Martin Skrtel: The key to the domination of Arsenal?

Martin Skrtel celebrating his goal against Arsenal

Liverpool took Arsenal apart at Anfield and won 5-1 in arguably their finest performance of the season so far. The Gunners never looked like winning as the home side dominated in terms of both attack and defence, and key to both for Liverpool was centre back Martin Skrtel.

The Slovakia international opened the scoring in the first minute, thrusting his shin out and onto the end of an early Steven Gerrard free kick, and then doubled his sides lead by sending a looping header past Szczesny and in from a corner not long after. Two goals for a centre back is an extremely good return and the brace set his team on their way to victory. His two goals came from his only two shots giving him a 100% success rate in front of goal.

Skrtel Attempts on Goal vs Arsenal (H) – PL 2013/14

These two goals certainly helped Skrtel pick up Squawka’s Man of the Match award and a Performance Score of 93, five better than second-best Raheem Sterling, far better than third placed Steven Gerrard and a long way better than any Arsenal player.

As was the case during the Arsenal game, Skrtel has shined for Liverpool player this season with a Performance Score of 819. Only Luis Suarez has a better score over the course of 13/14.

Skrtel Heat Map vs Arsenal (H) – PL 2013/14

Skrtel’s heatmap shows that, such was Liverpool’s domination of the match, he barely spent any time in his own team’s penalty area, operating mostly just outside and stopping the Gunner’s causing any real problem to Simon Mignolet in the Liverpool goal. He was also present a number of times in the Arsenal penalty area.

Defensively he was almost impeccable. Skrtel only lost one headed duel, which was in the Arsenal penalty area, and won all three of the headed duels contested in a defensive area of the pitch and he also won two of the four tackles he challenged for. Additionally he made one interception and all ten of his clearances were successful.

This is indicative of his whole season with 50% of tackles and 68% of headed duels won in 23 matches this season. In the absence of Daniel Agger and Mamadou Sakho, he stepped up against Arsenal to help his side win and become a big part of Rodgers’ much improved team this season.

He was rarely caught out of position, nor did he put a foot wrong and read the game excellently, always ensuring he was in the right place at the right time.

His pass completion was also high with 84% of the 37 passes he attempted finding a red shirt and judging by his pass map he generally only failed with a pass when he tried to play a long ball.

Skrtel was as impressive and important to this Liverpool victory as he has been to any other positive result for the Anfield club this season as they look to secure a Champions League spot. The two goals against Arsenal were of course a huge bonus but defensively he was excellent just as he has been for the whole campaign.