Everton v Arsenal review – Welbeck and Iwobi seal great Gunners win

Arsene Wenger spoke in the week about the big gap between Arsenal and the current Premier League leaders might just allow the Gunners to play with some of the old fluency and verve that saw us topping the table at the turn of the year and even though the Gunners were knocked out of the Champions League in midweek, there were enough positives from our performance against Barcelona to give us some belief back.

That certainly seemed to be the case after Arsenal had weathered a fast start from Everton today. Apart from those early minutes it was Arsenal that were generally on the front foot. We loked sharper than the Toffees, both with and without the ball.

So while Koscielny and Gabriel were able to cope quite well with the threat of Lukaku, the Everton team was having a tough time keeping the likes of Ozil and Alexis quiet. But it was the new look front line of Welbeck and Iwobi that did the real damage.

The England striker finished a great slick move to score one of those typical Arsenal goals that we all love so much. We produced a few mose moments like that throughout the first half but it was a counter attack that led to the second, with Sanchez micking the ball and Bellerin playing it up to the excellent Iwobi for him to score on his first EPL start.

Welbeck nearly made it three after the break when he pounced on an error by Stones but after that it was more about making sure the home team did not get back into it. They missed a great chance from a corner after Ospina had been shaken up by a collision buyt that was as good as it got for them.

Giroud was denied a perfectly good goal in the closing stages because of one of a few poor decisions by referee Mark Clattenburg but at least he did not cost us any points this time. A great performance and result from Arsenal that just keeps our title hopes alive.

Tags Giroud Iwobi welbeck

81 Comments

      1. today’s team was our best combination (except caz missing).
        but it seems like WORG are falling down the pecking order (Walcott,Ox,Ramsey,Giroud).
        iwobi > walcott
        iwobi > ox
        elneny > ramsey
        welbeck > giroud
        i loved that both welbeck & iwobi dribbled and then scored. we miss that w giroud.

    1. Maybe just maybe i think am a bit biased against ozil but for 42million ??? Two goals already and not an assist from ozil , hoping to hear what his people say he does next ??? Iwobi i believe should share the no. 10 wid Cazorla..
      Maybe just maybe Wenger really has to go no matter what , cos we might be in for a nastier season next season cos Chelshit, Loserpool, Manshity & Manure r all definitely going to really get strong and rottenham would want to establish demselves as a permanent Top 4 club..
      Go Arsenal not Arsene..

      Great win and great attacking play today.. More of the same plsss..

    2. Iwobi showed alot of direct play we hve missed going upfront for his goal cos he made a decision to enter the box and make a shoot.. Hallmark of a positive minded play..
      I still wana c him in the no. 10 instead of ozil , he is much more exciting and will provide a goal threat . wid campbell on the left (yes) on the left so that sanchez can learn to dribble to his left and dribble to his right to make crosses. I feel Sanchez is too one sided which by now the coach should hve been able to address..

      1. CAzola sounds like a post from me, at least someone agrees that Sanches needs dribbling classes. At least he is better out right side as for Awobie at 19 yes can be up there with Ozil in a couple of yrs, at least every body played well so Walcott to have a big think about his future game plan. Man of match for me Coquelin with Ellerny getting better each game. It’s the home games that worry me that are left. Is there any way the name Highbury can be added to Emirates as we sure miss its spirit. How about a vote from the fans. CB

      2. I have to get likes.. Ozil was the Man of The Match for Me…
        Will that get me likes????

    3. Celebrate the win, but Go easy on the SizzLing folks………. More heat on the boys

      8 more to go…

      Seems like they Love to sit up when under pressure!

      1. it is pretty much the same every year.

        we bottle it by feb/march- then finish strongly to give false hope for the new season
        then rumours of a warchest, ivan says funds are available

        it never ends
        man u will win title again before we do- shocking as it sounds i believe that

        same every year

    4. Lecoq made more interceptions in a bpl match today than any other player in the history of bpl. This is a fact…check it out. Lecoq is back, el neny is doing well and Gabriel was awsome. It looks like we are getting up from this nightmare but I guess it’s a bit late.. .man this Leicester don’t drop points. They keep winning 1-0

      1. gab/koz best pair at back. gab had a bit of a rough patch but longterm he’ll be better than mert.
        coq/elneny in mid is better than */ramsey. prob coq/caz is our best combo.
        at RW, now iwobi > campbell, iwobi > walcott ; and welbeck > giroud.
        hoping not to see too much more of WORG (walcott,ox,ramsey,giroud) this season.

