Scott Carson

[Tosh]

was in goal for us last night

 

According to matt Dickinson in the Times..

 

Wenger's regime betrayed by lack of drive and leadership

Liverpool 1 Arsenal 0: Defeat should have been inevitable long before Luis García?s goal in the 87th minute, writes Matt Dickinson

 

 

DENNIS BERGKAMP was not at Anfield last night but, if was he watching at home, he will have regarded Arsenal?s performance as a 90-minute vindication of his recent criticisms. Patrick Vieira has departed and, as the Dutchman suggested, he has taken the qualities of drive, leadership and courage in adversity with him.

Defeat should have been inevitable long before the winning goal scored by Luis García?s in the 87th minute and, given Arsenal?s sorry record on their travels, embarrassment could soon follow. Their next assignment is in the Bernabéu on Tuesday against Real Madrid.

 

 

 

Whatever their other failings, the Spaniards do not lack attacking prowess, which is all that prevented Liverpool from turning this into a rout. Jens Lehmann was superb but, if Rafael Benítez possessed the sort of goalscorer that surely he must be seeking to buy this summer, the defiant German would have been regularly beaten.

 

The Liverpool manager has added Peter Crouch, absent last night, and Robbie Fowler to the roster of strikers but this was another evening when the mind kept imagining how many goals Michael Owen might have plundered. The cumbersome Fernando Morientes had particular reason to feel relieved when García pounced only three minutes after coming off the bench with a goal that was desperately cruel on Lehmann.

 

The winner prompted Thierry Henry to jump and down in frustration like a toddler having a tantrum. His anger was understandable, given that Arsenal had needlessly conceded possession but, as captain, he might want to consider if he is doing enough to drag the most from his team.

 

Arsenal?s back line (missing Lauren, Sol Campbell and Ashley Cole) has come under scrutiny for individual mistakes but in defence of the defence, they could point to the many failings of senior players in front of them. Once again, Gilberto Silva, Henry, Fredrik Ljungberg and Robert Pires were peripheral. The last should have been embarrassed by his negligible contribution, particularly the unwillingness to assist Flamini.

 

The Frenchman was pressed into action at left back last night and, while Gaël Clichy may be fit to return to mark David Beckham in the imminent Champions League matches, the chances of a clean sheet in the Bernabéu have to be regarded as minimal. Liverpool were kept at bay by Lehmann and good fortune, rather than organisation or solidity.

 

Kolo Touré was rushed straight back on his return from the African Cup of Nations but, if the Ivory Coast centre back hoped that the intervening weeks would mark an improvement in Philippe Senderos, he was to be disappointed. The young Swiss almost put into his own net as he tried to head away an awkward, bouncing cross from Steven Gerrard. Lehmann managed to claw the ball away.

 

It was one of many superb saves to frustrate Liverpool. A run of two wins in the previous seven league matches had been described as ?a worrying slump? by Gerrard, which will have only heightened the captain?s sense of mortification at failing to score with his first-half penalty. The decision had been contentious, although not against the run of play, given the home team?s clear superiority.

 

Emmanuel Eboué knocked Morientes over but the challenge qualified as a nudge rather than a blatant barge. Graham Poll pointed to the spot and Eboué, who had shown some neat touches in possession, was entitled to feel that he had been harshly treated. Gerrard?s low penalty was poorly struck but still superbly saved by Lehmann.

 

One selfish shot from Ljungberg, ignoring the pleas of Henry for a pass, was the only threat to Scott Carson?s goal in the first 45 minutes and improvement from the visiting team was minimal in the second half. Some nice touches from Emmanuel Adebayor aside, this was an impotent display from Arsenal, spared only by Liverpool?s continued inability to seize the lead.

 

They continued to press but, when Fowler cleverly evaded Senderos, he again found Lehmann in outstanding form. When Gerrard crossed to Morientes, the Spaniard glanced a header across the goal. Frustration grew on the Kop, although, given the trickle of goals, that was hardly a new experience for the players or Benítez. ?Our incentive is to be killing them off in the race for second place,? Gerrard had said, but his team continued to be the kings of mercy until García?s late strike.