Arsenal Vs Liverpool: This is why Lucas Torreira is here

Arsenal, historically, have had trouble with the speed of Liverpool’s attacking play. But this season, when the two teams face off on Saturday, they have a new weapon. This is why they signed Lucas Torreira.

Saturday, February 8th, 2014. Within 20 minutes, the game was over. Saturday, March 4th, 2017. A goal up after nine minutes, the game finished by half-time. Sunday, August 27th, 2017. Four goals just the start of the disparity between the two teams. It is fair to see that Liverpool have not been the kindest opponents for Arsenal in recent years.

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In fact, you could make an argument that they have been the most awkward team for the Gunners to handle. Liverpool are unbeaten in their last five league matches against Arsenal, scoring a whopping 17 goals. This has been a lopsided rivalry.

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The problems, predominantly, have stemmed from Liverpool’s searing speed in attack. They counter with great efficiency and ruthlessness, have terrifying quickness in wide areas, and play the ball with great precision and tempo. It has shown in the frequency at which they have scored goals. They have ripped Arsenal open and ploughed right through, scoring in gluts.

These performances, combined with some serious hammerings by Chelsea and Manchester City in similar fashion, are a key motivator for why Lucas Torreira was signed in the summer. Although one player does not solve problems to this extent, it is clear that the presence of players like N’Golo Kante, James Milner and Fernandinho and the impact that they had on these type of games led Ivan Gazidis and Sven Mislintat to prioritising a midfielder with a comparable skill set this summer. Torreira was the man they found.

Liverpool travel to the Emirates on Saturday evening. It is the first time that Unai Emery’s iteration will face a top side having had the time to drill down into his system, his approaches and his philosophies. Arsenal opened the season against Manchester City and Chelsea, but it is harsh to draw any deep conclusions from such games with Emery’s recent hiring. This is different.

Another change is the presence of Torreira. He started neither of those games, with Emery deciding to ease him into life in north London after the World Cup. And these are the games that Torreira, and his ankle-snapping style, is expected to impact significantly. This is why he was signed.

The speed of Liverpool’s counter, their slick, fluent play through the middle, their incessant pressing in advanced areas. All of these traits are elements of the sport that Torreira was signed to help combat: his tackling ability, his reading of the game, his smart, sound play on the ball all counter many of the tactics that Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool will employ.

Torreira is in north London for games like Saturday’s. We will see if he can have the desired effect or not.