After the infuriating interlull a big game awaited! 2 of the most in form teams in the league faced off against each other. Arsenal vs Liverpool.Most fans had to wait ever so nervously for the game to start, not yet sure to trust if the team has actually got the belief going into the big games. Me? I was confident. Why? Well for starters Skrtel was suspended which would make either Lovren or Toure start. Then there was a suspension for Gerrard and doubts over Lallana and Sturridge.
Sterling also gave a come and get me plea to Arsenal via an interview for the BBC. So there was not a lot of positivity for the Pool fans. We were a team performing ever so admirably with a team Arsene seemed to have got the best formation to fit.
Ospina started at GK. Bellerin started at RB, Koscielny and Mert featured at the centre, Monreal, who has been one of our most consistent players, started at LB.
Coquelin and Santi started as the deeper players, with Ozil just in front of them. A surprise awaited most as Ramsey got the nod to play at RW, with Alexis in the left and Giroud, yet again as the lone frontman.
Liverpool started with Mignolet in goal. They started with a back 3 of Can, Toure, Sakho. That pointed to trouble. Moreno and Henderson started as WB. Markovic started behind Sterling who was the lone frontman. If that worked it would be considered a masterclass.
Coutinho started in midfield along with Allen and Lucas. Overall a very defensive team and starting 2 error prone CBs in Toure and Sakho against an in form attack would not be considered a wise decision by most.
FIRST HALF
Arsenal's first real attempt came after some poor defensive work by Liverpool. Lucas gave away the ball to Coquelin, who found Alexis. Alexis's ball reached Santi who had a low shot well saved by Mignolet.
Soon after yet another Pool mistake. This time Kolo Toure giving the ball away and Ramsey through on goal. Should have scored. But his weak attempt was again well saved by Mignolet.
Liverpool's chance then finally arrived. Coutinho played Markovic in superbly. He tried to be selfless and tried to pick out Sterling who would have an open goal. Fortunately for us, his pass was overhit. But the warning signs were there.
Arsenal then took the lead. It came from an unlikely source. First a superb pass from Ozil to find Ramsey, whose pass to Bellerin was well controlled by the RB. He then walked past 3 defenders before curling a left footed finish into the bottom corner.
Ozil was fouled stupidly by Sakho close to the goal. Ozil picked himself up and curled the ball into the corner beautifully to give us a 2 goal advantage. The atmosphere was crazy after this, fans were absolutely delighted, even expecting us to do what Pool had done to us last season.
Was that possible? Alexis picked a neat ball by Ramsey and smashed the ball to give Arsenal a 3-0 lead. It just seemed possible. Liverpool did not know what hit them. 3 goals in 8 minutes and the game seemed sealed by half time.
SECOND HALF
Again the hosts created the first chance of the half. Ozil picking out Giroud whose header was palmed away by Mignolet.
Ospina then had to make his first save. Emre Can shifted to a RB and his drive ended up with a shot that was pushed away by Ospina for a Liverpool corner.
The substitution to bring Flamini on, suggested Arsene was not looking for an open game and was instead satisfied with the 3-0 lead.
Liverpool were trying to press the Arsenal team to no avail. They did pull 1 back however. Sterling was fouled by Bellerin inside the box to give Pool a penalty. Giroud pointed to the correct side but Ospina did not dive convincingly enough.
Suddenly Liverpool thought they could make an unlikely come back, with Henderson trying to marshal the Pool faithful.
Welbeck on as a substitute was given a scissors tackle by Emre Can, that duly earned him a 2nd yellow card. That extinguished all hopes Liverpool had. Instead Arsenal got the 4th, after Giroud picked up Sanchez's pass and went past Toure, before firing in beautifully.
Not 5-1, but a performance we all will remember for a long time, especially given that since the year began Liverpool were the 2nd best team form wise. Of course we were the first.
PLAYER RATINGS
13: David Ospina (7): Could he have saved the penalty? I think so. Did OK otherwise.
39: Hector Bellerin (8): Great goal, great attacking display overall. Conceded a penalty, but otherwise shut Sterling up.
6: Laurent Koscielny (7.5): Seemed careless at times, but as usual made some good interceptions.
4: Per Mertesacker (8): Had a good game. His lack of pace against Sterling worried me, but he did really well.
18: Nacho Monreal (8): Great again by Nacho.
34: Francis Coquelin (9): Some great interceptions and defensive contributions. Yet again dominated the midfield in a big game.
19: Santi Cazorla (7.5): Could have scored early on, but was involved in most of the forward play.
16: Aaron Ramsey (8): Could have scored. But his industry down the right hand side was great to see. Also set up 2 goals. Tactical masterplan from Wenger? Whatever it was, it certainly worked.
17: Alexis Sanchez (8.5): Scored 1 and created 1. 20 goals in his debut season. His form had dipped in the second half of the season, but maybe this was what he needed.
11: Mesut Ozil (8.5): Scored a superb free kick, and his pass to Ramsey to set up the first goal was brilliant. Overall a fantastic game for the German magician.
12: Olivier Giroud (8): He cant stop can he? 6 in 6 now for the league's most in form striker at the moment.
SUBSTITUTES:
5: Gabriel Paulista (7.5): Came on for the injured Koscielny and did well.
20: Mathieu Flamini (7): Helped the team solidify defensively. Did his usual shouting bit as well.
