Premier League
Arsenal’s Tenuous Grip On Top Four Loosens With Loss At Everton
Arsenal players and fans should have known better. After beating Newcastle last week, Arsenal moved ahead of Spurs in the table. The red half of North London was confident as their side had been playing exceptionally well while Spurs were in freefall. The ten points that separated the sides not long ago had vanished. Arsenal was also faced with the easiest remaining schedule of the four sides vying for England’s coveted third and fourth positions. With over a month remaining in the season, it was surely too early to celebrate. However, the temptation to gloat was just too strong.
Fans, players and legends of Arsenal unleashed a storm of banter on Tottenham early last week. As Spurs prepared for their first game in their billion dollar stadium last Wednesday, Arsenal fans fully expected the abuse to continue. Unfortunately from Arsenal’s perspective, Spurs turned in a professional performance in a 2-0 win over Crystal Palace. The result took them back above Arsenal in the table, with the Gunners having a game in hand.
Arsenal quickly faced the cold reality of having to win on the road to ensure their time spent above Spurs lasted longer than 48 hours. The Gunners had only recorded a single road victory since November and have only three on the season. With five of their seven remaining league matches away from home, Arsenal needed to improve their away from quickly. That didn’t happen, as an impotent Arsenal side lost 1-0 in what was a dull encounter at Goodison Park.
The Match may Have Been Over Before it Began
While Arsenal’s taunts aimed at Spurs were certainly premature, they were not without merit. The Gunners had been playing brilliant football over the last few months. Manager Unai Emery had finally realized his team was better when he plays the best players. Arsenal have yet to lose when Ramsey, Ozil, Aubameyang and Lacazette all start together. Furthermore, the club’s win percentage when Guendouzi does not start is nearly 40% higher than when he does.
Let’s just say Unai Emery did not play the percentages. The manager set forth one of his most bizarre lineups of the season. Leading scorer Aubemeyang was relegated to the bench for the second straight match. Ramsey was also left out, with Emery claiming he was not fit enough to play the full 90 minutes.
Emery’s strangest choices came in midfield. Xhaka did not pass his pre-match fitness test while Torriera was off with a suspension. Emery was left with limited options, but his decision to start the pairing of Elneny and Guendouzi was still baffling. Emery chose likely the worst central midfield pairing to start a league game for Arsenal in the past 20 years. Instead, Ramsey, Maitland Niles, Mkhitaryan, and Suarez all could have been selected for those roles. When Arsenal fans saw the starting-11, many already feared the worst.
Emery Goes Ultra Conservative
Clearly, Emery’s personnel decisions left a lot to be desired. To call his midfield pairing creatively challenged is an understatement. Starting the match without the fresh Aubameyang was disappointing as well. Still, It was Emery’s choice of formation that arguably did the most damage to Arsenal.
The Gunners have clearly shown to be more effective in formations with four defenders. Instead, Emery went conservative again and began the match with five. Emery brought on Ramsey and Aubameyang at half time after a disastrous opening stanza. However, it was too little too late as Arsenal were never able to click into gear. Arsenal finished the match with only seven shots, two on target. Everton managed an astounding 23 shots and were unlucky not to win by a wider margin. Emery’s conservative ideology didn’t yield any benefits on either end of the pitch.
Arsenal Concede, Lose on the Road Again
Only one team in the Premier League has conceded a goal in every away match. You guessed it – Arsenal. It only took ten minutes for that streak to continue at Everton. Arsenal failed to clear a long throw-in. The ball deflected kindly to Phil Jagielka who tapped in from close range while the entire Arsenal side appealed for offside. It wasn’t given.
Jagielka became the oldest player to score in the Premier League this season, at 36 years old. In fact, the English veteran was only added to the starting lineup fifteen minutes before kickoff as Michael Keane had fallen ill.
Arsenal couldn’t have been any worse than they were in the first half and grew into the game to start the second. Ramsey looked dangerous as a substitute and Mikhitaryan flashed a shot wide of the post. As the match wore on, Everton regained control and nearly found a second several times. It briefly felt like they would be left to rue those misses by Arsenal stealing a late goal. However, the equalizer never even came close to arriving and Arsenal were sent back to London to lick their wounds.
Road Struggles Could Cost Arsenal Champions League Football
Before the match it seemed likely that Arsenal would qualify for the Champions League via the top four. With Arsenal’s inadequacies on the road glaringly exposed again, that proposition seems less certain. Four of Arsenal’s remaining six matches are on the road. If they continue to disappoint away from home, their only remaining route to Champions League football next season will be the Europa League.
Neither route will be easy, as Arsenal were unfortunate to draw Napoli in the quarterfinals. Napoli are the best remaining side in the competition and are slight favorites to advance. Thankfully Arsenal will receive some reinforcements with the games coming thick and fast. Xhaka and Koscielny will likely return against Napoli and Torreira will return from suspension. Emery needs to put his ego to the side and ensure Arsenal’s best players are on the field as much as possible as the season concludes.
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Photo credit to André Gomes via Twitter
