Arsenal I wanted a statement, but there won’t be much more on this. 0-0 draw against Liverpool at all – apart from the controversy surrounding Gabriel MartinelliIt’s a shameful moment. It was perhaps surprising that Arne SlotPlayers didn’t respond with even more fury after he pushed a clearly injured Conor Bradley off the field.
Otherwise, it felt a lot like the August game, except without a moment of magic to fix the problem, and virtually no creativity.
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An otherwise great Christmas for Arsenal always ends up feeling like a rainy midweek evening in January. The whole event was marked by some turmoil, but the home crowd can at least remember that they are in a better position than a month ago and are six points ahead.
It was just that Mikel ArtetaThe team was all too willing to cede control in this game, for a game that can at least offer some comfort to Slot.
This is a third consecutive draw, but not like the others.
If Arsenal ultimately want to win the title, they will have done so without beating last season’s champions in the league. Liverpool have won four points against them, from two matches where the best that can be said is that the two have shown each other a huge amount of respect. And despite the constant whispering, they don’t really like each other that much.
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This may have been evident in Martinelli’s astonishing intervention, but there is absolutely no excuse for it. This could be a moment in this match that provokes further discussion – and a lot of controversy – but Slot lowered the temperature by almost speaking for the Brazilian. The Liverpool manager says time wasting is a general problem in football. It’s important to understand that frustrated players may feel like every moment is happening in the heat of the moment – even though that’s obviously not the case.
“You can’t expect Martinelli to think so clearly in the 94th minute,” Slot said.
Arsenal’s Gabriel Martinelli (right) was booked for moving injured Liverpool full-back Conor Bradley (not pictured) off the field (PA) (PA Wire)
Liverpool have done enough to remind us of what their quality should be without showing it. Arsenal were not allowed to play their game. Liverpool had most of the possession in the second half.
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In the end, though, very little happened in a match where everyone expected much more.
And in the absence of real discussions about this match, it is impossible not to say that we now expected more from Viktor Gyokeres. This is a topic of discussion.
Arsenal may still have control of their destiny, but one of the lingering doubts concerns the forward line and what Arteta ends up deciding there.
How long will he keep his faith in Gyokeres?
Recovery Gabriel Jesus is already a ball of energy every time he comes into play, which stands out all the more when put in immediate contrast with the relative apathy of the Swede. Kai Havertz is expected on Sunday.
Gabriel Jesus is looking for a much more effective option than Viktor Gyokeres (John Walton/PA Wire)
There is even an argument that the midfielder Mikel Merinos is a more useful option at the moment.
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It’s hard not to think that Gyokeres will soon be on the bench, which is probably better for Arsenal than five meters behind a ball crossing the box.
This is not about immediately firing the player. He’s clearly still adjusting to the jump that is the Premier League and isn’t quite up to speed.
But it is this speed that poses the problem.
There were three big moments in the first half, where you would have expected a signature striker of his profile to do everything to get there.
Gyokeres was a passenger against Liverpool (John Walton/PA Wire)
One was a head-back Jurrien Timber. One of them was a reduction of Saka. Another was a flash Léandro Trossard ball through the surface.
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And yet, for every game, Gyokeres found himself about five yards from the play.
He ended up leaving in the 64th minute with just eight touches.
A little more force for just one of those chances and it could have been nine and a goal.
For his part, Gyokeres provided a great moment with a clever reverse pass for Timber. Arsenal didn’t even have another shot until the 90th minute either, but that wasn’t entirely down to the attacking options.
Arsenal took until the 90th minute to pull away in the second half (John Walton/PA Wire)
Arteta was obviously willing for his team to be much more contained.
And this, even if Liverpool didn’t have much in attack, which is much more explainable.
Three of their attacking stars are out, and they ended up playing a striker who sometimes replaced the left back up front.
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They started to take control of the game in the second half, but couldn’t do much about it.
They had neither individual creativity nor collective integration.
Florian Wirtz often looked frustrated near the area as another Liverpool attack went nowhere, and certainly not against him.
Florian Wirtz was left frustrated as Liverpool attacks came to nothing (Liverpool FC via Getty Images)
That’s perhaps Slot’s biggest concern. His team is not really building itself. They are now too dependent on individual inspiration.
The difference between what Liverpool was and is could be seen in a single set piece – but not from Arsenal. Last August, Dominik Szboszlai hit a 30-yard free kick that flew into the top corner. Here he flew into the crowd.
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capricious, indulgent and unlike anything you’d expect: a bit like the team of the moment.
He moved closer with a closer shot. As is often the case in this match, however, it ultimately didn’t end in a shot on target.
Arsenal couldn’t even do that with one of their final set pieces, with the final whistle coming just after Gabriel had headed down and wide.
Even the last word was muffled.
