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The year 1989 is famous for the dramatic fashion in which Arsenal won the league at Anfield, 2014 might well be remembered for the North London side losing the league at the same venue. For the first 20 minutes, Arsenal looked more like a side from the wrong end of the table. The Gunners did little to justify the tag of league leaders, which has since moved across to West London. While Arsenal did manage to get a foot in the game by the 25th minute, it was too late already. The damage had been done. The defence had been split open. Not once. Not twice. But four times.
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The tightest defence in the Premier League was torn apart time after time. Arsenal were lucky to concede just four goals in the first half. Suarez, Sturridge, Sterling and Coutinho ran rings around the hapless Arsenal defence all through the first half. The tale at the other end of the pitch was no better. There was little that Arsenal did that made Mignolet stretch.
Things were a lot more even after half time, but a lucky break and a luckier rebound handed Sterling his second, and Liverpool their fifth. An Arteta penalty was merely consolation, and a poor one at that. The result was evident by then.
As an Arsenal fan, it sickens me to even look at the score-line, let alone revisit the game. But in interest of facing the bigger challenges that lie ahead, let us take a look at what went wrong at Anfield and what can be done.
1. The Flamini factor
Few players in the Premier League are more under-rated than Flamini. The French midfielder has been the unsung hero of Arsenal’s campaign. With the Girouds, Ramseys and Koscielnys receiving accolades and awards for their contribution, Mathieu Flamini has been a silent yet crucial cog in the Arsenal side.
Not only is he a capable defensive mid-fielder, but a brilliant leader and organiser on the pitch. In supporting and steadying the Arsenal defence, he has been instrumental this season. A player signed for free, but priceless for the team. The score-line could have been a lot different, and the defense a lot more stable, had he been around.
2. Move Mikel Arteta
As talented and classy as Arteta is, the defensive mid-field role is just not for him. Lacking the tactical awareness to position himself defensively or the pace to catch up if caught out of position, the Spaniard’s ineffectiveness in the position left the Arsenal defence exposed and vulnerable over and over again.
Perhaps Wenger might fancy playing him in a different role, or in the same position but only against weaker opposition.
3. The Center-forward Crisis
The good old Gooner lament! Wenger’s decision to not add an out-and-out striker to his ranks might just cost Arsenal the title. With the best attacking threat Theo out injured for the remainder of the season, Arsenal are extraordinarily weak up front. The weakness stands out all the more when compared with the other title challengers.
Let’s face it. Olivier Giroud is brilliant at holding up play and bringing others into the game, but his role in the team seems to end there. Once the ball gets into the opposition penalty area, the probability of finding Giroud in there is just a little higher than that of finding Szczesny. On top of that, his finishing in general has left a lot to be desired.
Arsenal do have an expert in that department. Lukas Podolski is as good a finisher as you can get. But the German comes with his own share of problems. With his hold-up play not really ideal, the flow of Arsenal’s game gets stunted when he is played up front. And his non-presence aerially makes crosses into the box pretty pointless. Now, if only there was a way to combine the two.
4. The 42 million that went missing.
Mesut Ozil
Arsenal’s costliest signing and star man, Mesut Ozil has been invisible in the big games so far this season. A player who can change games single handedly has indeed been doing so, only not in Arsenal’s favour of late. Having started his Arsenal career brilliantly, he has shown signs of weariness over time, and has been letting the big occasions get to him.
That might have to do with Wenger playing him for the full 90 minutes every week. Wenger would want to bring him off the bench in a few games to let him recuperate and get back to his peak.
With United, Liverpool and Bayern coming up, Arsenal need to sort out these issues if there is to be a trophy at the end of the season. In the short-term though, Liverpool coming to the Emirates in a week is a chance to get back at Brendan Rodgers’ side. Revenge would indeed taste very sweet.
