Arsenal 3 Liverpool 0 - This morning I watched todays game at the Emirates Stadium between Arsenal and Liverpool and can only surmise that Liverpool Football Club seem to be in a state of turmoil. Todays performance against Arsenal was woefully below what is expected of a high quality premiership side such as Liverpool.Steven Gerrards continued role as a right midfielder is becoming more of an issue for all football commentators (BBC Sport - Benitez shrugs off Gerrard debate) and plenty have noted the folly of playing one of the best central midfielders in the country in a position that is not natural for him.
As a guide to disseminating the choice of playing Gerrard on the right hand side I would suggest putting yourself in Arsene Wengers shoes. What would Wenger be thinking (and most Arsenal fans) when they saw how Liverpool shaped up before the game today? Gerrard playing out on the right side of the field ; Wenger must have been delighted with that.
There were many strange looks from Gerrard to his bench throughout the game, showing his confusion. Rafael Benitez has a constant rotation policy for his team, but playing your best players out of position definitely is not going to win him any admirers. Especially amongst the Liverpool fans.
After the game Benitez said
"Steven was playing in the middle for part of the second half and we didn't create many chances.
"We need to improve as a team and not think about one or two players."
That’s not a great way to motivate your players and Gerrard will surely feel these remarks as criticism from his manager. Justifying his decision to play Gerrard in right midfield by questioning Gerrards lack of influence when he did play him in the Centre of Midfield does not bode well. It is as if Benitez is saying that he wasn't effective in the Centre of Midfield even when he moved him to the centre and therefore his decision to play him on the right was correct.
Well Gerrard certainly did not influence the game on the right. Troubled times indeed for Liverpool.
Arsenal on the other hand are doing their up most to keep up with the phenomenal win rate of Manchester United and Chelsea. Today they looked like a great team, playing with lots of movement, fluidity and able to break down Liverpool on numerous occasions. I hope they can hang on to the coattails of the leading 2 to make this a Premiership season to remember. I am sure we will see some great press conferences and touchline dramas courtesy of Jose Mourinho, Alex Ferguson and Arsene Wenger if the 3 teams can stay neck and neck through the season. Those battles/mindgames could be as exciting as the Football matches themselves and reminiscent of Kevin Keegans emotional outpouring below :
Totally off the topic of Football is this brilliant video in a similar vein to Trigger Happy TV. It's amazing the things people will put up with and do when you point a camera and microphone at them...enjoy
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