Szoboszlaaaiiiiiiiiiiii!!!
the hit
“Game Winner,” Vulfpeck (2015)
I'm ready to let it fly
I can make anything
I've been dreaming of this all my life
You would mean everything to me
Give me the ball
I'll hit the game winner
8/31 | Premier league | liverpool 1, arsenal 0
Lineup: Alisson, Szoboszlai, Konate, Van Dijk, Kerkez, Gravenberch, Mac Allister, Wirtz, Salah, Gakpo, Ekitike. Joe Gomez and Conor Bradley were named among the subs, which meant Dom Szoboszlai would put in another shift at right back.
Arsenal’s new #10, Eberechi Eze (a great signing and I don’t like it), started on the bench alongside Martin Odegaard. Gabriel Martinelli and Noni Madueke were Mikel Arteta’s preferred options on the flanks, with Mikel Merino slotting into central midfield.
Arteta’s conservative team selection and setup dictated what we’d see in the first half. Whereas Liverpool at Newcastle was a strong advertisement for the Premier League — a straight red card, a two-goal comeback, and a 100th-minute winner, all in the guise of a wrestling match — this was the boring stuff the Pardon My Take guys were talking about when they put soccer on their Mount Rushmore of “Stuff No One Cares About.” I love the sport, played through college and still play in mens leagues, but halves like these prove their point. At halftime, The xG Philosophy calculated an expected goals score of Liverpool 0.09, Arsenal 0.24.
Arsenal was dealt an early blow when star center back William Saliba was forced off with an ankle injury four minutes into the contest. Newcomer Christhian Mosquera replaced him and, as the xG reflects, Liverpool did very little to test him. Our midfield struggled to connect, Arsenal expertly blocking passing lanes in a well-drilled defensive shape. Madueke was Arsenal’s only true threat from open play, but Milos Kerkez never allowed his tricks or pace to yield a shot on goal. Liverpool’s entire back line was spot on, in fact — Konate putting in a much more assured performance, Van Dijk rock solid (aside from the wide open shot he decided not to take), and Szoboszlai effectively marking Martinelli out of the game. Arsenal’s only reward for more territory and possession in the opening segment came in the form of five corners, which we defended resolutely. All in all it was a borefest, Arteta’s team cancelling us out effectively but never really looking like punishing us.
The first 15 minutes of the second half delivered more of the same, the dead-even Madueke and Kerkez battle continuing to provide the most entertainment. Then, just before Curtis Jones replaced Mac Allister on 60’, the momentum finally swung in Liverpool’s favor. Wirtz gathered a pinpoint pass from Mac Allister and unleashed a venomous volley, which Raya could only palm into the path of Gakpo and Ekitike. Gakpo was fouled before Ekitike pounced and scored, but the goal was rightly ruled out, Gakpo offside at the time of Wirtz’s shot.
The Anfield crowd jolted awake and started to sing, and the calm, congested stalemate of Arteta’s design began to open up. Arsenal flew forward and Konate deflected a long-range Gabriel strike behind for another corner. Liverpool answered by overloading the left side of Arsenal’s final third, freeing up a Gakpo shot that rolled tamely into Raya’s arms. The dangerous Eze and Odegaard replaced Martinelli and Merino, but their contributions were overshadowed by the play of Jones. A physical upgrade on Mac Allister, he dictated proceedings in midfield, winning his duels, keeping the ball moving, and allowing Wirtz to take a more active role in the attack. It was Jones who drew the foul in the middle of the field, 32 yards from goal, which would lead to the game-winning moment.
Four Liverpool players huddled behind the ball: Van Dijk, Gakpo, Salah, and Szoboszlai. Liverpool fans in the stands and across the world asked their friends and family the same question. Trent is gone. Mac Allister is out. The spot of the free kick is too central for a cross. So who hits it?
Ultimately, Szoboszlai said give me the ball and sent the other three away. Alisson directed Liverpool players as they joined the wall to obscure Raya’s view. The crowd quieted and I prepared to watch the ball smack an Arsenal player or sail into the Kop. Instead, Szoboszlai whipped it over the wall and in off the left post. Raya, extended fully, had no chance of saving it.
It was a moment of genius that produced a well-earned celebration in front of apeshit-going fans — Dom’s start to the season, especially deputizing at right back, has been incredible. He’s proven his value and versatility beyond doubt.
Full credit to our entire backline as Arsenal scrambled for an equalizer. Konate exited on 79’, just before the goal, due to cramp. Joe Gomez filled in and put in a true 10/10 performance for 15 minutes, stepping in front to cut out passes and heading away crosses at every opportunity. With only a few minutes to go, Mo Salah’s heavy first touch in the Arsenal box set them on a counter, the ball ending up at the feet of Madueke, who squared the perfect cross through the Liverpool six-yard box toward Victor Gyokeres. Gyokeres had been a ghost all game, but would have scored if Gomez hadn’t tracked him for 40 yards and gotten his knee in front to knock the ball out. Gomez himself got up to head Odegaard’s corner away.
We know what to expect from Van Dijk, who’s been back to his best since last season and was faultless once again. But Kerkez has come in for a lot of criticism, especially since his defensive error versus Guimaraes at St. James’ Park. He had his best game in a Liverpool shirt by far, putting an exclamation point on it by absolutely crunching Arsenal’s 15-year-old winger Max Dowman, who replaced Madueke late on.
Virgil headed away one last launched Raya ball and the final whistle blew. At that moment, anyone could’ve said we’ve been lucky so far, that we’ve needed late winners and worldies to accrue wins, that we have clicking to do and can’t get away with this forever. That person would have been right. The fact remains that at that moment, we secured nine points out of a possible nine, against three of the league’s most difficult teams to play against, and we haven’t even played well yet.
At that moment, we still hadn’t signed Alexander Isak either.
post-arsenal, mid-international break, pre-burnley notes:
By Mo Salah standards, Mo Salah is quietly having a sub-par start to the season. He tallied a goal and an assist in the first two fixtures, but his impact hasn’t been high enough in the run of play. Against Arsenal, but his touch and final ball let him down every time he was in a promising position. Again, our opening three matchups have been brutal — Bournemouth runs themselves to death, Newcastle away was a hell pit, and Arsenal is one of the best teams in Europe, especially defensively — but we need our talisman to return to his normal level if we’re going to win any major honors this season.
Florian Wirtz hasn’t impressed through three matches either, though he started to truly show his quality in the second half of the Arsenal game. Glad to see he bagged a free kick for Germany against Northern Ireland. He doesn’t seem like the type who needs mental boosts, but who knows. If and when we unlock his gamebreaking creativity, our trajectory will start to look a lot different. Until we see it, rival fanbases and click-hungry outlets will be quick to suggest he’s a flop. We’ll dominate the ball versus Burnley, and we could see Wirtz’s best against their low block.
What started out as a tongue-in-cheek suggestion is now clearly a reality in the case of Dominik Szoboszlai at right back. While right back is one of our deepest positions and we need Szoboszlai’s engine in the middle of the park, the knowledge that we can plug him in there is super reassuring. He’s shown he can do 90, but shifting him into that position could also serve as a useful break-glass option if we need to change our tactics in game.
Finally, WE FINALLY SIGNED ISAK. He got 18 minutes in Sweden’s 2-0 loss to Kosovo (yikes) and will take a while to regain match fitness, but here’s to hoping he makes the bench for Burnley. It still hasn’t sunk in that we landed him. Much more to come on the Swede.