Reflecting on the match the day after when the dust has settled and it still feels just as painful as one of our worst performances for years ended in a 4-0 humiliation at Liverpool.
I always knew this was going to be a tough fixture and defeats are never easy to accept, but it is the manner of the performance even more than the result that hurts the most. Liverpool deserve credit for a great performance on their part, but in truth they didn't really have to work for their goals and we gifted at least three of them with some poor midfield play and woeful defending.
Petr Cech made a few great saves to ensure the score was kept down to four and not even worse. Even at 2-0 down at half-time, sometimes the optimistic side of me would say, 'well you never know we might make a comeback'. But there was just something about the way we played that caused my response to be 'no chance'. I just couldn't see us recovering from the appalling first half.
We did however make a bright start to the second half and actually took the game to them, but that was all to brief, as Liverpool very soon were back on top and making us look very amateur.
I've backed Wenger in the past, but I've got to say I really don't understand his team selection at Anfield. Admittedly the starting XI that was put out in the end should still have performed better than it did, but why on earth were summer signings Alexandre Lacazette and Sead Kolasinac on the bench? Lacazette scored on his league debut against Leicester and has generally looked positive, while Kolasinac has been strong and solid at the back. So in a game we knew was going to be very tough why didn't they start? I just don't understand it. No disrespect to Danny Welbeck, he can be a decent player, but there is no way he should have started ahead of a striker we had spent so much money on.
Then there was the substitutions! Bringing Francis Coquelin on for Aaron Ramsey at half-time seemed a decent move, but the double change shortly after the hour mark had me baffled. I totally agreed with bringing on Lacazette and Giroud, but taking off Sanchez was insane. There are some suggestions he had asked to come off, but whether or not that is true who knows. But either way he is a game changer and should have been left on if we were to have any chance of getting back into the game.
We actually had the first meaningful shot of the match when Welbeck managed to get in behind the defence, but he fell as he took his shot which went over the crossbar.
It briefly looked like maybe luck could be on our side when Cech made a heroic save to deny Mohamed Salah. The Arsenal goalkeeper slid across his goal and somehow managed to deny Salah from point-blank range when it looked easier for the Liverpool man to score. On another day Liverpool could have been made to rue that miss, but instead they deservedly took the lead after 17 minutes. It was a good header by Roberto Firmino to beat Cech, but the manner in which we gifted them possession in the build up was truly awful.
Cech reacted quickly to prevent Salah from getting a shot in before denying the same player again soon after as Arsenal continued to live dangerously.
We were being outplayed and I wasn't feeling confident, but I knew the game could change in the blink of an eye if we could get a shot in, but other than a half chance blocked by the home defence we offered very little.
Liverpool made our task even harder when they added a second goal five minutes before the break as Mane curled a shot beyond Cech.
It was all Liverpool and of all our eight shots in the entire game none were on target. What was most disappointing is the few times Liverpool goalkeeper Lorius Karius touched the ball he didn't look all that confident so we should have tried to put more crosses in and at least try test him from range, but we didn't give him anything to do!
We started brightly for the opening minutes of the second half, but ultimately still didn't really create much and Liverpool were soon back on top. Salah forced Cech into another great save, but Jordan Henderson wasted the follow-up which he blazed over. But it wasn't long before Liverpool added a third shortly before the hour mark. Hector Bellerin gave possession away far too easily as Salah robbed him of the ball on halfway before racing clear to score.
Lacazette and Giroud were sent on and did their best to help Arsenal's lost cause, but it was too little too late by then. Mesut Ozil sent a shot wide and that was about as good as it got for the visitors. Rather than any sniff of a comeback it instead got worse for the Gunners as substitute Daniel Sturridge added Liverpool's fourth by heading home Salah's cross 12 minutes from time.
It could even have been five for Liverpool had Cech not tipped over an effort from Salah late on. Cech conceded four, but actually had a decent game to be fair to him. On the whole though almost all of the players were woeful on the day and it was simply not good enough!
OPPOSITION VIEW
Liverpool fan Darren Warburton believes his side more than deserved their victory after a dominant performance at Anfield.
"It was a huge game at the start of the season and it was Liverpool who showed their metal," said Warburton. "We dominated in huge spells and should have been out of sight in the first half alone.
"Cech was Arsenal's only player who turned up and made a great save to keep the score at 0-0. It was only delaying the inevitable as Firmino scored a nice header to open proceedings not long after. Arsenal's only real chance came from Welbeck who blazed over and should have done better.
"Mane then curled home a great second goal to continue his blistering start to the season. Salah on another day could have had a hat-trick and was a constant threat with his pace.
The second half was much the same - with Arsenal players showing very little commitment and gifting Liverpool the ball throughout, which is asking for trouble with the Liverpool counter attacking prowess.
"This was then evident on the third goal that sealed the game. An Arsenal corner, resulting in Salah then nicking the ball off Bellerin who ran most of the length of the pitch to score with a cool finish. Game over!
"The game could have easily been six nil to Liverpool, but they settled for four. Sturridge scoring the last goal with a close range header from a superb cross from the man of the match Salah.
"Most of the talk has been around how poor Arsenal were, which is fair, but give us credit, we dominated from start to finish and wanted it more.
"More questions will be asked of Wenger as some of the selections were strange to say the least and clearly the players are not playing to their potential. As for Liverpool it's onwards and upwards - bring on Man City!"
MY FINAL THOUGHTS
Normally I say the international break so early in the season is so silly, but for once I am actually very glad it is there. Let's get the transfer window out the way - hopefully sign another player, although I'm not holding my breath - and then regroup and attempt to bounce back from this horror show of a performance.
We've had some notable poor performances in recent years, but for me that was by far the worst. It is still only early in the season as we've only had three league games, so there is still plenty time to bounce back. But that shows that realistically we are again not going to challenge for the title this season.
Even if we bounce back and thrash Bournemouth at home in our next league game it will not banish the memory of this match. There is a lot of hard work to be done and Wenger and the players have a lot to prove in the coming weeks.
Defeats will happen that is inevitable for any side, but failing to show commitment, hunger and desire especially in big game like that is inexcusable.
With more talk of players going then arriving it will be an interesting few days before the transfer window closes, but for me whatever happens Wenger and his squad need to take a long hard look at themselves after that display.
After Bournemouth our next away game is Chelsea and, if we are to avoid another repeat of this one, we must drastically up our game. I just hope we can have a much better and positive September!
COME ON YOU GUNNERS
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