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Team News: Everton vs Arsenal

The only tried and tested way to forget about a bad result is to follow it up with a good one.

Tonight Arsenal are given that opportunity in the form of a trip to face Everton at Goodison Park. No mean feat.

That being said, we have a pretty decent record at Goodison, winning some, drawing others and losing an amount.

The Toffees have ditched their usual bad start to the season in favour of a good one. Though their form has dropped a little of late they are still not to be taken lightly. Our rickety defence will have to contend with one of the most shot-crazy teams in Europe with only Real Madrid and Juventus having more cracks at goal (thanks to OptaJoe for that little nugget).

Let`s check out the team charged with bringing 3 points back to N5.

Arsenal Line-Up: Szczesny, Sagna, Koscielny, Mertesacker, Vermaelen, Wilshere, Arteta, Ramsey, Cazorla, Walcott, Giroud.

Substitutes: Mannone, Jenkinson, Gibbs, Coquelin, Rosicky, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Gervinho.

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Writer: Rocky7

Date:Wednesday November 28 2012

Time: 7:04PM

Your Comments

Good luck, lads. Goooaaaal already!

Naijagunner

Theo! I just love that moustache thing. Hahaha!

Naijagunner

Sham logic defending!

Naijagunner

Shambolic defending, that is.

Naijagunner

The thing with Arteta playing that defensive midfielder role, and with all the new age thinking in the world of possession retention etc, we miss people making the challenges between the midfield and defence, closing down these sorts of goals. That doesn't excuse the abysmal, Arsenalesque build up to the goal

shewore

Could it be the weather or the nature of that stadium (fans are very close to the play)? Whatever it is, we have been having too many mis-placed passes and appear so nervous with Sagna and Ramsey the guilty ones. Indeed, the early substitution of Kos may have rattled the boys but that's why we have some experience in the side. Wenger has to talk into the heads of these boys and help them get their act together. I feel Everton players are even surprised at how easy we have made this look.

Naijagunner

We were hanging on there at times. Not a distinguished performance by any stretch though this was no easy game. We lacked composure and couldn't keep hold of the ball for any good period. What amazed me most was how Sagna hasn't crossed one ball tonight. He seemed to play every cross against Baines. It is a shame how we are unable to take games by the scruff and man up to the occasion. A point, just as LD predicted.

Naijagunner

Lacking sufficient quality to win games and have no real identity as a team. Giroud a willing worker but poor touch and link up play. I think it's probably the worst Arsenal side under Wenger there's been.

Gooner_Vin

you lack sufficient alpha-athletes to compete physically..... the days of Vieira, Petit, Overmars, Hank, Wiltord, Ljungberg etc etc.... now they were athletes.... you had Arteta, Cazorla and a kid called Jacque.... Men against bwoys innit peeps!

Viyyash-Ramosh

Did you reach that conclusion as a result of watching the game spuddie - while the Spud game was underway at the same time? Or are you just saying something because you think you should? As it happens we competed ok physically especially young Jack. We do need more maturity in certain positions though.

Amos.

Overall another disappointing performance. Giroud really wasnt into this game, nor theo after the goal really. But the real killer is why we have to gift goals to the opposition - Ramsey, Szczezny and Sagna all conspiring to gift the ball to Everton in our defensive third. Everton were better than us, so a point is fair.

Will-i-am10

We've got Szczesny to thank, again, for saving 2 pts

prits

On paper, a decent result, but after what we've witnessed so far this season fairly disapointing. Arsene has got to buy a new striker in the transfer window. We just don't have any options up top. We've got a very healthy bank balance not to mention massive amounts of money coming in via the new sponsorship deal and TV money. There is a very real need for new players, it would be irresponsible not to rectify this situation. Far too many games this season we've mustered less than 5 shots on target, that's just not good enough.

Rocky7

We'll only buy if one's available at the right price, which, inevitably, they won't be in Jan.

shewore

...and sticking a new man up front doesn't immediately equal more shots on target. you've still got to get the ball up there and create chances.

damiano_tommassi

funny, I thought Giroud was doing rather well with his goals and assists.. you want another striker already, sheesh.... maybe you should play 2 strikers Chamakh and Giroud together and drop Cazorla (or stick him in the midfield instead of Ramsay or Wiltshire (yes Jacque, that is the correct way to spell your name before an illiterate inbred left Swindon for the dazzling smog of the London docks 4 generations ago)..

