Why did Sunday turn out so badly?
Arsenal: Mikel Arteta’s decision to disrupt the formula that has worked so well this year backfired spectacularly against an Aston Villa side who came to the Emirates Stadium with a clear game plan. . Kai Havertz looked a threat in the first half, consistently breaking through his lines from a midfield position, but Gabriel Jesus was unable to provide an attacking edge as Arsenal dropped significantly after the first half. In contrast, Ollie Watkins was a constant threat, unsettling the usually sure-footed Gabriel Magalhães, while John McGinn and co were able to control Villa’s possession against a helpless Arsenal midfield. But most worryingly, as they followed the game, panic spread among Arteta’s players and they were eventually overwhelmed. EA
liverpool: It was the 14th time this season that Liverpool were first behind in a Premier League match when Eberechi Eze brilliantly completed Crystal Palace’s fluid movement with 21 passes and precious little resistance. was. They have conceded the first goal in four of their last five league matches at Anfield. Jurgen Klopp’s side have received more praise than criticism this season for coming from behind to pick up 27 points, but unless they correct their shortcomings they have had too many negative starts. , was destined to catch up eventually. Liverpool have lost twice in four days at Anfield. Despite Klopp looking to address the defeat to Atalanta in the Europa League, his team got off to a disastrous start against Palace, who somehow carved out an opening for the hosts. Overall, Liverpool’s defensive organization was once again poor. With further improvement in the second half, the problems moved up front, with Darwin Nunez, Diogo Jota and Curtis Jones squandering golden chances. ah
Was this coming?
Arsenal: Until the 18th minute of last Tuesday’s game against Bayern Munich, the team’s progress was uneventful. Arsenal were leading 1-0 in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final, but a momentary confusion between David Raya and Gabriel gave the German side a lifeline, with the defenders key to their recent form. There seemed to be doubts among them. . Arteta insisted before the game against Villa that his players would learn from their experience after recovering to draw against Bayern, but a series of mistakes cost Unai Emery’s side all three points. It was clear that challenges remained. The ease with which Leon Bailey could have scored Villa’s first goal after a weak cross from Lucas Digne split Arsenal’s defense highlighted the growing uncertainty that was creeping in. EA
liverpool: Of course, that’s not a wise thing to do in hindsight. There was some apprehension around Anfield before Sunday’s kick-off, but it was understandable and ultimately prescient. Atalanta’s comprehensive win was one of the reasons why, and while a 3-0 away win was by no means flattering for the team sixth in Serie A, Liverpool’s recent performances have been a major harbinger of doom. Ta. A month ago, Klopp’s side were chasing four trophies and the perfect send-off for their outgoing manager. However, since missing out on the FA Cup quarter-final against Manchester United, there has been a lack of confidence in Liverpool’s play, which has troubled them at both ends of the pitch. Players and fans alike seem to be losing faith. Klopp admitted on Sunday: “I’m not 100 per cent sure if the way we reacted against United was particularly helpful.” “We lost in the cup game and it was like a disaster.” ah
April 25th Brighton A
April 28th Nottingham Forest A
May 4th Wolves H
May 11th Fulham A
May 14th tottenham a
May 19th west ham h
arsenal
April 20th Wolves A
April 23rd Chelsea H
April 28th tottenham a
May 4th Bournemouth H
May 12 manchester united a
May 19th Everton H
liverpool
April 21st Fulham A
April 24th Everton A
April 27th west ham a
May 5th tottenham h
May 13th Aston Villa A
May 19th Wolves H
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city of manchester
April 25th Brighton A
April 28th Nottingham Forest A
May 4th Wolves H
May 11th Fulham A
May 14th tottenham a
May 19th west ham h
arsenal
April 20th Wolves A
April 23rd Chelsea H
April 28th tottenham a
May 4th Bournemouth H
May 12 manchester united a
May 19th Everton H
liverpool
April 21st Fulham A
April 24th Everton A
April 27th west ham a
May 5th tottenham h
May 13th Aston Villa A
May 19th Wolves H
What is their biggest problem?
Arsenal: The manner of Sunday’s defeat will inevitably raise concerns about the mental impact of last season’s failure to win a title on such a young team. With William Saliba and Gabriel injured in a training match 12 months ago, Arteta will have virtually a full squad to choose from this time around, but it will bring back negative memories for many players. The challenge for Arteta, who often talks about how important it is to control emotions in the face of crisis, is to convince players that all is not lost. As Declan Rice, one of the players unaffected by last season’s scars, said, the chance to beat Bayern in their own backyard is “the perfect match” for their fightback. EA
liverpool: Fatigue is evident both mentally and physically. Injuries put a strain on the team, who needed young, inexperienced players to maintain momentum and win the Carabao Cup, but the strain started to take its toll at the worst possible time. Alexis McClister and Wataru Endo have had to play more minutes than Klopp would have liked in recent months. Both looked shattered against Palace and Atalanta. Conversely, although Liverpool’s injury problems have eased, players returning from long lay-offs such as Dominik Szoboszlai, Jota, Jones and even Mohamed Salah have struggled to maintain the intensity required by Klopp’s approach. I need time to rediscover my rhythm. In the Premier League title race and cup quarter-finals, such luxuries cannot be afforded. ah
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Arsenal: As the title race heats up, Arteta appears to be calm. He will probably regret using Jakub Kivioglu at left-back against Bayern. The Poland defender had put in some solid performances in the Arsenal manager’s most troublesome position so far this season, but after conceding his second goal. In hindsight, leaving Jorginho out until the 79th minute against an increasingly confident Villa side seems unwise. Arteta has shown he has learned a lot from last season and will be acutely aware that there is no room for error at this stage. EA
liverpool: Klopp’s options have been limited by injuries for much of the season. It would therefore be harsh to blame the manager for Liverpool’s sudden deterioration, having deftly responded to resource cuts to keep his team in contention for unexpected title wins. But he may regret the slow start and missed opportunities that cost Liverpool. His faith in the front three of Salah, Nunez and Luis Diaz must also be wavering after the trio’s ineffective performance against Palace. Kodi Gakpo posed a bigger threat when he was brought on in the 66th minute and is certainly in contention to start against Atalanta on Thursday. ah
What brings about optimism?
Arsenal: After the game against Villa, Arteta gave a succinct answer to a question about Martin Odegaard’s fitness and did not reveal the extent of the injury that forced the captain off the pitch, but Arsenal’s playmaker remains in charge for Wednesday’s game against Bayern Munich. I hope that he will be able to participate in the tournament. Odegaard will be crucial to their chances of making it to the top four for the first time since 2009, with Thomas Tuchel’s side showing signs of being particularly vulnerable on the left side during the first leg and without the suspended Alphonso Davies. It becomes. An important win at the Allianz Arena could reignite Arsenal’s Premier League title challenge and potentially set up a mouthwatering semi-final with Manchester City. No one knows how it will affect the title fight.
liverpool: Although the squad may be thin following the results of the last two games, Liverpool’s resilience has been established under Klopp, and as mentioned above, Alisson and Trent Alexander-Arnold will return against Palace. As such, the team is approaching full strength again. And Liverpool are just two points behind the leaders with six games remaining. However, the leader is Manchester City. Liverpool’s next four games will be played away from home. ah