  1. Gabriel MOTM for me. Honourable mentions to Koscielny and Iwobi 🙂

    Congratulations Arsenal!!!

    1. gabs is so frustrating. a defenders defender he is.
      no messing, but since he was benched for long spell an came back he made alotta mistakes.

      today showed the gabs we first saw, hope he stays for a minute 🙂

  2. great performance from Arsenal, lets hope we play like that for the last 8 games. Iwobi was brilliant, MOTM well deserved.

    1. He has totally upped his game in the last 3 matches he’s played. He’s doing what Ramsey used to and should do.

      1. My sentiments exactly, and I’m a fan of Ramsey’s, just not in CM. If only Elneny had come in weeks ago.

        Loved how Elneny positioned himself, he let the forwards do their thing while he looked out for danger. Look out Coq, there’s a new sheriff in town.

        Iwobi, delighted with this performance too. Looks a real prospect, TW AOC must be worried ..nice one.

        Gab looked slightly shaky at the beginning, but he grew into the game and strangled the life out of Lukakus supply. Himself and boss, that’s more like it, hopefully this is a sign of what’s to come.

        Alexis is starting to look dangerous again, wont be long before Ozil assist the little big man.

        Coq & Elneny solid partnership -or- Iwobi & Welback looking ever so dangerous -or Gab & Kos building up an understanding. Don’t know which one of these scenarios impressed me most, Ill go with the dynamic duo up front, with Iwobi a deserving winner MOTM despite many candidates.

    2. Lets wait and see how Ramsey gets an instant start over EL-neny, when he returns from injury

      #SayNoToFavouritsm!#

      1. le prof’s selection is so bad, that injuries actually help us sometimes by benching the injured favourite.

  3. Sound win!

    Can’t remember the last time we played on our level. We neutralized Everton although they had most of the possession in the second half. We scored 3 good goals (yes 3 Clattenbug you f’n knob).

    Gabriel was impressive, Özil was not, Welbeck quite invisible but his goal was pure class. But MOTM goes to Iwobi, what a young player we have in him!

    Now let’s pray for Leicester, Spurs and other crappers to lose some points.

  4. Excellent away win.
    showed intensity guile and spirit
    not seen that this year from them
    WHY?

    is it cos the pressures off now all we have is top 4?
    dont get it
    happy with result but let down like every year cosall we ever needed to show was this kinda intensity in games

    1. Why?

      Because the under performers aka Wenger’s favorite five were not on the pitch! (Flamini, Ramsey, Giroud, Arteta, Mertesacker)

      1. Lovely to see how easily fooled the Arsenal supporters are… One win and they turn their capes with the wind. Now most of them are probably on the AKB wagon again. Until we lose again…

        Lovely to see the team win, but Kroenke is still in charge of Arsenal!!!

    2. Ponts taken from the game:

      1. Iwobi is a huge prospect. He is something fresh. I hope his career development doesn’t go the way of Gnabry of OX.

      2. Now that we can focus on fighting for a place in top 4, the motivation, hunger and tactics are back (predictably). Playing a speedy & fluid front 3, dropping Giroud and Theo, moving Alexis to the right… now there is the ruthless Arsene Wenger for you at his tactical best. Nothing lifts this team better than a good ol’ fight for top 4.

      3. Great game by Arsenal so far. Loving the crisp passing going on in the attack!

      4. Iwobi’s celebration is just class. A real Gunner -that kid!

  5. I really like the look of the double pivot with coq and elneny along with speed up front, especially when on the road. It wont work when a team wants to sit back and defend all game, but when theyre willing to come out and attack, that set up works really well.

    And its really difficult not to get over excited about Iwobi, he looks exceptional right now.

  6. Finally now will some of these idiot’s on this site stop slagging our players. you know who you are you pr..ks the ones who slag off Sanchez, Ozil, Gabriel etc We should never have a go at our players – Walcott and Per excepted.

