Arsenal 1 – 0 Liverpool: An Efficient Win!

After a difficult fortnight the results from tonight’s games have brought back some cheer and hope. The doom mongers who were predicting a free fall and fight for fourth must have received a nice slap as Arsenal emerged as the only top team to win three points on the night. The gap at the top has narrowed while that against the chasing pack has increased.

It wasn’t a vintage performance but it was efficient enough to see off a difficult opponent who will certainly trouble the top two in the coming weeks. Arsene summed up the game and the result quite well,

I think it was a highly tactical game against a Liverpool team that didn’t give us any space to play. We found it difficult to get our passing going because they were always in our way. We needed to be patient and not make a defensive mistake. They had one or two chances as well but in the end we got that goal. When you have the two results we had before [against Man United and Chelsea] the most important thing is to win the game.

For large parts the game was dominated by two teams adept at pressing and breaking the opposition attacks. We struggled to control possession and dictate the terms but succeeded in keeping the opposition at bay.

The importance of not conceding early cannot be stressed enough. In the big games we have struggled when we have been chasing the game and in some ways Liverpool gave us the upper hand by playing with a defensive approach. They did try to replicate the same tactics that were effective for United and Chelsea but just didn’t have enough quality in the final third. The clean sheet was well deserved and Gallas and Almunia deserve special mention for some good defensive work.

We did manage some half chances but Bendtner fired over and Rosicky got an unfortunate touch as he looked up to pick a pass. There were some other shots from distance but Reina didn’t have much to do.

As the game was meandering along Diaby picked up possession ten yards inside our half. He picked Cesc in the Liverpool half and charged forward. The speed and grace with which Diaby strides through the length of the pitch never ceases to amaze me.

Fabregas had some space to run with the ball and was able to pick out Bendtner on the edge of the box. The Dane’s first cross was rather lame and was blocked but he must be given credit for pouncing on the loose ball. By this time Rosicky had arrived on the right and we had five men in and around the Liverpool box. Bendtner rolled it for the Czech to fire in a perfect delivery that was headed home by an unmarked Diaby.

After the goal we retreated into a shell and our play was bordering on panic and chaos. Thankfully, the visitors didn’t have enough to seriously threaten an equalizer as Almunia dealt with the only real shot on target.

As the result was positive the defensive chaos will be ignored and forgotten but it does not change the need for improvement. I’ll get back to this topic at a later date as this is not the time to dwell on it.

There were some other talking points in this game. First was the alleged dive by Bendtner. It seemed to me that there was contact but it was minimal and the big Dane could easily have brushed it aside. I hope Wenger does have a word with the young striker and asks him to use his abilities in a more positive manner.

The second was the penalty appeal towards the end when the ball struck Fabregas on a raised arm. We are lucky that the ref missed it but given the number of times we have missed out on penalties it seems justified. If we add to this the fact that Gerrard should have been booked for a dive and the free kick should never have been awarded then it makes the penalty argument completely irrelevant.

Finally, I was really happy to see the fist bump between our keeper and Gallas after the defender had headed a ball out for a corner. A lot has been said about their relationship and it’s good to see such positive communication. The handshake between Vermaelen and Gallas after a last ditch tackle was also highly encouraging.

Individual Performances

Almunia: Had a great game as he got a good punch early on and made a big save late in the day.

Eboue: Added a little more while going forward but was a bit sloppy in defense at times.

Gallas: One of his best games. Won a lot of headers, made a brilliant tackle inside the box and his body language was quite positive.

Vermaelen: Back to his usual quality after the big mistake against Chelsea. Why he would make a lung bursting run into the opposition box in the last ten minutes and that too from open play is still beyond me.

Clichy: Had a decent game defensively but I was more impressed by his attacking play. Looks like the old Clichy when he takes people on.

Song: Is it just me or has he started taking more liberty in the last few games? He seems to be pushing forward a little more and that worries me at times. Had a good game overall and worked really hard towards the end.

Cesc: He seemed to be playing deeper than usual initially. Wasn’t his usual self but still had a decent game. Good to see that we can win against a big team even when he isn’t firing.

Diaby: I thought he did a fantastic job defensively. We never got the attacking game going so it’s difficult to judge the attacking contribution but his run for the goal and the finish was top quality.

Nasri: Was working hard but didn’t have the edge. Hopefully his concussion won’t be a serious problem.

Bendtner: His physical presence was useful as was his ability to chase the loose balls. Still lost a few balls with poor control and passing but that will improve as he plays more often.

Arshavin: Looked far more dangerous playing behind the striker. Hopefully his injury won’t keep him out for long.

Subs: Rosicky looked lively and had a great game. Walcott showed he can’t really think when he played a lame cross straight to Reina in the 92^nd minute when he should just have kept it in the corner. Sagna didn’t have much to do.