Liverpool 1 Arsenal 1

By Aashish Siwan

Goal Liverpool :Ngog 46’ Goal Arsenal : Reina OG 90’

Arsenal started their 2010-2011 campaign with a draw away at Liverpool. This eagerly anticipated clash had a few questions around squad selection and player availability, as far as the Gunners were concerned, to be answered before kick-off. Manuel Almunia, Lukasz Fabianski, Vito Mannone and Wojciech Szczesny all had some part to play, keeping goal in pre-season and Wenger opted to keep the announcement of this season’s no.1 between him and the players only to be revealed during the trip to the KOP. There has also been feverish speculation in recent weeks that Arsenal are after Aussie custodian Mark Schwarzer with Fulham’s new manager Mark Hughes holding firm in denying his current no.1 this move. Hughes’ previous relations with Wenger no doubt having a part to play in his decision. Shay Given has also been linked with a move to Arsenal since being ousted as Man City’s no.1 by Joe Hart. The Irishman has made no secret of his desire for regular footy and displeasure at having to play second fiddle. Only Wenger knows if we are seriously looking at either Schwarzer or Given.

The Gunners also got a welcome boost with Arsene Wenger signing a new contract, keeping him at the Emirates till June 2014.

Djourou, Ramsey, Denilson, and Fabregas were all missing due to injury while Nordtveit missed out due to an admin error on the part of the Norway Football Federation. The joy’s of international duty.

Wenger opted to start Manuel Almunia (c) in goal, confirming him as Arsenal’s No. 1 until the Premier League transfer window closes on the 1st of September if media speculation is to be believed. Bacary Sagna started at right-back, Gael Clichy started at left-back while central defense was manned by Laurent Koscielny, making his Premier League debut, and Thomas Vermaelen. The much talked about defensive midfield role, due to Song’s injury concerns, went to Abou Diaby who was declared available only hours before kick off. Jack Wilshere, also making his Premier League debut (for Arsenal that is) and Samir Nasri started in central midfield while Emmanuel Eboue and Andrey Arshavin started on the flanks leaving Marouane Chamakh (third Gunner making his Premier League debut) as the lone striker completing the 4-1-4-1 formation. Also making a debut was the new Arsenal away kit which looks impressive in yellow and the fluorescent nature of this kit should help the opposition recognise the Arsenal players appendages better, cutting down on those nasty challenges the Gunners seem to suffer. Here’s for hoping.

The KOP was buzzing with anticipation and excitement for the season ahead under new manager Roy Hodgson and the hosts got going with the customary “You’ll never walk along” but the travelling Gooners did not disappoint, making themselves heard while paying homage to Arsene Wenger and his young chargers.

Thomas Vermaelen got the action underway for the Gunners who looked sharper then their hosts. Nasri laid on a free kick for the Belgian to smash past the Liverpool wall only for Reina to come to the rescue with a firm punch clear. Nasri, Clichy and Vermaelen all had attempts just before the hour mark as the hosts looked unlikely creators of anything positive. 

Serbian Milan Jovanovic came up with an attempt for Liverpool, which he shot wide on the 37^th minute after beating the offside trap. The new Liverpool acquisition looking to win the home crowd over but would have done better squaring the ball onto an on rushing Joe Cole instead. Just before halftime, Glenn Johnson made some space for himself with the Arsenal defense failing to close him down as we seem to do more often than not. Johnson’s resulting effort was tipped over the bar with an acrobatic save from Almunia. Steven Gerrard took the resulting corner and defensive lapses again allowed David Ngog to get in and steer his header on goal. Clichy was alert enough to clear the danger off the line as Liverpool started to pile pressure on.

Cole then managed to get himself sent off right on the stroke of halftime with a crude challenge on Koscielny. The initial tackle close to the Arsenal corner flag wasn’t as bad as the follow through which saw Koscielny being stretchered off. Ref Martin Atkinson had a clear view of the incident and did not hesitate to award a straight red. Grim news for an Arsenal squad with only Song on the bench as defensive cover and one could only fear the worst for Koscielny.

It was a welcome sight then to see Koscielny walk out for the start of the second half without any signs of impairment. Arsenal avoided disaster there but not for too long as young Jack Wilshere misjudged a ball from Arshavin down the Arsenal right-hand channel which was played to him as the Gunners tried to pass their way out of trouble. Ngog was quick to pounce on the loose ball and drove into the Arsenal box to fire in an attempt that gave Almunia no chance. The Gunners fell behind just as they were supposed to make the most of their one man advantage.

The unexpected lead gave Liverpool a boot as they started to impose themselves on the game. All of a sudden, things were not looking too bright as Almunia came for and fluffed at a couple of corners and Arsenal looked in danger of falling further behind.

Arsenal called on the services of Theo Walcott and Tomas Rosicky to try and unlock a stubborn Liverpool defense which had Gerrard dropping in deep as defensive cover to try and protect their lead.  Wilshere and Eboue made way. The hosts continued to create chances without building on their lead with Dirk Kuyt and Ngog looking to expose the Arsenal backline.

Reina was called into action to parry a Walcott free kick before Diaby was replaced by Robin van Persie and Liverpool brought on Torres.

Liverpool were reduced to nine men temporarily with about ten minutes to go as Daniel Agger seemed to collapse in a heap in back play as Arsenal attacked. No one seemed too sure as to exactly what had happened to Agger with concussion, heat stroke and a pulled muscle seeming the likely causes.

Rosicky, not fazed by what was going on around him, nearly pulled Arsenal level combining well with Chamakh only for Reina to pull off one of the saves of the match. Rosicky’s movement and trickery alone deserved a goal. Oh Arshavin, where art though is what I thought to myself as time ran out. The Russian was present but failed to have any impact what so ever.

Not one to give up, Chamakh kept trying and was duly rewarded when his attempt was palmed into his own net by Pepe Reina. Chamakh got to the end of a Rosicky cross only to hit the post but Reina was on hand to help the Gunners achieve an unlikely point as Arsenal were finally level. Gerrard nearly put Liverpool back into the lead from a free kick but Alumina did well to save but then Koscielny managed to get himself sent off as well for two bookable offences in quick succession as the added five minutes ran out. Koscielny’s sending off was debatable though as ex Premier League referee Graham Poll explains.    

As disappointing as the draw was, Arsenal should count themselves extremely lucky that Reina gifted the travelling Gooners a reason to smile, well sort of, with a blunder from the otherwise reliable and one of the best keepers in the League.

Next up we welcome newly promoted Blackppol to the Emirates who caused a major upset putting 4 goals past Wigan in the weekend. Kick-off is 2 am on Sunday the 22^nd. Good Arsenal blogger the Arsenalist has all the match highlights here.