      1. TBH Walcott annoys me more than Per, at least Per looks like he is trying to the maximum or near maximum of his ability. Walcott just looks like he is on a Sunday walk, keeping out the way of the ball to the maximum of his ability.

  7. Nice game
    Again a prove that giroud is ruining our game
    Elneny gives great stability in the midfield he doesn’t consider him self a striker
    Ozil was tired and he should have been subbed earlier before getting injuried
    Over-all very good game and good tactics
    We can still do it

    1. Not really tired. The man struggling was our beloved Alexis. Someone must tell him that we love him anyway and he does not have to score every game. An assist will just do it. Seriously, Alexis. We really love you. Release the ball, be a team player.

      1. Agreed. His desperation to make a comeback has made him one of our worst offensive players since he came back from injury (which says alot)

  8. Has Wenger seen the light. The team that started is the team I want to watch (I am torn between Cech and Ospina) BUT knowing him, we will have a different starting 11 in 3 weeks with Per, Walcott, Giroud, Gibbs starting

    1. Just leave, alright? You have no clue who will be availabel after the break but you already bash the formation. Please, simply crawl into your corner and cry there. Arsenal won today despit all your negative karma. Come back when we lose. I hope it will never happen until the end of the season. Don’t think we will win the title but hey, what a crack that would be. And I promise you that if we pull this one out I will not call you in front of everyone for being such a sport.

      1. “I hope it will never happen until the end of the season. Don’t think we will win the title but hey, what a crack that would be. ”

        ?????

    1. agreed. I like the team that was selected today, but joel should be getting on late at the very least. He’s got bags of energy and even defends well for an attacker

      1. I don’t get what he did wrong that he can’t get in the team. Even putting him in CF for the last part of this game instead of Giroud maybe would’ve been better for us. Afterall how much holding up did Giroud actually do.

        It’s Giroud and Walcott that lack creativity and composure on the ball. Neither also dribbles with the ball – full service players. I would try to protect Iwobi in some games and instead start with Joel.

        Until Ospina got hurt, Arsenal had this game under control.

  9. Beautiful defensive performance is all I have to say. Though Lukaku will give gabriel a run for his money but I was wrong. When he wants, Gabriel is very disciplined. Good on you mate! You proved me wrong.
    Giroud is $hit but so is Clattenburg, nothing new here. Don’t know how FA can keep a straight face after this season. Who knows, maybe they want to prove a point for video arbitrage but honestly I’d rather have it at the expense of Leicester or the Spuds rather than us.
    Good move getting Gibbs in at the same time with Deulofeu. Wenger learned something and that’s good to see.
    Iwobi! What a kid my gosh. You beauty. Him and Jeff is our Arsenal hopefully. I am not going to throw stuff now about how good he is. Is just a game. Let’s stick to it. And Ospina! Whoever want Szcesny back should think twice. He’s a very lucky keeper. Exactly the kind we need.
    All in all, good shift put by the boys before the international break. It just shows we are not capable of running three competiotion at the same time and I dare to say here that no English team can do that. Until FA realizes that winter break is a must, EPL teams will struggle. Like really bad.
    Budd out. passing the microphone to the Wenger bashers. I am sure they will someothing irrelevant as usual but hey, don’t hesitate to call me an AKB. I simply don’t give a $hit.

    1. you nailed it, i am an akb but this wenger haters always think that the akb’s wouldnt critisize wenger but thats just bullshit, its just annoying if the whole team/wenger gets torn apart after every single game and not even with constructive criticism but with irrelevant and senseless posts like whippet/fool etc

    2. “Budd out. passing the microphone to the Wenger bashers. I am sure they will someothing irrelevant as usual but hey, don’t hesitate to call me an AKB. I simply don’t give a $hit.”

      All this gloating after one win. We’re all delighted mate.. but don’t get over-excited lest you jinx it for the rest of us who are hoping this is the starting of something really good.. you know, winning the EPL title and not just top 4 place.

