to nick a goal. Total case of his tactics trying to nullify as much of arsenals attacking avenues as he could with the hope that either gerrard or torres could win it with the 1 goal. Nearly worked too but yet again arsenal play right to the end and get a goal in last 10 mins. How many is that this season ?
October 29th, 2007 at 12:44 pm
You talk about biased articles (this is an Arsenal website remember) and yet the ‘Daily Mail’ article is clearly from a Liverpool fan. And it mentions combatting Arsenal - what would have you scousers done if Arsenal scored those two open goals after hitting the post? You were lucky to end the night with a point and you tossers know it.
And Neural, your comment is laughable! Arsenal are top of the league and are the Premierships top scorers (alongside United). And ‘nick’ a goal at the end of the game? Every commentator said Arsenal’s equaliser was totally deserved. Look at the back pages of the newspapers this morning if you can read.
It’s been mentioned before but it was a real shame Liverpool scored such an early goal, because if Arsenal got it Liverpool would have been it serious trouble. Unlike Liverpool, we would have gone for the second and with an more open Liverpool we would have punished them.
It was literally Steven Gerrard vs. Arsenal FC.
October 29th, 2007 at 12:50 pm
I see you’re still narrow-minded fellas.
Benitez had a great tactical plan to stop an attacking arsenal in form, and the players executed the plan very well, shame alsono and torres had to go off. Obivously if you have to sub 2 players for injuries the plan is all pretty much to hell with aswell, thats why you got your goal, until then you didnt have much, sure your backline can pass around the ball all you want but alonso masch did a great job in middle and statistics pretty much speaks for itself..if you were so dominant how come we had as many shots as you and twice as many on goals?
You all talk alot of smack but we’ll see where you end up in may..
October 29th, 2007 at 12:57 pm
whatever - just admit that we showed you how to play football. Credit for the defensive performance but surely if pool have ambitions to win the league you ned to be out to win your home games. At least try and win them anyway….
October 29th, 2007 at 3:48 pm
Is Carragher immune to red cards ?…….he should have been shown 3 in his last 2 games….what a cheating moron.
We WILL see where Arsenal end up come May - I can’t wait, as after that display Liverpool (amongst others) they won’t be anywhere near us ,either in the Premiership or the Champions League.
October 29th, 2007 at 3:55 pm
Mr Neutral, are you serious?
Let me tell you why Arsenal only managed to ‘nick’ a goal in the last few minutes (although they hit the post twice and missed two open goals so anyone with a brain can argue that Rafa’s ‘great plan to beat arsenal’ actually wasn’t that successful and more down to luck)
It is because Liverpool placed TEN MEN BEHIND THE BALL most of the game, that’s why. Quite simple isn’t it? If Liverpool had actually tried to come forward and maybe even used their fullbacks now and then they would have been nailed. If Arsenal had scored first it would have been an interesting match..
So don’t sit their smug in the belief Liverpool had loads of better chances. Hello? My nan could have great chances against arsenal if they sent EVERYONE forward including the centrebacks! We had bloody Gallas and Toure dribbling in your box! How many times did your central defenders even get out of their own box? Totally pathetic for the home team.
Either way the Arsenal supporters can sleep soundly in the knowledge that their team embarrassed an obviously very frightened and thus negative Liverpool team. And Rafa’s comment was funny - that he set out to stop Arsenal playing on the counter… on the counter?? Arsenal had all of the ball!
Also, regarding the game against West Ham - did you watch it? Arsenal had a good few chances and played well. West Ham maybe denied a goal by a dubious offside flag but Arsenal would have come back at them.
Regarding the game at Spurs - you’re having a laugh mate. Spurs did have one or two very good chances but we had a hat-full. You must have been watching another game.
G.
October 29th, 2007 at 4:28 pm
whatever, your comments are amusing and smacking of someone with too much envy of gooners .. you lurk around a gooner website, and make silly little threats about us not winning anything come end of season. The season is made up of little battles like yesterdays between us and liverpool, this article is commenting on that single battle, and all you can come up with is goading us that we will not win anything. That suggests you are seriously lacking in grey matter, or are too blinded by jealousy/hatred/whatever which would suggest that you are a spuds and not a scouser … despite yesterday’s tangle, gooners and scousers enjoy a mutually good relationship unlike between us and your spuds, or between us and manure.
So, go cry in your coffee for your team … ramos would probably not save you this season, and we may have to sing for you at the end of the season: ‘we’ll meet again, dont know know when .. dont know how …..”
October 29th, 2007 at 7:00 pm
Liverpool were playing Anti-football where as Arsenal were playing Total football..!!