As good as Liverpool were last night, Arsenal had an absolute nightmare at Anfield as they were crushed 5-1 in Saturday’s big Premier League clash.
In front on just 11 minutes following a strong start, by 16 minutes they were 2-1 down and the sense was that further collapse was inevitable.
MORE: Liverpool break three club records after thumping 5-1 victory over Arsenal
Despite appearing somewhat more solid under Unai Emery this season, the warning signs have been there for some time as the team lucked-out in a big way in many games during that long unbeaten run stretching 22 matches.
Arsenal were finally punished against Liverpool, with a good enough team able to exploit those glaring weaknesses and give Emery real worries for the rest of his first season in charge.
The way the Gunners’ defence capitulated at Anfield was not unlike how the team played in the final few years of Arsene Wenger’s reign, and these stats below from Orbinho sum up just how dire the situation is at the Emirates Stadium.
Firstly, the defence…
Only Fulham (24) have conceded more goals away from home in the Premier League than Arsenal this season
— Orbinho (@Orbinho) December 29, 2018
Yep, that’s the same Fulham that are sat 18th in the Premier League, looking likely relegation candidates after winning only three games so far this season.
Arsenal’s away form was certainly much worse last season, with Emery’s team already matching last term’s record of four wins on the road.
Still, it’s two draws and two defeats from their last four away games in the league now, and that defensive stat is something that urgently needs to change.
Big six troubles…
Arsenal have taken seven points in the last 20 Premier League away games at the other five teams in the big six
W0 D7 L13.
— Orbinho (@Orbinho) December 29, 2018
Arsenal are bad away from home, but even worse away at their big six rivals. Just look at those numbers in the tweet above.
Emery may yet turn this around, but the early evidence isn’t too impressive. He may have recently enjoyed a convincing home win over Tottenham, but on his travels to big six sides so far, he’s lost 3-2 to Chelsea, drawn 2-2 with Manchester United and lost 5-1 to Liverpool.
Three games, two defeats, zero wins, ten goals conceded.
It will undoubtedly take the Spaniard time to fix this pretty dire squad left to him by Wenger, but one would also have hoped for a bit more work on such obvious weak points as the defence and the poor away form early on as a priority by the new manager.
And just to hammer it home…
Goals conceded at Anfield last six seasons
Arsenal 22
Swansea 16 (5 games)
West Ham 16
Everton 14
Man City
Watford 13 (3 games
Newcastle, Spurs 12 (5 games)
Stoke, WBA 10 (5 games)
Southampton 9— Orbinho (@Orbinho) December 29, 2018
In fairness, Liverpool are a bit of a bogey team for Arsenal – just look at how their record compares to teams like Swansea City, West Ham, Newcastle, Stoke, West Brom and Southampton.
Arsenal – awful away from home, even worse at big six clubs, and just shockingly bad at Anfield.
Three stats that should keep Emery up at night…