AFTER the Liverpool board’s failure to sanction a deadline day signing to replace Andy Carroll, there was only ever going to be two schools of thought after today’s game.
In the event of victory, deadline day would have been largely forgotten, but a Liverpool draw or loss would serve to magnify the club’s bizarre failure to bring in attacking reinforcements. Unfortunately, it was the latter result which transpired after a lame 2-0 loss to Arsenal.
All things considered, the best team was victorious, but the first quarter of the match suggested that it would be a cagey affair, where both teams were afraid of defeat after a stuttering start to their respective league campaigns.
Liverpool’s passing was effective enough until their play reached the final third; as soon as the ball went remotely close to the Arsenal goal their moves completely broke down, and ironically, it was Steven Gerrard and Luis Suarez who were the worst culprits.
Arsenal looked slightly more dangerous going forward and by the time Lukas Podolski opened the scoring on 31 minutes, there was an air of inevitability about Liverpool being caught out on the break. Indeed, Gerrard gave the ball away cheaply in an attacking position, Santi Cazorla broke and threaded it through to Podolski who struck the ball low into the bottom right hand corner.
Liverpool’s response lacked conviction and penetration, but Raheem Sterling did manage to fire a shot against the outside of the post after a lovely turn and shot from eight yards. Arsenal then went close to extending their lead when Olivier Giroud missed a great chance from ten yards after an Abou Diaby through ball.
The intensity improved in the opening stages of the second half and Liverpool had a penalty claim turned down by Howard Webb after Per Mertesacker looked to have upended Suarez.
Much has been said and written about Webb’s performances against Liverpool and (without the personal benefit of a replay) this appeared to be a cast-iron penalty and possibly a sending off. Sometimes referee bashing can appear childish and paranoid but Webb has indeed made several bad decisions to the detriment of Liverpool, especially at Anfield. One wonders whether he over-compensates because Anfield is considered an easy ground in which to make a ‘home’ decision. The incident could have been a game-changer, but it wasn’t to be.
It was Arsenal who missed the first chance of the half – again after a counter-attack – when Kieran Gibbs had a low shot saved well by Pepe Reina after ghosting inside unchallenged.
Then, on 68 minutes, Arsenal made it 2-0 when Santi Cazorla squeezed a near post shot under Reina from roughly twelve yards. The Liverpool stopper made contact with his compatriot’s shot, but he could and should have done better. After his mistake against Hearts on Thursday, Reina’s form is now an ongoing concern for the club.
In response, the home side huffed and puffed in search for a momentum-inspiring consolation goal and their attacking play improved slightly after Arsenal’s back line dropped deeper as time passed.
[ad_pod id=”unruly-video” align=”center”]
Suarez had the best chance to score on 85 minutes when he fluffed his lines from about eight yards; instead of firing it at goal with his instep, the Uruguayan chose to attempt a chip over Vito Mannone and got it horribly wrong, the ball floating over the bar.
Jonjo Shelvey – who impressed again after replacing a largely anonymous Nuri Sahin – had two long range efforts saved, the latter of which was a particularly good strike that forced a spectacular save from Mannone.
In summary, it is safe to say that Liverpool’s league season has got off to a terrible start. Confidence will now be at a worryingly low ebb and playing Sunderland away in the next fixture isn’t exactly ideal.
There was a sense of edginess about Liverpool today and their best players performed badly. Early reaction to today’s defeat in this mad world of social media is incredibly panic-stricken given we are only three league games in (with a new manager and radical ideas). However, there will need to be an improvement quickly because the tough run of opening fixtures hasn’t come to a conclusion.
What won’t help Liverpool at all – with specific reference to the club’s owners and Managing Director – is that the difference between the two teams today was in the final third. There was a massive gulf in class in this department and it’s frightening, at this moment in time at least, to think that Liverpool almost certainly need to finish above the Gunners to gain a Champions League spot (barring a poor Chelsea campaign).
After several windows of wasted cash and three years without Champions League football, it would be foolhardy complaining about the level of money spent this summer, but in the context of today’s inefficiencies, the strange non-replacement of Andy Carroll with a cheaper alternative to Clint Dempsey looks even worse.
Man of the Match: Joe Allen. Raheem Sterling was the only other contender, but the Welshman was head and shoulders above anyone else in a red shirt. He looks to be far more than a ‘pass it sideways’ midfielder. His reading of play, choice of pass and tidy technique suggests that he could become a permanent fixture in Liverpool’s midfield for several years to come.
Catch Antony on Twitter @antonyjlfc
Live4Liverpool is recruiting columnists. For further info contact the site editor at live4liverpool@snack-media.com
Follow us on Twitter here: @live4Liverpool and ‘Like’ us on Facebook
You can dress it up anyway you want but our , for want of a better word , performance was absolutely dreadful. Pathetic. If this is how things are to be expect a warm welcome in the Championship next year. Visitors coming to Anfield relish the occasion now and far from having any fear of Liverpool can’t wait to get on the score sheet. They know they are safe as the only “bad” result for them would be a 0-0 draw! We were toothless as we are toothless and will remain toothless. a glance at the dugout with 30 minutes to go showed morose dank faces all round with no glimmer of an idea to be seen. The word doing the rounds in the ground was simply….”rubbish”…..
As an Arsenal season ticket holder I have to say that today there was little between the teams. Admittedly Arsenal have 3 new players who need to gel but wren’t too bad. It seems to me that you had two problems; the lack of anybody to help Suarez out and Suarez himself. If he put as much effort into his game as he does into diving and whining he could be one of the best in the world. Sad.
Good luck guys, I know few people who have anything against Liverpool………….except, of course, if you count Hansen and Lawrenson!
