Arsenal vs Liverpool: Notebook

Notes from the first watch and the re-watch

My thoughts as the game goes on.

Pre-game

Arsenal have a makeshift backline, but Timber is healthy enough to start. I don’t love the idea of putting 3 guys out of normal position here but it does seem to be a lets trust talent over familiarity. Saka is healthy enough to start and no complaints about the attackers here.

Think this will need to be a day where Merino needs to come through, big signing at a prime age and the type that you want to see a player like that step up.

First Half:

1 - Liverpool get a dangerous freekick, Saka fouls Robertson. TAA to take. The go for a near post flick on and Arsenal deal with it but it is really good movement to get that opening.

Foreshadowing of future events.

Arsenal getting a bit a of a spell of possession now. Working the ball at the back, trying to bait the press to play through it. Overall, not coming to anything but playing a bit of cat and mouse to feel out the plan. Both teams sort of content to defend and see what is available.

6 - Arsenal get a free kick in a dangerous spot, Havertz is pestering Van Dijk and he retaliates with a kick out. I think maybe this is a yellow but not necessarily more than that.

9 - Ben White has the ball deep with the Liverpool block set in front of him. Saka makes a run and White finds him perfectly. He then cuts in leaving Robertson on his butt and puts it in the top corner.

1-0

That is sensational.

This was again the continuation of some of the go slow and see what develops idea. VvD must have stepped up because he ends up no where near this and that made this play possible. Great timing from white on it.

12 - Timber dealing with some pressure on the touchline gives it away. That is the kind of area where being on the “wrong” foot can be a problem. Arsenal stop it from being too much danger.

14 - More danger that is self-inflicted. Saka plays a ball to Merino and he just doesn’t control it and Salah comes on to it and hits it first time, just wide.

This ends up as a pretty big chance on my model but not on the Opta one, I think mine has the better rating of it at 11% vs 3%. Anyway don’t get caught up in individual ratings.

17 - Partey handles a 1v1 vs Diaz. Not fully comfortable and takes some good fortune on the bonce but he does just enough. Liverpool corner.

From that Liverpool equalize. 1-1

Diaz comes from behind to get in front of Havertz who needs to do better at the near post zone to stop the flick on. Van Dijk is quickest to react and beats Partey to the ball. Well executed from Liverpool, maybe you hope for better defending there.

20 - Liverpool foul Saka in a dangerous spot. They kick the ball away with no penalty obviously.

Declan Rice takes and puts it in the perfect spot.

Mikel Merino can’t get the contact right, and it goes wide. Interestingly this does not go down as a shot. In the event data it looks like the flag was up and this is given as offside. Never saw the replay angle to say for sure and no goal so no check needed.

Merino is hurt but is able to continue.

First period is even, Liverpool more of the ball, a bit more dangerous possession but Arsenal able to cut through from open play.

23 - Saka vs Robertson is a battle that leans heavily Arsenal’s way. He gets him in trouble again. Cross is just cut out. Martinelli has a turn on the other side and splits Jones and TAA and almost breaks through.

24 - Saka again makes it hard on Robertson who bounces off him as he cuts inside. His shot is off target.

27 - Liverpool go long to Salah and he gets the better of Timber. His cutback is just touched away by Merino and Arsenal got the ball away eventually.

On the break, Martinelli is running down the line, but Trossard is just too slow to release it and Konate is able to recover it. Trossard is doing more of the midfield type play here but it isn’t always his greatest strength.

29 - Havertz with a massive chance, maybe Saka should do better. Some really good play from deep, with Trossard dropping deep into midfield and then finding Merino who plays a nice pass to Martinelli.

Martinelli’s cross is basically perfect and it just can’t be put in, both Saka and Havertz didn’t commit to it. This play is a good example of some of the good stuff Trossard did dropping deep.

31 - Penalty shout. Trossard pops the ball up (again dropping deep is effective for him) and it causes a problem where it bounces and Martinelli is dogged chasing after it. He is sandwiched between Konate and TAA. It falls to Havertz and he can’t get his foot over the ball and it goes high over the bar. He should do better on that.