      1. As it stands out there are 16 wins so far so you far off the target. BTW, one less that Leicester. You are not delighted, you are just perplexed by the fact that we had a good game. Right, was not really visible last Wednesday, I give you that but what are you on here? Bashing me for supporting Arsenal through good or bad? Grow a (red) pair and come and confront me after coz I don’t deal with wusses.
        PS: as it goes Leicester will win the title anyway. They are cracking.

        1. “You are not delighted,”

          I think what you mean is that I am not excited.
          Yes, I am delighted we won. It means that maybe there is hope after all that we will win something a bit more meaningful this term. As a supporter, I support my team to win titles. There is no point in being OK with the idea “Leicester will win anyway”. I always want more from life. I want more from my club.

          But I’m not as excited as you are yet, because I’m not sure where exactly we are headed.

          “..you are just perplexed by the fact that we had a good game.”

          This has to be the most funniest thing you’ve ever said on here. Minutes before kickoff I predicted an Arsenal win. You know why? Almost everybody and his dog can predict that Arsenal are always going to step up when there is a danger of dropping out of the top for. And it is beginning to look like that. One thiing is certain: The team is always motivated to fight for a top four place. At times like these, the manaager usually gets his tactics and selection right. If you are not aware of this, then you haven’t been following the team this past 10 years.

          I am saying instead of getting over-excited and picking fights, the cautious thing to do will be to wait and see how we go from here. That is if you are interested in seeing Arsenal FC win the title. And frankly, I don’t think you are half as interested in that as much as you are in seeing that your idol remain at the club (which isn’t a bad thing anyway).

  10. Todays match has tought us some important things.

    -Us not winning the leauge is big pity, we had the team capable to win it but failed.
    -We secured Cl football.
    -Iwobi is a better option in the pitch then Walcott, Chamberlain. Bright future ahead of him.
    -Eleny does what he is supposed to do, and Ramsey never does. Stay behind, shield the defense, pick the balls up, pass it infront, from time to time take a go up fron to score. Discipline is key in this poz.
    -Campbell should leave the club, i like him as a player, but there is no trust in him. not sure if he was injuried or not.
    -Welbeck deserves to be our main striker, till we find someone better.
    -Fans and obsessed arsene fans are all happy together when we win
    -kos and gabri are good partnership.
    – the ref was and still is a f. clown. i cant use swear words as much as i want to, to describe him bec admin things cursing in football is improper and not very english like. therefore he moderates my comments all the time.
    -Arsenal plays always good when the pressure is off. Same old, same old.

    -lukaku had to play better to make wenger think about potencialy buy him. he did okay, but was not geat
    -john stones is the real deal. we need to buy him, if the possibility accours.

    in the players i trust. wenger and stan out. COYG

  11. Good game nice to see Wenger sticking with the team from Barca match except for coq, Iwobi been given his chance, elneny, Welbeck and Gab are not wenger’s preferred starters, but having put himself in a pinch, base on other players performance he has no choice. Campbell must also be played in the Ozil role or wide, i think he and Iwobi could become outstanding players in that role, both might not have the vision for the pass like Ozil, but has the take on factor in one on one situations

  12. What a performance by the young Nigerian. I pray RAMSEY not to fit before the season ends bc Wenger we let him to start dropping either Elneny or Iwobi. WENGER Pls keep on dropping Walcott, Grd and Per on the bench, give Joel some playing time

    1. Iwobi did not played in Ramsey role. That was Elneny. Anyway, you can feel the fact that he really needs game if we want a kick a$$ midfielder. Unfortunately, with new Wenger conservatorism young players come in when we are desperate or whne we have nothing to put for the usual regulars. This is what happens when old managers are still in charge. Happened with Guy Roux and even with Ferguson but the later realized he is overdue and Howard Webb took permanent vacation. Props to him.

  13. Nice first half, dull but solid second half, and I really wanted to see Campbell come in at some stage,gutted for him!
    Welbeck gives us extra movement, pace and threat upfront! #happygooner

    1. Why would you put Campbell in when Martinez sent Deulofeu in? Why take out Sanchez and not leave Iwobi play Ozil role for a while and solidify the left flank with a winger-fullback in front of the real full back? It was logical. Nice to see Wenger thinking for a change.

  14. Joel is so much better than Ox and Walcott. It would be a shame if he has to leave in the Summer but the other two stay.

