Everton 1-4 Arsenal: Anything they can do we can Dudu better

Everton 1-4 Arsenal: Anything they can do we can Dudu better

Postby Reverend Gooner » Thu Jan 03, 2008 9:35 pm

On paper a 4-1 win at Goodison park can only be described as an outstanding success and in truth that is only what you can call this result although it’s implication that Arsenal were by far and away the better team is not entirely accurate. In fact the first half was an absolute shambles. If you have read the standard of Arsenal’s play for the last few weeks then you will know what I mean but may be shocked to hear that this was the worst of the lot. However the second half was an improvement (not a 4 goals worthy improvement in reality) but it was much better.

Arsenal changed back to 4-4-2 from the de-habilitating 4-5-1 and brought in the Carling Cup duo of Bendtner and Eduardo to fill the role. Diaby was also back after injury to replace the tired Rosicky and the defence was at full strength once again.
Everton had a full strength team but decided to play Yakubu as a lone striker and have an amazing 3 out of 5 possible subs as strikers in the forms of Johnson, Vaughan and Anichebe.

Arsenal had not won in the premier league at Goodison park for 4 years and you could tell after just five minutes of play. Everton were all over Arsenal from the start and continued their domination for the whole half. It was the midfield where the battle was won and Neville and Carsley denied Fabregas any time on the ball. In fact Arsenal’s central midfield was non-existent and whenever Diaby and Hleb got the ball they were quickly dispossessed and Everton was back on the charge.

Thankfully for Arsenal their defence was full strength and despite Evertons dominant possession they did not really spawn any chances and the solid back four managed to prevent any truly dangerous situations. It was a really really nervous half for gunners fans, they were being dominated in the same way they dominate lesser teams at the Emirates and despite no real chances being fashioned it seemed almost inevitable that they would concede sooner or later.

The goal came by a piece of woeful defending by striker Bendtner from an Everton corner. The ball came to him by the far post but instead of lamping it out for a throw in like most players would he kneed it a few feet ahead of him into the path of Cahill who duly slotted the ball into the back of the net. It was a deserved goal and the plan for Arsenal now was to hold out till half time without conceding again and then try to regroup.

Phil Neville had a chance from an Arsenal-esque build up but failed to capitalise on it a little later but there were no other chances of real note. However the last 25 minutes of the half were completely dominated by Everton and it was amazing that they were only 1-0 up and were not in the comfort zone. Arsene Wenger had his work cut out when his team walked into the dressing room, there was a lot of time to turn things around but a complete transformation was needed.

After the match Wenger revealed that the United defeat had made his team nervous because they knew a win would bring them back to the summit which is why their performance was so lacklustre. This was duly noted by Wenger and whatever he said to his team certainly cleared the nerves away because a different team walked out onto the pitch. I will not say that the second half performance was better than Everton’s but it was on par and as Everton were playing excellently so Arsenal did this half too and their extra class made a real difference.

It only took 90 seconds for the scores to be level after a Gael Clichy long ball. The ball could have been cleared by two Everton defenders but Jagielka hesitated letting the ball bounce through and Eduardo knicked in front them and teed his shot past Howard into the corner. It was a really cool finish and a real stroke of luck for Arsenal who needed the goal to build their confidence but Everton were reeling, their quality of play throughout the game did not merit such defensive mistakes and unfortunately for them it was not their last.

Everton had a great chance to equalise after great wing play by Pienaar who whipped in a fantastic cross to the unmarked Yakubu but his header was disappointingly wide when really he should have scored.


Minutes later Everton were made to pay again after another long ball and it was Eduardo who again got the best of Jagielka with a combination of the controversial and the sublime. The controversial part was a clear handball when taking the ball under control but the referee and linesman did not see it and play went on. Then Eduardo produced a bergkamp-esque piece of skill to take the ball around Jagielka and move one on one.
The ball was coming down Jagielka’s right and Eduardo flicked it over his head to his left side which bamboozled him and Eduardo again as cool as a cucumber picked his spot past Howard.

Handball aside this was a sublime goal and it turned the game on its head. It was a shock to Everton’s system to now be losing and a real surprise to anyone watching the game as this seemed impossible after the way the first half went.

Everton reacted well and you could see the determination to get back on terms in the way they started to play. Their passing was crisp and they found the space well although the Arsenal defence’s desire to keep the lead was keeping them at bay from the danger zones. Then Everton saw real hope of getting back in it when Nicklas Bendtner was shown a second yellow for a despicable challenge on Andrew Johnson. He had already been booked for a challenge in the first half and in truth this should have been a straight red rather than a second yellow because Bendtner’s foot went studs up straight into Johnson’s shin who luckily escaped any game ending injury.

Bendtner walked off in shame and Adebayor came on for goal hero Eduardo, a good move because if there is anyone who can run for two men then it is Ade.
Everton now had their chance to get the advantage back and sure enough 4 minutes later there was a goal……….. however it was not past the goalkeeper they had hoped for.

This was one of those comedy goals which end up on video collections (probably out next Christmas). Another long ball was being chased by Adebayor but was a little too long and looked like it was either going to be cleared by Howard or Yobo however they each left it to each other and Adebayor clipped it past Howard and ran with it straight into an empty net. It was an embarrassing goal and despite the numerical advantage put the game beyond Everton.

