For the fourth time this season, Arsenal dropped points in the Premier League.
The Gunners were held to a 2-2 draw at the Emirates against Liverpool, a result that leaves them five points off the pace in the race for the title.
Mikel Arteta’s side have been lauded for their performance against the Reds. Jurrien Timber and Bukayo Saka were doubts in the build-up to the game while Riccardo Calafiori and Martin Odegaard were both ruled out with injuries and William Saliba was suspended following his red card against Bournemouth.
The narrative was that the Gunners would have to field a patched-up XI against the then Premier League leaders. However, that didn't necessarily come to fruition. Saka and Timber were named in the starting XI and, in the end, Liverpool had just as many players missing from their Matchday squad. In fact, Arne Slot had to name two goalkeepers on the bench for the trip to the Emirates. The visitors only had one attacking option to come on in Cody Gakpo with Federico Chiesa and Diogo Jota missing.
Extra Preparation Time
On top of that, Liverpool travelled to Germany on Wednesday for a Champions League clash with RB Leipzig, a team currently joint-top of the Bundesliga whereas Arsenal hosted Shakhtar Donetsk at the Emirates.
So, Arsenal had an extra day to prepare for this match and there was no travelling involved. They had more strength on their bench too with Arteta able to call upon the likes of Gabriel Jesus, Raheem Sterling, Jorginho and the highly-rated Ethan Nwaneri. The ex- Manchester City assistant manager opted to rejig his defence because he didn’t trust Jakub Kiwior or Oleksandr Zinchenko - two players he signed for a combined £50million - to start at left-back.
Instead of using Zinchenko at left-back and having Timber at right-back with Ben White partnering Gabriel, the San Sebastian-born coach went with Thomas Partey at right-back and Timber at left-back. This decision fed into the narrative that Arsenal had injury woes.
They didn’t.
Not really.
Lack of Trust in Big Money Players
It was, again, just a case of Arteta not trusting a player he had spent big money on. It isn’t the first time he’s decided it is easier to replace a signing than it is to coach them. It won’t be the last.
Arteta leant heavily into the poor old Arsenal idea in the aftermath of this game.
"Very proud of the team, especially with the situation we are going through at the moment. The score should have been bigger and without conceding anything we give two goals away.”
There was no situation. Arsenal were missing two players from their best XI. Liverpool were also missing two players from their best XI. The Gunners had better depth, a more favourable mid-week game and home advantage.
The fact of the matter is the Gunners, once again, surrendered a lead. It has happened in three of the four games in which Arsenal have dropped points this season.
Instead of going for the jugular to guarantee the win, Arsenal look to see out the game. They won’t go for the three points. They, instead, look to shut up shop. They have backed themselves to be good enough defensively to keep hold of one-goal advantages against Manchester City, Brighton and now Liverpool. For their efforts, they have three points. Had they been a little more open, they may have lost one but they could’ve quite easily won two, turning three points into six.
But Arsenal’s mentality isn’t to win. It is to not concede.
A Lack of Killer Mentality
They had Liverpool on the ropes at the Emirates. A third goal would’ve likely killed the game. But Arsenal didn’t even bother to go looking for it. After the break, they ceded possession and sat deep. They allowed their visitors time on the ball and this helped them grow into the game. Slot’s side weren’t great after the break but they had triple the xG haul of their hosts in the second half.
When all was said and done, everything about the game was fairly even. It is two dropped points by Arsenal and yet another reminder that the Gunners, and their manager, are mentally weak when it matters most.
