Luis Suárez celebrates his first and Liverpool's second goal with Raul Meireles, who got the assist
Saturday 20th August 2011
Arsenal 0
Liverpool 2 – Ramsey (O.G.) 78′, Suarez 90′
The Emirates (HT 0-0)
Two late Liverpool goals gave them a crucial away win against a depleted Arsenal side.
By Connor Whitmore (see poll at bottom)
Come the end of the Premier League season in May, certain positions in the table will be sorted that would not have been so easy to figure out at the start.
The championship will be decided in what could be one of the most enticing title challenges yet, as Chelsea will look to shatter the forecasts of our top two for years to come: the red of the present and the blue of the future that sit on each side of Manchester. This could be new Chelsea manager André Villas-Boas’ only chance in just his first year.
Furthermore, the candidates for this year’s relegation battle will participate in what may be seen as as one of the most unpredictable races ever. While there are new-boys QPR, Norwich and Swansea, teams such as Blackburn, Bolton and Aston Villa have sold heavily and will most likely see staying up as their foremost target. Add the fact that squads such as Wolves’, Newcastle’s, West Brom’s and Wigan’s are quite threadbare and you’d be quick to conclude that slipping into this year’s eviction process will be an easy thing. But one burst of form could make it plain sailing for any one of these to rise out of contention for the exit, and who can make the break first will be the question.
There are other suspects that could be placed in this group of expected top-flight failures, such as Sunderland, Fulham and Stoke. However these teams share a common approach, instilling their ethic as more solid and tight-knit clubs. Staying true to their style whilst also adding reinforcements to their cavalries will improve their integrity, and as a result they will most likely find themselves tussling with the likes of Tottenham Hotspur and Everton for a Europa League spot.
One tantalising issue that splits most critiques, however, is their choice for who will grab fourth spot at the end of the ten months, the elusive final Champions League spot. At the second week of this season, the most renowned contenders to grab that chance contested at the Emirates, in a rather unusual placement of the fixture.
Kolo Touré scores in Arsenal's first encounter with Liverpool at The Emirates
Even though last season’s encounter for both sides took place at Anfield, the last time a home Arsenal match between the two has happened before December was in The Gunners’ first season at The Emirates (which Arsenal won 3-0). With December arguably being the month in which the season decides to take its shape, it’s a harsh realisation to the fans – and even neutrals – that contrasts must be drawn between the two squads from the start; a time of transition, where teams have not yet gelled.
Any football fan would have noticed the stark differences between the sides just from the line-ups. Arsenal began the match with their usual 4-2-3-1 formation, although injuries to Kieran Gibbs, Johan Djourou, Armand Traore, Jack Wilshere, Abou Diaby and Tomáš Rosický held back Gunners’ manager Arsène Wenger from fielding a healthily fervent squad. Further depletion through the bans of Gervinho and Alex Song made sure Arsenal’s side was an extremely fragile and inexperienced one. Whilst first team regulars Wojciech Szczesny, Bacary Sagna, Thomas Vermaelen, Laurent Koscielny and new captain Robin van Persie started, youngsters Carl Jenkinson and Emmanuel Frimpong gave the home side its slightness. Fringe forwards Theo Walcott and Andrey Arshavin also began, sandwiching the controversial Samir Nasri who was greeted to a chorus of boos when his name was announced just before kick-off.
Liverpool on the other hand were almost at their strongest, showing off four of their new signings in José Enrique, Jordan Henderson, Charlie Adam and Stewart Downing to begin with a 4-5-1 formation. Just behind centre-forward Andy Carroll was a midfield three including Henderson, Adam and Lucas Leiva, with Dirk Kuyt and Downing holding their places on the wings. A usual back four started the proceedings with Enrique’s second start for Liverpool gaining support from Daniel Agger, Jamie Carragher and 21-year-old Martin Kelly at right-back. With Pepe Reina in goal, only captain Steven Gerrard was absent (due to a groin injury) from this formidable-looking British side, freshened up with a tinge of finesse.
The first forty-five minutes were spent evenly, as Liverpool’s soaking-up of Arsenal’s pressure was exploited on the counter, with the lively Downing providing the main threat, stretching the young Jenkinson to every sinew in his body. An exasperated Arsenal displayed their frustration through long range shots from Frimpong and Nasri, and were further let down when yet another injury surfaced in centre-back Koscielny from a back spasm, taking their defensive injury list to four players. Liverpool went close through acute headers from both Carroll and Henderson, only to be expertly equalled through Szczesny’s brilliance in the Arsenal goal.
As the north London downpour over the half-time period increasingly loosened up the carpet-like pitch, a rich tale was beginning to unfold from this contest. Liverpool did well to carry their fluid approach into the second half, exploiting the space that Welshman Aaron Ramsey was leaving just in front of his back four – his lack of experience in the defensive midfield position being manipulated to the full by the expansive Adam, who dictated the game alongside the laborious Henderson. Arsenal’s pressing was best expressed through the animated Frimpong. Although having to make up defensively without the support of Ramsey, Frimpong was reminiscent of a certain Alex Song, hustling his own way through the Merseysiders’ midfield to join in his team’s attacks and getting back to defend when needed.
L'dépourvus Wenger (the bereft Wenger)
By the 70th-minute however, for all his endless energy, the vivacious Frimpong’s exploits were fated to contribute to Arsenal’s downfall. Just after Robin van Persie had gone agonisingly near with a close-range shot, the young Ghanaian collided with Lucas in what was seen as quite an experimental challenge, slightly into Liverpool’s half. As the two cannoned off each other in the relentless rain, only the Brazilian Lucas was left in brief agony on the floor, with referee Martin Atkinson seemingly oblivious to the incident. When Atkinson turned, seeing Lucas writhing on the ground, a second yellow was given to Frimpong to accompany his other from the first half and earn him a red card on his first Premier League start for Arsenal.
A bereft Wenger was in emotional tatters on the side of the pitch, as the shocked Frimpong trudged off into the distance through the tunnel. His antithesis was the hopeful Kenny Dalglish, who made use of the numerical advantage immediately by bringing on Raul Meireles and Luis Suárez for Kuyt and Carroll, the latter a heavy disappointment.
What followed was an all-too easy task for Dalglish’s men, who in the last twenty minutes tore Arsenal to pieces in a ravenous romp. The game became more open, and the manner in which Liverpool went about their play left the Gunners’ fans speechless.
First, a slight mix up in the Arsenal area was capitalised on by the energetic Suárez who caused substitute Igansi Miquel’s rash clearance to come off the unsuspecting Ramsey and loop over the hopeless Szczesny. This lead on from some effective build-up play involving the other replacement Meireles: and ten minutes later he sealed the game by passing to Suárez in the open, who tapped into an empty net – the Uruguayan surrounded by a wave of desperate Arsenal defenders, whose fortitude was slammed by the universal booing when the full-time whistle sounded.
Aaron Ramsey's unfortunate own goal, Liverpool's first after Frimpong's sending-off
Although this was only the second game of the season, Liverpool had done well to stake a claim and send out a signal to the rest at the top: we mean business.
Man of the Match: José Enrique
In only his second start for Kenny Dalglish’s side, the Spaniard proved to be a deciding figure in the match, mirroring Liverpool’s patient persistence with his darting runs down the left channel, exact passing and tracking back. Kept Theo Walcott even more quiet than usual.
Villain of the Match: Andrey Arshavin
Was a far cry from the magic Russian who delivered five goals within the space of 8 months at Anfield, with an awful track-back rate further worsened through his lazy passes and indirect dribbles. The pass for van Persie’s chance was his only moment of brief excitement, with a typically dire and lethargic performance.
