Arsenal Preview

Arsenal (H) Preview

Commence Operation Goodison Exercise.

For the first home game of the new season, Everton host one of the favourites for the title – if you listen to the media at least. In reality, it’s difficult to know what to make of Arsenal. On paper and reputation, they look an excellent side – but they have developed that habit of flattering to deceive. They certainly don’t summon up the same fear that their late 90s/early 2000s sides did – there certainly isn’t a player of the calibre of Vieira, Henry or Bergkamp to be seen. Despite that, they always do enough to get onto the Champions League gravy train and, last year, won the FA Cup. An opponent to be respected, therefore, but one which is certainly beatable.

Roberto Martinez certainly proved that last year, when the Gunners came to Goodison and, with the Champions League spot still up for grabs, got absolutely battered. Everton were as good as they’ve been for a good long time that day – a repeat would surely see a first win of the season – but Arsene Wenger, for all his faults, isn’t soft and will want to see much more from his charges.

It will be interesting to see how Martinez sends out the team on Saturday. Last season, he sprung a real surprise by putting Romelu Lukaku on the right, and he, together with Seamus Coleman, terrorised the Arsenal left side. You can imagine Wenger will be ready for a repeat, but with Keiron Gibbs injured and Thomas Vermaelen  sold, it seems that his options to counteract such a ploy are limited. Lukaku cutting in, with Naismith buzzing around the centre halves, is certainly an option.

Other than that, you’d imagine Coleman comes back in for one of the centre halves – most likely John Stones – and we will see if Kevin MIrallas, another who was excellent in the fixture last year, also earns a recall. The Belgian is our one attacking player with real pace, and apparently looked very good in a behind closed doors friendly in the week.

Arsenal themselves have a few injury problems – most notably Mikel Arteta will not be playing, so there won’t be any of the slightly awkward booing from last year. It’s a weird one with Arteta - snidey as he can be, he was also like that when wearing Royal Blue (remember him buying free-kicks or poking Carragher in the eye?), so on the one hand it’s a bit daft – on the other, though, it really put him off his stride last year, and he has acted the twat in previous games. Arsenal are certainly one of those sides that you have to get in the face of, and hopefully James McCarthy and Gareth Barry won’t give the likes of Özil, Giroud and this year’s fanny merchant, Alexis Sanchez, an inch.

Ideally then – a well-oiled Goodison crowd, a fast start and a performance similar to last year. Come on you Blues.

All that and no mention of ‘big falsies’ or Shelbyville signing another lunatic. ‘Fool me once okay, shame on… shame on you, okay. Fool me, okay… you don’t get fooled again, okay.

5 great goals against Arsenal:

1.       Wayne Clarke’s lob over Lukic in 1987;

2.       Dave Watson’s left footed rocket at Highbury;

3.       Rooney, back when watching him had you on the edge of your seat;

4.       An absolute beauty of a back post header from Cahill at home in 2009;

5.       Lukaku cutting in and blamming one last season.

      calcioEFC