Diaby clear to head past Pepe (Photo from fOTOGLIF)
Liverpool’s poor record away at Arsenal continued as the reds now only have one win in 12 years at the Gunners.
Aquilani failed to travel with the squad due to illness and Kyrgiakos was suspended after his Derby day red card. The reds welcomed back Martin Skrtel. The rest of the side was unchanged from the team that played with 10 men for over an hour at the weekend.
The game, was a true match of two halves. Very little action in the first half as both defences nullified each other. Chances for either side were rare and it was David N’gog who produced the first shot on target in the match, on 15 minutes, but it was a tame shot.
The second half saw an early substitution for Liverpool who replaced Jamie Carragher with Degen in the right back slot. Carra was on his third shirt of the game after spending most of his 54 minutes with blood pouring out of his mouth.
The reds had the better of the chances early on, but in the 75th minute a cross came in which found Diaby’s head. Degen can carry some of the responsibility for leaving the Arsenal player at the edge of the 6 yard box to give him a free header that Reina had no chance with.
The final 15 minutes involved Arsenal with all 11 men behind the ball, and at times inside their own box. Ryan Babel carved himself out an opportunity to lash in a shot but Almunia did well to tip the ball on to the bar.
As the clock ticked down the reds fired in a free kick from 10 yards outside the box. Fabregas, who seconds earlier had been booked for timewasting, raised his hands and stopped the ball heading goalwards. The ref failed to call the penalty or free kick (depending on your point of view) and seconds later blew the final whistle.
A few weeks ago I would have thought we would have had no chance here, but on reflection thought leaving the Emirates without a point was harsh.
Liverpool taste Premier League defeat for the first time in 8 games and concede their second goal. They will be hoping to start a new run afresh in the next league game against Man City.
Post Match Comments
Rafa Benitez
“It was a pity because in the last 20 minutes we were pushing hard and had chances.
“It was just quality in final third that made the big difference. The second half was much better and we could have got something.
“It’s important for us to have a good run of results. There’s a long way to go and we need to keep on going.”
agree with bobiescouse – liverpool do look easier to attack without hyppia. tight game with arsenal just shading it in the 2nd half, although liverpool showed they can put togetehr concerted attacks in the last 10mins. Why do liverpool play with 2 holding players (lucas / mascherano) this must put a strain on the likes of kuyt and especially gerrard.
Iv recently started to think that maybe it really is Hyippia we miss and not so much Alonso as was once thought !
And the loss of Carra definitely played into their hands as i also think that Skirtle and Agger far too often hesitate in heading the ball out and then get caught or the result is a soft header !
We could do with a good old fashioned centreback to come through who has the word “No Nonsense” tattoo’d on his head !!!
our away record especially in the goal scoring dept is woefull. and aresenal are our bogey team. we certainly lacked the edge to win. puts us behind the eigtht ball even more now. lucky spurs lost
Although Arsenal had poor defeats to ManUre & Chelski , nonetheless we are clearly worthy of being 3rd by the quality football played throughout the season & number of goals scored despite the barrage of striker injuries endured. Liverpool have simply been poor all round this season & because Gerrard hasn’t played to previous superhuman levels to bail them out, Liverpool are not getting away with it anymore as Benitez poor buys & dour football are truly exposed. OBVIOUSLY ! though it is all the fault of of those dastardly Yank owners & Benitez is the hard done to manager who ‘ HASN’T ‘ wasted millions & millions on rubbish.
4th place is temporary as Man City will shortly be many points clear of Liverpool.
Remind me again where Arsenal finished last season?
Next year I reckon Man City will pose more of a threat to 4th to a Fabregas-less Arsenal.
You are so full of it just remind me what Arsenal have won in the last Five years ??? Anyone !!! No thats rite zzzzzzippp ! and with all that beautiful football being played by kids STOLEN from other clubs for fees that work out just as expensive as any of the top flight teams have payed for players when you add on all those signing on fees and agent fees and compo for the poor clubs who developed that talent that you call your own in such blatant arrogance and stupidity.
Don’t come on here little man and dare to mock our great football club , let me remind you that LIVERPOOL FOOTBALL CLUB were conquering Europe before it was even Wenger’s Silly little wet dream in his bed ! How many times has your club won Europe’s elite ???
don`t worry it`s nothing we know tha game not was the truth game hh i hateeeee arsenalll and specialyty fabregas but don`t worry i love all of youuu “GerrNando”
Rafa really needs to find out a way to beat arsenal because our record against them is truly crap in all competitions and lets face it their not the ‘Invincible’s’ any more are they ! well unless they play us.
Our last two year haul against them has been two points!!! in the league with them nocking us out of any cup comp we’ve been paired with them in that time, it’s just not good enough.
Alright we were unlucky last night as i thought a draw was a fair result ( especially considering the hand ball which let’s face it if we were Chelsea or the manks would deffo have got a pen, especially with webhead reffin ) but credit were credits due arsenal took their chance ‘Again’ and we didn’t ‘Again’ …. Oh how we miss Sami !!!!!!!
I think last night we missed Kyrgiakos and Carragher when that ball came across that Degen walked away from.
We’ve had a dismal record at Arsenal for years. Having watched those two teams last night it’s surprising we are 3rd and 4th in the League.
Justice was done as it was never a free kick in the first place, in fact it should have been a free kick to Arsenal for Gerrard’s disgraceful dive. He already had dived previuosly when he ran into Diaby and hit the floor pleading for a penalty. Steven Gerrard has become a serial diver and as on Sat’day against Everton he always escapes criticism for this repetitive behaviour which is unbecoming of such a great player.
Ow ye take a look at your entire team for serial diving and cheating , dont make me laugh !!!, your very own Fabrigass always handles regularly dives and cheats to get what you lot need so piss off and stick to your own tem forum ye ! REMEMBER EDUARDO IDIOT !!!!!!!!
And check out who was BOOKED for trying to claim a pen last night ?! your very own ‘Nicholas Bender’ ! OOPSE ! looks like theres several holes in your argument !