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Liverpool dominate & frustrate | EPL Striker Stats Comparison

Daniel Agger’s presence in the side and thriving partnership in the centre back positions has certainly been the foundation on which much of Liverpool’s revival under Kenny Dalglish has been based. Agger so often reminiscent of an advancing Alan Hansen when he brings the ball out of defence would be most Reds’ chosen centre back. Jamie Carragher’s place in the history of Liverpool FC is already firmly established but he was never blessed with pace and previously his football brain has done much to make up for that. But the fear was Arsenal’s speed of attack and movement, would expose our previously undefeated home defence. In fact seeing Enrique struggling against United and more specifically Valencia, I was worried given the fact he was facing Walcott. But Walcott is no Valencia, not as assured on the ball and Enrique easily used his experience and power to boss the Arsenal speed machine.

Midfield match ups

It was in no way disappointment I felt seeing Jay Spearing in the starting line-up. Much as Gerrard is our most consistent game changer, has been there on countless occasions when we needed just one more push, he doesn’t have the energy of the young Spearing. The occasional rash challenge aside (he got away with the high late challenge against Arsenal) his passing is good and accurate and provides the harrying sometimes needed to boss the midfield. At 83% pass completion his percentages were only beaten by the equally impressive Stewart Downing at 86% pass completion.

Possession wasn’t the issue. Yes we were at home but we were playing the best passing team in the league season on season. A team that had just humiliated the previously impressive Spurs. But the stats show Liverpool dominated the game in terms of possession, retaining 53.9% of the ball, far from the counter attacking team we are often purported to be. In Wenger’s own words, “Liverpool had a very good first half and we were not in the game.” Indeed they weren’t. We had dominated all over the pitch and it was only when we seemed to doze off that Bacary Sagna’s near post ball was effortlessly met by Van Persie’s head to beat Pepe Reina. It was almost in slow motion it was so against the run of play. Van Persie has a conversion rate of 20.8% and 2344 minutes playing time and already on a total of 29 goals in all competitions for the season prior to this game. We should have been closer to him, Carragher should’ve been goal side of him, he wasn’t and we paid the price.

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