Arsenal 2-0 Everton
After the storm, the calm. An unspectacular yet entirely satisfactory three points enabled Arsenal to breathe steadily again at the end of a turbulent week. There was no collective bloody nose this time - just the one suffered by Francis Coquelin when Olivier Giroud clattered into him - and a few close shaves, although none of Everton's best efforts caused serious damage.
Presumably the dangers of suicidal defending, as Arsène Wenger put it as the damage was done last time out by Monaco, was fairly high on the list of pre-match instructions. Lo and behold, after 18 minutes of aimless ambling, the game’s first moment of note saw another example of self-inflicted recklessness from Arsenal.
Gabriel, the centre-back newly arrived from La Liga, was suddenly exposed. He dithered, looked over his shoulder to see Romelu Lukaku powering towards him, and in that moment of hesitation he allowed the ball to bounce – advantage Lukaku. Arsenal hearts jumped into mouths awaiting another calamity as David Ospina rushed out of goal to meet him, but the Colombian keeper did enough to first paw at the ball and then a slide tackle to twice avert disaster.
A pattern emerged. Arsenal ploughed on trying to get their game together, while Everton tucked back, keeping a compact shape, and when they retrieved the ball they scooped it up towards Lukaku as quickly as possible. He was released again and bore dangerously into the penalty area. This time Gabriel showed impeccable defensive instincts to pluck the ball from him.
Fine margins. Both times the outcome was in Gabriel’s favour. The narrative at the other end was equally intriguing. One of the critical elements to that defeat against Monaco was Olivier Giroud’s profligacy. The French striker looked utterly bereft as he squandered a series of chances, and shortly before half-time he endured another dose of disappointment as he steered Alexis Sánchez’s pinpoint cross wide. Redemption arrived – and how he enjoyed it with a relieved celebratory flourish as he pointed to the heavens – when he shrugged off John Stones to steer in Arsenal’s opening goal.
Tim Howard kept the scoreline narrow going into the break with an excellent fingertip save to deny Santi Cazorla. Everton emerged far sharper and immediately challenged Arsenal with a string of set pieces. Gareth Barry caught the eye with an athletic volley which flew narrowly over.
Back came Arsenal and Giroud”s chance was diverted by a horizontal Phil Jagielka who tumbled on to the ball hand first. Cazorla was in the thick of another couple of chances, but the game still felt poised as if a goal was possible at either end.
Everton enjoyed a period of pressure. Ospina needed to be alert to repel Lukaku and the substitute Aaron Lennon. Then Gabriel arrived with another strong tackle to block off the arriving Ross Barkley. The Brazilian’s topsy-turvy day tilted agin as he attempted a pass with the outside of his boot that fell invitingly for Lennon. Koscielny had to commit a foul and take a yellow card for the team to cover for his partner.
Everton’s frustration is that they could not make those chances count. The result was confirmed in the last minute of normal time. Phil Jagielka, who had intervened to deflect a Mesut Özil shot, was much less fortunate when Tomas Rosicky let fly. The ball ricocheted off the Everton captain and into the net. The goal also marked the second assist of the day for Özil.
Giroud could have made it three with a firm downward header which veered wide. Having sprinted off the pitch against Monaco as if he could nott get away quick enough, this time he enjoyed some much needed applause in the sunshine.
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