Everton v Arsenal Match Review

Two goals in the final ten minutes saw Arsenal enjoy a thrilling comeback against Everton at Goodison Park yesterday to keep their unbeaten record in the league intact.

The Gunners managed to recover from an abysmal start to the game where they were outplayed for most of the first half.

Arsenal lined up as follows: Szczesny, Mertesacker, Chambers, Debuchy, Monreal, Ramsey, Wilshere, Oxlade-chamberlain, Flamini, Özil, Sanchez


Surprise inclusions for Chambers and Oxlade-Chamberlain were surely huge votes of confidence in Arsenal's young English talent. Many expected the centre-back pairing of Koscielny and Mertesacker after its effectiveness last season.


Cazorla and Giroud's demotion to the bench came as something of a shock, particularly considering the pair's fine scoring form of late and wealth of experience against top sides compared to Chambers and the Ox.


The first Everton goal came as the result of slack defending at the far post as Ozil, in his first appearance since returning from a summer break, allowed the Everton fullback to nip in front and get to the well-placed cross first.

Everton should have had a second soon after when striker Mirallas was through on goal, but under pressure from an onrushing Szczesny he screwed the effort wide. A let off for Wenger's men.

The second goal came somewhat fortuitously for the Toffees just before the stroke of halftime. Lukaku appeared to have pushed Mertesacker from behind to gain possession before playing in Naismith who was about half a yard offside. Nonetheless Naismith controlled well and tucked the ball between the legs of our Pole in the Goal.

At 2-0 Naismith's effort looked as though it would be the crippling blow in yet another defeat to a top 6 side, the classic failings of this team looked to have followed them into the 2014/15 campaign.

However yet again this season, Wenger was quick and decisive in changing his side around. At halftime he brought off Alexis Sanchez in order to rest the Chilean who is clearly taking some time to accustom to the league's relentless pace. In his place he brought on Giroud who has been so effective in the number 9 role.

The second half began far more promisingly as Arsenal dominated possession 60% to 40% peppering the Everton goal (we had 13 shots in total). The old adage goes that a 2-0 lead is often the hardest to defend tactically and from the 45th minute Everton looked to sit deep and defend. This allowed Arsenal to gain in confidence and eventually it paid off.

Cazorla and Campbell were both introduced on the 75th minute and suddenly the missing pieces of the jigsaw slotted into place. Campbell brought pace and sharp movement, whilst Cazorla is peerless in looking after the ball in the opposition's final third.

Ramsey, Cazorla and Ozil began linking up well, evidently picking up where they left off and this drew Everton even more central freeing up space for Arsenal's wide players.

The Welsh Jesus finally got the scoring underway in the 83rd minute and suddenly Everton began to look panicked. A great development in this Arsenal side and what I believe is a direct result of their FA Cup final comeback is a real resolve to keep fighting until the final minute.

Our reward came in the 89th minute when Monreal caught up with an overhit cross before sending in a beautifully weighted effort of his own that found the newly highlighted hair of Olivier Giroud who did superbly well to hold off Distin and send the ball whizzing into the net.

In his post match interview Arsene Wenger said: "We had a mountain to climb but we did it well. We came back with togetherness, with calmness and we didn't panic. we came back late but it is a strong point for us."

5 More Things We've Learnt So Far

1. Sanchez still needs plenty of time to adjust

Some players just land with their feet running. Look at Torres for Liverpool, Ba for Newcastle, Tevez for West Ham. I don't think Sanchez is one of those players but strongly believe that when he adjusts to the league's brutal pace and improves his fitness he'll be devastating to the opposition.

2. Trophy success last season has already had an effect on the mentality of the players

The boys in red are winners, with two trophies in quick succession they now know how to get over the line. The way Arsenal fought back from a 2-0 deficit in the FA Cup final showed amazing resolve and I believe this same attitude is already carrying through to their league performances after Ramsey's last minute winner against Palace and the amazing comeback against Everton.

3. Carl Jenkinson looks likely to have another frustrating season on the periphery of the club

Poor Carl. A gunner through and through it looks as though this could be another season without the breakthrough he sorely craves. Loaned out to the Hammers, Carl suffered an injury setback meaning that he will struggle to get much playing time and make the improvements Wenger was looking to see. Debuchy's outstanding performances so far, combined with the promise of Chambers and Bellerin could spell the end of Jenkisnon's time at his boyhood club.

4. Jack Wilshere is in for another tough season from the press

The latest golden child of the England national team, Jack has always been billed as the next Gazza, Wazza, and every other 'azza' going. His bad luck with injury has kept Jack from fulfilling his potential and the media has jumped on every chance to picture the young man out with a cigarette or drinking a beer. If he doesn't put in some dazzling performances this season expect greater emphasis to be placed on his personal life.

5. Giroud has to start. 

Two games now Arsenal have struggled without the talismanic Frenchman leading the line. Not only does he bring goals but he also creates space for others to run in behind as he occupies two defenders at a time. It also looks as though he's added some more technique and close control to his game and after 2 seasons in the premier league this could be season where he shines.

Thanks to Giacomo Detomaso for help with this one! Italian Gunners and fans of Serie A, NBA & NFL follow Giacomo's brilliant blog

ildetonatore.wordpress.com

Twitter: @gdetomaso

A Penchant for Woodwork

Barely had we time to sit down and say hi to those around us when we were 1-0 down to a well-worked Bony goal. I say well-worked, sorry that shoud've read easily-worked goal as Britton was allowed to meander into our half of the pitch and towards the sixteen-yard box without as much of a sniff of opposition.

