Sunday 22 October 2017
Everton 2 Arsenal 5
Rooney 12', Niasse 90+3', Monreal 40', Ozil 53', Lacazette 74', Ramsey 90', Sanchez 90+5'
Arsenal finally recorded their first away win of the season with a comprehensive display at Goodison Park against an Everton team battling their own demons. Ronald Koeman's side have not enjoyed the greatest of starts and now find themselves in the relegation zone. When people give Arsenal grief about their start to the season, looking at a club like Everton helps put things in perspective.
Despite going 1-0 down to a Wayne Rooney wonder goal, Arsenal dominated the first half and deservedly drew level just before half time thanks to an opportunistic Nacho Monreal finish. In the second half Arsenal made no mistake of putting Everton to the sword, when Mesut Ozil headed home from a fine Alexis Sanchez cross to make it 2-1 after 53 minutes. Things got worse for the home side when they were reduced to ten men after Idrissa Gueye picked up his second yellow card. Arsenal took advantage of the extra space and proceeded to tear Everton apart, with Alexandre Lazazette and Aaron Ramsey finding the back of the net. However Petr Cech made a stupid mistake in injury time, gifting Oumar Niasse the easiest goal he'll ever score. It wouldn't be an Arsenal game without at least one comical error! There was still time for Arsenal to add one more, when Sanchez willed the ball into the back of the net, with a fine strike across goal to put Arsenal ahead 5-2. Overall the boss with be pleased with such a fantastic result, especially on his 68th birthday.
Here are my player ratings for the game:
Petr Cech (GK) - 6/10
The veteran was rarely troubled by Everton. He could do nothing about Rooney's superb strike but will be disappointed with how cheaply he gave away Everton's second to Niasse. To be fair to the Czech keeper, Monreal's back pass wasn't the best but Cech had time to deal with it and failed to do so. A poor effort and a blemish on an otherwise solid performance.
Per Mertesacker (CB) - 7/10
A fine display from the captain and he brought real confidence to the back line. As a unit they were rarely troubled by the experienced Rooney and youngster Dominic Calvert-Lewin. Mertesacker's pass to Xhaka that led to Everton's opening goal could have been avoided but the Swiss midfielder did have the option to knock it back to Per or Koscielny; I find it hard to blame the BFG for that one.
Laurent Koscielny (CB) - 7/10
Found himself in a forward position more often than he might be used to, and put one or two dangerous crosses in. Combined well with Mertesacker and Bellerin to snuff out Everton's attacks.
Nacho Monreal (CB) - 9/10
Two goals now in his last three Premier League games and his strike today was an important one. Arsenal should have been two or three goals to the good before Rooney put the Toffees ahead so it was vital Arsenal replied before half time. After a long range effort by Granit Xhaka troubled Everton keeper Jordan Pickford, it was Monreal who pounced on the rebound first and struck the ball cleanly to draw Arsenal level. A vital goal at a vital time. Defensively he was nearly perfect, although his pass to Cech for Everton's late consolation could have been better.
Hector Bellerin (RWB) - 7/10
Bellerin's movement down the right wing is always dangerous and he regularly gets into good positions but stills struggles with his delivery from time to time. He did pick out Sanchez with a great cross that the Chilean could only head wide. Otherwise he was his dependable self and Arsenal are lucky to have him in their toolbox.
Sead Kolasinac (LWB) - 7/10
Nothing too noteworthy for the beast from Bosnia today but still a quality, albeit quiet performance. Combined well with Sanchez on the left flank and never looked rattled.
Granit Xhaka (CM) - 6/10
It only takes one mistake to spoil an afternoon and fortunately for Xhaka, his blunder did not end up costing Arsenal the points. He felt he was fouled in the build-up to Rooney's opening goal but replays show that he was dispossessed by Gueye cleanly. He had the option to pass the ball away with his first touch but can only blame himself for what followed. In his defence he didn't make another mistake the rest of the game and recovered well to set up Monreal's equaliser, and then stung the crossbar late in the game. It's probably still rattling even now.
Aaron Ramsey (CM) - 8/10
Constantly finds himself in fantastic positions thanks to his brilliant movement and awareness off the ball. Sadly he doesn't regularly capitalise on this but justly earned his reward today with a well taken goal. His first touch to open up his body to lift the ball past Pickford reminded me of the Ramsey from 2013/14. Hopefully there are more goals to come from the Welshman.
Alexis Sanchez (AM) - 9/10
Arsene Wenger opted to deploy all three of his top men in attack and it was Sanchez who really benefited from having the mobile Lacazette and Ozil to link up with. The Chilean was instrumental in every attack and was rewarded for his industriousness. His assist for Ozil's goal that broke the deadlock was a carbon copy of a goal against Watford last season. For 90 minutes Sanchez did everything but find the net and when he received the ball with seconds left, you knew he was never going to pass up the opportunity to have one final attempt. He had the chance to offload the ball two or three times and as Everton pushed him wider and wider you thought, surely he's missed his chance to get a shot away. Sanchez delights in surprising us though and flashed an effort back across goal that Pickford was helpless to reach. It was a deserved goal for Alexis, the cherry on top of a great day's work and his best performance of the season so far.
Mesut Ozil (AM) - 9/10 (Man of the Match)
It was evident from the first minute that Ozil took his A-game to Merseyside. He had magic in his boots from the first whistle, and every pass he played was so deft and precise. The German playmaker combined with his teammates constantly and was the driving force behind everything positive with Arsenal's display. When he headed the Gunners into the lead early in the second half, his celebration told the full story; this was Ozil with a point to prove. Many of us, myself included, wrote him off after the Watford game last week. When he missed that chance to put the result beyond Watford's reach, he disappeared for the rest of the game. Today he stood up and put in one of his finest performances in an Arsenal shirt. He expertly picked out Lacazette to make it 3-1 and when he was substituted after 82 minutes, he was absolutely spent. Today he deserved the man of the match award and was the best player on the park.
Alexandre Lacazette (ST) - 8/10
With Everton down to ten men, Arsenal had to make sure the game was put to bed and Lacazette was on hand to do just that. On a swift break down the right flank, Ozil pulled it back to the Frenchman who made no mistake and buried it past Pickford to seal the result, and pick up his 5th Premier League goal. After having a superb chance blocked within the first ten minutes to put Arsenal ahead, Lacazette bided his time and never looked like missing when his next chance came.
Substitutes:
Jack Wilshere - 7/10
After his seriously good outings in the Europa League, Wilshere was rewarded today with some Premier League gametime and took his opportunity. With Everton a man down and reeling, Wilshere came on in the 77th minute and pulled the strings instantly. He collected an assist after picking out Ramsey for his late goal, and it begs the question; after all these years, could a Wilshere-Ramsey midfield partnership be successful after all?
Francis Coquelin - N/A
Not enough time to impose himself on the game.
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Despite going 1-0 down, this was the first time in a while I had so much fun watching Arsenal. The Gunners had 30 shots on goal, 14 of them on target and 67% possession in a dominant win. Everton were dreadful and looked totally absent tactics-wise but it was still so satisfying to put 5 goals past them, and it could have been a lot more if Pickford didn't have such a great first half. Arsenal must take confidence from this result and Wenger must continue to put faith in Ozil, Sanchez and Lacazette. Even if Ozil and Sanchez leave the club, be it in January or the summer, we must milk every goal and assist out of them whilst they're still on Arsenal's books.
Thanks for reading.