The reason Suarez didn’t get the penalty was his own fault really. He makes a meal out of every challenge and is constantly looking to go down to win freekicks and penalties. Sometimes he’ll get decisions he shouldn’t but other times the referees will reject legitimate appeals because of his reputation. If a player flings himself to the ground with every tackle, and constantly tries to win penalties (such as his appeal for Vermaelen’s handball for example) then referee’s are going to ignore possible legitimate appeals as simply Suarez being theatrical.
If he spent as much time practicing his shooting as he spends going down, he’d be a really good player.
agree , but refs dont like suarez
even if someone cut his head off with a machete – we still wouldn’t get a penalty
Yeah, but it’s his own fault the Lady Go-diver!
Arsenal fan here, I found that post to be nicely balanced and fair.
From an Arsenal point of view, I was quite surprised by Allen’s willingness to try crossfield passes and through balls having thought of him as a British Denilson myself.
Sterling also played well, and it should not be underestimated how well he marshalled the Ox, who as a result had a quiet game.
Others may disagree, but I thought your subs Shelvey and Downing were superb, although I can understand why Shelvey isn’t a regular starter. He has a great shot on him, but he seems to struggle when pressured.
It must be disappointing to see two of your star players in Reina and Gerrard have such poor games, even if they haven’t exactly been themselves so far this season, and although Sahin was invisible today I expect him to be highly important for you this season.
Borini was surprisingly anonymous today, but once he gets in a vein of form he should be the finisher your team seems to need.
I am a self-confessed Suarez hater so I won’t bother unloading my highly biased opinions on him!
As poor as the outlook may be, I can assure you there have been worse starts to a season (Arsenal last season!) and it can be easily rectified.
Here’s hoping you finish above Spurs!!
Thanks! I needed that.:(
‘His reading of play, choice of pass and tidy technique suggests that he could become a permanent fixture in Liverpool’s midfield for several years to come.’
I doubt he’ll be hanging around that long.
Gerrard should have been substituted not sahin. Suarez should not force the ball torwards defenders but learn hw to pass ..on reina i wont say anything
Out played, out thought and no plan B and I could not hear the kop once today get behind the team. Gerrard played awful and Suarez needs to lift his head when the balls at his feet, gone are the days when teams come to anfield and were battered into submission, I know It’s early days and things will get better but without a noticeable goal scorer I have to wonder where are the goals gonna come from ! Really depressing day and to make things worse the mancs won late in fergy time.
Its actually sad to see how Liverpool are in a free fall, and I mean over the past 5 years.. not this season. Support wise you are a huge club worldwide [Im a gooner] but those who support you are 30 and 40 year olds who grew up with the magnificant teams of the 80s. Younger fans will start to see you as we look at ..spurs, everton or villa.. once great but now just good teams. If you cant turn it around with a new stadium and a successful manager..I dont see you getting back to the top as your revenue will fall. The next 3-4 years will be crucial for you.
I bear you no grudges ..so good luck.
why is reina so poor? shoot at his feet GOAL
Shoot him! and we might keep a clean sheet.
time for a change . bring on brad jones .
and … where the fk is doni ?
Allen once again showed that he has ability to keep the ball under pressure which will be excellent for LFC when he finally matures and for reina BR should relegate him to the bench and give the likes of jones and doni a chance.
Just aiming for top 10 finish. No hope for top 4 this and coming session. BR maybe sacked before new year. I think even Roy is better than BR.
BR is going nowhere! Cop on!! It’s going to take time for his plans to come together. Changing managers again would ruin things even further.
whoa .. hold on a minute – nobody is worse than roy . NOBODY ( id even rather souey back )
Just an absolute f cking DISGRACE (as per usual to be fair though).
SACK the owner and bring new owner who willing to spend money to sign worls class players….
it really has happened , hasnt it ? we are no longer a top team , now a mid table like everton or villa .
with no money , owners who just want to make money and as close to a new stadium as we were 10 years ago .
since moores sold the club , its been downhill all the way .
question is – HOW LOW WILL WE GO ?
to true bob.. cowboys for more cowboys.. owners have invested nothing even the mail states they have invested one hundred million..yeah right sold players assets and freed up money from wages and invested nothing..
there a joke running a club investing nothing.. sell up and fook off,,,,
Arsenal supporter here. Just wanted to say that I think you are wrong to say teams see anfield as a walk in the park theses days. Me and my gooner mates certainly didn’t and still don’t we’re chuffed cause we feel arsenal beat a quality team today. I do hope your boo-boys give BR a little time before getting the stanleys out. He’s got you playing the kind of football that LFC ought to. It just takes a little time to get it together. As for the striker situation, I sympathise. I think manager and board got that wrong but at least Sterling gets his chance and he seems to be taking it. Looking forward to seeing you at Ashburton Grove and hoping for a similer result.
BR is not a good Tacticien he’s only a simple manager already loses 5points at Anfield on paper everythings are correct Lfc will be among the top team but on the pitch O degree A trainer is here to train tactically players individually in an advance level changing players only in certain circomtances that’s the meaning of changing manager
Teams like arsenal need 4-5-1 , and were is assaidi coz gerrard is now a legend
i hope u guys read John Henry’s open letter to the fans. The money is there, but we can’t be irresponsible with it
so if the money is there , why can villa and spurs cough up 5 or 6 million for dempsey while we offer 3 million ? we wont get any decent players without paying proper money .
i didnt even want dempsey . i hoped for a top 20 million striker like llorente or aduriz
yanks out
Not a Liverpool supporter but I fear for Brendan Rogers, a young manager who will no doubt make mistakes but with enormous potential. But clearly Rogers has been embarrassed by the inability of those above him to get new players in. Is he already regretting his decision to leave the Swans?