Mikel Merino has insisted that Arsenal didn't got down to be cautious of their 1-0 defeat at Liverpool on Sunday. The midfielder mentioned the workforce's want was all the time to assault however within the face of Liverpool's menace on transitions, his aspect discovered the steadiness troublesome to seek out.
Mikel Arteta was criticised for his choice, wherein he beefed up the center with the inclusion of Merino within the No 10 function – Martin Ødegaard was match sufficient solely to be a substitute – and began the brand new signing Eberechi Eze on the bench.
The response was outcome-based. Had Dominik Szoboszlai not positioned the highest nook with a 30-yard free-kick within the 83rd minute, Arteta would probably have been praised for engineering a fourth successive Premier League draw at Anfield. Nonetheless, Szoboszlai produced a masterpiece and Arsenal departed with regrets.
They took within the concept that Liverpool may need been weak towards opponents who attacked with gusto. They'd conceded twice in every of their earlier three matches this season, together with the Neighborhood Defend towards Crystal Palace. The champions are bedding in new signings.
Arsenal didn't put it to the take a look at, prioritising management and stopping Liverpool from working at them with the ball. The statistics confirmed Arteta's workforce managed just one shot on course and had no massive probabilities. That mentioned, Liverpool additionally created valuable little and Arteta did introduce Ødegaard and Eze within the seventieth minute. The visiting supervisor needed to push for the win within the closing phases.
“The mentality is all the time to go ahead, to be attacking, to be aggressive, to attempt to dominate the sport and create probabilities,” Merino mentioned. “However generally the sport of soccer is like this. Generally the ball places you in a sure scenario. You need to adapt to it.
“Towards groups like Liverpool … they're an enormous menace working. We knew that. So we needed to assault and create probabilities however on the identical time they needed to be low, anticipate us to make a mistake and run ahead. It's difficult to attempt to assault, not make errors on the identical time, and create probabilities.”
It was Arsenal's first loss towards a rival from the so-called Huge Six in 23 matches and their first away defeat within the league in 16. Szoboszlai's purpose was the primary that they had conceded this season. Merino known as for perspective and mentioned he retained religion that Arsenal would problem for the title, particularly given the vary of choices open to Arteta after £263m was spent on new signings.
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“The mentality on the workforce is that we will do massive issues,” Merino mentioned. “We wish to take that subsequent step and I feel we're prepared. Video games like Liverpool are onerous to digest as a result of the sensation was we deserved higher.
“However general, I'm very excited for this squad; the quantity of high quality we've got, the quantity of depth we've got now. It's to create the relationships with the brand new guys and everybody wants time to adapt. Sooner or later, I feel we're going to be prepared.”
