Andrey Arshavin had been on the fringes of the game, he was finding it difficult to get involved as he was being starved of service by the hard working Liverpool midfield. But the little Russian only needs one chance to make something happen

Match Review – Liverpool 1 Arsenal 2 – Premier League

As games go, the game at Liverpool was massive. Arsenal’s title and Champions League rivals all slipped up on an incredible Saturday, and taking advantage of that was on the top of Wenger’s priority list. Arsene selected an attacking line up that had a lovely injection of pace in the front line. Walcott started with Arshavin and Nasri.

Diaby started the game on the bench so the midfield trio pretty much picked itself. I thought that Wenger may have been tempted with adding Diaby to the front line to add some muscle to the team, especially when not in possession but he would save that move for later on during the game.

We could not get our passing game together, mainly down to the Liverpool players closing us down and denying us any time to lift our heads and find a team mate. It was very one paced. We were misplacing passes left, right and center and Cesc could not get into the game. Rafa knows that beating Arsenal is a matter of cutting off our options and stopping our rhythm. Mascherano was key for Liverpool and was often the man who slammed the door shut on our midfield.

I was left feeling very uncomfortable about the space in behind our back line. When we are dominating games and having most of the ball in the opponents half, creating chances then you can accept that we concede that space but when our passing isn’t reaching the Liverpool penalty area and the ball is coming back at you on a regular basis then it is a concern or at least was a concern.

Liverpool hit us on the break early and should have scored. I was saying in my pre match thoughts that I hoped I would see an unfit Fernando Torres as we have seen against us before at Anfield. Torres was presented on a plate from Gerrard and his shot lacked any conviction.

A Torres who had been playing and scoring would have put Liverpool ahead after only 12 minutes. A minute later Liverpool and Gerrard had a penalty shout waved away from Howard Webb. Gerrard twisted past Gallas in the penalty area knocked it almost out of touch just before Gallas stuck out a leg which Gerrard crashed into. My first thought was penalty to Liverpool and I was surprised that being Gerrard and all. it wasn’t given. Perhaps Mr honest Englishman is starting to make a name for himself amongst the referee’s.

Theo Walcott was looking threatening down the Arsenal right but often he couldn’t quite get the ball under his control. In tight spaces the ball isn’t sticking to Theo at the moment and he needs to develop that part of his game if he is to progress. Our philosophy is to keep the ball, pass and move and wait for opportunities, Theo doesn’t often have this ability as yet which is unfortunate. Perhaps if his injuries were kept down to a minimum over the last few years, he could have already developed that side of the game.

The only real attempt on the Liverpool goal was from Samir Nasri. The magical Frenchman flicked the ball beautifully past a Liverpool player, ran onto the ball and unleashed a strike that bobbled wide of the post.

Four minutes from time the deadlock was broken. Steven Gerrard was knocked over by Denilson and the resulting free kick was whipped in by the left foot of Aurélio. Lucas who was standing in an offside position got to the ball before Almunia and his glancing header was parried by Almunia only to the feet of Kuyt who poked in through a crowd of Arsenal defenders.

Liverpool had deserved the goal, they had been the better team by far and had stopped Arsenal from playing their game. The second half was a totally different story. An injection of urgency had been added to the team and our passing became more direct and purposeful. We pushed Liverpool back early.

Three minutes into the second half Cesc Fabregas fired in a low shot from the left edge of the penalty area into the arms of Reina. Arsenal were back in the game on 50 minutes. Arshavin found Cesc and he fed the ball early to Nasri who moved to the right his low cross into the box took a double deflection and Glen Johnson facing his own goal stabbed the ball over the line from close range, a slice of luck but it was the Gunners who were forcing the issue, they were enforcing their own game onto Liverpool.

Andrey Arshavin had been on the fringes of the game, he was finding it difficult to get involved as he was being starved of service by the hard working Liverpool midfield. But the little Russian only needs one chance to make something happen. Just before the hour mark he produced the best moment of the match. Cesc’s floated ball reached Arshavin just inside the penalty area he won a lucky break off a Liverpool defender and swivelled and fired in an absolute rocket of a shot with hardly any back lift off the post and into the goal. How can someone generate so much power without back lift? It was a stunning strike that left Reina rooted to the spot.

A big game away from home, finding ourselves a goal down and turning it around. That hasn’t happened for a while and it felt very good.

Wenger made a change, Walcott coming off for Abou Diaby who had just returned from injury. Diaby played on the left with Nasri moving to the right. This is how I expected us to start the game but Arsene’s offensive selection proved to be a bold decision.

I was a bag of nerves in the last twenty minutes, expecting the Liverpool onslaught to happen but it never did. Alex Song and Denilson provided a brilliant shield in front of Gallas and Vermaelen who were also fantastic. Armand Traore who had to hobble off with what looked to be a hamstring was brilliant defensively. Torres often pulled over to his side to test the inexperience of the youngster but he stood up to the task.

Arshavin had also picked up a knock and was replaced late on. Hopefully it is not serious.

Liverpool could not find another routine through to Almunia’s goal and the victory was ours. The last time we won at Anfield we went on to win the league. Three points behind Manchester United with a game in hand.

Cesc said that Wenger was furious at half time and he let the players know what he thought, it certainly knocked the complacency out of the players and it was great to see them respond the way they did.