Home News Everton come from behind to claim the points against Arsenal

Everton come from behind to claim the points against Arsenal

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Everton went into the match against Arsenal on what can only be described as a disappointing run of form, and it would have taken the most optimistic of Everton fans to have thought that a victory was going to be the outcome against an Arsenal side looking to move to the top of the table. Everton went into the match with a number of changes to their starting eleven, some were tactical and some were through injury. In the case of Gareth Barry not being selected, Ronald Koeman said that he was looking ahead to the busy festive period and resting Barry.

The match started in what has recently become the usual viewing for Everton fans, with a slow start for Everton. Arsenal were in control for most of the first half and were looking very comfortable as they were passing the ball about with ease. Everton were looking a side full of nerves and were sitting too deep in an attempt to prevent Arsenal getting any space around the Everton area, this was just giving Arsenal the time and space to be selective as to when and where they would try to breach the Everton defence. There was a lack of urgency from Everton during the early parts of the match, and this was evident in the closing down from Everton which was being done one man at a time instead of as a group effort!

For all of their possession during the first half Arsenal never provided much of a direct threat on the Everton goal. They did manage to open the scoring in the 20th minute following some scrappy play in defence from Everton who failed to clear the ball and then Jagielka committed a clumsy foul on the edge of the area. Alexis Sanchez took the free-kick, which took a deflection off Ashley Williams to deflect the ball past an unfortunate Stekelenburg to put Arsenal ahead. On the balance of possession it may have been a fair lead for Arsenal, although there was a lot of luck about the goal and the deflection!

The goal appeared to provide a boost to Everton who suddenly sparked into life and were now showing a bit of intensity and desire in their play. Whereas before the goal Everton were slow and nervous in their play they were now showing the intensity that has been lacking in recent weeks. Players were now closing the opposition down in groups and they were looking to play the ball forward faster. The scores were levelled shortly before half time when an Everton move resulted in Leighton Baines getting the ball on the left hand side, before cutting back onto his right foot and sending over a cross into the box which was met at the far post by Seamus Coleman, who headed home the equaliser.

Going in level at half time was a fair scoreline, as although Arsenal had the bulk of possession it was Everton who had started to look the most threatening as the half ended. The only downside of the half was why did it take going a goal down to spark Everton into life? Everton improved in the second half and were playing with the confidence that has been lacking for the past few weeks, although to be fair their final delivery into the box was at times short of what it should have been. The second half was one which had entertainment in it as a result of the play but not one full of serious goal-scoring chances. There were shots that were fired off-target that should have troubled the keepers, Mesut Ozil sending a great chance over the bar which he should really have scored. Everton’s chances were not causing too much trouble either through a lack of quality delivery into the box or by some good or lucky defending from Arsenal.

The end of the game was probably the most entertaining of the whole match, with Everton grabbing what proved to be a late winner and Arsenal almost grabbing what could have been a late equaliser, before Everton failing to score what would and probably should have been a third goal! Everton scored their second goal after they had won a corner, which fell to Jagielka who fired in a shot that was turned around the post by Cech for another corner. Barkley took the corner and in what was probably his first quality corner of the night the ball was met at the far post by Ashley Williams to head home the goal. Everton now had a lead to hold onto for the final few minutes.

Arsenal tried to get back on level terms and were passing the ball around the Everton box looking for an opening but were being denied through Everton defenders getting on the end of the passes or crosses. In one particularly frantic passage of play in the Everton box Arsenal had two shots cleared off the line in rapid succession, before Everton broke and should have scored a third as Cech was rushing back to his goal after going upfield for the corner! Lukaku won the ball off Bellerin and made his way towards the area before playing it to Barkley, who as he was being closed down tried to play the ball to Mirallas but it was slightly underhit and allowed an Arsenal defender to slide in and clear the ball!

Everton held on through the frantic last few minutes to claim a much needed win, especially with their next match being the Merseyside derby, although it does need to be asked as to why they start matches so slowly and only sparked into life against Arsenal after going a goal down? Surely if they played matches in the manner that they did after going a goal down there would not be as many questions about the performances of the team, hopefully this performance can be the one that helps Everton to turn about their form and get it back to what it was during the opening games of the season.

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