The clash between Arsenal and Liverpool was a game of two halves.
The Gunners started well and were the better side in the first half. They attacked the wide areas, delivered a few dangerous crosses and came close to scoring.
Arsenal fans hoped to see their team go up a level in the second half, but Liverpool were the much better side after the break.
That was thanks to a tactical tweak Arne Slot made at half-time.
Arsenal’s most disappointing performer against Liverpool was ________
Explain your answer!
Arne Slot suggests Liverpool targeted Arsenal’s William Saliba, Gabriel Magalhaes and Martin Zubimendi
Arsenal were comfortable for large parts of the first half.
Apart from Conor Bradley’s shot that hit the bar after some miscommunication between William Saliba and David Raya, the Gunners weren’t threatened at all.
At half-time, Slot had to change a few things, and one of them was the way his side pressed three Arsenal players – Gabriel Magalhaes, Saliba and Martin Zubimendi.
The Liverpool manager admitted that himself in his press conference after the game.
When asked if he made a tactical tweak at half-time to change the game, Slot replied, as relayed on HaytersTV: “Like I said, I think the way we pressed their two centre-backs [Gabriel and Saliba] and their number six [Zubimendi] was better in the second half than in the first half.
“That’s why we could regain ball possession faster in the second half than in the first half, and they couldn’t come as far around our box than in the first half.”
Fill in the blank: Declan Rice and Martin Zubimendi looked ________________ against Liverpool…
The main tactical tweak that troubled Arsenal against Liverpool
Liverpool’s pressing was definitely better in the second half, but that wasn’t what caused problems for Arsenal.
The Reds overloaded their midfield after the break and outnumbered the Gunners in the middle of the park.
That made it very hard for the Premier League leaders to get out, which is why Liverpool dominated the second half and looked like the better side.
However, the downside for the visitors was that they had nobody up front because everyone dropped back into midfield. That is why they failed to threaten Arsenal’s goal despite their dominance in possession.
It was a good tactic from Slot, and other managers could copy that against the North Londoners in the coming months. So, Mikel Arteta will need to find a solution very soon.
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