    Ofload Walcott, Ox and use the money from their sale and more to buy WC strikers. It will be easy for Joel and Iwobi to replace both.

  15. Good win today, Everton are one of the top scorers in the league so it was an important win there.

    Good international break coming up, Ozil might’ve been injured, maybe Ospina as well so they have time to recover.

  16. Lower teams in the league like Palace giving so much respect to Leicester letting them have the ball.

  17. My worry is Wenger prefer to drop Elneny if not will let Ramsey to play in the right wing shifting Alexis to the left so that Iwobi will be sacrified

  18. Iwobi and wellbeck pairing looked good. More pace and dynamism..

    Good result against a well off the boil Everton.

  19. It’s hard to ask a favour from palace now. No home win in the league in 2016. Atleast get a draw.

  20. They were kicking us to pieces in the second half, hopefully we don’t have any serious injuries, I’m not even sure if Stones landing on Ozil was an accident. Clattenburg was giving us nothing, yet was giving them a free kick if we even breathed on them. I really think a complaint to the FA would be justified as I have never seen such a piece of biased refeering.

    It was good that we held it together though, and didn’t get upset as we have in previous games when all the decisions have gone against us, and ended up losing our composure and the game. We have improved on so many fronts since the run of disastrous games.

  21. seems arsenal fan got attacked by arsenal supporters for trynna put up a wenger out banner.

    interesting

  22. Wenger has strong loyalty to some players like Ramsey. Problem is that can interfere with choosing the best team to win the match. But hopefully he will give the following players more opportunities : Iwobi, Eleney, Campbell, Welbeck

    Giroud and Walcott have been given plenty of opportunities to take the bull by the horns and make the positions their own. Just because they make approx £90k and £140k per week respectively doesn’t mean you have to play them. Campbell is not a big scorer but works his but off, is fast, good passer of the ball and has scored a couple of goals for us. Welbeck is our best scorer at the moment. I have been very impressed with both iwobi and Eleney as well.

    Just put out a team with players who are in form, like today

    1. Are we seriously the ONLY team that can beat Leciester??? I mean they just got promoted for crying out loud, 18 other teams and none of them have an answer for the foxes. Then they say Arsenal are embarrassing, what of the other 18 that are letting them walk away with the league?

      1. Referees do play a part as well .
        Leicester have had over 12 penalties this season . We, only 2 .We have been shambles as well

  23. Iwobi will get the headlines, but I thought Elneny was fantastic today! Arsenal look so much better with two ball winners in midfield, although it was also Elneny’s distribution and quickness of play which also caught my eye. Ramsey hasn’t got a anything on this guy. I just pray Wenger gives Elneny and Iwobi a good run in the team.

    Elneny MOTM for me.

    1. I’d love to see El henny play alongside Santi Cazorla next season. He’s got the engine and discipline plus his passing and movement is fluid.

      He can be a Xabi Alonso or Sergio Busquets of some sort.

  24. Wenger successfully snatch defeat from the jaws of victory the moment the persisted with ramsey in CM and giroud up front when he had the elnieny,Campbell welbeck option.
    Most especially in the midfield . It did not work the last time with Alex Song who out shone Ramsey and Wilshere , it will never work .
    Thank goodness ex-players like Petit have found their voices .He called it as it is . Wilshere, Ox , Ramsey , Theo are not as good as they think they , the fans and wenger think they are . He basically said that they not not good enough .
    3 losses all season for Liecester . That is the stuff of champions .

  25. Great result, great game, shame that top four has to be under threat before we start performing.
    Leicester have won so no change. West ham have drawn so thats two points gained on one of the chasers. Overall top four finish is safer now.

    My hope is for second or third so at least we have champions league football next year, may encourage our top players to stay and enable us to attract top players. Not sure it will work after Kroenke’s comments which I think mean that he is a majority shareholder to make money not to win things. Unless Kroenke can convince players that making money and winning things are compatible and aim of club is to win the pl and cl plus cups. Will need action as well as words from Kroenke.

    At least now we know why Kroenke has invested in Arsenal. Us fans just have to decide how much we are willing to pay. Will season ticket holders renew, will other fans go to less matches, will we buy less merchandise.

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