Source: Arsenal.com (minus the um…)
After a loss the next day is always gloom. You begin to reflect on what went wrong and why it went wrong. If you’re a nutcase like Flamini, you would buy the idea of taking a piss at Kim Jong-Un’s mouth to demonstrate your frustrations.
But we didn’t lose, yet it felt like it. A game we should have won, but failed to, in bizarre circumstances.
Liverpool had the first say right from kickoff. Buoyed by the support of the cacophonous fans. We had so much difficulty coping with their vibrant passes and high-level pressing. We did the right thing at first by sitting back and trying to defend, but the other lads upfront couldn’t get a grip of the ball, making matters dire and comical.
The worst to come was imminent. The enigmatic Flamini fouled Countinho, giving away a redundant freekick at a spot that you know a Gerrad at his prime would bury. His effort was just wide but it was heart in mouth stuff.
Up next was the Greek-looking Markovic. After an illustrious twist and turn in the box, his effort was saved by Szczesny, but you wonder if a player like Sturridge was presented with such a chance. He had another decent opportunity when Sterling found him at the left edge of the box moments later, but he sent his shot to Mars.
They finally found a reward for their drudgery. We lost the ball in a shocking manner; Countinho preyed on the misdemeanor, found space and sent the ball to the left corner. It was a goal that was coming and we had no answer to it.
In a strange twist of fate, the most remarkable thing unveiled that stunned Anfield in minutes. From a freekick, Flamini heads on, and Debuchy rides a 6ft Skrtel to equalize. It felt like Christmas. We are no strangers to badluck, so when a different method from suffering came, amid the shit performance, it was pure football heaven.
The hairdryer treatment was needed after the first half whistle was heard;Tactically below par, top players like Sanchez having a bad day in the office; it was interesting to see the impact of Arsene’s halftime talk.
Well nothing, just nothing. Back to bollocks. We simply allowed Liverpool to carry on from where they left off.
But we scored again you know. Gibbs found Cazorla, the diminutive Spaniard’s low cross just six-yards outside the box was turned home by Olivier Giroud. Twitter went into raptures.
It was ostensibly day light robbery. Maybe even better than the Sanchez’ hostage seige from Spain. The output of a dreadful performance saw us 1-2 up at a ground that gave us torrid nightmares last season.
As you would expect, the goal suddenly awoke the Reds. Szczesny had to make some fantastic saves to keep us in the game, and deep inside you just knew we would bottle this at some point. Not because it’s a mind fuckery thing, but we have made a laughing stock of ourselves right from the Anderlecht madness. So trusting us to see off a lead is like the CIA working in tandem with officials in North Korea for a highly classified assignment.
Francis Coquelin came on late to sit infront of the defense and offer some stability. But as the tension grew, we had a big big lifeline. Borini was sent off for a ridiculous StokeCity-esque type of foul on Cazorla. So it was 10 against 11.
Earlier, Chamberlain’s apparent injury saw him replaced by Joel Campbell.
Nine minutes left with a man advantage. At the death, we fumbled. Skrtel from a corner sent in a bullet header to share the spoils.
It was ridiculous, hard to fathom. You would expect the boys to exhibit experience play by keeping the ball and pass it around. That is what we do even with no purpose. Pass..Pass..Pass. But at the time it finally made sense, we collapsed.
Liverpool rode their luck and maybe it would be fair to say they deserved a share of the match rewards.
Who is to blame for such an unforgiving overall performance? Certainly the Manager.
It was too good to be true when we had the lead. Yet, some of the Manager’s decisions on the day were baffling.
The outcome of the first 45 Minutes should have seen Danny Welbeck withdrawn for the hungry Lukas Podolski. Atleast the German with his lethal attributes, would have kept Skrtel and co at bay, oh and Brad Jones trembling.
Or a change of formation. 4-4-2? Something different?
I could go on and on, but it’s redundant at this juncture.
Obviously not a bad result and does say little about the race for top four, aside we can finish at the expense of Liverpool for 4th spot, which frankly outlines why a victory and some goals against QPR on boxing day is so important to the confidence of these lads, especially when we have two tricky away fixtures next against teams that hate us.
Till then.
