Everton vs. Arsenal: Review and Player Ratings (Part 2)
Continued…
The home fans were given much to grumble about just before the half when Jack Wilshere brought down Tim Cahill on the threshold of the box, but the referee was unmoved. The Toffees could have evened it up in uncommon manner though, when
on half time a corner from the left was met unchallenged by Phil Neville, who crossed goal wards only for Arsenal goalkeeper to stop it, unknowingly, after goalie made a mess of his initial swipe for the ball.
Boos rang out at Goodison Park, right after the halftime whistle, which was directed at match official, Howard Webb, for some biased decisions during the first half. While on the other hand, Arsenal, who started slowly, had improved as the half progressed and
perhaps deserved their lead.
Both managers made changes at halftime. Jack Rodwell was landed by David Moyes and brought off Heitenga. On the other hand, Arsene Wenger brought in Denilson in place of Jack Wilshere.
Arsenal substitute made an immediate impact when right after the second half kick-off, his run and pass triggered a moment of slick passing, classic Arsenal display, which went to Fabregas. The talismanic skipper of Arsenal kept it moving
to Arshavin, who chipped the ball back to Cesc and the Spaniard stroked the ball home to double the lead.
Only a short while later another decision from Howard Webb drew hostility from Everton’s fans as a marauding run from Tim Cahill was stopped abruptly by Djourou. It wasn’t this act which infuriated the home side, but the decision not to play advantage as Saha
continued the attack and put the ball in the back of the net. The Gunners’ defender was booked, but if advantage had been played a greater form of retribution would have prevailed.
Just four minutes before the hour mark, the home side squandered another chance after a great run down the right from Pienaar was sent into the channel for Mikel Arteta to pick up and his squared pass to Saha was fired high over the bar. The Toffees wastefulness
continued.
On the hour mark the Gunners could have put the game beyond Everton with another example of clinical counterattacking football when Arshavin picked up the ball in his own half and tore towards the Tim Howard’s goal leaving Neville in his wake. Only a great
save from the Everton’s goalie kept their third life intact.
That was threatened again when Arshavin, this time on the right wing sent the ball inside to his skipper who squared it to Nasri who missed what was in effect an open goal. Shortly after that miss, Arsenal manager brought on his second substitution, Tomas Rosicky,
in place of Arshavin.
With a two goal deficit, Everton manager decided to throw on more forwards to try to reclaim something from the game. The young gun of the Toffees, Jermaine Beckford, was brought on to replace the veteran right back, Phil Neville. Along
with that, David Moyes also landed his most experienced striker, Yakubu who came on in place of Arteta.
Just 10 minutes before the full time, Yakubu could have thrown a lifeline to the home side when a long ball over the top was picked up by the Nigerian but his shot was wide of the opposition goal and another chance slipped through the
fingers of the Toffees.
In a move to protect the lead, Arsenal manager used his third and last substitution, Arsenal sole striker, Chamakh, was called off and Emmanual Eboue replaced him.
To be continued…
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