Koscielny scores winner as Arsenal overcome resilient Everton
|Arsenal midfielder Andrey Arshavin scored his first goal for over a month as Arsenal scored two goals in six minutes against Everton at Emirates Stadium.
The Russian has been criticised for his apparent ‘lack of effort’ in recent games, but struck a brilliant equaliser from Cesc Fabregas’ pass before Laurent Koscielny headed in the vital winner.
Louis Saha had earlier given Everton the lead despite calls for offside from the Arsenal faithful. However, the Gunners emphasised their title credentials by netting two goals in the last twenty minutes.
Szczesny
Sagna – Djourou – Koscielny – Clichy
Fabregas – Song – Wilshere
Walcott – van Persie – Rosicky
It was a slow start to the match with both sides nutting each other out in the early stages until Arsenal started to wake up around the 15-minute mark with two half chances to Robin van Persie, from a free-kick, and Laurent Koscielny’s header from the ensuing corner.
The Gunners produced a beautiful move about a minute later, ending with van Persie playing a deft backheel into the path of Cesc Fabregas but he jagged his shot wide from inside the area in what was a huge let off for Everton.
Toffees keeper Tim Howard came up with a good save in the 22nd minute when Theo Walcott received a deflection on the edge of the area before advancing inside but his shot did not have enough angle as Everton’s custodian kept it out with his legs in what was a great chance for the Gunners.
But for all Arsenal’s domination, Everton hit the front in the 25th minute when Seamus Coleman played a through ball towards Louis Saha and although the Frenchman was clearly off-side, Koscielny’s attempted clearance from the pass fell to the striker and he needed no second invitation to hammer home from the top of the area across Wojciech Szczesny for the opener.
Arsenal defender Johan Djourou was only inches off the mark with his 31st minute header before Fabregas sent a low shot goalward and van Persie attempted to lob Howard indicating that the Gunners were back on their game after being rattled with the goal.
Arsenal midfielder Alex Song was replaced by Abou Diaby at half-time after coming into the dressing rooms with a few heavy knocks.
The Gunners were awarded a free-kick on the edge of the box just minutes after the re-start when John Heitinga pulled down countryman van Persie but the left-footed striker’s attempt at hammering the dead ball goalward was way off as the Toffees wall did its job to perfection.
Everton were doing a good job of frustrating the home side and even conjured a few half-chances as the half progressed, forcing Arsene Wenger to make another change for the Gunners, bringing off Tomas Rosicky for Andrei Arshavin in the 61st minute.
Wenger was desperately chasing an equaliser and brought on Nicklas Bendtner for Jack Wilshere with 20 minutes remaining but it was his second substitution that did the job with Arshavin making it 1-1.
Captain Fabregas played a lovely little dink toward the Russian who was able to side-foot it home when he was face-to-face with Howard. The goal was delivered with plenty of calm after the ball looped off the head of Jack Rodwell who was trying to get back to cover.
Bendtner tried his luck with a 73rd minute overhead kick that fell nicely for Howard before van Persie’s free-kick a few minutes later was tipped over the bar by the Toffees custodian.
The corner from Howard’s save then brought about the goal that put the Gunners in front. Van Persie’s swinging ball to the back post was met by an unmarked Koscielny who headed home to make it 2-1 for the home side, stirring the home fans into full song.
Leave your thoughts on the match in the comments section below.
very resillient from the arsenal.aweful referee.saha was miles off side and the assistant should have flagged him .in the end a hard fought victory.another difficult match out of the way.arshavin saved us today and his goal will give him so much confidence.
Another crucial goal by Koscielny
any chance of some highlights chris?
all acolation given to arsenal players for their fighting spirit.for wining the match from 1nil down to 2-1 victory over everton which is a strong team is not an eazy battle to overcome!!arshavin has really done it again,like i said b4 wat assasin(arshavin) and the players really need to get back onform is our support and not those fatuous words.
@french gooner: 101 Great Goals or Arsenalist will have them, mate.
thanks chris
i`m still shaking,and bcos of that ref im sick in my stomach.thanks a lot u a** hole.what a game?what a win? strong message trough to all today.but the media bias toward arsenal is sickning me more,the commentators in sky tried to find the way to validate the goal which imposible then kept saying that everton deserve that break when u think about us geting some decisions they will never stop pointing at it.
Moyes is complaining about Cesc, that he should of been sent off because of his comments at half time to the ref !!!
http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11671_6717455,00.html
well played arsenal
The defence was exposed again. Luckily the gunners managed to win.Saha’s goal was clearly off side. This brings me to the match officials. I believe there is a conspiracy to perpetuate the red faced cunt’s strangle hold on the epl.
Since the rfc won the cl in 1999,when he was dead and buried,he has won the cl only once and that was on penalty kicks.
There are many instances where the mo have helped him.Recall Riley?Reyes was kicked blue in the groin and no action taken agaisnt the Neville bros until Reyes prayed for divine help. This same ref gave the rfc a record number of penalties.And so and on.
My theory won’t be proved until the yeqr 2190. yes 2190.Suffice to say the next manager who takes over from the red faced will be sacked if he fails to win any trophy inside two years.
As for Arsenal,this could be a pivotal season. Failure to win any trophy,even the cc,could result in the fm having second thoughts about his youth policy. He might even resign and go RM.At RM he won’t be able to do things his way and he could be axed if results are poor. Fyi age is also catching up on him.I beleive top clubs would prefer a winning manager under 50.
WELL PLAYED, THANK U GUYS, 1 LOVE 2 U ALL, KEEP IT UP…
Love this pic… Look at arshavin… Lol!!
see possesion here :))))
http://s40.radikal.ru/i090/1102/57/b516c0deeb6c.jpg
Arshavin’s arrival turned the game – lots of energy and a well-taken goal. Poor Rosicky was a peripheral figure – what with his lack of match time and low confidence, I fear he is now on the down-slope.
Anyway, a great win. We did the job we needed to do in trying circumstances, and there was no need for us to complain about how we had lost because the whole world is against us. Another sign of a team which has grown up this season!
David Moyes is a sore loser, come on you Arsenal!!! and to the everton goal had they been playing against Manure it wud not have been given, I have watched many games when that retard Stephen Child is the assistant ref, he has awarded opposition teams against Arsenal some strange calls in favor of them.
@french gooner: visit arsenal.com and u can find arsenal.com VIDEO and play
we hadnt conceaded in the league in 2011, an offside goal was the only way a team was going to score against us.