Yesterday we (partially) failed to capitalize on City`s and Chelsea`s results by dropping points against Everton. However, it's turned out to be a most entertaining game, so I almost don't mind the two teams sharing points.
Arsene made five changes to the side, that has beaten Hull, with Gibbs, Arteta, Whilshere, Cazorla and Giroud all being named in the starting eleven. Bendtner dropped to the bench at Gnabry`s expense.
The first forty minutes were unlike anything I've seen this season. The Toffes dominated possession by approximately 70:30 and broke down all our moves early. They failed to create anything of real danger, though, with Lukaku completely invisible due to hard work from Mertescielny.
Five minutes from the whistle Arsenal sparked into life. Giroud saw one of his attempts flagged offside and another blocked by Howard. Ramsey suffered a similar fate from a clever return pass by the Frenchman.
The break seemed the least welcome thing at that point, as we were, for the first time in this game, completely on top, with the home fans roaring the team on.
After the break, however, we picked up from where we left off and had opportunities to score. First Howard saved from a tame header by Cazorla, then Ramsey`s brilliant volley was palmed away.
Everton responded by a great Mirallas shot, which Szczesny got a big hand to and then Barkley blasted the ball under the bar, only for the Pole to intervene again. The game was now at full swing, with chances being created at both ends in rapid succession.
Sensing lack of freshness in the side, Wenger (for the first time in my memory) made a triple change. Flamini, Rosicky and Walcott came on for Ramsey, Wilshere and Cazorla.
This breathed a new life into us and Flamini nearly broke the deadlock, only for his shot to drift just wide of the far post. And then we scored.
Rosicky produced an absolutely gorgeous diagonal pass on Walcott and the Englishman nodded the ball across the goal. Onrushing Giroud was held back, but Ozil was on hand to smash it home from close range.
As the goal came in the 80th minute and I was getting increasingly desperate, I think even my neighbors a couple of floors up heard me expressing my delight. It wasn't to last, sadly.
Four minutes later, Everton broke and their cross from the left was only barely missed by Lukaku`s overhead kick. This kick, however, got in the way of Koscielny`s clearance, so a substitute, Deulofeu, seized control of the ball, rounded off Gibbs and smashed his shot high into the net.
Everton smelled blood and could have gone ahead twice in the next five minutes, courtesy of Lukaku. The Belgian first robbed Arteta of possession, only to fire wide and then was kept out by a brilliant sliding tackle from Szczesny.
Arsenal conjured up a response of their own. Flamini swung his leg wide, when he could have done better (though the circumstances were far from ideal) and then a clever interplay saw us win a corner. A clearance followed, but Giroud picked the ball up outside the box and let fly from approximately 25 yards. With the keeper stranded, he only needed to hit the target, but his effort hit the angle of the post and the bar and rebounded off into play. The final whistle came seconds after that.
Overall, a point apiece seemed about right. Both teams could have won it, so I'll take the point and move on.
I didn't much like individual performances, though. The fighting spirit is there all right, so we managed to get a draw and could even have won it, but some players need to step it up.
Ramsey is tired, but we need to find other outlets, when he's not in bang form. Arteta was a bit under the weather, Wilshere was fleeting in and out, but it's Cazorla, who gets me worried. His passing was once again off, his clever flicks and tricks didn't come off and I think he needs to shoot more often. Luckily, he now have Ozil to share this creative burden.
So overall, an entertaining match, not the worst result and hey, we've even increased our lead to five points. Not bad at all.
Napoli up next