By Ian Grant
Arsenal 3 Everton 1
Great Highbury night – but only 27,700 braved the wet. They were singing songs in the North Bank that were sung in the sixties. But the personnel were light years away. For big, muscular Englishmen, like Geoff Strong and Alan Skirton read small but pacy youngsters like Owusu-Abeyie and Karbassiyoon.
It was generally small v big; David v Goliath. And Goliath struck the first blow in the form of Gollum look-alike Gravesen. The wall jumped, but Pennant looked away and the ball was diverted past Almunia.
From then, the expectation was of an Everton victory. They generally looked twice as big as the diminutive Arsenal players. But the speed which the young guns zipped the ball around the pitch was to their advantage – along with the fact Everton had to face the £200m+ Chelsea three days previously.
Senderos, who could become the new Tony Adams, gave more an impression of an Ian Ure, Willie Young, or Pascal Cygan. He gave away several balls in dangerous areas in the first twenty, answering the question as to why Wenger didn’t start him in Premiership games. However he grew in stature and confidence, as the game progressed, later on, hoofing the ball out of danger, reminiscent of Terry Neill.
Ryan Smith, typically small but tricky and pacy, who also lost possession, once or twice, wasn’t so lucky. Again injury struck. But as at Manchester City, Osuwa Abeyie changed things when he came on. His pace and trickery put fear into the Everton defenders with very tight dribbling. His first dart through the blue ranks brought a brave save out of Richard Wright.
His second incursion brought his first senior goal. Taking an incisive pass from Pennant, he cut inside and fired low past the ex-Arsenal man.
The psychological balance had swung to Arsenal – who received good vocal support.
Edu was having a battle royal with Gravesen. Flamini in the middle was sliding in fast to win important challenges. Van Persie, as with the Holland u-21 team was a focal point as a shadow striker. Wenger once or twice came out from the dug-out to make sweeping movements – telling him, and others, to keep the ball on the ground.
Pistone had a chance at the stroke of half-time, but Djourou kept out the rebound off the post
In the second half, Pennant made some incisive runs. Van Persie showed some great trickery. But it was down to another Abeyie dribble through the heart of the Everton defence which lead to Lupoli hitting home.
Edu went off half-way through with a broken toe. The game started ebbing Everton’s way. However Larsson, who looked shaky at left back at City, grew more accomplished in the middle with neat distribution.
Van Persie made the third, as Abeyie hit another low pass from the right for Lupoli to finish with aplomb.
The average age of the Arsenal side was 19.8 years. Almunia and Edu were the only ones over 21. The future looks extremely bright.
The performances against City and Everton begs the question what would have happened to this team at Crystal Palace?
David Moyes was disappointing in his post-match comments saying Edu should have been sent off for a two-footed challenge on James McFadden. It was a low challenge and a yellow card at most. But there again having your first team beaten by a bunch of youngsters is a shock, and damaging to confidence. However, he did have the grace to say afterwards that Arsenal have “some terrific young players”.
Wenger will play the youngsters whoever they draw, saying they deserve their chance. That is very true. But the draw could throw up Man U, Chelsea or Spurs and that would be interesting to say the least.
ARSENAL: Almunia, Hoyte, Djourou, Senderos, Karbassiyoon, Pennant, Flamini, Edu (Larsson) R Smith (Q Owusu-Abeyie), van Persie, Lupoli (Cregg).
Booked Edu
EVERTON: Wright, Hibbert, Yobo, Stubbs, Pistone, Watson (Osman), Gravesen, Cahill, Kilbane, Bent (Chadwick, 16), J McFadden.
Booked: Kilbane