Wednesday, March 21, 2012

Full Points at Goodison

Arsenal hang on to survive 1-0 at Goodison Park and with Tottenham drawing against Stoke, go a point clear of the Spurs for third place. Amazing.

  1. Ramsey. Just. Not. Good. Enough.
  2. Early goals. They're much nicer when we're scoring them.
  3. Everton was level at 31 minutes. AR made a shocking bad call with Trenthe easily onside. It was a  game changer as Everton was getting themselves back into the game, scrapping on defense, stringing together possession and building closer and closer to Arsenal's goal. The linesmen continued to have a shocker, not getting the offsides decisions  correct until mid-second half. Unlike Theo, they then got things going the right way in the latter period.
  4. Decision-Making. Not just the linesman. Arsenal followed a very bright opening 15 minutes, abandoning incisive passing for silly give-ups in their own half, allowing Everton to stem and reverse the tide. Some silly passing from Song, and another dangerous pass from Song, but Everton failed to punish them.
  5. The Disappearing Lad. Theo Walcott got off to a bright start and looked as if he might be ready to have a cracking game. It lasted 10 minutes or so. Didn't do dick afterwards. His best second half move? Walking off the pitch.
  6. Tactics. After the initial Arsenal tide, David Moyes moved Fellaini up behind the lead striker and dropped Cahill, which paid immediate and lasting impact. Fellaini had a major impact on the game from this point on. Arsene never really countered. 
  7. Tactics, Pt. II. I understand making a defensive substitution late in the match with a 1-0 lead, but the way he's played this season, can Djourou really be considered a defensive move? Just kidding DJ, you know we love you.
  8. Koscielny seems to be getting a lot of props for his play this season. Mercy me, I think he deserves it.
  9. Three points. Though Arsenal rarely got back out of 2nd gear after the opening minutes, this was an end-to-end game for large parts and quite entertaining. That and three points totals a fine evening.

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