Arsenal fail to heed Mikel Arteta warning as Liverpool loss highlights need for new midfield recruits

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Simon Collings @sr_collings28 September 2020

Arsenal suffered their first defeat of the season as Liverpool came from behind to beat them at Anfield.

The Gunners thought they were on course for a memorable win when Alexandre Lacazette opened the scoring after 25 minutes.

Liverpool, however, hit back twice inside nine minutes through Sadio Mane and Andrew Robertson to take the lead before half-time.

The Reds dominated large parts of the game and should have increased their lead, but Arsenal too had chances during a spirited second half.

Lacazette was denied by Alisson when clean through on goal and in the end Liverpool added a third late on through debutant Diogo Jota.

Standard Sport's Simon Collings analyses the main Arsenal talking points from Anfield...

Defeat highlights need for midfield reinforcements

Arsenal have been strongly linked with a move for Lyon midfielder Houssem Aouar over recent weeks
Getty Images

This may arguably be the busiest season in history and this defeat highlighted how Mikel Arteta is working with limited resources in midfield.

The Spaniard has so far essentially been rotating Dani Ceballos, Granit Xhaka and Mohamed Elneny and that is simply not sustainable. The trio have proved themselves good enough to perform under Arteta, but this test against Liverpool showed how more options are needed.

It is perhaps then no surprise that Arsenal are chasing Atletico Madrid’s Thomas Partey and Lyon’s Houssem Aouar before Monday’s transfer deadline. They are two players who carry £50million price tags – and for good reason.

Both have the potential to transform Arsenal’s midfield and it is crucial the club bring one of them in. If Arteta wants to take this team to the next level, he needs to upgrade and have more options in midfield.

Without that, there is a limit to how far this Arsenal side can go.

Arsenal taught lesson in pressing by relentless Liverpool

Arsenal struggled to deal with Liverpool's relentless pressing during Monday's defeat at Anfield
Pool via REUTERS

Since Arteta was appointed back in December, one of Arsenal’s greatest areas of improvement has been their pressing.

They have developed into an organised and structured side who, particularly when football returned from lockdown in June, scored plenty of goals by nicking the ball off opposition defenders.

In fact they did just that during their victory over Liverpool earlier this year at Emirates Stadium, but this time it was the Reds who put on a pressing masterclass. Jurgen Klopp’s side were relentless in hunting Arsenal’s defence down, especially in the first half, and the pace of their press was incredible.

In truth, few sides could have lived with Liverpool on Monday night and the fact that Arsenal didn’t was just a reminder of how far they have to come still. Arteta has laid the foundations for a bright future, but Klopp’s side are evidence of what happens after years of construction has been done.

Arsenal fail to heed Arteta’s warning of being “ruthless”

Mikel Arteta had warned his side that they would have to be ruthless to succeed on Merseyside
Pool via REUTERS

In the build-up to this match, Arteta warned his Arsenal side that they would have to “suffer” for long periods of the game. And given the mood Klopp’s team were in, the Spaniard was certainly right.

There is little that can be done when Liverpool play like this, except batten down the hatches and hope you hit them with a sucker punch. Arsenal did it in the Community Shield and at Emirates Stadium last year, but couldn’t this time.

Arteta said in his pre-match press conference that his side must be ruthless.

“You have to be able, when you have the right opportunities and the right moments, to be ruthless - you have to do that," he said.

And against Liverpool they got that golden moment in the second half, but when clean through Lacazette was unable to beat Alisson, who stood tall. It was Arsenal’s dream chance and one they ultimately lived to regret not taking.

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