Arsenal 2 Everton 1 - We Are No Gimmick

     On Tuesday night Arsenal hosted Everton to a packed Emirates stadium. It was a surprise to me and many others as Rosicky was given the nod to start in Nasri's vacated position. Other than that change, we had our full starting XI.
Right from the whistle Everton seemed to be up for this one, as they have been for their other matches against big opponents. No top seven team in the league this season has beaten them except for us.
     As I had predicted, Fellaini's physical presence would be tough to handle for our midfield. Arsenal could not find their passing game; we were slow and our touch was off.
Wilshere received a yellow early on for a simple challenge on Arteta that was more than theatrical. Minutes later, Fabregas made a late challenge on Arteta, with no intention to win the ball, but no yellow. This showed the inconsistent refereeing that Arsenal and Everton would have to deal with throughout the night.
     After fifteen minutes Arsenal began to settle in. We camped out in their half, however few chances arose. Fabregas had a neat give and go with RvP but his shot was poor. Theo Walcott then had a chance; but the effort was tame as a result of Tim Howard’s great positioning.
In the 24^th minute Everton scored. Should it have counted? Absolutely not. Even David Moyes admitted that the goal was lucky for Everton.
     Seamus Coleman played a chip over our defense for Saha, who was two yards offside. Koscielny reached for it and got a touch, it fell kindly for Saha, and he finished brilliantly.
But whether Koscielny touched it or not should not have mattered. Saha was active in the play. Everton ahead, from an offside goal.
     Arsenal didn’t respond. Everton continued to play their game. Fellaini was dictating the midfield. A very poor half.
     Our main problem in my eyes was Rosicky. He gave us no width on the left side, rarely seen there. Almost always seen though, in the middle of the park. As a result our midfield was congested when going forward, and Walcott was being over-worked on the right. It is known that Rosicky is a center midfielder, however he is experienced enough to play in the position assigned to him and play there. Selfish, on his part. The only poor decision I believe Wenger made on the night was to have Rosicky start, even if Arshavin and Bendtner were leggy.
Take no credit away from Everton though; they defended well and we didn’t go forward well.
At half time Song was replaced by Diaby after injuring his thigh in a collision with Szczesny. Not a good sign for the Cameroonian.
     In the second half Arsenal started well. In the 62^nd Arshavin finally came on for Rosicky. Immediately our play was expansive and had more width. Bendtner then came on for Wilshere. A gamble, but exactly what I wanted and we needed. As a result Diaby sat furthest back, Fabregas was slightly ahead of him, and Van Persie sat right behind Bendtner. Two minutes later, Arsenal scored. Fabregas played a chip into the box for Arshavin, Rodwell got a touch but it fell kindly for Arshavin who finished smartly from a fairly difficult angle in the six yard box. A fantastic finish from the man starting to find his form again. The goal was similar to Everton’s; however Arshavin was onside.
     Arsenal kept the belief. Five minutes later we got a free kick in prime RvP range. He forced a fantastic save from Howard, and we received a corner. RvP took it, and the ball was whipped in to the back post for an unmarked Koscielny and he headed it home to make it 2 - 1 to the Arsenal.
     Afterwards, the game became more open but Everton did little to trouble Szczesny, and the game ended 2 – 1. A fantastic win that really showed the character of the squad. A year ago, Arsenal would have lost this match. We are now clear title contenders.

My thoughts –

· Szczesny – Had a good game, but his positioning could have been better for Saha’s goal. Other than that, the Pole wasn’t tested much at all.

· Sagna - Not one of his best performances. I would’ve liked to have seen more crosses, and defensively was OK.

· Djourou – Didn’t defend very well. Saha, Fellaini, and others got the better of him on numerous occasions. Not his usual self.

· Koscielny - I thought he was fairly poor; he didn’t make Saha uncomfortable, but the goal of course was fantastic.

· Clichy – Defensively did well, but did not see much of the ball due to Rosicky’s poor positioning. When Arshavin came on, he supported the attack well.

· Song – Poor game. Fellaini out muscled him, and did not protect the back four as well as we are used to seeing.

· Diaby – He was able to keep Fellaini quiet, or at least more so then Song in the first half. Allowed us to go forward with more malice in the second half.

· Wilshere – Also did not have a very good game. Subbed off and rightly so. Was not a prominent figure. However, he’s only 19, so let’s be kind.

· Fabregas – Seemed to be off the boil today. Passing wasn’t as crisp as usual, however he did assist Arshavin’s goal. Should have and could have done better going forward.

· Walcott – Played very well defensively, but not the best offensively. Fairly ineffective, however he was overworked due to Rosicky’s poor positioning.

· Van Persie – Did well. Seemed most likely to score for Arsenal, and assisted Koscielny’s goal. Only complaint – I didn’t see much of him in the first half.

· Bendtner – Held the ball up well and had a fantastic bicycle kick. The game changed when he came on.

· Arshavin – He too changed the match when he came on. Scored the goal to start our comeback, and he is beginning to find his form.

·  Rosicky – Absolutely terrible. Provided nothing going forward, congested the midfield, did not give the team width, and at times I completely forgot he was on the pitch.

· Lee Mason – Horrible. Very inconsistent, and obviously, Everton’s goal should not have stood.

· Wenger – Poor decision to have Rosicky start, but football is about gambles, and he made a fantastic gamble to put on Bendtner for Wilshere. His half time team talk must have been very good; to give Arsenal the belief they needed to win the match.

     After the match David Moyes talked to BBC and said that Fabregas had made terrible comments to the officials at half time in the tunnel. Ones that he should’ve been sent off for. What he said, we don’t know, but you can’t blame him for being upset at the referees after their decisions.

     Hopefully Song will recover quickly from his injury, because he is a key player to our midfield. A great passer, a good touch, good defensively, strong, and effective when going forward. No other defensive midfielder in our squad has all those qualities. Wenger on Song’s injury:

‘He cannot walk. I don’t know what he has got.

He was kicked, I think it was by Koscielny, he knocks out

everybody in our team. So we have to see how he responds

to that in the next days, but he cannot walk at the moment.”

     Wenger also said that Walcott has a problem with his ankle as a result of his collision with Fellaini late in the match, but does not know how serious it is.

     Nasri’s injury isn’t looking favorable. Wenger said 21 days in his press conference. He will miss the first leg of our Champions league tie to Barcelona, and will race to find his fitness for the second leg.

     But three points is three points, and we’re still in this. A tough fixture on Saturday at St. James’s Park.