Liverpool vs Arsenal 9th April 2023 player rating and match summary

[selassie]

Today was kind of a point gained considering the swing in the game, Liverpool had us on ropes for pretty much the entire second half. I was disappointed with us today, I felt we crumbled under the pressure and if it wasn't for Ramsdale, we would have got soundly beaten today. We started the game really well and were in control for around 40 minutes but then we just crumbled.

I personally think City are favourites for the title for the simple reason that I don't think we will get anything from the game at the Etihad.

[21_GOONER_SALUTE]

Today was kind of a point gained considering the swing in the game, Liverpool had us on ropes for pretty much the entire second half. I was disappointed with us today, I felt we crumbled under the pressure and if it wasn't for Ramsdale, we would have got soundly beaten today. We started the game really well and were in control for around 40 minutes but then we just crumbled.

I personally think City are favourites for the title for the simple reason that I don't think we will get anything from the game at the Etihad.

Its a shame that we've practically made that game into some sort of final for the EPL.

Well I had said earlier this season that the only way I'd believe we don't deserve to be crowned champions is if we lose to City twice...TBH after the way we handled them at home, I have almost lost faith in getting anything from them.

Its really a psychological thing, we should have beaten Liverpool convincingly today, even with Holding (who had a relatively good game surprisingly), but once Jesus and Xhaka got their fans going...you could see the belief going out of the lads and they were just playing to run down the clock.

I am just plain hopeful now, because psychologically, these guys are still pretty weak.

[selassie]

Its a shame that we've practically made that game into some sort of final for the EPL.

Well I had said earlier this season that the only way I'd believe we don't deserve to be crowned champions is if we lose to City twice...TBH after the way we handled them at home, I have almost lost faith in getting anything from them.

Its really a psychological thing, we should have beaten Liverpool convincingly today, even with Holding (who had a relatively good game surprisingly), but once Jesus and Xhaka got their fans going...you could see the belief going out of the lads and they were just playing to run down the clock.

I am just plain hopeful now, because psychologically, these guys are still pretty weak.

Yeah I hear you.

For the first 40 minutes we were in total control today, Jesus and Martinelli especially were giving them the run around. Once Liverpool scored the momentum swung. The second half was painful viewing, they totally dominated us in every area of the pitch, not only did we perform poorly but it felt as if the players did not believe they could win the game. It was like watching "Arsenal" of a few seasons back hanging on for dear life when ahead in a game, we just retreated and invited wave upon wave of attacks.

I do think the mentality of the team has improved and do believe we can bounce back so to speak....but our run-in is really difficult. Despite that, if we can avoid defeat at the Etihad and St James's Park and take care of things in the rest of our games then we will be Champions, that's a big if though.

[Letters]

I am just plain hopeful now, because psychologically, these guys are still pretty weak.

I don’t think that’s true.
We’ve scored plenty of late goals, got lots of wins from losing positions.
And we responded to The Wobble ™ with 7 straight wins.
We are a lot stronger psychologically and better at dealing with setbacks than we were.

This result could be the 2 points dropped that cost us the title or…it could be the point gained that wins us it. It’s going to be crushing not winning it after how good we’ve been this year, but we are against an absolute juggernaut in City. I’m can’t really fault our efforts this season.

[IBK]

As people know I tend to try to be moderate on here and I have been one of Xhaka's biggest supporters.

But I was disappointed with that result/performance yesterday and I still am now. We were absolutely in control at 0-2 up and we had Liverpool on the ropes. What did we do? - We showed that we lack the maturity to play our game and ignore the shit-housery and absolutely played into their hands. I would have thought that the game last season showed exactly what you don't do at Anfield. You don't give them and their crowd anything to lift their game. What does Xhaka do? He riles the crowd up - for nothing - and the result was their first goal, just before half time.

The second half was a disaster class from our team and manager. All composure went and we simply invited them onto our shaky defence. I'm not going to single Holding out, but he is our 4th choice CB for a reason and was playing with a LB who can't defend and a RB who was giving us a Manure style performance after (an admittedly soft) yellow card. I felt their second goal was inevitable, and they should have beaten us by 2 goals but for a world class keeper performance from Ramsdale.

