Liverpool 0-0 Arsenal: 4 positives from heroic Carabao Cup draw

For the neutral that will probably go down as one of the least inspiring matches of the season. For those of an Arsenal affiliation, it was an exhilarating display of determination.

With the rearranged fixtures playing heavily into Liverpool’s favour – what a convenient turn of events – Arsenal headed to Anfield with confidence low and numbers depleted.

The loss to Nottingham Forest was an uncharacteristically limp and lifeless performance, with the players involved asked to pick themselves up and dust themselves down again for this one due to a frightening lack of options in the squad.

Mikel Arteta has refused to draw excuses from the situation, but even he must have been feeling like his side are up against it in every which way when Granit Xhaka was given his marching orders after 24 minutes, just at the point where Arsenal were starting to get a foothold in the match.

Liverpool 0-0 Arsenal: 4 positives from Mikel Arteta’s side after heroic Carabao Cup semi-final first leg draw at Anfield

It was an unenviable position to be in as he was left on his own to cover the speedy Jota, but as the most experienced player on that pitch for Arsenal there is no excusing the idiotic nature of a tackle he doesn’t have to commit.

That set the tie up for another 4-0 drubbing. It happened to Arsenal with 11 players earlier in the season and with water breaks needing to be swapped for oxygen tank sessions given the amount of energy exerted, the clock began ticking very slowly.

Arteta saw only one solution, having initially dabbled with the thought of Nuno Tavares coming on, and it paid off.

Switching to a 5-3-1 formation that included Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli as central midfielders, Arsenal held on valiantly for a 0-0 draw, registering as many shots on target as their numerically advantaged hosts. There were, of course, multiple positives to draw from the game.

1. Defensive Solidity a la George Graham

When you survive more than 70 minutes away at Anfield with ten men and restrict your opponents to the solitary shot on target, you deserve a pat on the back. Two, actually.

In securing a goalless draw, Arsenal became the first side to stop Liverpool scoring at Anfield across all competitions this season. And they had ten men.

It’s an interesting note that has run through all of Arteta’s tenure, that whenever the team has to play low block football they’ve been solid doing so. The FA Cup run in his first season stands out, and then on other occasions, like against Manchester City on New Year’s Day, they kept the best side in world football at bay only for a lucky bounce to be their undoing.

Defensively, there was George Graham’s stamp all over this display: gutsy, disciplined, determined and unified. The Scot would have been proud of this team for the way they banded together, defended their zones, and maintained aggression throughout. Even Arsene Wenger had a strong record in his early Arsenal years with ten men. It appears to have rubbed off.

There is no way to leave that match and not be proud of the effort on show. Even with ten men behind the ball, Arsenal still had the endeavour to try and shift through the thirds whenever they could. The Arteta flair was there amid the Graham resolve.

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