Arsenal overcame their mid-week Champions League disappointment with a seemingly comfortable 2-0 victory against Everton in the latest Barclays Premier League gameweek. The victory takes them back into the top three position in the league and closer to Manchester City’s second place as the defending champions lost to Liverpool earlier in the day.
Arsène Wenger chose to give Per Mertesacker the game off and handed January signing Gabriel his first Premier League start. Ospina retained his position in goal and, in spite of his well below par performance against Monaco, Giroud was still preferred for the lone striker role. Everton also chose to go with their lone striker formation with Lukaku up top. The game had a slow start and was more or less a midfield battle. The first real chance of the game fell to Everton when Gabriel misjudged a long ball and Lukaku looked to capitalize on it. However, Ospina rushed out perfectly and blocked the Everton frontman’s run by pushing the ball wide with his right palm. He then followed the Belgian forward outside the box and tackled him there as the ball went out for a throw.
Giroud had the first real chance for the home team as a cross from Alexis gave him the chance to dive in with a header but a flailing Everton boot may have distracted him as it went just wide of the post. As the crowd were getting anxious that their side would fail to score in the first-half, Giroud netted the opening goal from a smart finish with his right foot towards the far post from a Mesut Ozil corner. This was the Frenchman’s 12th goal of the season, eighth in the Premier League and Arsenal’s 50th this season in the League. Santi Cazorla set himself up for a shot from outside the box soon after but Everton’s American goalkeeper Tim Howard managed to tip it over the bar.
When the match restarted Everton were on the front foot. They took the game to the Gunners and the game was livelier. Barry had a superb bicycle kick attempt which unfortunately went marginally over the bar. Lukaku had a couple of attempts, which Arsenal’s Colombian keeper saved well with his reflexes. An injury to Francis Coquelin after he collided with team mate Olivier Giroud was the main concern for the Gunners. The medical staff did a brilliant patch up job to stop the blood from flowing out of his nose for a while before the wound opened up when the French midfielder misread a header and let it hit his nose instead. He was then immediately taken off and Chambers was brought on in his place.
One of Arsenal’s second half substitutes, Tomas Rosicky finally managed to settle the score and ease some nerves as he scored Arsenal’s second in the 89th minute. He managed to find some space outside the box and, when Ozil managed to find him through a low pass from the left side, the Czech midfielder’s shot deflected off Everton skipper Phil Jagielka and into the Everton goal. Towards the end of the match Olivier Giroud had yet another golden opportunity to increase the score line. Bellerin made a scintillating run down the right hand side and found Giroud unmarked near the penalty spot but Arsenal’s target man somehow managed to head wide off the far post.
This loss leaves Everton just six points above the relegation zone, a stark contrast to their position last season. It would be fair to say that Arsenal won because Everton currently aren’t the best teams in the league. Arsenal did fight with all they had but if they are to win bigger matches on bigger stages, they’ll need to be more focused in defense and more clinical in offense while taking chances.