Pain in the Arsenal
Fansided

3 key lessons from Liverpool ahead of West Ham trip

By Adam Keys

LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - APRIL 09: Ben White of Arsenal is challenged by Darwin Nunez of Liverpool during the Premier League match between Liverpool FC and Arsenal FC at Anfield on April 09, 2023 in Liverpool, England. (Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images)
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - APRIL 09: Ben White of Arsenal is challenged by Darwin Nunez of Liverpool during the Premier League match between Liverpool FC and Arsenal FC at Anfield on April 09, 2023 in Liverpool, England. (Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
2 of 3
Next
Diogo Jota challenges Oleksandr Zinchenko. (Photo by PAUL ELLIS/AFP via Getty Images)
Diogo Jota challenges Oleksandr Zinchenko. (Photo by PAUL ELLIS/AFP via Getty Images) /

2. The second ball

If you can’t win the first, win the second. At times Arsenal were too soft going into their duels as Arteta stated after the game. However, if you win the second ball, it’s manageable.

Arsenal failed to do that on numerous occasions, and for Liverool’s first goal, they were cut open as Liverpool moved it quickly and got players to loose balls first.

The same occurred with the Liverpool penalty. Gabriel and Virgil van Dijk competed for the header, which then broke in the box, and Diogo Jota won a soft penalty by getting to the second ball first.

Again, when Darwin Nunez went through for a one-on-one, it was Jakub Kiwior who failed to win the second ball from a Van Dijk header. That should have been a warning for Arsenal, but it wasn’t.

After Gabriel failed to kill the game with an easy chance, Liverpool marched forward. Andy Robertson’s cross was headed out by Holding, but again, Arsenal failed to get to the ball quick enough, and Salah picked it up, leading to Roberto Firmino’s winner.

Continued on the next slide…

Home/Arsenal News