You're never going to get a perfect performance from the team, there will always be room to improve, even if we win 4 and 5-0. And I do think that some of the micro analysis is nit picking, the level of criticism is way ott. Arsenal would love to be where we are, lots of teams would love to be where we are. For most of them, the idea of going to Arsenal and coming away with a point is a pipe dream.
I thought we would win beforehand, after having the full week to prepare that Jürgen craves. But having lost at Arsenal far too often down the years, I will take a point there if necessary. It's our third draw there in the last 4 seasons, and the one time we won, we needed to score 4.
I am not expecting perfect performances, just performances that are good for the better part of the season. I knew that it was going to take time to try and bed in a new midfield so the initial games were not of concern.
There have been 15 games this season and I feel that the only games where the team has played well would have to be the opening game of the season against West Ham, the domination against Southampton and the games against Cardiff and Red Star Belgrade.
When I saw it live, I expected the Mane goal to be ruled out. But we all know it shouldn't have been, and if we had VAR that would be a goal, we would be in front and we could then dictate the game. When the result of vote was announced last season, I said that no VAR would see us drop points at some stage, and hey presto here it is. And probably not the last time this season either. The penalty is a stonewall all day long. You can't hit an opponent in the face in any area of the pitch. A competent ref would have seen the foul and done his job, when the ball didn't go in. There was another occasion when Mane was blocked off on the halfway line and the ref gave a throw the other way. It was ludicrous officiating at times.
1. Looking at the letter of the law, Mane was offside because he moved towards the ball and was thus active. That was a change that came in a year or two ago if I remember correctly. If there was VAR, the official would have come to the same conclusion. In this regard, we have all been wrong in insisting that the goal should have counted.
2. There is a problem with consistency. If you award the penalty claim for Leno's challenge on VVD, you would have to do similar for Allison on Mkhitaryan. I didn't even think about either being a penalty until I saw comments from both sides of the divide clamoring for one. Both were simply poor finishes off a committed goalkeeper.
The game could have gone either way, so while disappointed not to have won, a point at Arsenal isn't the end of the season some have made it out to be. City will drop points as well, and it's just a question of being there ready to pounce when it happens. Not next week though. I'm not in the business of wanting the mancs to win football games. There are some things that I just can't compromise on. Singleton will be full of it if his team gets a result, the rest of their mob will say the good times are back, and the media will lap it all up. We can do without that circus for the next two weeks. Their trip to Chelsea next month is their next serious test, and then we'll find out just how good our result there was.
I think that it is a great result considering how poorly the team played. You take these results as they come. I think that the next few games offer an opportunity for the team to really try and gain some momentum especially in the League. Fulham, Watford, the derby, Burnley and Bournemouth are games that the team should be looking to gain maximum points from before the game against United.
We've shown last season that we can go toe to toe with City, while this season there's been nothing to separate the teams so far. We're winning the games we're expected to win, and we're picking up vital points in the more difficult games, even if performances leave room for improvement. We're in a good place and there are still 27 games still to go.
This is the thing that has me positive. Not lost a game/point to a small team all season long.
By the way, this is a season that Liverpool should be targeting the league as a competition that it can win. I have not been this positive about a season as I was for this, and I doubt that going forward there will be a better opportunity than this to win it once Sarri and Emery have time and money to build their own teams.
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