Arsenal climbed back atop the Premier League table with a 1-0 win over Everton. Deep breath, folks. For all the angst you may be feeling, that was a pretty controlling Arsenal win. Everton managed five
shots in the match, only one on target, for a grand total of 0.2 xG. It always feels nervy down the stretch when you’re just a goal to the good, but the Gunners had the game in hand. It wasn’t Arsenal’s best, but it was much closer to that level than most of y’all probably think.
On another day, Arsenal win that match 2 or 3 to nil — they hit multiple posts and had a shot saved by a defender behind Jordan Pickford. Away to Everton has been a bogey fixture for Arsenal for several years now and today’s win represents an important improvement over last season’s draw. I cannot emphasize enough how in control Arsenal had that match. Everton completed 10 passes from the 80th minute onward. The dominating, suffocating Arsenal defense was on full display.
Welcome back, defensive control. Uncharacteristic mistakes had crept into Arsenal’s play of late, leading to frantic play, open and end-to-end action, and scrambles in the Arsenal box. For the most part, you didn’t see that today. Everton had a brief spell at the start of the second half that resulted in a penalty shout that was properly not given on the pitch and then confirmed by VAR (although I was convinced it would be given). But other than that 5-10 minute period, Arsenal dictated the game.
Arsenal’s goal came on a first half penalty, foolishly conceded by Jake O’Brien. I have absolutely no idea what he was thinking jumping for a corner with his arms above his head, but I’ll take it. He deflected the ball away from Riccardo Calafiori’s head with his fingertips, VAR spotted the infraction, and the referee confirmed it. Viktor Gyokeres blasted the penalty beyond Jordan Pickford. He hit it high enough and hard enough that the Everton keeper had no chance to save it.
Hopefully putting the ball in the back of the net will jumpstart the Arsenal striker. His movement was better, particularly on a first half run into the box that was defended really well by James Tarkowski. There is also room for improvement with Big Vik. He and his teammates still aren’t always on the same page. Often when he makes a good run, it’s not spotted or the pass is poor. Sometimes, he makes the wrong run and / or doesn’t get the angle right. It’s getting better and will continue to improve.
Bukayo Saka was excellent, as ever. He unfortunately scuffed his best chance of the game in the opening minutes of the second half, and the shot still had enough to elude Jordan Pickford. But Tarkowski bailed out his keeper. Sidenote: can James Tarkowski, who is a solid defender but nothing special, stop playing his best game of the season against Arsenal? Thanks.
Later in the second half, Leandro Trossard hit the post to cap off a sweeping Arsenal move that would have been an incredible team goal. As the ball went out wide to the Belgian, I thought “here’s the second goal” that’s how open he was. And he doesn’t often miss those. About ten minutes later, Martin Zubimendi’s near post rip found the woodwork. It was not Arsenal’s day in front of goal. Fortunately, the team had one of those snakebitten days in a match where it didn’t ultimately matter.
The week of rest made a huge difference for Declan Rice, who was seemingly everywhere. He’s a completely different player when he’s not running on fumes (and even then, he’s still quite good). Fun fact: Declan Rice received his first foul call of the Premier League season TODAY. Wild, right?
Martin Ødegaard had a really strong second half. Riccardo Calafiori, Jurrien Timber, and William Saliba were all excellent. Piero Hincapie was fine, but his passing can sometimes be erratic. Gabriel should be back in the next two weeks, which will really help the team. I think that a decent chunk of the hesitant, cautious play is because Mikel Arteta and the players aren’t as comfortable extending forward / pressing without the comfort of Gabriel behind them to mop up. Martin Zubimendi looks worn out. He’s still misplacing passes that he wasn’t missing earlier in the year.
I really liked the shift that Gabriel Jesus put in as a substitute. His excellent close control can make something out of nothing. As he gets his legs back under him, I expect he’ll play more and more. He very well might be the answer to unlocking the low blocks that teams often trot out against Arsenal. Speaking of substitutes, I would have liked to see Mikel Arteta go to his bench a bit earlier and use more than three of his subs. And Mikel Merino came on so late that it hardly counts as a sub.
Today was a much-needed step in the right direction for an Arsenal team that seemed to be teetering on the edge of, not disaster, but a damaging dip. They played to a comfortable enough win in a fixture that has bedeviled them for years and looked much more like the dominant side they were earlier in the season. They’re not back yet, but I’m taking this match as a very positive sign. Next up is home to Crystal Palace in the Carabao Cup, then home to Brighton at the weekend.
Arsenal will be top on Christmas. Don’t look up the stats.
