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Liverpool vs Arsenal
Ukosefu wa chaguo kati ya mistari (Lacking options between the lines)
Wakiwa na mpira, both teams waligeuka kutumia back three shape wakati wa possession zao ndefu. Bila mpira, zote zilitumia compact defensive blocks kulinda central areas.
Dhidi ya Arsenal’s 4-4-2 block, Liverpool walibadilika kwenda back three ambapo makeshift right-back Szoboszlai alisogea juu zaidi kwenye flank. Hata hivyo, midfield three ya Liverpool mara nyingi walikuwa upande usio sahihi wa Arsenal’s second line, jambo lililowapunguzia uwezo wa kupenya kwenye block ya wageni.
Hili lilikuwa tatizo zaidi pale ambapo mmoja wa Liverpool midfielders alishuka kwenye back line, na hivyo akawa mbali zaidi na the pockets of space between the lines maeneo ambayo yangewasaidia kuvunja muundo wa Arsenal.
Liverpool’s midfield three walipokuwa wakifanya kazi mbele ya Arsenal’s second line, walipata shida kuunganisha link na washambuliaji wao – hata pale kulipokuwa na nafasi kubwa kati ya Arsenal’s two banks of four (kama inavyoonekana hapa chini).
Full-backs wa Liverpool mara chache sana walijisogeza mbele ili kulazimisha wingers kupokea mpira ndani, na vilevile hawakufanya inward rotations kwenye mashambulizi ili kutumia zile pockets of space ambazo mara nyingine zilikuwa wazi.
Matokeo yake, Liverpool walikosa kabisa kugusa mpira ndani ya Arsenal penalty area kipindi cha kwanza, hali iliyoonyesha namna walivyoshindwa kutumia nafasi ndogo ndogo zilizojitokeza.
Arsenal walikumbana na changamoto zinazofanana. Katika back-three build-up yao, Riccardo Calafiori alihama kutoka left-back na kuingia katikati, lakini mara nyingi viungo wawili wa Arsenal waliposhuka kusaidia, kulikuwa na excess players in front of Liverpool’s first line of pressure (kama inavyoonekana hapa chini).
Dhidi ya Liverpool’s 4-2-3-1 block, Arsenal walikosa wachezaji walioposition vizuri between the lines ili kupokea na kuendeleza mashambulizi kwa ufanisi.
Badala yake, mara nyingi walilazimika kutafuta direct balls kwenda kwa Noni Madueke ili kumuweka kwenye 1v1 vs Milos Kerkez, lakini mbinu hii haikuleta matokeo makubwa.
Ingawa Arsenal walimiliki mpira kwa muda mrefu zaidi kuliko Liverpool kipindi cha kwanza, kutokuwa na uwezo wa kuokupa au kushambulia nafasi between the lines kulimaanisha hawakuwa na tishio kubwa langoni.
Liverpool’s double pivots mara nyingi hawakuwa na mtu wa kuwafuatilia au kufunika, na hivyo waliweza kuscreen potential passes zilizolenga kumfikia Viktor Gyökeres.
Wakati huohuo, Declan Rice na Martín Zubimendi waliendelea kushuka kuelekea mpira, hata kabla ya Liverpool’s first line, na kuishia kufanya sideways and backwards passes kama unit ya chini zaidi — lakini bila uwezo wa kupenya defensive block ya Liverpool.
Liverpool find a way to break lines
Kipindi cha pili, Liverpool walibadilisha intensity. Midfield three yao waliposogezwa juu zaidi – mara nyingi wakivuka Arsenal’s first line – waliweza kutumia vizuri 3v2 overload kwenye central midfield dhidi ya Arsenal’s 4-4-2 block.
Kila mara Arsenal’s double pivot walipofunga nafasi kwa viungo wawili wa karibu na mpira, the third Liverpool midfielder alitumia nafasi kukimbia mbele na kujiposition vizuri between the lines. Hapo ndipo Liverpool walipopata njia ya kuunganisha pasi kwenda kwa front line.
Cody Gakpo alionekana kuwa dangerous zaidi, mara kwa mara akikatiza kutoka left side kuingia katikati. Wakati huohuo, Mo Salah alipokea mipira mingi zaidi, ingawa alibaki akikabiliana na Riccardo Calafiori ambaye aliendelea kuwa consistent na strong upande wa Arsenal.
Ingawa ilikuwa outstanding long-range free-kick kutoka kwa Dominik Szoboszlai iliyowapa Liverpool ushindi, the sequence leading to the foul ilionyesha wazi namna walivyoboreshwa katika breaking lines.
Kwa kusogeza midfielders wengi zaidi juu na kuopereti on the shoulders of Arsenal’s double pivot, Liverpool waliweza kupokea penetrative passes wakiwa kwenye half-turn. Mara nyingine, walitumia mianya kati ya Arsenal’s wide midfielder na central midfielder kwa kupiga inside-channel passes.
Hata hivyo, katika tukio lililopelekea goli, pengo lililojitokeza lilikuwa katikati ya Declan Rice na Martín Zubimendi, ambalo lilikuwa kubwa mno. Virgil van Dijk alitumia nafasi hiyo kupenya kwa pasi ya moja kwa moja kupitia katikati, kumfikisha mpira miguuni mwa Curtis Jones (aliyeingia kuchukua nafasi ya Mac Allister).
Jones alipokea mpira akiwa tayari kwenye the turn kupeleka pasi mbele, lakini kwa kuwa Zubimendi alikuwa the wrong side, alishindwa kumdhibiti na kumalizia kwa kumfanyia foul. Ndipo likapatikana the free-kick ambayo Szoboszlai punished ruthlessly.
On such a fine margin was the game decided. The comfort for Arteta and his team will be that there is a much more football to be played this season. With the quality of their squad and the level of their play, Arsenal will hope to be on the right side of the result much more often than not. The same, however, can be said of Liverpool.