A mr. whippy special fired in towards the six-yard box and Bony didn't need telling twice. Soaring hi above Vermaelen, the Ivorian nailed the header centre of the forehead into the back of the net. Szczesny barely moved a hand.

Dressed in their away kit of royal purple and yellow, Swansea looked like a footballing equivalent of the LA Lakers playing with all the pomp and swagger of the NBA.

1-0 down 10 minutes played how would the team react. We've already covered the fans' less than inspiring performance at yetserday's match but what of the players?

In typical Arsenal fashion we only started retaining possession and searching for goal having already conceded, the goal acting as a smelling salt to our collective concussion.

We were able to work the ball into several good areas throughout the first half, yet the crosses never found their target partly through ineptitude and partly because Giroud acts like a handsome magnet eternally attracted to the front post....er hello? intelligence? you there mate?

It's no good wagging your finger as if to say 'see I told you I was right'. Giroud coud've had 2 or 3 more goals had he mixed his runs into the box. Both Sagna and Gibbs served up a couple of peaches that floated across the six-yard box reaching their apex around the middle of the goal, Giroud meanwhile was insistant on making life difficult by making the same run over and over.

1-0 down and the second half began in much the same vane as the first. Plenty of possession with little cutting edge. Aside from a couple of great runs from Rosicky and the Ox there was little to get excited about.

Our equaliser came once Wenger brought on Podolski to replace the Ox, a decision we didn't agree with at first considering Al was our most offensive-minded player. Maybe he's in the red, or purple or whatever, but either way the substitution had an immediate effect. Podolski is always looking to unleash the Kraken on his left-boot and suddenly there was a bit of anticipation in the air.

His goal came following a driving run from Gibbs (Arsenal's best player on the night) who cut the ball back across the six yard box where an on-rushing Poldi spanked it home.

That was the difference between the first and second half. Whereas in the first the crosses were a little errant and Giroud was on his own dry humping the front post, the second saw more focused placing of the ball as well as more midfielders willing to gamble.

Before we'd had a chance to regain our seats Arsenal were suddenly two goals to the good. Podolski having observed Giroud's penchant for woodwork slotted the ball near post and guess what! That's right HFB was there to poke it home, queue lots of finger wagging.

It seemed as though Arsenal had shaken off the weekend's poor result and were back to winning ways. Alas it was not to be as once again more Arsenal cliches surfaced to scupper our title hopes. Just as we always seem to play better having gone a goal down, so too do we never know how to see out a game until the final whistle. In a game that was weirdly reminiscent of our match against Southampton we fought hard to come back from a goal down, did even better to take the lead but then decided to hand possession over to our opposition inviting pressure.

We were unlucky as any own goal is, but we simply shoudn't have been in the position to concede that late in the game. Szczesny's save ricoched off Flamini who was helpless to prevent it, but the move shoud've been ended far further up the pitch even if it meant Podolski making the necessary foul to nip it in the bud. A bit of nouse and grit that's what we've been mising since Rambo and Wilshere's injuries.

On that note it was good to see Kallstrom make a nice professional foul and he looks to be a decent player, his physical presence is a refreshing addition to our diminutive midfield. We would like to see him feature against City on the weekend as although its obviously too early to get the measure of the man he certainly looks the part.

It can't be any worse than 6-3...can it?

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Be Supporters

The atmosphere at the Emirates has never been fantastic. It has afforded us great nights in the shape of our Champions League encounters, London Derbies and old rivalries. But when the teams we face are considered inferior the atmosphere often hangs on a knife edge.

Such was the case yesterday where emotions were riding high after a 6-0 maulling against Chelsea. The Arsenal faithful were expecting an immediate response agaisnt a side who are cruising along in midtable.

What really gets to me is the fact that people just expect a dominant Arsenal performance. The premier league is the best league in the world for a reason and that is because any team on their day is capable of causing an upset.

To jump all over the players, to boo them off at half time (and yes there were a considerable number of 'fans' boo'ing) isn't going to make them play any better. In fact it is more likely to have the opposite effect and cause our players to play within themselves, fearul of taking someone on or making an incisive pass incase it loses us possession and the baying crowd strike again.

We tend to lose sight of the fact that the players are just ordinary men, extraordinarily talented with a football at their feet, but ultimately just a group of blokes who are running around a football pitch. Their glamorous lifestyles, media exposure and vast wages create a boundary between them and the fans that must be ignored come matchday.

Imagine the players were your friends, sons, fathers would you boo them off the field when they'd had a bad start to the game?

We are here to support the team. Support being a word which implies lifting morale when the chips are down. It's no good deriding the players, slagging off the club and the manager all throughout the first half and then when we go 2-1 ahead start singing Arsenal songs with tears in your eyes arm-in-arm with your best mate.

It's actually quite worrying how fickle we have become the last couple of seasons. Week in week out the public opinion of Wenger changes, one week the fans behind me converge on how shit Giroud is, then the next bemoan Wenger for not playing him over Sanogo or Podolski.

If you think the players have been inconsistent this season you should hear some of the fans I sit next to. This is a reciprocal relationship, we make the team play better by supporting them no matter what and in return those performances make us feel like supporting the side with greater enthusiasm.

This is an example of how the fans' frustration over transfer policy, high ticket prices, and focus on finishing in the top four over winning a trophy is being vented in the wrong places. The team are there to play, picked as part of a squad of players. It's no point boo'ing if someone makes a poor pass. Boo the board, write letters, stage protests, incite an action to re-evaluate our spending policy but we must all support the players week in week out as a way to hold on to some semblance of what our great club used to be and still can be.

Our analysis of yesterday's match coming soon...

For more Arsenal and football content follow @thelovelyreds on twitter and tune into the blog everyday for original content. Thanks for reading