Anfield faithful may reflect on their string of one-goal victories two seasons ago, when they pushed Manchester City to the wire, but this side doesn’t contain Luis Suarez, and there are many concerns plaguing a potential title push.
Rodgers’ current situation at Anfield is similar to last year – this time around losing Raheem Sterling and Steven Gerrard – but the Merseyside club’s transfer activity was smoother and seems to follow a specific plan. However, the downfall is the time it will take for the new players to settle at the club and build chemistry with teammates.
This could explain Liverpool’s poor performances thus far, with Rodgers introducing four new signings into the XI, with each area under threat. The main concern for the Reds lies in midfield as the combination of Jordan Henderson and James Milner don’t possess the skill-set to operate as a midfield duo, without limiting one’s main strength.
Milner has been licensed to join the attack, while Henderson sits deeper and spreads sideways passes to the flanks – the Liverpool captain proved his best position is higher up the pitch, making late runs into the box. The duo coped with a static Stoke attack, but were occasionally overrun against Bournemouth recently, and would be prone to similar issues against a sleek Arsenal attack.
More so, Henderson’s possible exclusion from the match – due to a foot injury sustained in Monday’s win over Bournemouth – could benefit the Reds, as it would likely see Emre Can slot into a midfield role. Can, something close to a jack-of-all-trades, isn’t the ideal holding midfielder that Rodgers requires, but the German appears Liverpool’s best bet in dealing with compatriot, Mesut Ozil.
Nevertheless, this fixture couldn’t come at a better time for Arsenal considering Liverpool’s current state. Arsene Wenger is still in search of his best system and personnel, but the Arsenal manager’s XI could be similar to the side that defeated Crystal Palace last week.
The one area that may pose a dilemma is Aaron Ramsey’s role on the right of the attacking trio. Ramsey doesn’t appear fully suited to the role – it’s seems more of Wenger trying to fit his best players into one XI – whereas the pace and power of Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain would pose Joe Gomez several problems on the flanks.
Ozil merits a spot in the XI following his superb performance at Selhurst Park, and the combination of Alexis’ pace, mazy dribbling, and trickery could force Nathaniel Clyne deeper, and trouble a slow Liverpool back-line – hence, the reasoning behind fielding another direct threat on the opposite flank.
Issues in the final third are an issue for both sides ahead of kickoff, but where Arsenal are simply wasting their opportunities, Liverpool’s dilemma is slightly more complex. Jordon Ibe’s threat from a wide position has been non-existent, while Adam Lallana and Philippe Coutinho tend to drift into the same zones between the lines.
Coutinho, though, seems to be the main threat of the trio, but the Brazilian is an interesting player to assess in terms of the system. Against Stoke he scored a scintillating winner despite a thoroughly poor performance, but against Bournemouth he was offered ample space in the opposition’s half to connect with his teammates.
The Brazilian wouldn’t be classified as a natural no.10 due to his inability to control a game, or play decisive defence-splitting passes in tight spaces to unlock organized back-lines – currently, the Anfield favourite represents a player defined by key moments, rather than influential displays. Coutinho’s aided Liverpool’s current difficulty in central areas by dropping deeper into midfield to dribble past opponents and playing positive forward passes to teammates.
Yet, with Francis Coquelin alongside Santi Cazorla in a deeper midfield role, the Brazilian will encounter problems locating the spaces he thrived in against Bournemouth. The other likely source of a goal rests upon Benteke’s shoulders.
Benteke is also taking time to adjust to a big club, as his role in the side doesn’t appear defined. We’ve witnessed three elements of Benteke’s game over the past two games: The Belgian drops deep to link play successfully, frustratingly awaits crosses to the box, and a moment in the second half against Bournemouth saw the forward win a hopeless ball in the left channel that resulted in a squandered Milner chance.
In short, there isn’t enough width to deliver crosses into the box, and Liverpool’s creative players have rarely supplied the Belgian with chances. Benteke could exploit Arsenal’s and Petr Cech’s set-piece weakness, or I’m to isolate diminutive full-backs Nacho Monreal and Hector Bellerin by pulling towards the far post.
Essentially, Wenger may instruct his back-line to play further up the pitch to keep Benteke away from the penalty box, but the Belgian’s pace and brute strength gives him the advantage against Per Mertesacker and Laurent Koscielny in various situations.
A potential goal-fest could be on the cards, but Liverpool’s productivity in the final third could be scarce, and the hosts’ profligate finishing may provide the opposite. The interesting aspect of the match should be Rodgers’ set up, as it would be brave to attempt to outplay Arsenal at the Emirates.
But does Liverpool have the personnel to negate Arsenal’s attacking quartet or Santi Cazorla’s creativity from deep? Though it may sound simplistic, it’s undoubtedly the key factor between success and failure for the Reds.
