Arsenal v. Everton 3-1 18/Oct/08

After the international break that brough us the perfect record Spain and England, while some other dreadful performances, Brazil and Mexico, the actions returns to the Grove with the Toffees travelling south again. The match was tough in the first stances but the home side managed to come from behind as in many late shows in the Ashburton Grove era. Everton gave a solid performance that was diminished by tha main players of the Arsenal squal, especially youngster Nasri.





Big news were Touré as skipper, Michael Silvestre's debut and Eboué return. Trying to apply the offside trap the Arsenal was taken by surprise and an instinctful Osman gave the early lead to Everton. Following the lead the Arsenal side became passive, dull and uncommited to the game while Toure's injury became a concern for the home side. Wide attempts by Cesc, van Persie and Adebayor made clear the home status for the Arsenal, but the capitalization of these opportunities was unimportant for the players. Clichy saved Arsenal from a header on a corner at 41'. The pull by the home side increased with the ending of the first forty five minutes.





Second half brought Theo from the bench. Eboué was relocated as a rgiht back and Song as center back. The early equalizer was brough by a Nasri shot, which entered in tha far post slot to level things. Certainly Mr. Wenger motivated his younstersin the midtime due to the recurrence on van Persie's arrivals. The attitude was different, and it the Frenchman should have considered cesc in the captaincy rather than Almunia. The seventh pass of the season by Cesc was made while Clichy's attempts towards goal were solid. The fancy touches began to appear and the second goal was a brilliant consecution of passes by Adebayor, a Cesc shot and the header-deflection by van Persie., at 70'. The match went with the Gunner control until the the third goal came, courtesy of a Diaby-Theo combination, at 90'.
The match showed the capabilities of the young squad to overcome such dangers, the ones that threaten the top-flight teams.