Liverpool 1-1 Arsenal Player ratings and match reaction

Raya - 7 - Arguably could have got across better for Salah’s equaliser but was in control of his penalty area


White - 7 - Did ok dealing with Luis Diaz


Saliba - 9 - We’d have won at Anfield in April if this guy wasn’t injured


Gabriel - 8 - Solid and good headed goal


Zinchenko - 6 - Legs like Christopher Reeve for Salah’s equaliser but played some decent forward passes


Rice - 7.5 - As he always does struggled a bit with the Liverpool press but made some good interceptions and passes forward


Havertz - 6 - Somewhat anonymous and sluggish on the ball


Martinelli - 6 - Should have buried the chance first half and was bossed too much by Alexander Arnold


Odegaard - 5 - Sloppy on the ball


Jesus - 5 - Anonymous


Saka - 7 - The most effective of our attacking players


Subs


Trossard 7 - Created some half decent opportunities


Nketiah 5 - Pointless sub



So the result was good, and the performance wasn’t terrible. I think Liverpool defended well in fairness and got back to make interceptions well. And if we were wasteful well so were they especially the four on one opportunity where I thought we were dead for sure.

Liverpool were better than they were against United.

I think we are a very good team but as ever don’t have enough up front. If just one of Saka, Martinelli or Jesus activated beast mode I think we would win the league. They won’t score enough to get us over the line and in Martinelli’s case I think he has arguably gone backwards from last season.

Every title winning team has a player who goes above and beyond and I don’t see who will do that for us this season. We need a Haaland or Salah transformation from someone.

On the plus side, Saliba, Gabriel and Rice are exceptional so that will be enough to keep us there or there abouts as we are not easy to beat.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Marc Overmars

I think we are a very good team but as ever don’t have enough up front. If just one of Saka, Martinelli or Jesus activated beast mode I think we would win the league. They won’t score enough to get us over the line and in Martinelli’s case I think he has arguably gone backwards from last season.

Every title winning team has a player who goes above and beyond and I don’t see who will do that for us this season. We need a Haaland or Salah transformation from someone.

On the plus side, Saliba, Gabriel and Rice are exceptional so that will be enough to keep us there or there abouts as we are not easy to beat.

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Martinelli is one of my favourite players but he hasn’t had the best season. Too often he cuts inside when he should be trying to beat his man and get in behind the defence.

Saka I thought was decent tonight, even though he had at least two defenders marking him all the time. It has to be said we have managed to get more wins under our belt than teams with more natural goalscorers than us, although I think especially away from home we have been a bit wasteful.

I’d like to see Nelson and Smith Rowe get minutes in the next few games.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Marc Overmars

I think we are a very good team but as ever don’t have enough up front. If just one of Saka, Martinelli or Jesus activated beast mode I think we would win the league. They won’t score enough to get us over the line and in Martinelli’s case I think he has arguably gone backwards from last season.

Every title winning team has a player who goes above and beyond and I don’t see who will do that for us this season. We need a Haaland or Salah transformation from someone.

On the plus side, Saliba, Gabriel and Rice are exceptional so that will be enough to keep us there or there abouts as we are not easy to beat.

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I reckon I was watching two sides who will be there or thereabouts come May.
I don’t think Villa have the legs for the long haul and Spurs are…Spurs.
So that leaves Liverpool and us and we would be stupid to discount City.
I think it will be a good race this year. I worry about the lack of firepower but I reckon we will be close this year. We’ve got the experience of last year and a stronger squad. I don’t think we will run out of steam so quickly.

Yeah I’m not worried this time about bottling it or how the team deals with adversity, I think we are made of very strong stuff now. I just think there’s a missing piece of the puzzle up front and that wastefulness might cost us in the end.

It does feel like you could win the league with less than 90 points this year, so that helps too.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by HCZ_Reborn

I’d like to see Nelson and Smith Rowe get minutes in the next few games.

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Definitely, it does no harm for other players to know they have competition and it would give us something fresh

Arteta still hasn't learnt to make enough subs or rotate properly, still he's only on a few million a year, can't expect too much really

Quote:

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Originally Posted by HCZ_Reborn

Raya - 7 - Arguably could have got across better for Salah’s equaliser but was in control of his penalty area


White - 7 - Did ok dealing with Luis Diaz


Saliba - 9 - We’d have won at Anfield in April if this guy wasn’t injured


Gabriel - 8 - Solid and good headed goal


Zinchenko - 6 - Legs like Christopher Reeve for Salah’s equaliser but played some decent forward passes


Rice - 7.5 - As he always does struggled a bit with the Liverpool press but made some good interceptions and passes forward


Havertz - 6 - Somewhat anonymous and sluggish on the ball


Martinelli - 6 - Should have buried the chance first half and was bossed too much by Alexander Arnold


Odegaard - 5 - Sloppy on the ball


Jesus - 5 - Anonymous


Saka - 7 - The most effective of our attacking players


Subs


Trossard 7 - Created some half decent opportunities


Nketiah 5 - Pointless sub



So the result was good, and the performance wasn’t terrible. I think Liverpool defended well in fairness and got back to make interceptions well. And if we were wasteful well so were they especially the four on one opportunity where I thought we were dead for sure.

Liverpool were better than they were against United.

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Good result. Better than recent history at Anfield. Any of the top four/ five can win the PL this season.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Marc Overmars

I think we are a very good team but as ever don’t have enough up front. If just one of Saka, Martinelli or Jesus activated beast mode I think we would win the league. They won’t score enough to get us over the line and in Martinelli’s case I think he has arguably gone backwards from last season.

Every title winning team has a player who goes above and beyond and I don’t see who will do that for us this season. We need a Haaland or Salah transformation from someone.

On the plus side, Saliba, Gabriel and Rice are exceptional so that will be enough to keep us there or there abouts as we are not easy to beat.

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:gp: I wasn't able to watch the game but this is a pretty accurate analysis of the team we see day in and out.

I totally concur that we need someone upfront to stepup and do an Anelka if we want to win it....but the chances of that happening with this lot is quite minimal.

This tranfer window will determine how serious we are with winning the league if you ask me.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Letters

I reckon I was watching two sides who will be there or thereabouts come May.
I don’t think Villa have the legs for the long haul and Spurs are…Spurs.
So that leaves Liverpool and us and we would be stupid to discount City.
I think it will be a good race this year. I worry about the lack of firepower but I reckon we will be close this year. We’ve got the experience of last year and a stronger squad. I don’t think we will run out of steam so quickly.

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As previously said, I believe you cannot dismiss anyone currently in the top five, including Spuds and Villa. Both clubs have decent players coming back from injury and suspension. It's going to be a close one this year.