Does The Liverpool Game Mean We’re Not Genuine Title Contenders?

If you read my post yesterday you would have seen that I wasn’t at all confident about the game against Liverpool. We have been sluggish recently and just about done enough against sides like Sunderland, Newcastle and Bournemouth. Liverpool at Anfield would be a completely different beast, especially with the famous Anfield crowd behind them and Jurgen Klopp’s high intensity game.

In the end it was a pulsating 3-3 draw and it’s hard to assess whether it was a good or bad result.

I had a feeling we would struggle and after 10 minutes a mistake from Theo Walcott (who has been suffering from poor form of late) gave the ball away on the edge of our box – Emre Can’s shot was pushed away by Petr Cech but Firmino – a player who has been inconsistent this season – lashed home from 6 yards out.

Arsenal’s response was positive and 4 minutes later a clever and fantastically executed slide rule pass from Joel Campbell picked out Aaron Ramsey’s run and he smashed the ball home at the near post.

Liverpool took the lead for the second time and it was Firmino once again who scored. Isn’t it just our bad luck that a player who has been struggling for Liverpool recently suddenly finds his form against us?

Again Arsenal equalised when Olivier Giroud smartly poked in an Arsenal corner and the game was 2-2 at the break.

The goals Arsenal conceded were sloppy but we did well to peg it back twice.

After the break Arsenal took the lead on 55 minutes when Olivier Giroud collected Joel Campbell’s deflected pass and minced Kolo Toure to plant the ball into the bottom corner. From then on for the first time in the game Arsenal had a lead to protect and it was a last minute goal from the Welsh Xavi that shared the points.

Probably a fair draw on the balance of play but regular readers will know I don’t care who deserves the points – all that matters in the Premier League is getting points on the board whether you deserve to win or not. Against Newcastle we were fortunate but got the 3 points, and against Liverpool after leading 3-2, surely a side that has aspirations to win the league should be seeing that out?

It was a killer blow when a win at Anfield would have been a huge confidence booster. A last minute goal conceded could be perceived as a weakness and fragility on Arsenal’s part.

So what are your thoughts on the game?

Does coming back against a tough Liverpool side show we are true title contenders?

Or does conceding a last minute goal show that we lack the experience to go on and win the Premier League this season?

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8 thoughts on “Does The Liverpool Game Mean We’re Not Genuine Title Contenders?

  1. One noticeable fact so far in this season wenger per quote is that every team is loosing points including top teams,therefore i believe strongly on the school of thought that says this season present the best chance for we to win the league and the only obstacle to stop us is only ourself.when the injured ones comes back arsenal’ll fired on all cylinder(2007/2008 also present a very very good chance to win the league)

     
  2. I feel strongly that Arsenal will break the league jinz that time. Don’t forget they have been on top since the beginning of 2015 and I don’t think the lads wants to give up that position yet. Not this year. The team will get stronger in the coming weeks and then coast to an accelerated finish. My bet is 8 points ahead of mancity

     
  3. Arsenal have a habit of choking at the finishing line in the past.
    Whether Cech can stop it remains to be see as the defnce continues
    to cave in to incessant pressure.
    Btw,if Wenger needs yo get another md,get a monster like PV 4 or if not
    the biggest beast of amonster in the epl.

     
  4. I don’t think that result will affect whether we win the title or not. These 8 games were always going to be pivotal. In that period we have Stoke Southampton Chelsea and Utd and Leicester. What was important was coming away with a minimal point. As you can see from that there are some difficult games and to be honest if we got 11 points from a possible 15 I would say we had a good period . The other two games in that are Swansea and Bournemouth. And are easily winnable. City are always going to be contenders with their squad but with Kompany still out and aguero brittle they could just as easily fall away. The title at this point is ours to win or lose because regardless of what other teams do if we match or better their results we win the league. The second reason for me usually our last ten games we compile a very good run in. I think 3 points at Stoke are important and then we need to actually get a result against Chelsea after that we are in a better position.

     

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