23: Danny Welbeck (N/A): Showed good dribbling ability again, got Can sent off as well.
HIGHLIGHTS
Extended highlights available on this link: https://vid.me/nVTn
Sterling also gave a come and get me plea to Arsenal via an interview for the BBC. So there was not a lot of positivity for the Pool fans. We were a team performing ever so admirably with a team Arsene seemed to have got the best formation to fit.
Ospina started at GK. Bellerin started at RB, Koscielny and Mert featured at the centre, Monreal, who has been one of our most consistent players, started at LB.
Coquelin and Santi started as the deeper players, with Ozil just in front of them. A surprise awaited most as Ramsey got the nod to play at RW, with Alexis in the left and Giroud, yet again as the lone frontman.
Liverpool started with Mignolet in goal. They started with a back 3 of Can, Toure, Sakho. That pointed to trouble. Moreno and Henderson started as WB. Markovic started behind Sterling who was the lone frontman. If that worked it would be considered a masterclass.
Coutinho started in midfield along with Allen and Lucas. Overall a very defensive team and starting 2 error prone CBs in Toure and Sakho against an in form attack would not be considered a wise decision by most.
FIRST HALF
Arsenal's first real attempt came after some poor defensive work by Liverpool. Lucas gave away the ball to Coquelin, who found Alexis. Alexis's ball reached Santi who had a low shot well saved by Mignolet.
Soon after yet another Pool mistake. This time Kolo Toure giving the ball away and Ramsey through on goal. Should have scored. But his weak attempt was again well saved by Mignolet.
Liverpool's chance then finally arrived. Coutinho played Markovic in superbly. He tried to be selfless and tried to pick out Sterling who would have an open goal. Fortunately for us, his pass was overhit. But the warning signs were there.
Arsenal then took the lead. It came from an unlikely source. First a superb pass from Ozil to find Ramsey, whose pass to Bellerin was well controlled by the RB. He then walked past 3 defenders before curling a left footed finish into the bottom corner.
Ozil was fouled stupidly by Sakho close to the goal. Ozil picked himself up and curled the ball into the corner beautifully to give us a 2 goal advantage. The atmosphere was crazy after this, fans were absolutely delighted, even expecting us to do what Pool had done to us last season.
Was that possible? Alexis picked a neat ball by Ramsey and smashed the ball to give Arsenal a 3-0 lead. It just seemed possible. Liverpool did not know what hit them. 3 goals in 8 minutes and the game seemed sealed by half time.
SECOND HALF
Again the hosts created the first chance of the half. Ozil picking out Giroud whose header was palmed away by Mignolet.
Ospina then had to make his first save. Emre Can shifted to a RB and his drive ended up with a shot that was pushed away by Ospina for a Liverpool corner.
The substitution to bring Flamini on, suggested Arsene was not looking for an open game and was instead satisfied with the 3-0 lead.
Liverpool were trying to press the Arsenal team to no avail. They did pull 1 back however. Sterling was fouled by Bellerin inside the box to give Pool a penalty. Giroud pointed to the correct side but Ospina did not dive convincingly enough.
Suddenly Liverpool thought they could make an unlikely come back, with Henderson trying to marshal the Pool faithful.
Welbeck on as a substitute was given a scissors tackle by Emre Can, that duly earned him a 2nd yellow card. That extinguished all hopes Liverpool had. Instead Arsenal got the 4th, after Giroud picked up Sanchez's pass and went past Toure, before firing in beautifully.
Not 5-1, but a performance we all will remember for a long time, especially given that since the year began Liverpool were the 2nd best team form wise. Of course we were the first.
PLAYER RATINGS
13: David Ospina (7): Could he have saved the penalty? I think so. Did OK otherwise.
39: Hector Bellerin (8): Great goal, great attacking display overall. Conceded a penalty, but otherwise shut Sterling up.
6: Laurent Koscielny (7.5): Seemed careless at times, but as usual made some good interceptions.
4: Per Mertesacker (8): Had a good game. His lack of pace against Sterling worried me, but he did really well.
18: Nacho Monreal (8): Great again by Nacho.
34: Francis Coquelin (9): Some great interceptions and defensive contributions. Yet again dominated the midfield in a big game.
19: Santi Cazorla (7.5): Could have scored early on, but was involved in most of the forward play.
16: Aaron Ramsey (8): Could have scored. But his industry down the right hand side was great to see. Also set up 2 goals. Tactical masterplan from Wenger? Whatever it was, it certainly worked.
17: Alexis Sanchez (8.5): Scored 1 and created 1. 20 goals in his debut season. His form had dipped in the second half of the season, but maybe this was what he needed.
11: Mesut Ozil (8.5): Scored a superb free kick, and his pass to Ramsey to set up the first goal was brilliant. Overall a fantastic game for the German magician.
12: Olivier Giroud (8): He cant stop can he? 6 in 6 now for the league's most in form striker at the moment.
SUBSTITUTES:
5: Gabriel Paulista (7.5): Came on for the injured Koscielny and did well.
20: Mathieu Flamini (7): Helped the team solidify defensively. Did his usual shouting bit as well.
23: Danny Welbeck (N/A): Showed good dribbling ability again, got Can sent off as well.
HIGHLIGHTS
Extended highlights available on this link: https://vid.me/nVTn