6 Points to note from Arsenal 2-0 Everton
Arsenal beat Everton 2-0 on Sunday 23rd September 2018, at the Emirates Stadium.
Everton was possibly the better side overall. They pressed well early on, and old Arsenal boy Theo Walcott looked strong together with Richarlison in getting both width and chances.
Had Everton possessed a top forward, unlike Arsenal, they may have won this game. Calvert-Lewin was not able to convert chances when required, and Petr Cech kept both Walcott and Richarlison at bay at critical points.
Arsenal, with their top forwards, were more clinical when it mattered, and this was the ultimate difference between the two sides.
For Arsenal, the first half tempo was poor, and Everton had a clearly defined game plan in this case. Their manager, Marco Silva, clearly identified Arsenal's defence as a weakness, and they looked to exploit this. Poor finishing in their part though stopped them from scoring.
Arsenal improved in the second half, and they got two goals in a short spell, due to their star forwards Alexandre Lacazette and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.
Everton can be heartened by this performance as they pinned Arsenal down for much of the game. They had a very bad defeat to West Ham United in their previous game, but they were able to target Arsenal in specific ways in this game. Arsenal, in turn, showed similar failings to their recent wins but managed to get the win in the end.
What can both team take from the game though? Is Arsenal improving? And can Everton take some heart from this?
There are some points to take here though, and there are some factors which can affect both teams in the coming weeks and months.
Arsenal was lucky to get the win, and Marco Silva said the result didn't match the performance his team gave. But let's see what points stood out from the game for both sides.
#6 Arsenal needs to show more consistent energy
The first half performance was muted, largely due to Everton's pressing game. However, the first half showings vs. Newcastle, Man City, and Cardiff, were similarly poor.
Is this a fitness or concentration issue? Possibly.
It is an issue that Emery needs to correct. It has not presented a major issue in recent games, though this doesn't mean it won't in the future.
It may also be that Emery is still adapting and learning, though the learning curve will inevitably be short.
Either way, part of good game management is pacing performance in various parts of matches, and the performance level must be consistent over 90 minutes.