Still top, still clear, still in our hands. So despite another defeat in North London, not a great deal has changed. Do our job in the remaining games as we still end the season as champions.
The game itself was a F***ing mess from start to finish. We just never got going. Somehow we went into the break level and then started the second looking better but quickly found ourselves back on the back front. I also don't know if we had a single throw in during the entire game where we threw it forward, everything seemed to go backwards to the centre halves then to Ali.
One of the biggest worries was we didn't seem to be able to deal with the Arsenal press. It was very much a performance of last season rather than this. And coming off the back of our best performances of the season against Chelsea was a real shot of the blue.
While a number of individual errors cost us the goals, the collective performance was nowhere near good enough. And for once this season, the subs made by Jürgen made no difference whatsoever.
Alisson - not for the first time this season, he's made costly errors in big games. Was caught in no-mans land when Arsenal came to Anfield for their goal and was poor against City. Yesterday made a mess of the second and third goals.
Alexander-Arnold - the only way I knew he was on the pitch was because of the space Martinelli was in every time he got the ball and I knew we weren't down to ten men (yet). Absolutely shocking non-performance.
Konate - got absolutely done for pace by Martinelli, not helped by Trent doing his Claude Rains impression. Red card might have been harsh but it was two yellows. Don't think we can complain too much on that.
Van Dijk - had a few shaky moments against Chelsea and went even further backwards yesterday. First goal seems to be glossed over because of the sh*t for the second. But first goal was just as poor defending. Didn't get close to Odergaard and was in no-mans land as they broke free, leaving a huge space in behind. Second he should have dealt with the ball. Third didn't exactly get a decent block in either. He's been top drawer for most of the season, especially since the Newcastle red card, but yesterday was not his finest hour and a half.
Goalmez - probably our best defender on the night. Was surprised to see him being the full back who was moving into midfield and not Trent but that's by the by. Dealt with Saka reasonably well, once again. Was just unfortunately shackled with a number of others who had very bad off days.
Gravenberch - it's still very early in his Liverpool career and as someone who thought earlier in the season he'd been the best buy of the lot it pains to me say but time is already starting to run out for the lad. I don't know if he's guilty of trying too hard to impress because he's not an automatic starter or the lack of a run of games is hindering him but he's not doing anything to make himself noticed for the right reasons.
Mac Allister - other than his shooting, he was head and shoulders our best player. He was the one Liverpool player who did show some composure on the ball. Was willing to take it and try to get us up the pitch. His turnaround from the opening few weeks/months has been incredible.
Jones - his usual dallying performance first half, second was a lot better for the opening few minutes. Gradually became less effective on the second 45 though but so did the entire team. He certainly wasn't alone in that regard.
Gakpo - he certainly is falling into the trap of trying too hard. One particular instance where he was carrying the ball down the right towards the corner flag, had plenty of times to lay the ball off but didn't. Just kept trying to do everything on his todd and in the end didn't even win the corner out of it.
Jota - one of his quiestest games for a very long time. Was dropping deeper and deeper to get involved in the game, when the danger was actually in behind the Arsenal back four. Would have had another goal to his name had Gabrielle not punched the ball in for us.
Diaz - persistence for the goal but that really was about it from Lucho. I said after the Chelsea game that his influence on games is becoming a lot more regular than just five or ten minutes here and there as was the case for the first 18 months of his Liverpool career but not yesterday. But I think that comes down to how much we were on the back foot and our inability to get the ball forward quickly.
Robertson - came on, didn't do much.
Elliott - his hard work is vital in some games, his lack of ability is a hinderance in games like this. He helped Diaz out on one occassion when Lucho was at right back and just running backwards with the ball rather than laying it off to a team mate, Harvey was the one who actually dispossessed Diaz and swung it over to Robbo.
Nunez - didn't really threaten in behind, maybe wasn't fit with the foot injury. Had one good chance that he wildly thrashed over the bar/wide of the post and then laughed at Gabriel's reaction.
Thiago - that's all we F***ing needed, flash harry trying to be flash.
Overall the lack of energy and desire was worse for me than the result. Arsenal away is always a tricky fixture and we can also lose down there but at the very least we need to fight - we didn't.
Hopefully though this is just a hiccup. First half of the season we lost one game in North London, fingers crossed that our only defeat in the second half is in North London as well.
Brush it off, tw*t Burnley on Saturday and get back on track.
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