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Litmus test for Liverpool against Arsenal (ESPN article)

by Dave Usher for ESPN

 

Liverpool face their most difficult test of the season so far when they make the trip to North London to face table-topping Arsenal. The Emirates Stadium hasn't been a happy hunting ground for the Reds, with just the one victory there in nine attempts in league and cup games, but Brendan Rodgers' men will go there in good heart after their most convincing display of the season in last weekend's 4-1 victory over West Bromwich Albion.

 

Arsenal's form has generally been excellent since their shock loss to Aston Villa on the opening day, and this game represents Liverpool's first really big test of the season. The Reds' displays have not been anywhere near as polished or consistent as Arsenal's, yet only two points separate the sides, and a Liverpool victory would see them leapfrog the Gunners.

 

Only Manchester City have scored more goals than Arsenal and Liverpool this season, while Arsene Wenger's men are the only side to have found the net in every league game, so there promises to be goals in this one. Arsenal will rightly go into the game as slight favourites; they have consistently finished higher than Liverpool for a number of years and they are at home, so the odds are understandably on their side. But there is no question that Liverpool are more than capable of winning this game if they perform on the day.

 

Rodgers will have to get his tactics correct, and the players will have to take full advantage of the opportunities they create, as they most certainly will be able to create against an Arsenal side that is far from solid at the back. They also play an open brand of football that is pleasing on the eye, but does give the opposition a chance. They are especially vulnerable to quick, incisive counterattacks as Villa showed with that opening day success.

 

With that in mind, it will be interesting to see how Liverpool approach this game. Based on the two meetings last season it's clear that Arsenal are not a particularly good matchup for the Reds. They play a similar type of possession-based football, but Arsenal have been doing it longer and are more accomplished at it. At Anfield last year, Liverpool tried to beat Arsenal at their own game and were given a bit of a chasing in a 2-0 defeat. Sandwiched in between that defeat, Liverpool had passed both Manchester clubs off the park at Anfield, but Arsenal were a different proposition entirely.

 

Read the rest of the article here.


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