Wenger praises battling Gunners
Had he been feeling less charitable, the manager might well have offered the counter perspective that his side’s half-baked performance spoke volumes about their frailties, raising questions about their ability to last the course in the title race.
Both Wenger and opposite number David Moyes were unanimous in the view that only one side deserved to leave the Emirates Stadium with three points, and it certainly wasn’t the home side.
Yet while Arsenal were out- fought and out-played for long periods, they had the resolve to keep going and snatch a point through Tomas Rosicky’s deflected equaliser deep in added time.
It wasn’t pretty, but they escaped with morale intact and moved one point nearer to leaders Chelsea.
It was, in fact, the kind of outcome seen at Stamford Bridge and Old Trafford on so many occasions over the year. Proof, perhaps, that Wenger’s silky side are finally developing a steely streak.
This is the most unpredictable title race for years with every groan that accompanies dropped points quickly followed by a cheery boost of optimism as another rival falters.
Wenger’s analysis, therefore, was probably right. In a campaign when the odd point could well make all the difference, Rosicky’s effort could prove decisive and Arsenal may well reflect on this game as a turning point.
“Of course, I would have signed for that, to be this close in the race at this stage,” the manager said. “But you could see from today that every game is difficult and as soon as you drop your level a little bit you are in danger. Today that’s what happened to us. We haven’t found our speed in our passing to get Everton out of position, and they did very well.”
For Arsenal to remain in contention until the final furlong of the campaign, however, they must improve considerably on a display that underlined just how important Alex Song has become.
At the start of the season, the question as once again asked about who would fill the holding midfield role that had not been satisfactorily filled since Gilberto Silva left for Greece.
Song was handed that responsibility and has performed commendably and his absence on African Cup of Nations duty with Cameroon was keenly felt. Without the youngster, the Arsenal back-four was repeatedly exposed with Denilson incapable of filling in for his Angola-bound team-mate.
The central defensive pairing of William Gallas and Thomas Vermaelen were exposed and proved unable to handle the threat of Everton striker Louis Saha and his supporting midfielders Tim Cahill and Leon Osman.
“I knew before he (Song) left, unfortunately, that he’d be missed,” said Wenger. “I do not want to draw a quick conclusion because too many players were off the pace today. We struggled for a while when we lost Van Persie as well, so we have to find a new balance, new responsibilities, and a share of responsibilities in our game.”
Everton should have made more of their dominance but were pegged back on two occasions, first by Denilson after Osman’s headed opener and then when Rosicky’s late strike cancelled out Steven Pienaar’s excellent finish.
For Arsenal, the solitary point felt like a victory while Everton were understandably crushed.
“The most important thing was that we didn’t lose,” said Denilson. “We have one point, we keep the momentum going and we feel good, we feel better. We are three points behind Chelsea. We have more experience this season and we are coming to win this trophy this season.”
The Brazilian midfielder collapsed with a mystery injury towards the end of the game, but he remains confident he will be fit for next weekend’s trip to face Bolton.
“I don’t remember what happened. I was just running with the ball and I felt a pain in my side,” he added. “I couldn’t run, I couldn’t stop the ball but I feel okay now. It’s not my back, it’s my side. I’m going to have a scan on Monday and I’ll know how long I will be injured. I think I’ll be ready for Sunday. I don’t know yet, but I hope so. I want to play all the time.”
Denilson’s appetite for the game was less apparent during a first half when Everton served up a case study in how to disrupt Arsenal’s passing game. Moyes’ side kept it simple, ensured that every tackle counted and quickly made it clear they would not follow the lead of other teams who visit the Emirates and end up watching the home side fizz the ball around and chasing shadows. That’s easier said than done, of course, but there was undoubtedly a lesson for Arsenal’s future opponents.
“The game plan was to be aggressive in the midfield, not give them enough time because we know if you give Arsenal two metres they will play you off the field,” said Pienaar. “That was the plan, we stuck to it and it paid off.”
Match Rating: 4/5: Everton’s forthright approach was stirring but Arsenal’s commendable spirit ensured this game was always in the balance.
Referee: Peter Walton – Did well to ignore the home crowd’s protests when Everton’s physical approach unsettled Arsenal in the first half. They don’t like a good tackle at the Emirates Stadium.
Man of the Match: Phil Neville – Almost scored with an audacious first half chip, but the Everton captain’s best work was in defence where he worked tirelessly to keep Arsenal at bay. A double block in the second half was outstanding.
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