Arsenal 1 Liverpool 1: match report
Read a full match report of the Premier League game between Arsenal and Liverpool at Emirates Stadium on Sunday April 17.
PREVIEW
LIVE
REPORT
ARSENAL
1 - 1
FT
LIVERPOOL
Sunday, April 17 16:00
Premier League
Emirates Stadium
van Persie (90+8)
(HT 0-0)
ATT: 60,029
Kuyt (90+12)
The late show: Dirk Kuyt (left) celebrates after scoring an equaliser for Liverpool with the last kick of the game Photo: GETTY IMAGES
By Henry Winter, Football Correspondent, at the Emirates Stadium 10:00PM BST 17 Apr 2011
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And that is why Arsenal remain beautiful bridesmaids. And that is why Arsenal, for all their individual elegance, for all their collective style, will not be champions of the Premier League. Manchester United would have seen this game out, protecting their lead with their lives. And that is why United are destined to lift the trophy.
Teams must fight for the right to be called the best in the land. They must show grit and guile as well as all the flourishes in possession associated with Arsène Wenger’s attractive, but psychologically brittle team. Six games remain for Arsenal to make up six points (and six goals) on United. They won’t catch United playing with this paucity of killer instinct. The fat lady can begin loosening her larynx on the Stretford End.
Arsenal’s campaign did not simply fade here on a balmy afternoon in London. The title was lost in the dropped points from 4-0 up at St James’ Park, the four points dropped to West Brom, the stalemates here with Sunderland and Blackburn Rovers. Too many mistakes have scarred the season, even away from the Premier League at such vaunted venues as Wembley and the Nou Camp.
In his captain’s programme notes for the Blackburn game, Cesc Fabregas wrote that the team must eradicate defensive errors. It all seemed so promising for Arsenal on Sunday when Jay Spearing, making arguably his only mistake of a dynamic performance, clearly tripped Fabregas and Robin van Persie emphatically swept home the spot kick.
All Arsenal needed to do was keep it tight, avoid rash actions. What happened? As the seconds ticked down, there was Emmanuel Eboué running into the back of Lucas, who was heading away from goal, bringing the Brazilian down, gifting Dirk Kuyt the chance to equalise. He did not miss.
This was the day when Arsenal and Liverpool went Dutch on the penalties. This was the day when Arsenal’s last dream of silverware died.
This was also the day which highlighted the integrity of the Premier League and of Liverpool Football Club. Although aware that Arsenal were the only ones capable of preventing United eclipsing Liverpool’s old record of 18 titles, Kenny Dalglish’s team never gave up. In helping United towards the coveted crown, Liverpool actually demonstrated why they themselves are heading towards a brighter future; there was a unity, a resilience, a promise in Spearing, John Flanagan and Jack Robinson that bodes well for Liverpool.
Wenger decried Dalglish’s tactics as overly defensive but they always played with two up, first Luis Suárez and Andy Carroll and then Suárez and Kuyt.
Liverpool deserved this point. They had resisted Arsenal marvellously, Lucas and Spearing shielding an ever-changing defence tirelessly. Fabio Aurelio pulled up lame, again, so the 17-year-old Robinson came on. Then Jamie Carragher was taken away on a stretcher, having collided with Flanagan. So Liverpool’s back four comprised two teenagers and two understudy centre-halves and Arsenal could find a way through only once.
Liverpool’s staff, players and fans loved the denouement. Carragher emerged from the dressing room, bruised and barefooted, to celebrate. Dalglish hugged his players, particularly youngsters like Spearing. Dalglish also made sure he consoled Jack Wilshere and Theo Walcott.
Wenger informed Dalglish that it was never a penalty, and received a dismissive, toxic reply which could offend Football Association ears. Wenger, graceless, then railed about the decision-making and timekeeping of Andre Marriner, who actually had a good game, getting the big calls right. He added on eight minutes for Carragher’s injury and then more for Liverpool time-wasting. Wenger’s point about overtime was irrelevant anyway; teams must keep going until the final whistle. Arsenal did not.
Too much plumage admiring.
For a manager who famously never sees anything, Wenger is in danger of also becoming the man who never hears anything. Calls for a robust centre-half have come from all quarters. Is there anybody close to Wenger brave enough to offer advice? Or that he would listen to? The feeling around the Emirates is that Wenger would ignore any wise counsel anyway. His team, his way.
Arsenal fans deserved better. They keep turning up, enjoying the lovely football, but with the growing understanding that they will be let down. Yet even so, as the second half progressed with little urgency, the Arsenal fans could have done more. The life in their Premier League season was draining away, going the way of the Carling Cup, the Champions League and the FA Cup.
This was it, the last hope, yet Arsenal fans were surprisingly mute. The meek may inherit the earth but they tend not to win the Premier League. Old Trafford would have been in ferment, screaming “attack, attack, attack”.
Arsenal need a clear out in the summer, the selling of the likes of Manuel Almunia, Tomas Rosicky, Denilson and Nicklas Bendtner, yet they were not the problem on Sunday. They never even started. Arsenal had a talented enough team out, the A-listers like Van Persie, Fabregas, Samir Nasri and Wilshere, but they seemed tired, mentally and physically. The Carling Cup is the defeat that keeps repeating.
Arsenal require a tweak to their mindset and judicious strengthening in the transfer market. At least, Wojciech Szczesny confirmed his quality. Down the other end, Arsenal had their chances. Abou Diaby flicked a header wide, Fabregas’ shot was blocked by Flanagan before Laurent Koscielny beat Pepe Reina to Van Persie’s corner but hit the bar. When Robinson arrived, Walcott sensed an opportunity and started running at the ingénue. But Robinson stood firm, seeing off Walcott, then Bendtner and eventually Andrei Arshavin.
Liverpool were defending zealously, occasionally resorting to excessive means such as when Flanagan went through the back of Nasri. Even when Carragher was carried away, earning sympathetic applause for the Arsenal fans, Liverpool continued to defend stoically. And then came the penalties. Heaven knows what the watching Stan Kroenke made of Arsenal’s faltering. The watching Ferguson will have loved it.
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