Today, Arsenal and Liverpool went against each other at an Arsenal home game which resulted in an Arsenal win. This prompted a discussion between some mates and I about which club is better as of right now.
While we know that Liverpool is top of the table with 51 points, Arsenal is just 3 points behind. So, does today's win and standing at the table make them the better team? Sort of
We know Liverpool is great, but they are struggling without their most impactful player, Mo Salah, who is out due to injury. While they have won during his injury, can we count these wins as anything of real significance? They beat Norwich City, a team 9th in the championship table, and Chelsea, who, even though I love them, I can admit, have not been playing their best.
But I understand injuries can be seen as an excuse; so let's talk about game formation and play.
Liverpool:
Liverpool played without control and technicality on the field, leaving wide space and opportunity for Arsenal to come in. The goal they did manage to sway in was sloppy and lacked the technicality you expect from a team running the top of the table. While Liverpool needed that goal, was it as deserved as we wanted it to be?
Liverpool did come back with a purpose in the second half, but it was not enough to get them to straighten out and take the lead. The absence of Dominik Szoboszlai, changed their midfield dynamic which I believe was the biggest impact in today's match as a good midfield created a solid foundation no matter what.
The Liverpool I know has this foundation, style, and flow in their playing that I have yet to see recently. They lack the routine of movement and instead play with a sense of chaos that creates situations like this.
Arsenal:
This is not the case for Arsenal. Their mid-three (Rice, Odegaard, and Jorginho) are a solid foundation, strengthening the movement of possession and complete control over the pitch.
Arsenal felt like they were telepathically communicating; they pressed, dropped, and moved in sync. This is why they could sneak into the spaces Liverpool created and manage some goals. Plus, Bukayo Saka has been an absolute star recently and really came through for Arsenal today.
In all I think Arsenal's strong foundation, and the team work creates a stability within their playing style that allows them to be consistent. On the other hand, Liverpool is up against hard times, with Klopp leaving players getting injured and then coming back and shifting the chemistry on the pitch again, which sets them back in terms of consistency.
I hope they can manage to seal the top of the table, but until then, I think Arsenal has a high chance of taking it from him.
In honor of Xavi's birthday, let's chat about his future with the team.
It could be better for Barca's head coach, Xavi, after the shocking loss against Athletic Club in the Copa Del Rey quarter-finals. Barca should be competing at a more intense and dominating level than how we currently see the team. While mainstream players such as Gavi and Raphinha are out on injury, the team's dynamic should be fine. Of course, their presence is important, but with all the other skilled players on the team, it is weird to find that we can not beat a team like Athletic Club.
Separate from this, though, we have to wonder if Xavi is being pushed out of the club. As a club, Barca is always expected to be at the top of the table and more competitive against Real Madrid, whom we last beat in the season. This is not to say the team is not winning, but is it enough? I think owners want Barca to be like last season's Man City team (continuous wins and lots of trophies), but they are not, and if they suffer in the Champions League, I can not imagine a promising future for Xavi with the team.
What do you think about this possible departure?
Is Benjamin Cremaschi going to play for the US soccer team?
With Messi coming to play for MLS in Miami, many Americans have taken this time to become soccer fans. It is nice to finally see some appreciation for the sport, but moments like this are where we need to see some realistic viewpoints. I have only watched a couple of Inter Miami games, and they are all great, but the skill difference is apparent with players who play in Europe and MLS. I see no problem with Cremaschi playing for the US soccer team…. but it could be too early for him in his career.
The primary debate I am seeing is how Gio Reyna has yet to be called up for the upcoming friendlies, but Benjamin Cremaschi has. It is fair to be upset about it. Despite the tension between Berhalter and Reyna, the ladder is exceptionally talented and is at a higher position in his career than Cremaschi. This isn't to say that Cremaschi will never be better, but is he overall a good player, or is he suitable for the standards people hold in MLS soccer?
This point is not slandering Cremaschi; it has been a recurring thought since the roster was dropped. With the hype of Messi and other players coming to MLS, public opinions on soccer are more tailored to "where is the hype" rather than who is skillfully better.
I am excited to see how the friendlies play out, and can't wait to be back at writing after some time away.
It has been a while since I have made a post on here due to heavy workloads from school but I am watching the USA v Mexico match and the red card toward McKennie felt very unfair. Not sure how everyone else feels but everyone was involved in the fight and most players were getting physical with each other.
For context, Montes received a red for straight ankle contact with Balogun. Many players (Ochoa, Reyna, Pulisic, Alvarez) came to confront the opposing side. Weston and Sanchez got into somewhat of a brawl and Sanchez pulls on McKennies jersey causing it to rip and McKennie shoved him off with a push of the neck. If both parties got a red I could understand that…but just Weston feels a bit of an error on the ref's part. I can totally see why he got the card but to not give it to all parties involved is where I find the issue.
What do you guys think about this situation?
With so many fights within this match a review is definitely to come!
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