Jamie Carragher says two Liverpool players were ‘really poor’ against Arsenal tonight
The Reds were largely good against the Gunners, holding Mikel Arteta’s side at bay and securing a 1-1 draw.
However, it could have been so much better for Liverpool. Having pressed Arsenal into submission at the start of the second-half, the Reds had dangerous attack after dangerous attack.
But far too often the final ball was left wanting. And commentating for Sky Sports, Carragher lay the blame mainly at the feet of Cody Gakpo and Luis Diaz, with Mohamed Salah also culpable.
“Aside from Salah’s finish, the front three for Liverpool have been really poor,” bemoaned the Liverpool legend. “Salah has a moment of absolute brilliance but too often the front three are in dangerous positions and the final pass or finish [has been missing]. Mostly Gakpo and Diaz. The midfield have been doing their job winning the ball back.
“That quality in the final third has let them down. They’ve had real opportunities when it’s been turned over.”
Liverpool attack lets them down
Heading into the game, the form of both Gakpo and Diaz had been a topic of debate for Liverpool fans.
Although both have contributed this season, neither have done much of late.
Diaz in particular really needs to find some form. With one goal in his last 14 Premier League matches, Liverpool really should expect such a lot more from him.
But though he worked hard against Arsenal, the Colombian never really looked like turning that around on Saturday.
It wasn’t just Lucho who failed to deliver, though. Despite his goal, Salah was as guilty as anyone of giving the ball away in promising positions.
So often so sure of foot when running into the final third, Mo just couldn’t seem to get it under control this evening.
His touch let him down plenty of times, but his decision making and execution when in genuinely good positions was poor, too. Gakpo meanwhile just couldn’t get into the game.
Liverpool’s attack looks superb on paper, but for too many games now we’re seeing these ineffectual performances. Things have to improve.
Jurgen Kopp has given an update on an injury sustained by Luis Diaz for Liverpool this evening.
Diaz went down in some pain after colliding with Arsenal winger Bukayo Saka in the second-half of tonight’s 1-1.
After a disappointing performance it looked like the Colombian was set to be replaced anyway. But nevertheless, speaking to liverpoolf.com after the game, Klopp gave an update on what went on with Lucho.
“He has pain, it was knee on knee and in that moment we wanted to change twice and then Lucho was down,” said the manager.
“And actually we first wanted to wait if maybe Lucho has to come off but then we decided [to] change all three because now we don’t have to wait how Lucho is and that’s what we did then.
“Lucho told me ‘little pain’, physios were not too concerned, but you never know and we play in three days and you never know how quick the turnaround is, so we have to see. I don’t know.”
Diaz disappoints again
Diaz must hate the sight of Arsenal. It was against the Gunners last year that the 26-year-old suffered a significant knee problem.
Having been taken out by Thomas Partey, Diaz’s campaign went on to be ruined, and he hasn’t looked the same player since.
At that time, losing the former Porto man was a huge blow for Liverpool. He had started the season well and looked like being a lively contributor.
But this time around, it’s unfortunate to say that Reds’ supporters will hardly notice Diaz’s absence – if he is to spend some time out.
The Colombia international now has just one goal in his past 15 Premier League appearances. That is far from being good enough.
It isn’t just the lack of goals, though. Diaz is also yet to register an assist all season long. He doesn’t look a threat far too often in games and doesn’t feel close to turning things around.
Having looked ready to kick on around a month ago, Diaz just hasn’t done so. At all.
Having said that, with Diogo Jota also out for the time being Liverpool won’t want to lose another attacker. Ineffectual or not, there’s always the hope that Diaz is just about to turn things around. He can’t do that if he’s not on the pitch. Fingers crossed he’s okay.
Jamie Redknapp thinks that Liverpool’s substitutes will have disappointed Jurgen Klopp against Arsenal this evening.
The Reds had started the second-half well and looked poised to take advantage of some sloppy Arsenal defending.
But with their forwards failing to make the most of some good-looking opportunities, Klopp looked to his bench. On came Darwin Nunez, as well Ryan Gravenberch and Harvey Elliott.
Unfortunately though, the changes failed to have the desired impact. And speaking to Sky Sports after the game, former Liverpool captain Redknapp suggested that Nunez and Gravenberch actually made the Reds worse.
“He’ll [Klopp] be so disappointed with Nunez and Gravenberch,” said the pundit. “Coming on with 22 minutes to go, come on and light the place up, they didn’t, they almost lost momentum instead of improvement. That’ll be a big disappointment for him.”
Substitutes fail to fire
There’s no getting away from it, Liverpool’s substitutes were poor against Arsenal.
Nunez perhaps deserves a pass. The Uruguayan didn’t really have too much to go on and battled relatively hard down Liverpool’s left.
Nevertheless, another blank now makes it 12 games without a goal for Darwin. That really needs to change soon.
Elliott too wasn’t especially culpable. The 20-year-old has been great off the bench recently and was perhaps unlucky to miss out on the starting line-up tonight.
He may not have had the same impact as he had at Crystal Palace a couple of weeks ago. But by and large Harvey did okay.
But my word, Ryan Gravenberch. The 21-year-old hasn’t played well for some weeks now, but this was a new nadir at Anfield tonight.
Gravenberch simply couldn’t control the ball. Whenever it broke to the £34m man he seemed to take a heavy first touch, and lose it.
Passes went astray and simple things weren’t done well, or done at all.
At a time when Liverpool needed to keep their foot on Arsenal’s neck, they let the game drift and allowed the Gunners back into it. There were 11 players on the pitch, all of whom played their part in that. But, unfortunately, Redknapp is right to highlight the disappointing nature of the subs.
Arsenal forward Bukayo Saka has credited Joe Gomez for a good display for Liverpool tonight.
Gomez was brought into the game as a first-half substitute. With Kostas Tsimikas having to head off with a broken collar-bone, the 26-year-old was needed at left-back.
Up against the mercurial Saka, it looked like a potentially tough ask for Gomez. But the England international stood up well and kept the Arsenal man quiet.
As a result, Saka was asked by Sky Sports after the game if he found it difficult facing up against a right-footed left-back.
“Do you know what, I don’t really think too much about that, whether they’re right or left-footed,” said the 22-year-old.
“Obviously it’s more difficult when I see Virgil van Dijk coming across and I can see him. Credit to Liverpool for how they defended against me today, and credit to Joe as well, he got the better of me sometimes and he played quite well.”
Gomez ready for left-back run
With Tsimikas now set to be missing for some time, Gomez needs to get used to this.
Andy Robertson isn’t due back for another month or so, and there’s plenty of game-time between now and then. As a result, Gomez will be expected to line-up for the foreseeable future.
If tonight was an audition for that, then Liverpool are going to be absolutely fine.
He wasn’t always perfect against Saka. But with his old pal Van Dijk by his side, Gomez kept things tight and had a really fine game.
The defender could even have scored. Playing on the opposite side means that Gomez has the chance to run onto efforts with his natural right-foot.
Had his curled effort flown inside David Raya’s post instead of inching past it, the roof would have come off of Anfield.
It has to be said as well, that Gomez has stood up incredibly well all season long. This time last year there would have been some worry about him stepping in to the starting XI. But Joe has turned things around.
Whether at right-back or centre-back, Liverpool’s No.2 has been excellent in 2023/24. It’s unfortunate for Tsimikas, but Gomez deserves his chance for a run in the side. Saka knows it, too.
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