ARNE SLOT APPLAUDS CONOR BRADLEY WHO SHINED BRIGHT AGAINST REAL MADRID
Conor Bradley's stellar defensive display against Vinicius Jr. has cemented his place at Liverpool. Manager Arne Slot praised the right-back after his performance in the Champions League win over Real Madrid.
Arne Slot was pleased with Conor Bradley - AFP via Getty Images
The Northern Irish full-back was given the seemingly difficult task of keeping another quick Los Blancos player quiet at Anfield on Tuesday after going viral online for his tackle on Kylian Mbappe in this match last season.
Given that this midweek game was the first time former Reds right-back Trent Alexander-Arnold had been to Merseyside since leaving for the Bernabeu this summer, Bradley was under even more pressure.
Numerous Liverpool supporters have expressed their opinions about Trent, but since his departure, the position has been a noticeable weakness in Slot's defence, with Bradley and currently injured summer addition Jeremie Frimpong coming and going from the starting lineup as they struggle for form. At times, utility man Dominik Szoboszlai has even been used as a stopgap measure.
In addition to his assist away to Brentford and his clean sheet against Aston Villa on Saturday, Bradley has been awarded two straight starts in the Premier League since Frimpong's defeat to Eintracht Frankfurt two weeks ago.
Additionally, on a crucial UCL night, Szoboszlai, 22, was granted his third consecutive run-out after being used far more effectively as a No. 9.
Rewarding his manager's confidence, Bradley appeared at ease from the first few moments and used strong tackles throughout the evening to stop Vinicius's tangled runs. The Brazilian even received an early yellow card for pulling him down in rage after he made a bold move of his own.
Slot was quite enthusiastic in his appreciation of his right-back's play when he spoke after full-time.
Regarding Bradley in particular, Slot stated that "the whole team defended exceptionally well in the high press, in the low block" and that "Conor was terrific."
"It is not for everyone to play a game like this to be up against Vinicius one-on-one so many times, but [Bradley] did fantastic today," the Dutchman continued.
After that performance, Bradley is most likely to start on the right side of Slot's defence when Liverpool visits the Etihad Stadium to play Manchester City on Sunday.
MIKEL ARTETA’S ARSENAL MILESTONE: CHAMPIONS LEAGUE RECORD NOW SET
Mikel Arteta boasts the best Champions League win percentage (64%) for any English club manager after 20+ games. His leadership has restored Arsenal as a European force since their 2023 return.
Mikel Arteta Sets New Champions League Record - Photo by Gabriel Kuchta/Getty Images
Mikel Arteta has had an incredible trip as manager of Arsenal, and the Spaniard is still regarded as one of the most prestigious people in contemporary football. After being hired as a rookie manager in 2019, Arteta has made a significant impact on the game by turning the Gunners into a formidable force in Europe and at home.
With great leadership and a clear tactical philosophy, Arteta painstakingly rebuilt the team after inheriting a club that was looking for stability and identity. His ideology has produced a team that can compete at the top level by fusing offensive flair with disciplined organisation.
The Return of Arsenal to the European Elite
Arsenal had been out of Europe's top competition for six years until Arteta led them back into the Champions League in 2023. The Gunners have been one of the tournament's most outstanding sides since their comeback. They made it to the quarterfinals in their first season back, and the following year, they made it to the semi-finals. These accomplishments demonstrate the team's comeback under Arteta's leadership and their increasing self-assurance on the international scene.
Arsenal has consistently advanced in Europe thanks to a mix of squad depth, tactical experience, and a steadfast faith in the manager's philosophy. The squad is a formidable opponent that can equal any team in the competition because of its ability to adjust and change under duress. The secret to maintaining this calibre of play has been Arteta's attention to detail and his capacity to motivate players.
The Record-Breaking Impact of Arteta
Beyond his on-field accomplishments, Arteta has shaped Arsenal into one of the most ambitious teams in contemporary sport. His current campaign further solidifies his reputation as one of the world's top coaches, which has been established by his managerial development.
With Arsenal's victory over Slavia Prague, according to TNT, Arteta has now won 64% of his Champions League games, making him the manager with the best win percentage for an English club after at least 20 games. This figure demonstrates his exceptional tactical awareness and consistency.
Although Arsenal fans will be proud of this accomplishment, their ultimate goal is to watch the team win the Champions League trophy at the end of the current campaign. But for Arteta, every game remains a milestone in his development as a top manager and a representation of Arsenal's unwavering aspirations.
ANFIELD NIGHTMARE: MADRID FANS MISFIRE BLAME ON WRONG STAR
A poor team performance saw Real Madrid fall 1-0 to Liverpool at Anfield. Eduardo Camavinga was at fault for the goal, playing Alexis Mac Allister onside in a disappointing night for Xabi Alonso's side.
Photo Credit: Michael Regan/GettyImages
Real Madrid will not have a quick look back at that performance. They suffered their second defeat of the season under Xabi Alonso as they fell to Liverpool at Anfield Stadium.
Real Madrid supporters may contend that the defeat to Liverpool was even more humiliating than the defeat in their own city, even if the margins of defeat were (much) smaller than those in the Madrid Derby.
This is because Real Madrid never seemed to have a chance to win. Liverpool had the advantage from the beginning and had the opportunity to penalise Real Madrid considerably more than they did.
Thibaut Courtois actually saved Real Madrid this evening. If Madrid had won, we could have shouted that sentence, but since we lost, we will have to murmur it instead.
Who was Real Madrid's weakest player, if Courtois was their best? Well, truly, you can choose.
When Real Madrid played Liverpool, Eduardo Camavinga was their poorest player.
Arda Güler was awful tonight, if you were to base your football beliefs only on what you read online. To be truthful, he was, but he was not even the worst player at Real Madrid.
Although Eduardo Camavinga would not brag about being Real Madrid's poorest player, he would at least accept responsibility for it and work to improve in the following match.
Camavinga was a full-back for the majority of the game, despite his belief that he would be playing on the right flank tonight. Camavinga was pinned back more times than he would have liked by Florian Wirtz, who really turned it on for Liverpool tonight.
Only three of the eight duels that Camavinga tried ended in victory. Despite having a 91% completion rate, he did very little in the last part of the game.
Camavinga gave a terrible lesson tonight, albeit it might not have been his fault. He was prohibited from doing everything he attempted to do in the game.
However, Real Madrid lost the game because of the one factor that it could influence. Camavinga was the one who sent Alexis Mac Allister onside for Liverpool's lone goal.
You can tell how narrow the margins were by looking at the fact that the goal was sent to VAR for a possible offside. However, the innumerable replays made clear that Camavinga cost Real Madrid the match.