[Liverweb] Arsenal Match Report

Liverweb Match Report

Liverpool 1 Arsenal 0

Liverpool : Dudek, Finnan, Carragher, Hyypia, Riise, Kewell, Gerrard
(C), Alonso, Sissoko, Morientes, Fowler

Subs Used : Hamann for Alonso (71), Cisse for Fowler (79), Garcia
for Sissoko (83)

Subs Unused : Carson, Traore

Att : 44,065

Ref : G.Poll

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A Luis Garcia strike four minutes from time ensured the Reds got a
deserved win over Arsenal at Anfield. Valentines night saw a
swelling of the female support in the crowd including my better half
as Arsenal came to town and quite frankly I can't remember a poorer
Arsenal for a long while. Pre-match saw a ground remembering Bob
Paisley who died ten years ago - 14th February 1996. A list of his
honours was read out - something none of today's manager's can match
that's for sure.

The Reds won the toss and defended the Kop end in the first half
which saw Arsenal kick off. There seemed to be an extra spring in
the step of the Reds on the night to win control of the midfield. If
we could win the midfield you snuff out their front line too and
heap pressure on the back line. On two minutes Dudek was out of his
goal well and headed clear, not knowing if the ball he got was a
back pass or not.

Many of the Reds' chances were headers on the night but nothing came
to fruition. Morientes headed wide after three minutes and then
Fowler also headed wide five minutes later. Arsenal looked to calm
the pace down whenever they could. Lehmann seemed to be missing ball
boys at the ground as he just seem to refuse to collect any ball
that wasn't within a six inch radius of his body.

Arsenal had a superb chance on eleven minutes to open the scoring
when Toure sneaked in at the far post unmarked but headed over the
bar. The worrying part of that move was how he just ghosted in and
didn't seem to enter anyone's zone. Kewell and then Riise both had
efforts on goal but neither overly troubled Lehmann. On twenty one
minutes there was so nearly an own goal from Senderos. He
accidentally looped a header over Lehmann and just as it looked
destined for the back of the net the German keeper got back to claw
the ball away.

Arsenal's main threat was always going to be from Henry but he just
didn't look interested in the game at times. When he was sent
through on the half hour he failed to get the ball under control and
allowed Dudek to collect the ball with ease.

The Reds were awarded a penalty on thirty two minutes when Morientes
was barged over in the area. It seemed a bizarre decision in that it
seemed to take Graham Poll an age to give it. Gerrard took the ball
after no-one else offered to take the kick and after a quick jig hit
his shot left where Lehmann flung himself to save. Gerrard just
didn't look at all confident with the kick and it didn't surprise me
at all when it was saved.

The miss seemed to dent the Reds a little and the half slowly came
to an end with nothing much doing at all. There was no need for half
time changes though as the side were getting at Arsenal enough and
making them look very poor. The Reds back line was strong with both
Carragher and Hyypia performing well although Sami's distribution
left a lot to be desired at times.

The Reds got the second half underway with no changes made by either
side at half time. The Reds came out the same way as the fits half
and kept probing the Arsenal back line although were often too slow
in trying to create anything. That said the front line was poor and
Morientes at the moment is playing exceptionally slow and poor.
Passing the ball around the midfield helps you get so far of course
but then you need strikers to finish things off. Fowler had a couple
of really good efforts well saved whilst Morientes seemed to be
struggling to wake up. Perhaps he was too busy listening to Madrid
and a portable radio or something. Perhaps he really is just that
past it and not set for the Premiership?

Fowler went really close on fifty one minutes when he shot from a
Gerrard pass but his shot was excellently saved from Lehmann who was
in inspired form. If it wasn't for him this could have been four nil
perhaps. On sixty three minutes Morientes headed wide of the goal
with a glancing header from a Gerrard cross. Freddie Ljungberg was
the one and only booking on the night as he cynically hacked Kewell
down from behind and had the cheek to moan.

The Reds made their first switch on seventy two minutes when Hamann
replaced Alonso. Xabi had looked a little jaded at times and looks
desperate for a rest if nothing else. A few more sleeping pills are
called for I think to help the great midfielder on. Two minutes
after the switch Kewell forced Lehmann in to another fine save at
his near post. Kewell had an overhead kick turned out for a corner
by the Arsenal keeper.

Cisse replaced Fowler up front for the final ten minutes as the Reds
looked again for a way through to the net. The one fear you had in
the back of your mind was that if Arsenal suddenly got one move
right they could score and rob the Reds of the three points. Riise
hit a shot from outside the box straight at Lehmann on eighty three
minutes. A minute later and Morientes dithered in trying to volley
home and the chance was gone.

Luis Garcia arrived on eighty four minutes for Sissoko and the move
paid off for the Reds within three minutes. Hamann hit a superb shot
to the bottom corner of the net but a fully stretched Lehmann got a
hand to it. Garcia reacted quickly and slammed the ball in to the
back of the net although Lehmann had got across but couldn't keep it
out. The crowd went wild and all of a sudden Arsenal seemed intent
on doing things quickly. Having seemed to waste as much time as they
could up until this point they then raced to everything, collected
loose balls for throw ins and everything.

Arsenal did put some pressure on the Reds but nothing too major.
That said a corner late on did have you fearing a goal against.
Arsenal got what they deserved though which was nothing. As the
final whistle blew the Reds could celebrate a win and a happy
Valentines night for the Reds.

MotM : Jamie Carragher - played superbly well at the back as ever
and this vote was swayed by my better half confirming the quality of
the latest player to reach 400 appearances. Momo Sissoko also had a
good game after a poor start to break a lot of the play up.

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Match Stats
Liverpool Arsenal
53% Possession 47%
8 Shots On Target 2
14 Shots Off Target 4
2 Blocked Shots 0
13 Corners 1
11 Fouls 16
1 Offsides 6
0 Yellow Cards 1
0 Red Cards 0

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