We had little or no outlet - I can't remember so many attacking pases going astray - and we lacked the composure to profit from 2 or 3 gilt-edged chances to score another. Our mindset was negative, and we switched to survival mode - something epitomosed by Arteta's decision to put on that Herman Munster looking guy in place of Odegard - one of our best ball retainers - at a time when our MF seemed as though it had disappeared anyway. Zin should have been subbed long before he gifted them their second.

I get that Anfield is a difficult place to go to, but we were in total control FFS and we fucked it up. This was not a performance (for 50 minutes) that suggests we have what it takes to prevent Citeh from winning the title, and the doubts about our team's ability to cope with real pressure loom large. If ever a point felt like a loss it was this game, for me. I have lost faith that we will take the title and that feels depressing this morning.

[HCZ_Reborn]

As people know I tend to try to be moderate on here and I have been one of Xhaka's biggest supporters.

But I was disappointed with that result/performance yesterday and I still am now. We were absolutely in control at 0-2 up and we had Liverpool on the ropes. What did we do? - We showed that we lack the maturity to play our game and ignore the shit-housery and absolutely played into their hands. I would have thought that the game last season showed exactly what you don't do at Anfield. You don't give them and their crowd anything to lift their game. What does Xhaka do? He riles the crowd up - for nothing - and the result was their first goal, just before half time.

The second half was a disaster class from our team and manager. All composure went and we simply invited them onto our shaky defence. I'm not going to single Holding out, but he is our 4th choice CB for a reason and was playing with a LB who can't defend and a RB who was giving us a Manure style performance after (an admittedly soft) yellow card. I felt their second goal was inevitable, and they should have beaten us by 2 goals but for a world class keeper performance from Ramsdale.

We had little or no outlet - I can't remember so many attacking pases going astray - and we lacked the composure to profit from 2 or 3 gilt-edged chances to score another. Our mindset was negative, and we switched to survival mode - something epitomosed by Arteta's decision to put on that Herman Munster looking guy in place of Odegard - one of our best ball retainers - at a time when our MF seemed as though it had disappeared anyway. Zin should have been subbed long before he gifted them their second.

I get that Anfield is a difficult place to go to, but we were in total control FFS and we fucked it up. This was not a performance (for 50 minutes) that suggests we have what it takes to prevent Citeh from winning the title, and the doubts about our team's ability to cope with real pressure loom large. If ever a point felt like a loss it was this game, for me. I have lost faith that we will take the title and that feels depressing this morning.

Whilst I agree with you in regards to our second half performance I think this idea that Xhaka reacting to Alexander-Arnold was the turning point without which they couldn’t have come back into the game is for the birds.

It’s a lovely talking point for sky sports commentators but the reality is…Liverpool at any point could have upped their game and turned the screw.

Not having our best defensive options available didnt help and this is why I was not confident of getting a result yesterday.

Yes the players did wilt under pressure, but we haven’t suddenly found a magical way to play out of trouble when we get pushed back

The fact is it’s not the first time we’ve been penned in and couldn’t find a way out away from home….Crystal Palace, Leeds, Leicester…even against Spurs in the second half it was all them and I think we had maybe one or two half chances on the counter. Arguably even against Brighton our backs were against the wall for the last twenty minutes or so and only a marginal offside call stopped them making it 4-3

We have gone for it twice away from home, once losing (against United) and once winning (against Villa)

[IBK]

Whilst I agree with you in regards to our second half performance I think this idea that Xhaka reacting to Alexander-Arnold was the turning point without which they couldn’t have come back into the game is for the birds.

It’s a lovely talking point for sky sports commentators but the reality is…Liverpool at any point could have upped their game and turned the screw.

Not having our best defensive options available didnt help and this is why I was not confident of getting a result yesterday.

