Everton v. Arsenal 1-6 14/Aug/09

[Photo: Soccer by Ives]
Tim Howard: 8 goals, 4 days, 2 matches.



Finally and after a long summer of erratic gossip transfer, the Gunner annihilated the Tofees in their visit to Liverpool at Goodison Park earlier this Saturday. After a rather successful preseason the Gunners had what appeared to be a difficult starting game whilst Moyes' men gave a class of pressure and possession. After strange results, the Londoners threw a magnificent performance and it was the Gunners' midfield who started the damage, with Denilson on the scoresheet as well as Cesc with a double.
The most important part of this encounter was for Arsenal to find the path to follow, and in any case that will lead, if top form is sustained, to silverware next May. Many papers agree on the way Arsenal crushed into shreds their current opposition.

Indeed the first stages of this season are difficult with trips to Parkhead next Tuesday and to the Eastlands against rivals Manchester at the end of the month. And also a very important season has begun since, now, each team is focusing solely to stay fit, and by January all eyes will turn to the maximum competition in the planet, the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. Full coverage of the event will be provided to you, dear reader, and also, as last season, each game played by Arsenal will be reviewed.
Obviously, and as time progresses we will see the development of the youngsters and the solidification of the experienced. The perfect season could arrive to Ashburton, just as we are in the verge of the World Cup. The point should be travelling to the maximum tournament with at least some silverware (rather than the Emirates Cup).







For the first twenty minutes the Liverpudlians relied on a physical battle, which was complemented by a fairly good amount of pressure. The Gunners found a relatively easy path to Howard's goal: shots from Bendtner and van Persie came for the visitors. It was not until Denilson, whose appearance failed to shine missing several passes, in the 26th minute, stroke a driver to finish Howard's effort after a fine display of passes by the Dane and the captain.
One of the advantages of the new formation was the solid display of Arsenal's defence: Clichy and Vermaelen seem to complement themselves very well and Gallas gave a strange class of defending that we are not accustomed to. Whilst some defending uproar began to show cracks, the time for Arsenal's centre-backs to score came; the debutante Vermaelen in the 37th headed thanks to a defensive breakdown as well as Gallas, at the 41st, in a similar fashion. The question remained rather for Arsenal to increase the lead rather than Everton making a heroic effort to level the game.




[Photo: Guardian]



The immediate and most obvious answer to that question came three minutes past half time when Cesc Fabregas stroke the first of his two goals, in counter attack lead by Denilson and the Dutchman van Persie. The match went on with a typical training ground session of walls and first touches by the visiting team: the strong opposition showed in the fist twenty minutes was brushed aside in a matter of minutes and the gap was about to extend into two more goals.
The fifth from a solid hand-throw by Almunia landed into Cesc, who nearly conducted for fifty meters before scoring at Howard's nearest post. The celebration was heart-breaking with Cesc dedicating the fifth to Dani Jarque, the late Espanyol's captain.
Alexandre Song's appearance was by far the most impressive. If he performs as today, there Will be no doubt, and Wenger will prove himself right yet again, that the correct men for the midfield problems is within the squad rather than in some far and unknown club of France or Africa. It was a matter of minutes before Eduardo scored the sixth after a thunderous play by Arshavin right in the centre of the box.
It could have been a terrific display to have kept the scoresheet to a minimum of zero, but the effort made by Saha is to note. His ward work earned him a late consolation. A perfectly avoidable mistake that should have not happen.

The thumbs-up of the week is for Sky Sports Mexico, who in a tremendous fit of brilliance, let the transmission of the match in the original language from Sky Sports in England. Cheers for them! The half time special and the extended repetitions provided Mexican viewers a quality that Fox Sports could only dream of in the best of cases.