Webb error but Wenger stays connected

LUCKY, somewhat undeserving and clinging on desperately at times: makes you think the “specialist in failure” might actually win something this year.
Arsenal’s narrow victory over Liverpool was a sweet one for Arsene Wenger given the week he’d had – evisceration by the same opponents at Anfield, victim of an over-the-top sound bite from Jose Mourinho and discovering on the morning of the match that his only striker had been brought down by a kiss and tell.
Arsenal’s win completed a neat reversal of fortunes in the top four’s league and cup double-header and removed two of them from the FA Cup. As for the Premier League title race, it left things more confused than ever. Indeed, Chelsea’s barely recognisable return to the Etihad and Manchester City’s much-improved display suggested that the “little horse” had not grown up as much as many believed.
As for Liverpool, they at least have the consolation of being able to focus totally on just 12 games without interference from either the cup or Europe. With a substantially thinner squad than their rivals, that could be a crucial advantage. But they will have left London with regrets – cruelly denied not just another Merseyside derby in the quarterfinal but a decent chance to win the trophy.
Had Daniel Sturridge’s GPS been switched on, Arsenal would have been 2-0 down after five minutes and looking at a repeat humiliation by the Merseysiders. How the fickle Emirates crowd would have reacted would have been fascinating to behold. And with Wenger about to sign a new contract that would keep him there till 2018, you have to wonder if a turning point might have been narrowly avoided.
Instead, Arsenal, bolstered by the return of Mathieu Flamini, dug in and built a 2-0 lead of their own. But they had Howard Webb to thank for refusing a second penalty – more obvious than the first – that would have given Liverpool parity and the momentum. Both were stonewallers but it can take a brave referee to give two to the away side in a few of minutes and we know that Webb is not exactly Purple Heart material.
The former policeman likes to keep players on the field in big games as we learned in the 2010 World Cup final when he kept certain Dutch hatchet men on when even their mothers would have seen red. On this occasion, you have to think the identity of the victim also played a part. Luis Suarez’ reputation precedes him and Webb must have thought the Uruguayan’s exaggerated flip-over was faked. It was but it didn’t alter the fact that Alex Oxlade-Chamblerlain had scythed him down.
But by such decisions are games – and trophies – won and lost and Arsenal may feel this could be their year. They have a home draw against Everton and the FA Cup is looking the most winnable of the three trophies they are still in by some distance.
The return of the Ox has been timely, partly making up for the absence of Aaron Ramsey whose injury was a bigger blow than that of Theo Walcott. And now we know that Olivier Giroud’s weariness is not entirely down to scoring on the field but off it as well. Some felt that Mesut Ozil might have been rested with Bayern the visitors on Wednesday. Well, he was, wasn’t he?
He was on the field but it was 23 minutes before he was mentioned and he had other long spells without venturing too close to the ball. Yet still he made a couple of telling contributions. That’s the way he plays and until a top striker is signed to latch onto his through passes, some Arsenal fans may not feel they are getting their £42 million’s (RM231.83m) worth.
Wenger will be pleased his side responded to the Anfield debacle but only after barely escaping a similar fate. Flamini and Mikel Arteta certainly provided more of a protective shield in front of Per Mertesacker and Laurent Koscielny than Arteta and Jack Wilshire did a week ago but only after that shield had been pierced twice during another whirlwind Liverpool start.
Consolation for Rodgers is that he will know that his “chihauhas” are still capable of winning the league. Steven Gerrard, who was a beneficiary of Webb’s inability to see red, is excelling in the deeper role, and his passing is a joy to watch.
You feel that he and Coutinho could pick the locks at Fort Knox and in Sturridge, Suarez and Raheem Sterling they have the ideal trio to take advantage. It was just that this was not their day.
Looking at the top four now, you can’t help but feel that it will come down to who can actually put the ball in the net. Here, Liverpool and Manchester City have a massive advantage with the Reds’ electrifying trio up front while City have no shortage of strikers and the jewel in their crown, Kun Aguero, will be back soon.
Samir Nasri showed what they’d been missing when he came on against Chelsea but it is doubtful if Fernandinho will be back in time to face Barcelona and Alvaro Negredo may not be 100%. As of now, the Quad is still on but unless they get a lead to take to the Nou Camp, they may have to scale back to a mere Treble. Indeed, going no further in the Champions League may help them domestically. Ditto Arsenal who face an even more daunting task this week when Bayern come calling.
But if the Gunners do go on to land the FA Cup and “the failure specialist” begins a new era of success, it will be a referee’s error that enabled it.