Morning all.
Today is the six-year anniversary of Mikel Arteta’s appointment as Arsenal manager and what a fixture to have. A trip to Everton’s new Hill Dickinson Stadium where he’ll be up against one of his old managers in David Moyes.
From Everton to Man Utd, onto winning the Europa Conference League Cup before returning to Merseyside in January this year. David Moyes has done a lot in football management including keeping Everton in the Premier League last season when relegation was a possibility. Today, his club sits in 9th place, a far cry from where they were 11 months ago.
I have not seen an Everton game this season but having read about them, they are playing well. Their league position alone would suggest that. Back in the summer, Grealish, Dibling and Dewsbury-Hall joined the club, adding a bit of flair to his attacking unit.
Everton don’t rely on physicality, long balls and lucky counter-attacking football anymore, not according to the so called experts anyway, they play proper football which, if they do again today, could help Mikel Arteta’s team. After all, against the low block, we have not been very good. By all accounts, Grealish is back to his best since he’s been given more freedom to express himself.
This is another one of those fixtures which on paper, Mikel Arteta’s team are probably favourites to win but we seem to have hit a bit of a blip, especially away from home. Players have looked jaded, sometimes devoid of ideas up front and even against Wolves at The Emirates, we stuttered to a rather lucky victory. It was the kind of game that last season, we might have drawn or worst still, lost. Own goals are part of the game and had Saka not delivered that kind of corner, or Jesus hadn’t put the defender under pressure, those goals wouldn’t have come so be grateful for small mercies.
Arsenal, or rather Mikel Arteta and his coaching team need to find a way to break down a low block. Other teams manage to break down a disciplined defence so why do we sometimes huff, puff and struggle to blow through one? I think many of us have a similar idea. Do things the same, just quicker. A lot quicker.
Everton will be without Gueye and Ndiaye for today’s fixture as both have gone off to the African Cup Of Nations. Dewsbury-Hall, Branthwaite and Coleman are ruled out through injury.
As for Arsenal, no change in the injured department but Gabriel and Havertz are getting close to a return. Arteta hinted that White’s injury is not too bad but bad enough to keep him out for a few games. At least Calafiori is back tonight after serving a one match suspension.
As always, here is Arsenal’s Adrian Clarke on what we can expect from tonight’s opponents:
Everton have impressed me this season, playing in a more attack-minded style that is easier on the eye. They will go long sometimes, but this Moyes outfit is not as direct as some of his previous teams. When it is on, they will play it through the thirds in their 4-2-3-1 shape.
They have a big, physical target man striker – either Beto or Thierno Barry – so an aerial threat will be posed whenever the hosts put balls into the danger zone. The Toffees are also excellent at getting the first contact at corners and free kicks, registering 71 attempts from set plays. No one, barring us on 77 shots from set pieces, has more.
Everton do like to press, and having kept four clean sheets in eight matches in front of their own supporters, I would expect them to be hostile in this aspect. Brighton are the only top-flight team to have a greater number of shots from high turnovers, so we must be careful when playing out from the back.
Defensively, Everton maybe lack a little pace so that is an area we might look to exploit. Experienced centre-back pair James Tarkowski and Michael Keane are especially strong in the air, so beating them with sharp passing, bright movement and quick dribbling is the best way of creating chances.
We all know it’s a tough time in the season when fixtures come thick and fast but having had a week off, they should be feeling more refreshed and ready to go again. If this group of players and staff want to lift a trophy in May, we need to see something better than last Saturday’s performance.
Something much better.
Catch up in the comments.
Good morning Rico, a fairly straightforward starting eleven selection, Raya, Timber, Saliba, Hincapie, Calafiori, Rice, Zubimendi, Odegaard, Saka, Gyokeres, Trossard.
My expectation is that Trossard will score and be subbed shortly after in favour of Martinelli.
It’s certainly going to be a tough few weeks fixture-wise.
Morning Cicero, I think so too.
I’m not confident today..
The only thing I’m confident about Rico is that the game will kick-off around 8pm. 😉