This is a pretty big chance and if Havertz is a bit more aware vs appealing for the penalty he might have gotten this on the first bounce/half volley instead of needing to try and get over the top of it.

It is rated at 12-14% type but given that others are focused elsewhere and he has no pressure it might under counted.

It looks like Konate gets just a touch on the ball there but that is a lot of contact regardless between both players to where it doesn’t have to be a no call.

Liverpool are probably lucky on that one and I think this a true 50/50 type between the two players where they take him down/impeded him.

33 - Saka beats MacAllister and he responds by fouling him multiple times before he finally brings him down. Gets a yellow for that and a dangerous free kick for Arsenal.

Liverpool deal with the free kick.

35 - Some nice left hand triangle play. Good switch from Rice to Merino, then some nice interchange from Martinelli and Timber. Martinelli in a good location gets it under his feet and the shot is over.

36 - Martinelli puts in a really good cross and Havertz wasn’t expecting it to fall to him and he can’t do anything with it. It just bounces off his face.

Sort of symbolizes Havertz game here. He’s mostly in the right spots and doing the right things, he just is off. It is probably not easy to try and head that on target but you do kind of hope that a player wants to make it happen and is ready to take advantage if it falls to them.

39 - Not anything of real note, just something that had a bit of frustration in the game while watching. Partey is just so uncomfortable playing the ball out to his left. He doesn’t trust his left foot at all, even if that space is there for the pass.

You’ve done the hard work! Make the easy pass for a pro here!

41 - I wanted to watch back the high wins in this game. Both Markstats and I had Arsenal with 7 in this match, turning 1 into a shot.

This is something Elliot brought up in the instant reaction as something he didn’t think the team did well enough on (a reoccurring complaint, that I am not sure is fully true given that it does seem these are converted fewer than people expect when I did a quick look at it). Here is the first real one of the match.

Trossard blocks the shot, Arsenal have numbers forward but when his cross comes in, it is only Saka in the box and that isn’t a winning combination most times.

Looks like Havertz went for near post/cutback ball and Trossard was on a different page.

42 - Partey does well to use his body to draw a foul in the final third. It is another dangerous spot. Partey is having a very good match.

Rice puts it on a platter and Merino slams it home.

2-1

That is a perfect delivery, he has done that a few times and it is just so dangerous. The line is going to be close but it looks like Van Dijk’s foot is playing everyone onside.

VAR confirms onside, the big step saves Arsenal, even any of the peripheral guys are on side here.

49 - Liverpool start getting a bit of pressure and some more of the ball (understandable with the game state). Here they work the ball around Arsenal’s block and TAA plays a ball that MacAllister heads towards goal but it is saved.

That’s the end of the first half. Overall it was pretty close. Liverpool had a bit more in the first period but Arsenal had more of the second half, actually a lot more. Liverpool get just the one late shot after Arsenal go ahead, with Arsenal getting 5 shots and several other dangerous moments and a penalty shout.

That was a really good end to the half from Arsenal and they deserve their lead going into the break here.

Second Half:

No changes from either team here.

46 - Nunez fouls Gabriel as they chase a ball into the Arsenal defensive third. Nunez got him in the back of the leg with his knee.

48 - Arsenal cut the ball out and have a chance to create a bit of transition. Good passing move but Havertz doesn’t have the final ball here to finish the move.

This is a good example of Arsenal staying in shape, but not dropping too deep to invite pressure.

Gabriel is down and looks hurt, grabbing his leg. It is probably tied to the foul earlier from Nunez.

51 - Diaz gets the better of Partey, they attack him with a long ball and then Diaz just leaves him behind. Partey pulls out just in time to not commit a penalty. He runs out of room before he can make a final pass.

This is the first real time that they have attacked him with that diagonal, I think that is probably an underused threat from Liverpool.

52 - Salah gets in behind, with Timber not able to track the give and go. His cross is dangerous and it looks like Raya just gets a touch on that to keep it away from Nunez at the back post.

This is the first real time all game where Liverpool look like they can create threat from open play. They find a semi transition moment and attack quick.

54 - Gabriel is done and keep going with his injury. It is Kiwior who is coming on for him.

The backline gets tested more.

