Seven Takeaways from Arsenal's 1-0 defeat at Liverpool 

Here's Gooner Fanzine print columnist Charlie Ashmore with his verdict on Arsenal's trip to Liverpool 

 1- It's time to take risks

I wrote in my print column in the latest issue of the Gooner that Mikel Arteta had to learn be less risk averse if he wanted us to take the final step. 

Judging by Sunday's events he has not learnt that lesson. 

The selection was cautious, taking the safety first midfield option of Mikel Merino instead of Martin Odegaard - I am a great believer in the old adage that if you're fit enough to be on the bench you're fit enough to start Ethan Nwaneri or even Eberechie Eze.  That caution fed into the performance. 

Liverpool felt like they were there for the taking.  I have never seen them have such an ineffectual first hour at Anfield.  But we didn't have the courage to take advantage.  That has to change or the Arteta process will not reach its ultimate destination.

2 - New boys shine

The only player who carried any genuine threat was the much maligned Noni Madueke.  He alone took the game to the Liverpool defence and he carried real menace 

One other outstanding performer was Cristhian Mosquera.  When William Saliba went down the groans from the away end and living rooms across north London were audible. 

Yet Mosquera didn't miss a beat and was superb

3 - New boys struggle

Viktor Gyokeres worked hard.  But we are still a long way from playing to his strengths, so his labours were in vain and ultimately he had little influence on the game.  A couple of times he got behind but the defender was never far away.

Martin Zubamendi worries me.  He is undoubtedly a quality player but he is nowhere near attuned to the pace of the game yet and it was of course his foul having found himself the wrong side of Curtis Jones which led to the goal.  He needs to get with the pace very quickly before a chunk of the season passes him by. 

4 - A worldie winner 

Some goals you just have to say wow to. Dominik Szoboszlai's superb free-kick put Liverpool ahead with seven minutes left was one of them.

There was nothing David Raya could do – any criticism of his positioning is nonsense – by the time the shot was taken he was central and moving the right way.  three inches either side and it wouldn't have been a goal.  It was just stunning and deserved to win any match.  

5 - Cala-magifico but Gabi less so

I thought Riccardo Calafiori was outstanding at Anfield – he defended brilliantly and tried to make things happen going forwards but was unsupported on the left. 

Poor Gabi Martinelli had a stinker from an attacking point of view.  He looks a pale shadow of the player he was.  I remember the joy of watching him terrify defenders with his pace, his directness, his willingness to take them on.  Ever since his injury he seems to have lost his edge and, much as it pains me to say this, he is a passenger right now in an attacking sense and we can't carry passengers.

6 - Injuries….more injuries... 

It can't all be bad luck.  Already this season we have lost Ben White, Kai Havertz, Bukayo Saka and William Saliba.  No title winning team carries those sort of injuries to its first eleven.  I hope to God someone somewhere within the club is doing a proper analysis of every injury we have had since last summer and getting to the root causes of why they are happening and what we need to do better behind the scenes.  Too many are hamstring or muscular and that feels like it should be avoidable.

7 - The positives

We have got two of our toughest games out of the way. 

Our average points tally per season over the last 10 years at Old Trafford and Anfield combined is 1.5. 

We have three points this season from those two games, double our average. 

Our defence continues to be elite level.  Even as crucial parts are missing the replacements are slotting in without missing a beat – that's the beauty of having top quality back ups. 

Our weakness over the last three years has been dropping points against teams who champions beat.  Our improved squad this season and in particular the game changing options we now have on the bench will in my view deliver more consistent results against those teams which will get us closer to our target.

However…..I come back to where I started.  Champions need to show bravery and take risks.  Over to you Mikel...

Read Gooner Fanzine print columnist Charlie Ashmore in every issue of the. Buy our latest issue here