Viyyash-Ramosh

We've got some fixtures coming up that we really should win, if we can do that we'll be further up there come Christmas. Only problem is if we were half any good this year we'd be well in the top 4 already.

shewore

Giroud is doing well and is looking like a great buy, but he is our only striker, leaving us with nothing to change it up. Giroud's talents and abilities may work well against a team a s*** as someone like .... let's say Spurs .... but not so well against teams of differing styles. To compete you need options .... we don't have any at the moment. That's not to mention Giroud is not always going to be in form or fit. A new striker is not to replace, but to compliment.

Rocky7

giroud and podolski can alternate the 'box striker' role whereas walcott & gervinho can play the 'flank-drifting-forward' role. what we really need is creativity from the flank, someone who could create goal scoring chance with a moment of brilliance. arshavin can do that sometimes as a sub but he is too unreliable for 90 mins. our only creative outlet now is carzola through the centre. many years back, we had bergkamp in the centre & overmars / pires from the flank

Joe_@**

yep Spurs indeed are 1 of those zhit-sides you mentioned Rocks, that would be the side that outplayed your lot before going a man down.... Giroud PLUS Chamakh .... could be as good as Rooney-Persie, or maybe Tevez-Aguero..... not that it would ever happen, cos that would take.... guts.

Viyyash-Ramosh

I don't think it takes guts to stick two men up front, it takes more guts to stick with a formation you believe in even when you're going through a sticky period. Suggesting Chamakh and Giroud could be as good as Rooney and van Persie - THAT takes guts!

damiano_tommassi

Outplayed us for all of 10 minutes did you spuddie? Have you bought the 'ten minutes of glory' commemorative dvd? You didn't go a man down you had a player sent off for serious foul play. It wouldn't take guts to play Giroud and Chamakh together in anything other than a league cup game against non PL opposition just a lack of football knowledge. Joe has it right. Our problem is in the midfield/forward balance and what is needed is greater creative input. If anything we have strikers enough in Poldo, Giroud, Walcott and Gervinho. Though any upgrades are always welcome we really should be looking for attacking/creative midfielders. Rosicky would help that balance but we need to invest in someone a little less fragile.

Amos.

wudda outplayed your triers by more than 18mins easily if Ade had stayed on... lucky for 1 team he didnt, at least you could enjoy the sunshine a whole week longer innit peeps...greater creative input from midfield blahdy blah.... that Carrick and Scholes are really providing that for Utd are they not ??.... its about having the balls to maintain pressure on 'smaller teams' by playing more than 1 box-striker and keeping up the pressure stemming from that.... AW is too continental to do that consistently, and will... is... paying the price, against the smaller teams especially who park the bus more.

Viyyash-Ramosh

and both Giroud and Chamakh are used to playing outside the pen-box too at their previous clubs.... having 2 box-strikers that play outside it only to attack it together when the right moments arrive.... now theres food for thought eh Arseboyz..

Viyyash-Ramosh

Adebayor played the full 90 against us in February and if the scoreline is your bench mark you outplayed us for 34 minutes and still lost 5-2. Only in a deluded spud mind would 10 minutes of play determine the outcome of a game over 90 minutes. Carrick and Scholes are both very creative players though not at the level they could once operate at. Neither Rooney or RvP (either of whom can, and have, played midfield) are typical box strikers in the mould of Giroud or Chamakh. However ManU are just as creative from the flanks. I'm not sure they have the balance fully right themselves this season but it works better than ours does presently.

Amos.

Aint it time this fella was banned? He's honestly ruining every comments section on this board, it's beyond boring now - there's limited scope fore debate cos people are rising to him all the time.

shewore

You're right shewore. He's an unnecessary distraction and isn't contributing anything useful. Interesting debate about how to improve scoring attempts though, whether another striker or more in midfield is needed. Worth putting an opinion forward.

Amos.

I basically agree with you, too, Joe_@** - it's too simplistic to say, we need to score more, let's get another striker. We've got six and they represent a good mix of styles. I would suggest that TR7 as a wide attacking midfielder could be the missing piece in the jigsaw of creativity (or indeed swapping him and Cazorla would work, too). We do miss Diaby as well, but in terms of linking the mf and striker, Coquelin has potential. I like Arteta where he is.

