Liverpool Draw Shows Arsenal Cannot Control Matches Without Santi Cazorla

Arsenal’s 3-3 draw at Liverpool was enthralling viewing for a neutral. However, for a Gunners supporter, it was an incredibly stressful experience. Arsene Wenger’s team twice fought from behind to gain a 3-2 lead over Jurgen Klopp’s men, only to concede a late equaliser to lose both the lead and two valuable points in the title race. Arsenal were disappointed, but they could have few complaints: This was not a game they ever had in their grasp.

In the past, Klopp has spoken about his preference for “heavy metal” football over Wenger’s symphonic stylings. Speaking about his Arsenal counterpart, the German manager told the Guardian:

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He likes having the ball, playing football, passes. It’s like an orchestra. But it’s a silent song. But I like heavy metal more. I always want it loud.

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On that basis, Klopp must have been satisfied with events at Anfield. This was the Premier League at its loudest and most raucous—an end-to-end spectacle with devastating attacking and some diabolical defending.

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The game was most likely less to Wenger’s taste. After the match, he was surprisingly positive in his press briefing. Speaking to Arsenal.com, he said:

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There is a lot of positives in the game and there is more positives than negatives in the game. I think what happened tonight should strengthen their belief that they have a big part to play in this league.

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However, the big negative is the way in which Arsenal struggled to control the game. The match was played at Klopp’s frenetic tempo, with the Gunners struggling to slow things down. Had they been able to do so, one imagines their superior technical ability would have allowed them to strangle their opponent. That would have been particularly useful once the Gunners had gained the lead. However, they could not find a way to manage this most unruly of matches.

A massive part of the problem is that Arsenal’s orchestra is without its foremost conductor. The Gunners desperately miss the calming presence of Santi Cazorla at the base of their midfield. In his absence, Wenger is lining up with Mathieu Flamini and Aaron Ramsey. Although it’s impossible to doubt the commitment of either player, they’re not exactly known for their composure. Both players have a hyperactive, all-action style.

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Cazorla would provide a slick antidote, helping Arsenal to retain possession and thus determine the pace of the game. At Anfield, he would not only have enabled them to keep the ball, he would also have had the incisive passing to ensure the Gunners took maximum of advantage of any opportunity to counter-attack. 

Wenger clearly sensed the need for an intelligent distributor in the midfield, introducing Mikel Arteta as a substitute in the game’s latter stages. However, the Spaniard is only just back from injury. To expect him to transform the pattern of the game was simply too big an ask.

Perhaps the return of Jack Wilshere in a few weeks' time will give Wenger the option of a deep-lying midfielder who can mould a game to his will. If that doesn’t work, Arsenal will  be waiting for Cazorla’s return. The worry is that the Spaniard is the only player in the squad who can bring poise back to the Arsenal midfield.

James McNicholas is Bleacher Report's lead Arsenal correspondent and is following the club from a London base throughout 2015/16. Follow him on Twitter here.