It’s funny how quickly the mood shifts, because going into a tough one against Arsenal you could feel the nerves among the fanbase. Plenty were talking like we were about to get picked off, especially with all the outside noise about them “making an example” of us. Instead, what we got was a game where Liverpool didn’t disgrace themselves, looked organised for long spells, and came away with that familiar feeling: decent work everywhere, then the final third goes a bit fuzzy.
Mac Allister and Gravenberch looked like proper midfielders
For me, Mac Allister was better than he’s been on certain occasions this season. Not flawless, but he didn’t look like he was dragging the team down either. He looked more like someone who could help you get through a match like this without it turning into chaos.
And Gravenberch deserves a mention as well. There was a calmness to his game, a bit of drive, and he looked like he belonged in the tempo of it. Against good sides, that matters. You don’t always need fireworks; sometimes you just need lads who can take a touch, make a decision, and not fold when the press is on.
Weather the first wave, then grow into it
The first 20 to 25 minutes felt like the key period. Arsenal at home can start fast, get the crowd going, and if you panic you end up conceding something silly. Liverpool didn’t. They stuck in, didn’t lose their shape completely, and gradually forced their way into the match.
Call it conservative if you want, but there’s another word for it: mettle. Sometimes you’ve got to take the sting out of a game before you can play it on your terms. And for periods, Liverpool did impose themselves enough to have those spells where you think, “hang on, we’re not just passengers here.”
Solid enough at the back, blunt up top
The biggest positive is that Arsenal weren’t handed much in the way of big chances. That’s not nothing, especially when you’re talking about facing one of the division’s better attacks. And not conceding from a set piece is a small victory in itself, because those moments can decide games when it’s tight.
But it’s hard to escape the same old issue. Liverpool can do a lot of things decently well until we get into that final third. The link-up gets disjointed, the decisions arrive a half-second late, and moves fizzle. If one or two deliveries had been cleaner, if one or two moments had landed right, you can absolutely make the case Liverpool could have nicked it.
So no, it wasn’t “great”. But it wasn’t a capitulation either. There was pride in it, and there were signs of a team that can compete in a hard away game, even if the attacking sharpness still isn’t where it needs to be.
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