FunGunner

Come on eh, Rosicky? What in the last 5 years since he's been here has he done to suggest that he's gonna be a missing part in any scoring jigsaw? It's a nice thought but his ability in front of goal and assists created don't back it up. Arteta is fine where he is but whilst he's there we tend to concede from outside of the box

shewore

@ shewore - last season, when he was one of our most important and influential players. Rosicky was also a huge player for us in the 2007-2008 season. He is fit now, just not match fit.

FunGunner

He doesn't score that much but he is creative.

FunGunner

He's good at keeping the game ticking over, and does have a nice touch to him, but ultimately he's not effective enough. He missed a couple of key chance in that 07/08 season which typified him.

shewore

Wilshere's scoring and assist record hasn't been great either but it's all about midfield/forward balance. Rosicky is the type of player that can set the tempo and pattern of the game - add some fluency to the movement - make us play effectively without conceding possession as much as Ramsey, Arshavin and others do. That's much of the fluency we've been missing this season. No magic solution but definitely a step in the right direction if his form is good.

Amos.

No, it hasn't, that's the next level he needs to take his game to - although if honest i'm not expecting it this season, he just needs to get to the level he was before, and then add that to his game. Remember when Cesc wasn't chipping in with the goals but you could tell he was top class? They came in the end, I think the same applies to Wilshere, that ship's sailed for Tomas though. But as i've said, i'd definitely take him as an option from the bench at the moment, at least he's one of the chosen few that Wenger trusts

shewore

Jack has the potential to be a scorer, all being well he'll add that to his game, at his age and after 17 long months out let's just be thankful he's back. It's natural due to his age he'll defer to other older figures to take on the scoring duty but there'll come a time when something in him mentally will switch and it'll be 'I can score here' once he enters that phase there'll be no stopping him.

nikolaijns

Hopefully it'll be at Arsenal n all ;) Sorry, i can't help it :-//

shewore

Ha yeah I was thinking of adding that but I'm curbing my cynicism..honest.

nikolaijns

I don't think we need to get over fixated on scoring rate as long as the team is making enough chances and scoring enough goals. Wilshere may add a few more to his tally he may not it isn't the sole measure of effectiveness. Rosicky's scoring rate for us based on appearances is a good bit better than that of Vieira's but it doesn't make Vieira ineffective.

Amos.

Looking forward to Rosicky bossing a game from defence to attack in the future then!

shewore

A fit Rosicky can only be a positive for this club, at the moment. He can add to the creative force from the flanks and from the middle, interchanging both roles with Santi, who was mainly a winger at previous clubs, anyway.

Naijagunner

I see Theo as been talking up his "deadly touches" in goal scoring positions and you can see he is reminding the club of his value. He is re-enforcing his influence to the management, as contract talks continue or promoting his abilities to suitors. I say sign him up, even though you know he can go on to suffer an injury lay off right after;-)

Naijagunner

Sure Amos but as we're not making enough chances or scoring enough goals whilst at the same time discussing the game of our standout player v toffees it's probably only natural the two topics would merge ;) I don't think any of us here are fixating on Jack not scoring, we're all from what I can tell just happy to see him back where he belongs. I think at this stage of his career Rodicky is unfortunately always going to be hampered by systematic injury, the guy really is 50/50 flesh and balsa. I just don't know how much longer the club can justify banking season after season on him and Diaby as squad members, it's an utter waste of 2 places and the main reason we're knackering the hell out of Santi Mikel and Jack. I know they're both great players but at some stage we have to be ruthless and rip these contracts up as they're strictly a one sided affair wholly unbeneficial to AFC, unfit for purpose. I'm sorry but the contract is rendered void.

nikolaijns

sorry Rosicky, that wasn't an attempt at a crap pun, for once.

nikolaijns

I mean 118 appearances in all competitions since we signed him at the beginning of the 06 season, so 118 appearances in 6.5 years, I'm sorry but that is fecking shocking. Even that utter crock Van persie managed 194 in 8 years. Diaby is almost exactly the same as Tomas, 119 appearances in the same timeframe as both were signed at the start of the 06 season. year after year we waste squad places on these two then wonder why the remaining squad is running on fumes come the New Year.

nikolaijns

As is the consensus here, a fast creative attacking midfielder who can if required play as a second striker is a priority signing thats required at the club - someone like Willian or Jovetic.

Deltaforce

I did say that Rosicky was fragile and wasn't a magic solution so I'm not sure that the rush to denounce him is really needed but I accept the shortcomings. On the other hand he is, when fit, a truly class act and in our current situation he would be a big help. Our problem, as I see it, is the absence of a player of his type, able to set the tempo and pattern of the game.

