Much to the dismay of the Anfield faithful, the home side were dealt a devestating blow on the stroke of half time, as new signing Joe Cole was shown a red card. Few of those in the stands yesterday afternoon could have predicted that Arsenal’s first half dominance would be turned on its head shortly after play resumed after the break.
There weren’t many positives to be taken from the opening forty-five minutes for Reds fans, least of all the sending off of the player who had brought such great optimism to Liverpool over the summer. Perhaps the most damning aspect of the Reds’ early play was that they were seemingly unable to keep possession. That said, late in the half the momentum seemed to be with the home team, with a number of chances coming their way, but all the impetus seemed to be robbed with that disastrous tackle that left the whole stadium in a state of shock.
Immediately after the break, however, we saw a different Liverpool. Ngog’s fine strike screamed past Manuel Almunia into the net at the Kop end, and ten-man Liverpool were in front. The second half was a marked improvement - Liverpool defended well, created numerous chances, and looked to have shaken the first game nerves that seemed to plague the team in the opening stages. Liverpool fans saw from their team the sort of spirited, battling display that has become a trademark, the sort of character that seemed absent when we needed it most last season.
Liverpool were certainly unlucky to concede on the 90th minute - a rare error from Pepe Reina saw him fumble the ball into his own net under pressure from Arsenal’s new signing Marouane Chamakh. To lose the lead so late on was devestating, though to be fair, faced with such a difficult opening fixture, few Liverpool supporters wouldn’t have taken a draw before the game, or even at half time. And there are plenty of reasons to be cheerful for Liverpool fans…
1. Zonal marking is a thing of the past
While Rafa Benitez’s oft-criticised tactic of zonal marking may have been more sensible than many of the press seemed to believe, there’s no doubt that it led to a lot of confusion in the Liverpool box. Yesterday, we saw remarkable defensive organisation from Liverpool. Arsenal’s Marouane Chamakh, allegedly bought for his aerial qualities, won none of the five duels he was involved in in the air. The rock solid pairing of Skrtel and Carragher were exceptional.
2. The lesser-known debutant had a wonderful game
It may have been Joe Cole’s name on everyones lips all summer, but with his input dramatically cut short, it was Serbian new boy Milan Jovanovic who truly turned heads. Whether it was his unstoppable run down the centre of the pitch, shaking off Sagna and others for fun, or the chance he created that surely would have been a goal if his first-game nerves had settled, for once, Liverpool’s wide player on the left’s work rate mirrored that of the irrepressible Dirk Kuyt on the right.
3. Javier Mascherano gave 110% percent, despite his desire to leave Liverpool
When a player of Mascherano’s quality expresses a wish to move elsewhere, it can be a low blow to any team. Having recently reiterated his high opinion of the club and stressed that it was more to do with his unsettled family, Roy Hodgson quite rightly put him in the starting eleven, perhaps to add more of a tackling bite against a team that is noted for shying away from more aggressive play. He was one of a number of potential men of the match, his professionalism and commitment similar to James Milner’s on Saturday for Aston Villa. Liverpool could probably do with keeping him, after that, and if his future isn’t resolved before the transfer window ends should be safe in the knowledge he will continue to give his best for the cause. Wherever he goes, though, his Liverpool legacy was sealed with that performance.
4. Arshavin’s Anfield run has come to an end
Kuyt and Johnson did well to keep the Russian off the scoresheet at Anfield for the first time since he arrived at Arsenal. In fact, he was kept awfully quiet for the entire game.
5. The new gaffer is a very, very smart man
I can’t have been the only one wondering what Roy Hodgson said to the ten men who left the pitch at half time in his team talk, but when they returned to the field they looked like a different group of players. The transformation was of Istanbul-esque proportions, almost, and perhaps the added energy in the team is a case of a managerial honeymoon period, or a start of season desire that could well peter out as Premiership weariness sets in. But whatever it was, Roy’s tactical cleverness and organisational skills were key factors in Liverpool’s inspiring display.
6. Fernando Torres looks up for it
To wild cheers from the Kop, Fernando Torres made his first appearance for Liverpool since reaffirming his commitment to the club as a substitute for Ngog with twenty minutes left on the clock. Already it seems as if the positive atmosphere at Anfield will do him a wealth of good. He looked a great deal sharper than he did at the World Cup, where a definite lack of match fitness appeared to hold him back. A number of blistering runs could have ended in heartbreak for the Arsenal fans on the Anfield Road end. There were at least two shouts for promising edge of box free kicks thanks to his industry in the final third, but it wasn’t to be. Still, we can all look forward to a very hungry Nino on the hunt for goals again this season.
7. Pepe Reina’s season can only improve from here
Though chances were scarce for both sides for the majority of the game, Pepe had to deal with a number of shots that a lesser goalkeeper would not have dealt with so comfortably. It’s a terrible injustice that he was at fault for Arsenal’s last-gasp goal. But Liverpool’s reigning Player of the Season, as captain Steven Gerrard rightly said, will more than make up for his blunder as the season goes on. Of that, few people can have any doubt. And at least he wasn’t overshadowed by his opposite number - Almunia was his usual unreliable self.
8. If they play with that sort of spirit all season, there’s no reason Liverpool can’t mount a significant push for fourth place
…if you ask me, talk of the title is still premature, but aiming for a Champions League place this season is certainly not an ambition that is beyond Liverpools reach. Faced with a difficult first match, with a new manager and a much-changed team, it’s easy to take great optimism from little triumphs such as drawing with Arsenal at home. But the point is, with ten men (nine if you count the time spent with a concussed Agger receiving treatment on the sidelines and Maxi Rodriguez deputising at left-back), Liverpool took the game to a threatening (albeit poor) Arsenal, which is more than anyone could say of the same fixture last season. Liverpool fans can take great pride from our boys’ performance yesterday. The future is looking good.
Source: Amy Quinn, Match Centre on 16 Aug 10
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