By Dan Ferguson
Arsenal 5 Everton 1
A newish-look Arsenal crushed a truly dismal Everton with a score that frankly flattered Everton.
The game should have really finished 8-2 if I am being fair, but good chances were squandered for very different reasons.
Everton set up in a formation that BT Sport properly slaughtered. They have tried and tried under Koeman to use 3 at the back and been woeful. Big Sam tried again and with a woefully game-shy Mangala, a truly crap Keane (trying to get into England’s WC Squad???), and the pedestrian Ashley Williams who thinks he is too good for Arsenal.
Everton looked like one of the most clueless teams to come to the Emirates for some time.
Arsenal’s early movement and interchangeable positions was awe-inspiring, and left the Toffees stuck in toffee.
Mkhitaryan was a wonderfully enterprising craftsman. He played with all the graft you want from a number 7. His retention and protection of the ball was excellent. His passing was excellent. His stats were excellent, and his calmness to create goals was excellent. He may never have the fizz and fanfare of a Sanchez, but his economy, retention and passing looks pretty refreshing. Let’s see if he shines or disappears against Spurs next week. He made 10 assists in his whole Man U career, and 3 for Arsenal today. He’s in the right team.
Aubamayang is world class (and I don’t use that phrase often). You can tell that because he pushes and pulls a defence around with him without panicking about being on the periphery. He is quite obviously the closest thing we have ever had to Henry since Henry, and his (offside) goal was so beautifully taken, that with squinted eyes it could have been Henry. He is certainly our best out-and-out attacker since RVP and that too is very refreshing.
What I like most is that he won’t do Ozil’s, Wilshere’s, Iwobi’s job like angry Sanchez often tried to do. Nor will he work too hard at holding play up to invite other players in like Lacazette. He will just play square off the last man, or even with his back to our midfield and defence, and trust that the intelligence of his runs will be picked out by intelligent players. So if Wilshere, Ozil and Mkhitaryan stay fit, Arsenal will become a very different offensive outfit for the rest of the season.
Ramsey was very calm and finished very well, though he still takes too many touches and tries needless stepovers too often. Ozil was running things with far more directing and conversing with players. That is healthy, he played like an offensive Bryan Robson.
But I still have huge concerns over Iwobi’s defence, Xhaka’s presence anywhere, and the centre of the Arsenal defence and goalkeeper. If Theo was more match fit, he would have had the centre backs on toast on another day. Some of his runs were terrifying, and we don’t have a defensive answer to speed or height. That needs patching for now and urgent redress in the summer.
I think we all know that the next transfer window will be all about defence, (in the broadest sense), but I am still none the wiser about who will lead the signings and who the new players think they are signing for. If they are signing for Arsenal FC, with Raul Sanllehi and Sven Mislintat leading the creation of New Arsenal, then there is a chance that this time next season Arsenal FC will be challengers for the league title.
If players still believe they are signing for Arsene FC, we are fecked before they even get on the field.
On a side note, it was lovely to see Big Sam so angry and upset. Bulldog. Chewing. Wasp.