Kiwior's Resurrection in Arsenal's Disappointment

LIVERPOOL, SATURDAY - Due to the draw against Everton, Arsenal has further diminished its chances of winning the English Premier League, which were already as slim as the eye of a needle. Nevertheless, there is a more important takeaway. Reserve defender Jakub Kiwior managed to fill the role of Gabriel Magalhaes, and there were no additional injuries to players.

Arsenal's advantage ended in an anticlimax at Everton's home ground, Goodison Park, on Saturday (5/4/2025) evening WIB. A goal by forward Leandro Trossard before halftime was not enough to secure three points for the visiting team. The match ended in a 1-1 draw after the home team equalized through a penalty in the second half.

"Yes, I am 100 percent frustrated. We controlled the match very well. We hoped the dominance would continue into the second half, but suddenly the referee awarded a penalty. I watched the incident 15 times, and it was not a penalty," said Arsenal Manager Mikel Arteta, who disagreed that Myles Lewis-Skelly fouled Jack Harrison in the penalty box.

For Arteta, a draw was indeed not desirable. However, that risk had been anticipated. His priorities were very clear in that match. He exercised greater caution because he wanted to prepare the best team for the first leg of the Champions League quarterfinals against Real Madrid, which will take place next Wednesday.

Arteta's priorities were evident from the massive rotation in the "Gunners" squad. Four key players were benched, namely Gabriel Martinelli, Jurrien Timber, Martin Odegaard, and Thomas Partey. Three of those players, except Partey, were only brought in during the second half. A draw was not too bad when viewed from another perspective.

They (the defenders) have a good understanding. We will reassess the best options to place in defense.

The biggest question mark for Arsenal ahead of hosting Madrid is Kiwior's readiness. They have just been confirmed to lose their key central defender Gabriel until the end of the season due to a thigh injury. As is well known, Gabriel and William Saliba are one of the toughest defensive duos in Europe. Arsenal's defense has been solid thanks to them.

Kiwior answered that question. In his first match as a starter following Gabriel's injury, he played exceptionally well. The Polish player was even selected to receive the man of the match award for that game. Kiwior successfully handled the threat of the opponent's counterattack transitions while also managing the tempo of the game from the back.

Arteta said Kiwior's performance was even more impressive because he played with a back four who rarely played together. One of them was full-back Ben White who had been injured for four months. "They (the defenders) have a good understanding. We will reassess the best options to be placed in defense," he said.

Kiwior also showed his ability in long passes. He created four long passes, from the back line to the Arsenal front line. One of the passes resulted in a chance for Trossard who was directly faced with goalkeeper Jordan Pickford. However, Trossard's shot was still thwarted.

Despite the penalty incident, Arsenal were fairly tidy in defense. They had 70.9 percent possession and were able to limit the hosts to just two shots on target. One of those shots on target came from Iliman Ndiaye's penalty.

Arteta also changed the composition of the front line. Midfielder Mikel Merino, who was given the task of being an emergency center forward in the last two months, returned to his original position. The role of the spearhead was taken by Trossard. The results were less than optimal. They failed to create many chances in the midst of Everton's very solid defense.

Trossard regretted the two points that were wasted. "You have to be able to finish the game as quickly as possible (with an additional goal) after taking the lead. Especially when you come to a difficult place like this. I think that's what we still lacked today," he said, who played the full 90 minutes.

The draw was due to Everton's improved performance after the break. The team coached by David Moyes appeared more energetic in defense and dangerous through transitions. Unlike the first half, James Tarkowski and his colleagues often lost the ball. One of those mistakes resulted in Arsenal's opening goal.

"We were poor in the first half, sloppy and lazy. I told the players the challenge we had to show, how we could play against a better team. We just tried to play better. Whether it was luck or not, we got the penalty," Moyes said.

As a result, Arsenal (62 points) who are in second place failed to significantly reduce the gap with the leaders Liverpool (73 points). If Liverpool can win over Fulham on Sunday (6/4/2025) night WIB, they will be 14 points ahead of Arsenal with seven games left. (AP/REUTERS)