LONDON. Arsenal will not win any title this season. That is the harsh reality for Mikel Arteta’s men, who fell this Thursday against Liverpool in the semifinals of the League Cup (0-2) and who will see from home how Chelsea and the ‘Reds’ play for the first trophy it’s from the season.
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For EFE
January 20, 2022 – 18:38
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Without Salah and Mané, but with Diogo Jota, Liverpool did not need a great exhibition to set aside an Arsenal lacking fangs, in need of a striker and without the conviction that they can compete with the greats. He did it at Anfield, where he endured with ten, but more out of necessity than confidence.
He could not correspond at home, despite having the Wembley Olympus on the horizon. With that in mind, both coaches held little back. Martin Odegaard, already recovered from covid, commanded the ‘Gunners’ and Diogo Jota, the goal man without the Africans, the ‘Reds’. And to play.
Although there was no semi-final atmosphere at the Emirates, the start was entertaining, with Alexandre Lacazette’s crossbar foul capping off a few minutes of Arsenal dominance, which felt great for only a few minutes.
The inertia of the first leg, where they resisted 70 minutes and ten, lasted enough for them to fake a victory, but it didn’t take long for Diogo Jota to return Arsenal to the underworld.
A good ball outing by Trent Alexander-Arnold, almost acting as a midfielder, ended up in the boots of the Portuguese, who faced Tomiyasu 40 meters from the goal. He got rid of the Japanese with a move to the inside, reached the edge and before three defenders launched for him, he bit the ball. In slow motion it passed by Ramsdale and lodged in the net.
Arsenal returned to the secondary role in history. They had to come back, give the surprise and Lacazette missed a heads-up as soon as the second half began. Konaté responded with a header to the wood and Arsenal woke up from the Morpheus dream they had gotten into.
Arteta’s men recovered their rhythm after colliding with the central defender’s wood, as if that had reminded them that they were one step away from fighting for a title. His last option of the season, already eliminated from the FA Cup, with the Premier impossible and without playing Europe. It was an all or nothing for the ‘Gunners’, who did not realize Kelleher’s fragility in goal until the 70th minute and Martinelli’s electricity, the team’s ray of light.
But Arsenal, not even so, played with the feeling of having the water up to their necks. Too much parsimony in a team that boasts titles in its stands and a past time that was always better. And while Poseidon dragged them into the depths, Liverpool took advantage of the hole. Ball to the back of the center-backs, Jota’s running control and above Ramsdale the tie died. Logic prevailed: Liverpool is better, Liverpool wins.
Those of Jürgen Klopp will be on February 27 at Wembley, against Chelsea; Arsenal is out of the fight for the titles. Their season will be marked only if they manage to qualify for the Champions League or not. The sad reality of the ‘Gunner’ fan in 2022.
Datasheet:
0 – Arsenal: Ramsdale; Tomiyasu, White, Gabriel, Tierney; Lokonga, Odegaard, Smith Rowe (Partey, m.74); Saka, Martinelli y Lacazette (Nketiah, m.74).
2 – Liverpool: Kelleher; Alexander-Arnold, Matip (Konaté, d.46), Van Dijk, Robertson; Henderson (Milner, d.75), Fabinho, Jones; Gordon (Minamino, m.63), Firmino (Williams, m.84) and Jota.
Goals: 0-1. Jota, m.18 y 0-2. Jota, m.79.
Referee: Martin Atkinson booked Lacazette (m.44), Tomiyasu (m.56) and expelled Partey (m.90) by the locals and Jones (m.82) and Minamino (m.91) by the visitors .
Incidents: Match corresponding to the second leg of the League Cup semifinals played at the Emirates Stadium (London).
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