“Something is happening here” | ARSENAL 0-2 LIVERPOOL | The Rationale

Welcome back to the opinion ladies and gentlemen. Welcome to the first ever rationale. This piece aims to discuss the action in more considered fashion, as it is published a day or so after. The idea is that we have some time to fully digest the game and also have a chance to discuss any talking points that we may have missed initially after the game. So, with that being said, the relentless reds got the job done in North London and head into the FA Cup fourth round. Let’s talk about it.

The scoreline may paint the wrong picture to anybody who was not watching Sunday’s clash because it was not as straightforward as the scoreline would suggest. In truth, it was the home side who started the game fast. Arsenal were much the better side early on and certainly should have been ahead. We could barely string five passes together never mind create sustained attacks of our own. But the old saying rang true, if you do not take your chances then the other team will take theirs.

The break was where I believe the tide turned. Jurgen Klopp switched Cody Gakpo and Harvey Elliott which abled us to get a foothold within the game. In the first 45, we very much resembled a counter-attacking outfit looking to hit on the break. We did not have any control in the game, simply looking to go from defence to attack in an instant. Also Luis Diaz being switched onto the right-hand side also impacted the game. His display surely has put him as favourite to take up Mohamed Salah duty while he is away with Egypt. These changes from Klopp made the second half much more of an even contest.

One thing I found extraordinary about the game on Sunday is that 50% of our matchday squad had graduated from our academy. This is obviously great credit to the work Alex Inglethorpe and co have done over recent years but also the culture that Jurgen Klopp has built at our great club. The reason Jarell Quansah is able to start away at the Emirates and look as good as Virgil Van Dijk is because the club is completely aligned from the first team right through the other age groups. Klopp’s style is adhered to right through the club and so the academy graduates know exactly what is required to make it into the first team. And this stat is not just a meaningless stat whereby our bench was filled entirely with academy players. I mean, the game was goalless, and Bobby Clark and Conor Bradley were brought on. Replacing two other academy graduates in Curtis Jones and Harvey Elliott. On Sunday, this double substitution felt like a big moment in our season and once again demonstrated the strength in depth we posess.

Back to the game. It was Trent Alexander-Arnold’s magic which gave us the lead. There are simply no more superlatives that can be used to describe his quality with a ball at his feet. A free-kick right on the money, Kiwior was unable to direct his header anywhere other than his own net sending the travelling supporters potty in the away end. Then on the break, Luis Diaz wrapped up the proceedings as we hit on the break in the last minute of the game. Always boss to see Lucho’s father loving life in the away end.

A game very much reminiscent of our victory at St James’ Park earlier on in the season. We are able to stay in games even though we are conceding chances and then we are ruthless with the chances that we get. Another string to our mighty bow. With four competitions left, it certainly begs the question as to whether we can achieve greatness. Because amongst the supporters, it certainly feels as though something is happening here. I have not even mentioned the players we had missing on Sunday and so it is scary to think what we are capable of with a fully-fit squad.

But it is important to not get carried away with what we saw on Sunday night. We must take it one game at a time because trophies are not won in January, but they can be lost. On another day Arsenal would have taken their chances and we would not be hosting either Norwich City or Bristol Rovers in the fourth round later this month.

That’s it for the rationale. I hope you enjoyed the read. Please get your opinion in the comments, it would be massively appreciated. Up the Mighty Reds.