If football really was a game of two halves, then Monday’s 0-0 draw with Liverpool was the perfect example. Arsenal’s first half drew plenty of attention to their defence, or lack of it. The Gunners were forced into changes with the injured Per Mertesacker and Laurent Koscielny, Arsenal’s first choice centre-backs, being replaced by Calum Chambers and Gabriel Paulista in a new-look back four.
Despite hitting the woodwork twice in the first half, a dominant Liverpool were unable to break Arsenal down before half-time. Chambers had a difficult first 45 minutes, but improved dramatically for the second-half, whilst fellow centre-back Gabriel took control and was very impressive throughout in a relatively inexperienced defence.
Nacho Monreal yet again gave a professional performance, as did Hector Bellerin, who has developed into the Gunners first choice right-back, after a very impressive 2014/15 campaign.
Bellerin spoke to the media following the goalless draw at the Emirates on Monday night, and was full of praise for the centre-back partnership of Chambers and Gabriel: “I think they had a good game, the fact that we are going home with a clean sheet says a lot.
“It is difficult to be thrown into a game like this when you haven’t had a lot of game time. I think they did really well, them and the whole team.”
Arsenal struggled with their passing and were nearly the creators of their own downfall, however Bellerin believes the defence coped well with the threat Liverpool’s attackers posed: “There were some times when we had trouble getting the ball out from the back, but I think we dealt very well with their front three.
“They had a lot of power up front and the fact we are going home with a clean sheet says a lot.”
