Everton – the very good allrounders.

Morning all.

I think there’s one thing we can all agree on which is that Mikel Arteta and his players need to up their game. We’ve been getting away with a few results recently, especially the last two. Martin Keown can say as many times as he likes that the penalty decision in Germany was right but he won’t convince me. Against both Mansfield Town and Brighton before that, we rode our luck. Every club has their fair share of luck throughout a season though, both good and bad but I just hope the good luck keeps following Arsenal until the final day of the season.

I know it’s easy from the sidelines or from the comfort of our own homes but it seems to me that a few players have forgotten the basics. Taking a shot when 2/3 players are stood right in front of a player is pointless just like not shooting when there’s acres of space to do so is a waste of a great opportunity. They are two of my pet hates and I’m sure you guys have more. Like moving the bleedin ball forwards a lot quicker than we do.

During his press conference Mikel Arteta was asked if style of play matters at this stage of the season:

It’s playing the best football that you possibly can and the game demands to give you the best possibility to win the game and that’s it. I realised what’s happening in the Premier League the other day with a really important factor. I was watching the Champions League game between Newcastle and Barcelona. For me, Barcelona are the most exciting team in Europe in many moments the way they play, and they face one of the Premier League teams, Newcastle, who are exceptional in their intensity and the high pressure, everything man-to-man, a huge amount of tools, a really good team in transition and we saw a completely different game I’ve never seen Barcelona play and that’s a huge credit to Newcastle, but this is the league that we are playing in. Have you seen the Barcelona 1,000 passes that does it every week in Spain? No. It was a very different kind of game. Can it be beautiful? Yes. But Newcastle made that game and so well done as well and a huge credit in the way they did it.

I’ve no idea what’s going on with Bukayo Saka but we need him back at his best and soon. Today preferably. We also need our once super organised and focused defensive unit back to its best. Again, today preferably as well as for the rest of the season.

I smiled at this from Arteta when he was asked if he hopes Totts avoid relegation:

I continue to say the same: It’s one of the most beautiful games that we have because when there is such passion and rivalry, when it’s in the right way in sport, I think it elevates the game and the feelings and the emotions after winning to a different level. It’s not for me to say what’s going to happen, but I can certainly describe how it’s been to play against each other.

Back to today, Everton are one of those clubs who are unpredictable. On their day they can beat some of the best and that’s exactly where Arsenal need to be this evening – at their best! David Moyes’ side beat Newcastle Utd and Fulham on the road last month. In January they defeated Aston Villa and drew with Brighton, both away from home too.

Grealish and Duran are ruled out for this game but Coleman could return.

Mikel Merino remains on the sidelines, he’s been a big miss in my opinion and both Martin Odegaard and Leandro Trossard remain doubts.  

After all the criticism aimed at Arsenal in recent weeks, David Moyes jumped to Arteta’s defence:

What’s up with any of those things you say? You’re making it sound like that’s a problem because they’re good at set-pieces. They’re a strong, physical side and I don’t see a problem with any of that – it’s part of the game. There’s this thing out there where everybody has to play the beautiful game and everything has to be perfect. Well, if we all did that it would be boring.

Personally, I think the so called “beautiful game” of today can be boring.

Arsene Wenger’s early football at Arsenal was the best in my opinion. Defensively solid but quick in transition. Very quick. One minute the ball could be in our own box, the next it was the opponents box. It was slick, entertaining and super exciting football. The game has changed though, as it often does. Now it seems the Premier League especially, is mostly about possession or a defensive set up. A low, mid or total block. Credit to Moyes and Everton though as I don’t think they do either, not excessively anyway. I think they are an all round team which is very good in all areas.

Branthwaite is the one to watch on corners or other set-pieces around our box as he makes a run from the back post to the front and has a good header on him. Tarkowski is another to watch in similar scenarios. Pickford is a good shot stopper but as Newcastle’s Jacob Ramsey demonstrated in Everton’s last away game, hit the ball high and wide of him and there’s a chance it’ll hit the back of the net. Eze, Gyokeres – over to you!

Adrian Clarke, writing in the official matchday programme:

Moyes uses a 4-2-3-1 formation week in, week out, so it is unlikely we will see a tactical curveball. That continuity has helped Everton become the well-drilled outfit they are, and because they focus hard on doing the basics better than most, the Toffees are always very hard to break down.

Off the ball, they are one of the Premier League’s best pressers and enjoy unsettling the rhythm of their opponents. Only two top-flight sides have won a greater number of high turnovers (Manchester City and Brighton), so we must pass the ball well under pressure.

They have pace in forward areas, attacking midfielders Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall and Iliman N’Diaye run beautifully with the ball, and both their centre-forwards have speed and power. Despite that, Everton struggle for goals and have the lowest xG, big chance count and goal tally of all the top-half teams.

At the other end, Moyes must be delighted with his team conceding just 33 times, behind only ourselves and Man City. While centre-back duo James Tarkowski and Jarrad Branthwaite are a formidable pairing, Jordan Pickford has prevented 4.7 extra goals between the posts.

The game between to two clubs back in December 2025 was a scrappy affair. A Gyokeres penalty saw Arsenal gain three points but it was another of those games when Mikel Arteta’s side weren’t at their best and couldn’t find the back of the net. 13 shots in total but just two on target. As said at the beginning, we need to find something more and definitely something better.

With Arsenal kicking off at 5.30, it’s an opportunity to put some pressure on Man City who face West Ham at The London Stadium at 8pm. The Hammers need points to push themselves out of the relegation places so hopefully they will fight tooth and nail to get something from their game.

First though, Arsenal need to do their own job and get three points on the board.

Catch up in the comments.