Yes the players did wilt under pressure, but we haven’t suddenly found a magical way to play out of trouble when we get pushed back

The fact is it’s not the first time we’ve been penned in and couldn’t find a way out away from home….Crystal Palace, Leeds, Leicester…even against Spurs in the second half it was all them and I think we had maybe one or two half chances on the counter. Arguably even against Brighton our backs were against the wall for the last twenty minutes or so and only a marginal offside call stopped them making it 4-3

We have gone for it twice away from home, once losing (against United) and once winning (against Villa)

I agree with your point that we have ridden our luck in second halves a few times this season, but I still think that the Xhaka incident was key. This isn't following the press - I was watching the game with a few Gooners and we all said it in real time. Before Xhaka's over reaction we were saying that it was embarrassing because you could hear the tannoy (and the away fans) - so much for the famous Anfield atmosphere. After it, the crowd woke up, and it definitely gave Liverpool's players a lift. They are a team - as their extraordinary home record compared to away shows this season, that feeds off the atmosphere. This was Klopp's Cup Final and his 'heavy metal' playing style needs a spark. We gave them this - just like Arteta did last season. Had we gone in at the break 0-2 up then the crowd would have started the second half nervy and subdued - their goal came at the worst time.

Arteta seems to agree with me.

Beyond that, however, we showed that we don't have the composure to deal with shit housery. Liverpool already had an excrable ref on their team. The likes of TAA; Robertson and Firmino are masters at riling and disrupting opposition players. Xhaka is supposed to be a leader in this team, and did the wrong thing in reacting and reverting to type. Our ineffectual MF was severely hampered by his yellow card - and IMHO this contributed to it fading almost into non-existance in the second half - so much so that Klopp took one of theirs off to go with a more attacking formation. Same went for Ben White - a yellow stifling performance - albeit that his was unmerited.

Klopp - who let's face it had little to play for - wanted this to be a rabble rousing cup final. And we gave him exactly what he wanted.

[Mac76]

I agree with your point that we have ridden our luck in second halves a few times this season, but I still think that the Xhaka incident was key. This isn't following the press - I was watching the game with a few Gooners and we all said it in real time. Before Xhaka's over reaction we were saying that it was embarrassing because you could hear the tannoy (and the away fans) - so much for the famous Anfield atmosphere. After it, the crowd woke up, and it definitely gave Liverpool's players a lift. They are a team - as their extraordinary home record compared to away shows this season, that feeds off the atmosphere. This was Klopp's Cup Final and his 'heavy metal' playing style needs a spark. We gave them this - just like Arteta did last season. Had we gone in at the break 0-2 up then the crowd would have started the second half nervy and subdued - their goal came at the worst time.

Arteta seems to agree with me.

Beyond that, however, we showed that we don't have the composure to deal with shit housery. Liverpool already had an excrable ref on their team. The likes of TAA; Robertson and Firmino are masters at riling and disrupting opposition players. Xhaka is supposed to be a leader in this team, and did the wrong thing in reacting and reverting to type. Our ineffectual MF was severely hampered by his yellow card - and IMHO this contributed to it fading almost into non-existance in the second half - so much so that Klopp took one of theirs off to go with a more attacking formation. Same went for Ben White - a yellow stifling performance - albeit that his was unmerited.

Klopp - who let's face it had little to play for - wanted this to be a rabble rousing cup final. And we gave him exactly what he wanted.

This

And who has picked Xhaka week in week out despite knowing his temperament?

Arteta

We should have got rid of Xhaka two summers ago, last season his ill discipline cost ua a CL place, this time it's cost us the title

[HCZ_Reborn]

I agree with your point that we have ridden our luck in second halves a few times this season, but I still think that the Xhaka incident was key. This isn't following the press - I was watching the game with a few Gooners and we all said it in real time. Before Xhaka's over reaction we were saying that it was embarrassing because you could hear the tannoy (and the away fans) - so much for the famous Anfield atmosphere. After it, the crowd woke up, and it definitely gave Liverpool's players a lift. They are a team - as their extraordinary home record compared to away shows this season, that feeds off the atmosphere. This was Klopp's Cup Final and his 'heavy metal' playing style needs a spark. We gave them this - just like Arteta did last season. Had we gone in at the break 0-2 up then the crowd would have started the second half nervy and subdued - their goal came at the worst time.

Arteta seems to agree with me.

