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Old Gooner's thoughts on: Arsenal vs Everton
Where was the Department of Health and Safety when needed? Even the police were posting notices around the ground saying "Pavements have not been gritted." (When were pavements ever gritted fer rice cakes?)
For sure this was a game that should have been called off for "safety reasons"...not least that that our performance was guaranteed to put elderly gooners into high blood pressure, palpitations and exasperation.
Manuel Fawlty, albeit making a good save to prevent an Everton third, typified his, and our, performance when he checked with Chewbacca that he was ready for a roll out, then delivered a hospital pass some 8 yards in front. "Yum, yum" said the Everton player who took ball and Chewbacca to the cleaners.
More worrying, what with all the chit chat about the need for back up to strengthen midfield and central defence: TV was laid out, Billy seemed to have suffered a pulled muscle but recovered and Denilson was stretchered off. This a particularly worrying injury as there was nobody close to him when he collapsed. Possibly an aftermath of being clattered by Neville five minutes earlier.
Obviously snow disagrees with us. Remember that appalling game against Sheff Utd a few years back? Faced with an Everton side, probably suffering a higher percentage of injuries than us, who were fast to close us down, we managed to help them out either with poor first touches and even worse final touches when it really mattered. Our pass completion rate and possesion was apparently better than Everton's but there was little doubt as to which side looked the more dangerous.
Bar a spell in the second half which was so reminiscent of the ManCity game when we looked as though we were going to have an easy win, it was living on nerves time. Only Abou who continued his good form both in offence and attack and to a lesser extent Sami can get their wage packet this week without blushing. Indeed AA who should have been most at home went missing for much of the game. Admittedly his support was non existant as both Fellaini (who I have more than a sneaking regard for) and Cahill were closing down our attacks far too easily.
But the lads came back from what would have been a killer blow in recent seasons and two deflections (working for us this time) at least gained us one point, which overall we probably didn't deserve on the day. AW's comment that it was a point gained rather than two lost seemed appropriate.
Gooner for 60 years...
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On this day in 1931
1931 - Centre forward Jimmy Brain moved to Tottenham Hotspur. He scored 125 times in 204 League games for the Gunners.
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