Calling it a great performance feels a bit generous, but it was a good one all the same. The main takeaway, for me, is that Liverpool didn’t just survive against Arsenal, we grew into it and ended up looking the more likely side to win.
The first half hour was the wobbliest bit. We were a touch passive, a yard off here and there, and you could see Arsenal trying to build a rhythm. But once we got a proper foothold, the game flipped. The tone changed, the distances got better, and Arsenal’s threat started to feel more like noise than anything you’d actually worry about.
Control matters more than the headline numbers
The “shots on target” chat can be a red herring. Arsenal can have four on target, but if they’re the sort that a keeper catches at chest height, or ones hit from silly angles just to say you’ve had a go, it doesn’t tell you much about who was on top.
There’s a difference between pressure and danger. Liverpool looked more composed once we settled, and Arsenal’s frustration became a feature of the match. That’s usually a good sign. When a side starts snatching at moments, it’s because they’re not getting what they want in the right areas.
The big moments were there, just not the finish
We had by far the best chance of the game, and there were other promising situations too. The frustrating bit is it wasn’t about being played off the park; it was about the final ball being a fraction off, a touch too heavy, or the timing not quite landing.
And then there’s the penalty shout. Wirtz may have overrun it, fair enough, but if Trossard trips him, it’s hard not to feel you’d see a free-kick given for that anywhere else on the pitch. On another day, with a different mood in the officiating, you might get that decision.
Perspective: decent now, room for more later
For balance, Arsenal did have a couple of decent situations early on, and they could’ve nicked it with the last touch. But they wouldn’t have deserved to. Liverpool looked like the side with more control and the clearer openings.
So no, it’s not where we ultimately want to be. But in the context of this season, that’s a performance to build on. Competitive, organised, and with enough quality showing through that you can see why there’s optimism.
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