Written by George Sezer Sunday, 14 November 2010 18:01

GunnerTalk Blog

By George Sezer

With the best away record in the league and players like Van Persie, Rocisky, Denilson, and Walcott on the Arsenal bench, I felt a positive wave in the air before the game.  Watching the opening stages of the game I also saw a different side of Arsenal which has been missing in recent years. They had a mean and kind of ‘knowing how to play in difficult away games’ look about them.

Everton obviously did their homework, pressed high up the pitch, stopping us from playing our usual fluent football. I was very impressed the way the team just got on with things, knowing well that it is only expected the teams would play to stop us imposing our football on the game and didn’t look phased by it. They also knew that our extra quality would shine sooner or later.

Everton had the first opening of the game via quick counter attack after our corner kick. Their right back Shamus had the freedom of our left hand side – where Clichy should have been – and floating a good cross despite gallant effort from Fabregas to stop him. Cahill, who usually is deadly from situations like these, headed high and wide.

Arhavin, giving another one of his ‘can’t be arsed’ kind of performances, missed a couple of half chances before we had our first serious chance 20 minutes into the game with a typical Arsenal move from the left hand side; Fabregas dinked a delicious pass to Nasri over the advancing defender who in turn flicked a lovely ball to Wilshere but his weak shot was deflected wide.

Arhavin, losing the ball, not the first time, put our defence on the back foot but luckily from the resulting Everton attack Saha curled a left foot strike wide.

In the 35^th minute Nasri, who was impressive again, made a great run towards their 18 yards box and had the confidence to have a shot from about 20 yards but his hard shot was blocked by their keeper. Fortunately the loose ball was collected by Arshavin, who laid a simple ball back to Sagna in their box and the right back produced an unstoppable shot from the angle to register his second ever Arsenal goal.

We made it to the half time whistle, surviving a couple of corners and high balls one of which Fabianski was lucky to get away with when he got caught under the ball but Saha headed against the outside of the post.

Denilson replaced Wilshare for the 2^nd half and it was him who started the move that ended up with our all important second goal.  He found Fabregas at the edge of their box, the Spaniard played a quick 1-2 with Chamakh before blasting a great shot to the bottom far corner 2 minutes into the second half.

As they say, you are at your most vulnerable just after scoring and it nearly cost us as a long ball got flicked by Cahill for Saha to run to, Squillachi  fouled him when he was about to go through. I feared the most  but I thought the match referee Howard Webb who had a great game made the right decision by producing a yellow as Clichy was just about near enough to the incident.

A good move by Everton ended up with their substitute Roadwell having a pop at our goal from close range but he blasted the ball high thanks to presence of Song.

Arsenal hit them on the counter attack after a lovely touch by Chamakh outside of our box released Nasri who made a great 50 yards run with the ball but his shot was saved by Howard. From the rebound, Fabregas produced a great cross from the right but somehow Chamakh skied his shot from inside the 6 yards box when it looked easier to score.

Clichy had one of his mental blockages when he let their right back shamus trough, his cut back and subsequent goal bound shot by Saha was blocked heroically by Song.

Hapless Arshavin was replaced by Rocisky in the 65^th minute. Everton made a couple of substitutions minutes later when they introduced Yakubu and Beckford implying their intentions of ‘going for it’.

Arsenal passing the ball well with Denilson in the centre of it all tried to slow and kill the game and it worked a treat until the last 10 minutes.

Everton threw everything but the kitchen sink at us for the last few minutes but our defence especially Fabianski held firm. The rejuvenated young goal keeper making a great one handed save from Beckford before saving a 20 yarder from Pinaar. He also dealt with crosses quite well but he couldn’t stop Cahill scoring from close range when Saha knocked a corner down for the Australian.

Our new no1 also pulled out a great save from Saha’s left foot drive from over 20 yards. Man of the match for the second game running.

Another great 3 points from a very difficult away game, moving us up above Manchester United into second place in the league table. Chelsea losing at home to Sunderland as I am writing this blog, we might be only 2 points behind the leaders in 10 minutes time. Happy days.

Yeah baby, Sunderland scored again Chelsea 0 – Sunderland 3