Van Persie snatches point for misfiring Gunners

IT did not take long for Arsenal’s defences to be breached on Saturday. Fifteen minutes before kick-off, a supporter strolled through the security cordon at the front of the Emirates Stadium’s media suite and into the tunnel that leads to the players’ dressing rooms, prompting mass panic among the club’s dayglo-jacketed brigade.

The interloper was apprehended, but the incident set the tone for an unusually careless afternoon for Arsenal. Shoddy defending saw them fall behind, profligate finishing kept them there and only a moment of virtuoso brilliance by Robin van Persie prevented them succumbing to a costly defeat against ever-improving Everton.

This was the third time this season Arsenal had conceded the first goal in a home Premiership match before toiling their way to parity, and the six points dropped in those matches would transform the chasm which currently separates them from the top of the table into a crack.

The club’s supporters, too, are losing patience. There were desperate cries of ‘shoot!’ whenever an Arsenal player ventured near the Everton penalty area, although the tipping point came mid-way through the second half when Thierry Henry’s botched attempt to play a picture-book pass drew a grounchy response from the fans.

It was one of those days for Henry and one of those days for Arsenal, whose desperation was summed up by Theo Walcott being deployed as a right-back when he was introduced.

“I keep on hearing the fans shout ‘shoot,’” Henry said. “I don’t know what they’re trying to say or trying to do. But I think they’re getting sucked in by what some people are saying.

“We scored some amazing goals at Reading and nobody said ‘shoot!’ then. To be honest, I would die like that, playing that type of football. There is no question of changing.”

Arsenal’s commitment to a pure game is commendable, but whenever they encounter opponents as well-drilled and tireless as Everton, the potential for pitfalls is high.

The Merseysiders stifled their opponents’ creativity by lining up a solid blue wall across midfield and relying on Andy Johnson’s enthusiasm in chasing down lost causes up front. It worked, partly because David Moyes’ side had a lead to defend courtesy of Tim Cahill’s early goal — which came gift-wrapped by Kolo Toure, who failed dismally to deal with Mikael Arteta’s corner — but also because Arsenal were not imaginative or flexible enough to prise apart their back-line.

When Arsenal did fashion an opening, they found the goalkeeper Tim Howard in inspired form.

The American produced two superb saves — one to tip aside an Henry header, another to block Francesc Fabregas’ 20-yard curler — and almost made another from van Persie’s equalising free-kick.

It provided yet more evidence of van Persie’s growing importance to Arsenal, the Dutchman having transformed one point into three with his spectacular volley at Charlton earlier this month.

Opta Fact: Thierry Henry has failed to score in his last five appearances against Everton

Opta Fact: Tim Cahill committed eight fouls — more than any other player in any Premiership game on Saturday — but when he was booked it was for dissent.