Champions League Quarter Final

Arsenal vs Liverpool @ The Emirates

Although I’ve ‘taken’ to Charlton this year, I’ve still managed to get my fair share of Liverpool matches in and when I can’t get to see them at Anfield or away in the Premiership or in Europe, I do catch them on TV most of the time and I was sitting in the Duke of York this week with Richard and a few other mates to watch this one…

1-1 was a fortunate result for the visitors if I’m honest. Rafa’s Dirk has provided the side from Liverpool with that vital away goal, which means Arsenal will need to come out firing on all cylinders at Anfield in a fortnight which should provide a great spectacle for the neutral supporter. With long periods of control and a very strong penalty appeal, the Gooners can feel a bit hard done by, but football is swings and roundabouts and we’ve been hard done by a few times this season, so I think it was karma for us…

There were no real surprises in the starting line-ups for either side. Mascherano returning after the debacle that was his dismissal at Old Trafford was partnered alongside Xabi Alonso in the middle of the park, with Captain Steven Gerrard on the right and Ryan Babel on the left. The unstoppable ‘Nando Torres was up front with Dirk Kuyt and the back four was made up of Carra, Skrtel, Hyypia and Aurelio. Arsenal had Adebayor and Van Persie up front with Fabergas, Flamini, Hleb and Eboue in the middle of the park.

Arsenal were the quicker team out of the blocks and from the opening whistle they looked the more comfortable of the teams. In fact I thought that they looked extremely dangerous in the middle of the park, but there was a distinct lack of ‘bite’ up front. Whether they are missing Eduardo is debatable – I’d not seen him set the ground alight even before his injury, but what is clear is that Arsenal rely too heavily on two players – Emmanuel Adebayor and Cesc Fabergas. At the beginning of the season when Arsenal were the pace setters, both players were on fire and looked lethal, however, following the Christmas break, and a drastic hair cut in Adebayor’s case, the two have seen a downturn in their fortunes and that of their team.

Adebayor left unmarked in the six yard box from a corner kick is a recipe for disaster and once again this season, Rafa Benitez’s ‘zonal’ defence lost the plot and allowed the most dangerous man on the park an open header. 1-0.

Liverpool responded almost instantaneously, through Dirk Kuyt who slotted home following a great run into the box from Captain Steven Gerrard. 1-1.

Arsenal started the second half how they had played most of the match, coming at Liverpool and putting the reds under sustained periods of pressure. With the exception of a Stevie G snapshot and an effort from Kuyt and Torres, Liverpool spent much of the second half defending and with 20 minutes remaining, Arsenal brought on Nicholas Bendtner who’s first contribution was to block a goal bound Cesc Fabergas effort off the line (cheers Nick, you are a champion).

Bendtner’s clearance was the last clear cut opportunity of the match, and I was happy to walk away with the away goal which could prove crucial.

Liverpool will have to concentrate on playing possession football in the next leg. I’m particularly interested to see how Arsenal will react to ‘Fortress Anfield’ - a completely different ground on European nights to the one they will be used to playing at in the league. Given the need for Arsenal to come at Liverpool, I will be bold in my prediction and go with a 2-0 Liverpool win in the home leg.

Man of the Match: Dirk Kuyt (he might not be prolific, but he gets around the park better than anyone else on the pitch and his work effort is immense)