Amos.

Agree Niko, both Diaby & Rosicky are very good players who can contribute to the squad, but we can afford to take a punt on only one of them. I was happy when Rosicky signed an extension last season and is more of a proven performer (when fit), with experience. I think there are better replacements out there for Diaby.

prits

"118 appearances in 6.5 years, I'm sorry but that is fecking shocking" - it's about 20 appearances a year, isn't it? I don't think that's terrible. And of course, the guy would like nothing more than to be off crutches and playing a game of football, it's his life, his career. Diaby and Rosicky have both been, at various times in the last two years, the best player on the pitch. If we could go back to '06 knowing what we know now, maybe we would all agree to pursue different targets; but given that they're a part of our squad and we know how good they can be when available, do we really want to lose them from the squad?

damiano_tommassi

Well yes, cos they're rarely available - that's kind of the point Damiano. Try not to get clouded in sentiment about how much it must mean to the player, this, as we're reminded on a daily basis, is business. And about 20 appearances a year, when we play about 60 games (?) is p1ss poor. And his goal/assist return, considering he's spent a fair chunk of his time at Arsenal playing just off the front man, in more advanced positions as say, his no7 predecessor, is also abysmal.

shewore

I think those figures are just starting appearances and there're 50 or so sub appearances to tack on. Rosicky has played in all midfield positions, and not just, or relatively that often, off the front man. If the team are scoring goals, playing fluently and creating chances then you needn't get fixed on his scoring record which, as I've pointed out is better than Vieira's (who didn't play that withdrawn a role) but also a good bit better than Parlour's though he also had a positive impact on the team dynamic. It's also much better than Hleb's who could be a game changer at times but also incredibly effective in receiving, retaining and using the ball in tight situations which helped us dominate possession and maintain the pressure for the team to score. It all has much more to do with getting the right blend of talents rather than just assuming that if you add another striker or free scoring midfielder you'll automatically score more goals.

Amos.

I can see the comparison with Parlour and Hleb, but not vieira, his goal scoring record is better than Sol Campbell's as well, but Campbell was more important to the team and as worthy of comparison as Paddy, completely different players in completely different teams and formations. I suppose his stats don't back up him being such a pivotal player in the team, but I also remember Denilson had some decent passing stats - so they don't tell the whole story ;) I'd like to have him back, ideally from the start of the season, but he's not, and he's been injured, again, after getting a nice contract last season. Time to move on I think.

shewore

He's 32 now so he'll move on very shortly but I'm happy to have a bit of experience and class on the bench when he's fit. We still need someone to do what he does best more than we need a goal scorer though. Get the engine right and everything else will fall in place.

Amos.

Amos is right those are only starting stats, and according to the .con site even those are wayward, they make it at Rosicky with 114 starts with 52 subs and Diaby at 127 starts and 42 subs, both on 19 goals, so basically an average of 25.5 and 26 games respectively (both on 19 goals total) Still half a season if you assume our season generally has 50 odd games then it's still very very poor. If I had 50% work attendance I'd be sacked with a capital F. Ah Vieira for sure he netted only 33 times over 9 years but 406 appearances made sure his consistent presence was exactly what the team needed, at an average of 45 games a season. Not a lot of wage wasted on that fella!

nikolaijns

Last season Rosicky was influential because he played a decent amount of games - 28 in the league and 38 overall, so well above 50%. His reputation for fragility comes from the fact that he suffered the effects of an undiagnosed injury for many years. Then after surgery to correct the problem, it took him about 18 months to get back to full form and fitness - not surprising. The man's not basically brittle. He's just what we need at the moment, I feel.

FunGunner

And anyone agree that Coquelin has the makings of a great mf? He has tenacity, great technique and a good passing range. Really good all-rounder.

FunGunner

Yeah i'm glad to have him back, i just think we've wasted too much resource on the guy. Yes fungunner i do like the look of Coquelin, very classy.

shewore

Coquelin looks promising but he hasn't got many goals and assists and he's currently only averaging about 5 games a season! Wouldn't be surprised if he has been injured at some point too! ;)

Amos.

Yeah i'm still raw about his goal return from the 07/08 season.

shewore

That Wiltshere (sic) bloke scored zero goals last year. Zero! Pathetic.
Hehehehe

damiano_tommassi

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