Yep, it was that kind of day again. And if this situation is allowed to stand, we can be sure to see many more of them.
Sometimes you wonder what goes on in Arsene Wenger’s mind, if anything goes on at all? Does he look at Rob Holding and Calum Chambers and say, “Look lads, you’re a new pairing but I’m going to throw you to the lions. Believe me, they might growl a bit but they won’t eat you, I promise.” In some parallel universe, Wenger is just about as much of a bullshit artist as Donald Trump minus the obvious bigotry. We can expand on that in another article.
The first half was a giant false dawn as Liverpool played disjointedly with Alberto Moreno the villain of the piece. Arsenal stroked the ball around with ease with Alex Iwobi and Aaron Ramsey catching the eye and it was fitting Coquelin stole the ball to set up Iwobi for a slide rule pass into the path of Walcott for a glistening finish. Moreno was miles away from all that action. The left back was also responsible for upending Walcott in the box, just a couple of minutes earlier for a penalty which Walcott contrived to miss, telegraphing the shot straight to Simone Mignolet. Bad Walcott, Good Walcott. It just adds to the schizophrenia that is Arsenal. With the half winding down and Arsenal clearly on top, Coutinho goes down very, very easily to Holding with the faintest of holds. Michael Oliver sees something more dastardly and awards a free kick. That’s all it took and the Brazilian uncorked an unstoppable stem winder that spun at about 3600 rpm and found another portal into goal. Nothing you can do about such moments of jaw dropping genius. Except stare and gulp. Cech could have the reflexes of a thousand cats and it still would have gone in.
Oh yes, where were we? Chambers and Holding were soon to find out Liverpool were actually famished and Jurgen Klopp had found their fangs and claws for them because the second half, Arsenal were torn to shreds. That man Coutinho again, putting in a beautifully weighted pass to find Giorgino Wijnaldum, one of five new signings and the former Newcastle player sought out Adam Lallana for the visitor’s second goal. When someone like Lallana can score, then you know you’re in a giant pile of guano. By now, Arsenal had dried up, shriveled to a Gaza strip like occupation as Liverpool were completely rampant. Nathaniel Clyne bursting through the right channel swung in a cross and Coutinho, that man again with anatomical parts spiked with radio telemetry found a blistering connection with his knee. There was no coincidence this was all coming down the right as Monreal and Chambers, dragged all over the place left gaping holes and this time it was Sadio Mane, with his low CG and muscular, direct approach, spinning around like a top and finding enough space to lash a shot with his left foot. Liverpool was overrunning the midfield and it was clear why – there was too large a gap between Mohammed Elneny and Coquelin, the holding midfielders and the back four. The scoreline could have gotten a lot worse- with Firmino twisting Chambers around like a rag doll and finding Coutinho but this time Cech brought off a brilliant save.
Arsenal desperately sought respite. And it did happen as Coutinho limped off with cramps and the freewheeling attack petered out. The shellshocked Gunners found their way back through as Wenger brought in the Ox and his slaloming run and first time finish arrested the rot. Santi Cazorla brought in for the stricken Aaron Ramsey produced a peach of a free kick which Chambers guided in with the faintest of touches and suddenly Arsenal in ablink of an eye were just a goal down. Over at the sidelines, Klopp was having a meltdown. Granit Xhaka’s debut also helped stabilized the midfield. But as the game wore on, Liverpool’s defence stiffened and in particular Ragnar Klavan looked very impressive. Arsenal could not find another level or a killer touch in this most wildly swinging opener. There was so much that was chaotic and improvised and it appears that under these two managers, this is the way future encounters between Liverpool and Arsenal will pan out. Not good for the health of both sets of fans but wonderful entertainment for the neutrals and for the business end of the league.
Arsenal were without Olivier Giroud, Mesut Oezil, and Laurent Kosicelny as Wenger rested them for their month long break. Their centreforward, chief creator, and one half of their regular central pairing were missing. Both Mertesacker and Gabriel are out with long term injury problems. That itself gives you a the extent of disarray in this side. Wenger who knew more than three weeks ago signing an established central defender was imperative relied on trying to bash in square pegs in a round holes. How does a manager with a well established reputation as a player’s coach countenance sending in someone as raw as Rob Holding into a match as critical as this? Or gamble on a pair that have never worked together before? Surely, it can’t be good for your self-confidence if it all backfires? But what is it that induces Wenger to be so masochistic? These are the questions that have been asked so many times we have lost count. But the fans are always the ones accused of being clueless, of being emotional, of not being grateful enough. This club makes enough money from its fans for us to have a voice.
Match highlights: