1. Liverpool now need a run of wins
Liverpool will look at this game with the feeling that they dropped two points against the Gunners because of the way they dominated most of this game. Their 27 goal attempts are the most by any side against Arsenal in years and Brendan Rodgers’ side are showing real signs of improvement.
This is the third game that Liverpool have dominated in terms of ball possession and chances created but the results have not always gone their way. They should obviously win more aerial duels when defending set-pieces and their finishing could do with improvement as well, but Rodgers’s side badly need to string together a couple of wins.
Without that winning streak, their mistakes will be magnified by critics while they will lose the confidence that they currently have.
2. Arsene Wenger’s theory can only explain part of the Gunners’ display
Wenger admitted after the game that his side failed to get their usual game going but the French manager pointed at last season’s 5-1 drubbing in their last visit as the reason Arsenal were too cautious this time.
That defeat may have compelled some Arsenal players to spend a lot of time behind the ball but that was not the only reason Arsenal were pinned in their half for most parts of the game. The Gunners were poor in possession, particularly in central midfield.
3. Frustrated Fabio Borini lost the balance between fire and ice needed in big games
Players should obviously be fired up for big games to keep up with the ferocious tempo but they also need their cool and, in this game, Borini failed to get the balance right.
From the moment he came on from the bench, he looked like a man on a mission. The Italian centre forward seemed desperate to impress. When his strong challenge on Kieran Gibbs was wrongly penalised, he lost his cool and got booked for dissent.
That was just after he took a shot from a tight angle while snubbing his centre-forward partner Rickie Lambert who would have had a tap-in.
His second yellow card could have been a straight red for a reckless challenge on Santi Cazorla as his studs ripped the Spaniard’s shirt.
4. Olivier Giroud keeps his steady supply of goals in big games
Giroud’s goal was his fifth of the season and they all came in big games. The French centre forward came from the bench to score against Manchester United when he returned from injury and he has also scored against Everton, plus a brace against Newcastle last weekend.
In this game, his goal was special not because of his expert movement and calm finishing but because Liverpool were on top for most parts of the game and Arsenal’s forwards struggled to get into the game.
While that clearly affected Alexis Sanchez and Danny Welbeck, Giroud came to life in that one instance his side created something for him.
5. Markovic keeps proving Rodgers right for showing faith
When Rodgers switched to his new 3-4-3 formation it seemed like Alberto Moreno was going to be the biggest winner as he loves to fly down the left flank whenever he gets a chance. But the Reds boss though has shown more faith in Markovic and the Serbian is proving his boss right with increasingly better performances.
This was arguably Markovic’s best performance since he joined from Benfica and if he keeps the standards he set against the Gunners then he should cement his place ahead of Moreno.
