Arsenal: 4 Talking Points From 4-0 Defeat To Liverpool – FANSIDED

Anfield has not been a happy hunting ground for Arsenal over the years and that trend continued on Saturday night. Liverpool was at their best in the second half as they put a young Gunners side to the sword to end their unbeaten run.

Setting up in the same shape that had brought success in recent fixtures, Alexandre Lacazette and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang led the line once more with Thomas Partey returning in midfield after recovering from injury.

We’d learn a lot from how the visitors approached the match and the decision to try and take the game to Liverpool by setting the backline high and cutting off passing lanes on the edge of the opponents’ box showed the confidence in the team.

While it brought no real joy in front of goal, it was a positive way for Arsenal to approach the game until the inevitable pressure began taking its toll.

4 talking points from heavy 4-0 defeat to Liverpool as Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal see Premier League unbeaten run come to an end

Sadly, after a relatively positive first 40 minutes, the Reds got the all-important breakthrough courtesy of Sadio Mane’s header. The second half would then be riddled with individual errors that cost Arsenal dearly, as they wilted under the Liverpool pressure.

In the end, the 4-0 scoreline was a reflection of a seasoned and well-drilled Liverpool team who got the game on their terms in the second half. For Mikel Arteta and his young side, it is a learning curve – and a steep one at that.

While many were not expecting a positive result, the signs were there early on that perhaps a point could be snatched, however, three goals in the second half from Diogo Jota, Mohamed Salah and Takumi Minamino secured a comfortable win for Jurgen Klopp’s men.

The match provided plenty of talking points and here they are.

1. Arsenal Inexperience Shone Through

Arteta had fielded the youngest starting lineup in the division in ten of the 11 Premier League matches, and the trip to Anfield was no different.

The first half showed some decent signs as they restricted Liverpool, keeping them relatively at arm’s length and dealing with any balls thrown into the box. However, inexperience eventually told, starting with Mane’s header as he was able to slip through between Gabriel and Tomiyasu to send the hosts on their way.

The second half was where the youthfulness of Arsenal came to light. Or, perhaps more fittingly, to dark.

In the opening five minutes Albert Sambi Lokonga, who has been one of Arsenal’s better players this season, was guilty of giving the ball away in dangerous areas on numerous occasions with some poor awareness and a general lack of quality.

Then there was Nuno Tavares who has been superb so far in his Arsenal career – so much so he kept his place over Kieran Tierney – falling short and showing that he too is still a raw talent. Twice the young Portuguese left-back gave the ball away in careless areas, with the most crucial of all seeing Arsenal pay the ultimate price as Jota danced and weaved around the backline to slot home Liverpool’s second to end the game as a contest.

Heads dropped and then structure was lost from there. These are young players who will learn from this, so there is no need to go overboard.

2. The Gap Between Arsenal and the Top is Still a Mile

Something we already knew right? If not, you do now.

It is no secret that Arsenal is in a rebuilding phase. The young players tasked with going out and implement Arteta’s vision have done it to a tee over the last two months, but when coming up against the big boys, it was always going to be a challenge.

In Liverpool’s case, they are a seasoned, well-drilled, and well-coached football team. On this form they are outstanding. Klopp has had years to shape and mold them into the team he wants them to be. Losses to Chelsea, Manchester City, and now Liverpool show that despite improvement being shown, Arsenal still has a long way to go when it comes to matching it with the best in the league.

That is no slight on Arteta and the club, it is just facts. The turnaround from where the club was two years ago was always going to take time to rectify and so far this season, for the majority, Arsenal has improved. This doesn’t change that.

Against the fellow teams competing for the European berths where Arsenal will be judged. However, with the youthful look to the starting eleven, the gap is evident and there is no shame in that unless you are an impatient supporter.

Arsenal and Arteta will get there, it will just take time.

3. Aaron Ramsdale Shows His Worth…..Again

What can you say about Ramsdale that has not already been said?

He produced another solid outing in the Arsenal goal, all despite having to pick the ball out of the net four times. Perhaps a little liable for Mane’s opener as some have suggested he could have parried it out, nobody is going to delve into that too deeply considering were it not for him it could have been 3-0 already by that point.

Besides, such was the power on the header, it was near impossible to keep out.

He produced several top saves to deny Liverpool in the match and ultimately was given no chance by his defense as Liverpool turned the screw in the second half.

19 shots the Englishman faced with nine on target as the home side peppered his goal, so to have only conceded four is, well, not that bad? What certainly wasn’t bad was the £30m paid for him. Money very well spent.

Emotional Arteta a Breath of Fresh Air

I am all for managers showing their emotional side and Arteta sure demonstrated that against Liverpool, so much so that he and Klopp nearly came to blows and had to be separated.

Shout out to Steve Round for keeping the Spaniard at bay because he exploded.

Already irate from a couple of Sadio Mane challenges, Arteta was then incensed (rightly or wrongly) and his passion spilled over. Klopp challenged his claims and the pair received yellow cards for their involvement.

Sadly, it did appear to backfire as that incident lit a fire in the Anfield crowd which then transferred over into the Liverpool players as they went up a gear that Arsenal didn’t have.

While in the grand scheme of things, it could be looked at as the catalyst for Liverpool’s dominating performance, I for one am happy to see the manager stick up for his players to the extent Arteta did. Too many times we see managers like robots on the touchline, so it was refreshing to see that they too can get carried away and in Arteta’s case, he believes in the cause and his players do as well.