57 - Liverpool build well, Gravenberch plays a great pass and Salah spins Timber who came too tight on him coming back to the ball. He is hesitant on his cross and gets it wrong thankfully where he and Diaz seem to be thinking about different ways to attack this.

59 - Partey does well to win the ball in the box but then goes down losing the ball looking for a foul. He doesn’t get it. Arsenal have enough bodies back to cover for it and it goes for a corner.

This is the third moment of Liverpool getting into Arsenal’s box dangerously in the last few minutes, they are finding moments where they can stretch Arsenal. None of this is when Arsenal are sitting deep.

Liverpool are preparing a triple change here.

62 - Arsenal have a high turnover but it doesn’t quite lead to an instant opening, Arsenal decide to keep the ball vs force it in right away.

63 - Martinelli beats Gravenberch, its a decent cross towards Havertz but cut out.

Arsenal retain the high possession but work it around more. It comes back to Timber and he is offside. That is a bit of a poor one because he doesn’t need to be and Arsenal were keeping the ball well after the pressure from Liverpool.

63 - Liverpool make their subs. Gakpo, Tsimikas, and Szoboszlai on.

65 - Liverpool have a turn of sustained pressure. They are on the door but can’t break through. Arsenal try to build out but Havertz lost it in a bad spot. Gravenberch tries a speculative one and it goes over. Warning sign here.

It is not the times that Arsenal are deep that they are presenting chances to Liverpool but rather when Liverpool can create moments of transition where they are dangerous. It makes sense why Arsenal would be enticed to go into a block, even if it is too early right now.

Since halftime it has been mostly Liverpool. Arsenal are doing well to limit the scoring chances to half chances at best. They have had a few spells of possession that have helped relieved the pressure. Neither team is able to execute perfectly on their few moments, with Liverpool creating more.

71 - Timber goes down here, looks like he has a cramp. He is back up and will try and keep going.

73 - Havertz with a good long run, he can’t quite beat Tsimikas in the end and loses the ball in the box trying to go around the corner on him.

75 - Arsenal win the ball high, Trossard gets it under control, might be a beat too slow moving to Martinelli after he was forced to check his run. Ball comes in behind him and Martinelli’s touch lets him down.

That would have been a dangerous opportunity if Trossard/Martinelli had the execution right.

Timber comes off for Myles Lewis Skelly.

77 - Arsenal win it high again, this time it is Rice intercepting. It goes to Havertz who shots over.

That is just so good from Rice. He seems free to try and read that play more and has been very good going up against Liverpool’s midfield here.

This might be a good time to use some subs for Arsenal. They survived the Liverpool pressure with Liverpool going with fresh players and have a foot hold in the game again. Maybe get some more midfield control like Jorginho on, or maybe Sterling/Jesus to add threat wide from two players that might not have 90 minutes in them.

80 - Arsenal play out from a goal kick, doing well to play through the press. Saka gets it while cutting into the middle and find MLS in space. Skelly plays the through ball to Martinelli but just under hits it and Martinelli can’t pull it forward into his stride losing the ball.

With hindsight, once the first touch to try and get the ball that is behind him doesn’t come off he should probably just stop and focus on keeping possession because the next one forces him off balance and Konate is able to get on it. If MLS has a few more yards of speed on the ball, Martinelli might be able to get in behind fully. Fine margins

This is how it looks when Alexander-Arnold recovers the ball. This is not a dangerous looking shape to be countered from Arsenal at all. The ball is 95 yards from goal, with only Martinelli in front of the play. It is 3 vs 2 with MLS and Trossard here, but Merino is not far off from being able to provide help/

Trossard is too easily bypassed here but he is outnumbered in the area, after MLS drops back and doesn’t commit to staying forward to stop the transition play. The gap between him and Merino is huge here and Merino is slower than you would like getting into his spot.

Szoboszlai does well to keep Havertz from impacting and forces Merino to commit to him and he lays it off easily to Trent. Martinelli is busting his way back while Trossard hasn’t done too much to track Alexander-Arnold here.