That numerical advantage disappeared when playmaker Mikel Arteta was sent off for an elbow on Cesc Fabregas. Arteta and Fabregas had a little spat a couple of minutes earlier which added to the refs perceived maliciousness in the elbow but in truth it was just a stupidly raised arm. Fabregas was clearly in pain although did exaggerate it a little bit and the ref showed a straight red to Arteta after a few seconds deliberation. It was not intentional however you simply cannot flay your elbows like that. We have seen countless sendings off of this kind and intentional or not he had to go.

Diarra and Rosicky came on for Fabregas and Hleb whose job was to sail the ship safely into port. Fabregas came off to a chorus of boo’s from Everton fans who blamed him for the sending off but he did not care and clapped in delight and he deserved to, he may have exaggerated the injury a bit but it was a sending off, as simple as that.

Everton were spent and Arsenal had the best of the last five minutes and even had the cheek to score a 4th goal. A great passing move involving Adebayor and Rosicky down the left hand side gave Rosicky a flash of goal from inside the area and he slotted it home leaving Howard stuck on his feet.

The final whistle went and the Everton crowd was shocked to the core. 4-1 was a very harsh scoreline but looking back it was their defensive ineptitude which lost it for them mixed with some great finishing from Eduardo so really they have a big part of the blame.

The Arsenal players were delighted with the win and rightly so, it took them back to the top and earned them a win in one of the hardest grounds to travel to in England. It also showed that Arsenal have a new style of play available to them. For years Arsenal have been criticised for having no plan B for when their sublime plan A is not working. However the long ball which is the opposite of their usual sexy football passing game has now been mastered by the gunners and teams will have an unpredictable time against Arsenal from now on.

After United went on top many quarters were saying that was it for Arsenal and that they will never see the top again. That prediction was shot down after 3 days and the power is now back in Arsenal’s court. They keep getting told they will falter but they keep producing what is necessary and their results over the festive period which were supposed to be their downfall have further aided their credentials as champions. Make no mistake this was a tough tough fixture and although there was as much bad as good this win will only booster the young guns confidence on their quest to be the most unexpected champions of the new millennium.
Last edited by Reverend Gooner on Thu Jan 03, 2008 10:16 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Everton 1-4 Arsenal: Anything they can do we can Dudu better

Postby Inchpräctice » Thu Jan 03, 2008 9:56 pm

"Then Jagielka produced a bergkamp-esque piece of skill to take the ball around Jagielka and move one on one."

Was he playing on his own or was he schizophrenic...? :D


Anything they can do we can Dudu better. D'oh! :8:

Some of them even got Yakubuuu'd off the pitch...!
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Re: Everton 1-4 Arsenal: Anything they can do we can Dudu better

Postby Reverend Gooner » Thu Jan 03, 2008 10:19 pm

Inchpractice wrote:"Then Jagielka produced a bergkamp-esque piece of skill to take the ball around Jagielka and move one on one."

Was he playing on his own or was he schizophrenic...? :D


Anything they can do we can Dudu better. D'oh! :8:

Some of them even got Yakubuuu'd off the pitch...!



Ooops, thanks for pointing that out..... edited.

Sorry about the puns, they are a bit bad this week :emb:
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Re: Everton 1-4 Arsenal: Anything they can do we can Dudu better

Postby Fordy » Thu Jan 03, 2008 10:31 pm

nice report as always mate
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Re: Everton 1-4 Arsenal: Anything they can do we can Dudu better

Postby Git » Thu Jan 03, 2008 10:36 pm

Nicely done.

At least it's not a steaming pile of Dudu... :rolf23:




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Re: Everton 1-4 Arsenal: Anything they can do we can Dudu better

Postby rodney » Thu Jan 03, 2008 11:07 pm

That title is awful :lol:
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Re: Everton 1-4 Arsenal: Anything they can do we can Dudu better

Postby absolutely_fabregas » Fri Jan 04, 2008 12:41 am

lovin it
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Everton 1-4 Arsenal: Anything they can do we can Dudu better

Postby SE13 » Fri Jan 04, 2008 5:24 am

Cheesy title, cracking read!
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Please note that my comments are my own view, and not that of GoonersWorld. Everything I write is subject to © 2007-2013, and is my own work unless quoted otherwise.
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Re: Everton 1-4 Arsenal: Anything they can do we can Dudu better

Postby Cheese » Fri Jan 04, 2008 10:14 am

Do you write headlines for the sun? :lol: ;)

Another great report Rev. :1:
“What a great day for football, all we need is some green grass and a ball.”
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Re: Everton 1-4 Arsenal: Anything they can do we can Dudu better

Postby rvtheace » Fri Jan 04, 2008 4:15 pm

Another great report from the pun specialist.
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Re: Everton 1-4 Arsenal: Anything they can do we can Dudu better

Postby CLS » Fri Jan 04, 2008 5:19 pm

brilliant one mate :1:
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Re: Everton 1-4 Arsenal: Anything they can do we can Dudu better

Postby Younggooner08 » Sat Jan 05, 2008 5:02 am

Great report, a brilliant game to watch
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