Match Review: Everton 3 Arsenal 0 - Premier League - 06.04.14

Apologies for how long this blog has taken. It’s taken me a while to get my thoughts together on the issues our latest defeat has prevented. A big moment in Arsenal’s history is approaching. The humiliation we endured at Goodison Park felt like a turning point. Our performances over the last month or so have been nothing short of calamitous and our humbling by Everton is the latest in a series of humbling games for the club. We shouldn’t be losing to Everton at all, let alone like we did on Sunday. The manner of this defeat seems to have brought about the most serious questioning of our manager so far. Is it time for Arsene Wenger to go?

The horrible raft of injuries that has scarred our season yet again showed in the team that lined up at the start of the game. No Koscielny, Gibbs, Wilshere, Özil, Walcott and Ramsey only able to feature on the bench, having only been in full training for two days. I think any fan or punter would have to admit that at least five, if not all of those players would normally start for us. Whatever is said about the performance, the manager and what’s happened over the last month, that has got to be some form of mitigating factor. Take Henderson, Skrtel, Flanagan, Coutinho, Sturridge and have Gerrard only on the bench for Liverpool and I think you’d find they’ll struggle badly. Do the same to City; Toure, Clichy, Kompany, Silva, Navas and Fernandinho only bench. Chelsea; Ramires, Cahill, Azpillicueta, Hazard, Oscar and Matic on the bench. When you look at it in context with other teams, what we’ve endured in terms of injuries has been unique and devastating. Whether we contributed to our own problems on that front is another question, but no-one can deny that we have lost lots of key players at crucial times.

Having said all that, the performance that the players who were selected produced was an absolute embarrassment. There was not one moment in the game where you felt we were on top. The lack of energy was baffling, our ball control was terrible and where Everton attacked with intent and vibrancy, Arsenal were ponderous and lacklustre. Everton deserved all three of their goals, but each one was painfully preventable. The opener from Naismith came from Vermaelen leaving the ball despite Lukaku being behind him and Monreal letting the Belgian striker get goal side of him. As ever Vermaelen was second to the rebound when Szczesny saved the first shot. Unfortunately, Vermaelen and Monreal teamed up to allow Everton the second goal. Instead of showing Lukaku down the line, Monreal allowed him to keep driving inside, towards goal on his favoured left foot. Having already allowed him inside, Monreal failed to make any sort of tackle and Vermaelen was also far too late to come to his team-mate’s aid. 2-0 down and not a single positive sign we could turn it around.

At 2-0 down at half time, in an extremely important game, no energy, no sense that we might have hope of turning it around. In particular we were getting taken to pieces down the flanks, not for the first time. We were crying out for a change or three, we needed something, anything to change our fortunes. But no changes were forthcoming. As ever, our manager neglected to make any substitutions. The same eleven players wandered out on to the pitch early and stood around looking as disinterested and lacking in vigour as they did in the first half. The same eleven players performed with the same absence of passion and pride and the same eleven created nothing before conceding a third goal. A goal that summed up everything brutally. Sagna attacked on the right, had no-one to pass it to, try to hold on to the ball and was simply brushed off it. Everton counter attacked, Szczesny came diving out at one attacker’s feet, only for the ball to pop out to towards Kevin Mirallas. Fortunately for us, Arteta got his foot to the ball first. Unfortunately for us, his touch directed the ball past the floundering Vermaelen, into the empty net. Game over.

To finish the farce with a flourish, Arsene decided that now the game was lost, it was time for substitutions. Ramsey and Chamberlain were thrown into the lost cause and at least added a little bit of quality and forward thinking to the game. But it was too late. Far too late. There was no point to making the substitutions other than getting Chamberlain and Ramsey some minutes on the pitch. For me, the real dagger to the heart was when Alan Smith said ‘they have to just try and avoided another bad thrashing.’. To find ourselves in such a situation against Everton is unbelievable. Now fourth place is out of our hands. If Everton win their games, they secure Champions League and we will miss out on the competition for the first time in Wenger’s reign. This is where the major issue arises. Wenger’s reign.

I’ve not known any manager other than Arsene Wenger, much like many United fans had only known the Fergie years. The idea of anyone else in charge at Arsenal is almost unfathomable. Yet it might be that this is what will happen next season. It seems increasingly likely that Wenger will leave at the end of this campaign, having not signed a new contract or said publicly that he will. The board have, but the board probably did it to prevent share prices from being affected. It wouldn’t be the first time they’ve hidden the truth for their own benefit.

Aside from that, is it what the club needs? Recent results have to come down to the manager. Is he getting his tactics wrong? Or are the players failing to execute his plans? If it was the latter, I’d expect him to be more animated on the touchline. He’s not usually one for sitting through the entire game without a word. Yet he’s been uncharacteristically reserved of late. It could be nothing. Or it could be that he has made up his mind and it’s a sign of his impending departure. I don’t know. But it feels like the end of an era. The FA Cup is essential, whether it’s to give the season some sort of success or whether it’s as a send of to our greatest manager ever. Whether he should leave, or not, whether he does leave or not, he deserves nothing but respect and adoration from the fans of Arsenal football club, because he has done extraordinary things for us. There are lots of questions and few answers at the moment. The best thing we can do at this moment is get right behind the team on Saturday.

Teams

Everton (4-5-1)
Howard, Coleman, Distin, Stones, Baines, Barry, McCarthy, Mirallas, Osman (Y) (Barkley 10’), Naismith (McGeady 81’), Lukaku (Deulofeu 86’)
Subs
Robles, Hibbert, McGeady, Deulofeu, Barkley, Garbutt, Alcaraz

Arsenal (4-2-3-1)
Szczesny, Sagna, Mertesacker, Vermaelen, Monreal, Flamini (Y) (Ramsey 66’), Arteta (Y), Rosicky, Cazorla, Podolski (Chamberlain 66’), Giroud (Sanogo 71’)
Subs
Viviano, Jenkinson, Kallstrom, Ramsey, Chamberlain, Sanogo, Bellerin

Player Ratings

Szczesny - 4/10 - I just have the feeling he could have done better on goals one and three
Sagna - 4/10 - Had a good game until he made the error which cost us the third
Mertesacker - 5/10 - Looked unsure and insecure with Vermaelen next to him
Vermaelen - 2/10 - A pretty tragic performance. Found wanting for all three goals
Monreal - 3/10 - Slightly better only because he was at fault with just two
Flamini - 5/10 - Wasn’t bad, just wasn’t very effective
Arteta - 4/10 - Endured a pretty terrible return to Everton, capping it with an own goal
Rosicky - 5/10 - As usual, one of the better players, but ineffective all the same
Cazorla - 3/10 - Worryingly poor, looked exhausted and out of ideas
Podolski - 3/10 - Seems to have lost all his pace and gave no protection on the flank
Giroud - 2/10 - Showed little hunger or desire, was bullied by a veteran defender
Subs
Ramsey - 6/10 - The one positive, may be pressed into starting at Wembley
Chamberlain - 5/10 - Did ok, but his poor form has left him on the bench
Sanogo - 4/10 - Had a good goal ruled out incorrectly, slightly better than Giroud

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