Beyond that, however, we showed that we don't have the composure to deal with shit housery. Liverpool already had an excrable ref on their team. The likes of TAA; Robertson and Firmino are masters at riling and disrupting opposition players. Xhaka is supposed to be a leader in this team, and did the wrong thing in reacting and reverting to type. Our ineffectual MF was severely hampered by his yellow card - and IMHO this contributed to it fading almost into non-existance in the second half - so much so that Klopp took one of theirs off to go with a more attacking formation. Same went for Ben White - a yellow stifling performance - albeit that his was unmerited.

Klopp - who let's face it had little to play for - wanted this to be a rabble rousing cup final. And we gave him exactly what he wanted.

The point I’m making is that if it hadn’t been that it would have been something else

The idea that Liverpool would have been dormant for 90 minutes and the crowd would have stayed docile for that time is a way of comforting ourselves that somehow we could have won this game easily. The fact is that even before that incident they’d created chances…Robertson should have done better when through on goal, and albeit a harsh booking White was struggling to deal with Jota.

[Niall_Quinn]

As people know I tend to try to be moderate on here and I have been one of Xhaka's biggest supporters.

But I was disappointed with that result/performance yesterday and I still am now. We were absolutely in control at 0-2 up and we had Liverpool on the ropes. What did we do? - We showed that we lack the maturity to play our game and ignore the shit-housery and absolutely played into their hands. I would have thought that the game last season showed exactly what you don't do at Anfield. You don't give them and their crowd anything to lift their game. What does Xhaka do? He riles the crowd up - for nothing - and the result was their first goal, just before half time.

The second half was a disaster class from our team and manager. All composure went and we simply invited them onto our shaky defence. I'm not going to single Holding out, but he is our 4th choice CB for a reason and was playing with a LB who can't defend and a RB who was giving us a Manure style performance after (an admittedly soft) yellow card. I felt their second goal was inevitable, and they should have beaten us by 2 goals but for a world class keeper performance from Ramsdale.

We had little or no outlet - I can't remember so many attacking pases going astray - and we lacked the composure to profit from 2 or 3 gilt-edged chances to score another. Our mindset was negative, and we switched to survival mode - something epitomosed by Arteta's decision to put on that Herman Munster looking guy in place of Odegard - one of our best ball retainers - at a time when our MF seemed as though it had disappeared anyway. Zin should have been subbed long before he gifted them their second.

I get that Anfield is a difficult place to go to, but we were in total control FFS and we fucked it up. This was not a performance (for 50 minutes) that suggests we have what it takes to prevent Citeh from winning the title, and the doubts about our team's ability to cope with real pressure loom large. If ever a point felt like a loss it was this game, for me. I have lost faith that we will take the title and that feels depressing this morning.

I agree the Xhaka moment was a turning point, but would add the crowd had more influence on the ref than anything else. That ref was shit scared of the crowd. Arnold should have seen red for repeated offences as should that brick shithouse of a centre back that went through more tackles studs up than I've seen in a while. But the ref was never going to apply the rules evenly at Anfield because that hasn't happened in five decades and wasn't going to start in this match. Xhaka was kicked up and down the pitch with zero consequences for the offenders and eventually he snapped. He shouldn't have. But it's understandable. Liverpool got back into the game by applying tactics that require the ref to play along, and he did. Good for them, it worked out. You could also say Xhaka was the only guy out there who was prepared to fight fire with fire, silly on this occasion because it was Anfield, but it will be needed in the run-in - from all the players, not just one of them.

Like Partey and Odegard for instance. If you want to find the main fault behind the toothless second half then you don't need further. Partey is a master at marking dead space, busy doing nothing. And no matter how difficult the task, he'll always find the back pass. Odegard thinks he's a better player than he actually is and it was fortune his dog shit contribution didn't wreck one of the goals. These two need to get stuck in, like Xhaka, and start pulling their weight. Right now they are both taking a free ride and in the process wasting two players who can genuinely turn a game, Saka and Martinelli. The latter has improved so much since I saw him at the start of the season. A better midfield could take advantage.

Xhaka is the best in there at the moment. But true, he's also a liability from time to time. But far from being the only one.