Martinelli almost gets back to Alexander-Arnold but he plays it quick and over the top to Nunez who is played onside by Kiwior. Ideally this play is one where you take the foul and get back but Trossard/Merino don’t commit to it and Martinelli trying to recover can’t get back in time.

Kiwior looks like he wants to try and cut out the ball and is drawn into the right channel while the ball goes over his head and Nunez has a free run onto the ball ahead of Ben White.

If Kiwior just runs the channel and gets goal side this is probably dealt with better.

Salah cuts inside and now both Kiwior and MLS are behind him and it is two on one against Ben White. This is trouble.

Nunez perfectly lays it off behind White and Kiwior cannot recover in time to cut out the pass.

From there Salah has a lot of goal to aim at and he doesn’t miss again.

Here is the full overhead view of the gut punch. Arsenal can do better to stop it but that is high level execution, great pass from Trent, really good from Nunez, and then a finish that is spot on.

82 - Liverpool looking to apply some pressure to see if they have a winner. Nunez makes a run behind the line. Arsenal defend it well.

84 - Arsenal bringing on Jesus and Nwaneri here for Saka and Martinelli.

87 - Arsenal get a couple looks. First, MLS intercepts the ball and Arsenal builds quickly before Merino plays a nice pass to get Havertz free in space. He cuts it to Nwnaeri but he can’t get the touch right to take a shot, that was a good move and great shooting opportunity that goes begging.

Hard to be too tough on the kid but I want that to be a shot.

Second, after the play breaks down, Trossard gets it into Havertz in the channel and he stands it up at the far post. Jesus tight angle shot/pass is blocked for a corner. The first of the night.

Saka is out who normally takes from this side and it is Nwaneri who takes it instead. It is a decent delivery, and Merino just misses getting on the end of it. Liverpool clear it to the edge of the box where it falls to Jesus who tries a shot that is saved.

90 - Arsenal have it in the back of the net but the referee has blown it back for a foul.

Many are upset about it but given the calls in the game this is in line with them. What makes it look weird is that he is hesitating on the call and blows late on it, he made a move to call it but seemed to have doubt and then came back and called the foul. It is again probably a 50/50 type foul and like many of the decisions it doesn’t go Arsenal’s way today.

97 - Referee blows for goal kick instead of corner, where it very clearly goes off the Liverpool player and everyone knows it but the referee. That is just about it, instead of a last gasp corner chance it is a goal kick to see it out.

Full time.

Final Thoughts

This was illuminating to rewatch. I don’t think I change my opinions on the player ratings too much here after that, I think I got it spot on but some of my high level takes change some.

First, I think that Arsenal did have the better of this match, especially in the moments that mattered. On my xG Liverpool have the edge but it is close overall Arsenal had a few moments where they nearly created something that make me think that this was very even.

Liverpool edged the possession, Arsenal edged the deep possession and neither team really did too much to open things up. Liverpool had the edge in the opening period, Arsenal had the edge in the second period. Liverpool had a five to seven minute spell that they created pressure but Arsenal rode it out and basically matched them in the final period.

Getting to a 2-goal lead would have killed this game, maybe even committing to just ugly deep block for the final 20 would have too but understandable to not do that with the backline Arsenal were playing.

My complaints about the sub usage remain. I think that there were strong arguments to look at fresh players to help with the game, and to help with the game sooner. Some of that is probably disrupted by the injury situation that forced some subs but not so much that it couldn’t have been managed, where he leaves one sub unused.

I do think I was wrong on the conservatism, Arsenal did not spend the second half bunkered and playing deep. They had moments where they did but that was not the predominant situation and it was the most effective defensive situation.

This doesn’t perfectly capture things but it is illustrative, in the final third Liverpool really did not get much penetration into dangerous spots outside of a couple moments where they could create transition chances.

Arsenal held them to season lows in just about all of their attacking metrics and played an exceptional game, especially considering how depleted they were in this match.

Arsenal find themselves in a tough spot, they have played really well this season, especially at 11v11 but have had max punishment leading to dropped points. The dropped points hurt because it will leave Arsenal needing to fight back from a 5 point gap to Manchester City and a 4 point gap to Liverpool.

I think Arsenal can catch both teams but the breaks are not falling their way this season.