Arsenal Vs Everton

Arsenal Vs Everton
Sunday 8th December
16:00 BST
Emirates Stadium
Referee: Howard Webb


Fixture congestion

We are all aware of it, but it's worth going over it again. Arsenal host Everton on Sunday which will kick-start a very difficult period for the club regarding the difficulty of the matches and time constraint. Arsenal play Everton tomorrow, then Napoli on Wednesday followed by Manchester City on Saturday afternoon. Then we have Chelsea a week after. With all 3 games in 7 days, it really is difficult times but it won't be the first time we have been in this situation, nor we will be the first team. There is no time to feel sorry for ourselves or blame anyone. This is the time to step up and overcome the odds. Rise above the fixture congestion. Try to win the league matches to maintain the top spot while win the CL match to seal the progression to the next stage.

Everton

Everton have been really good this season. They have lost only once all season, and have managed to beat top teams or draw against them. They are a different Everton side compared to the last few years obviously. Martinez has had a very positive effect on them. They play much better and would actually attack rather than going for a draw or parking the bus as we were used to with Moyes. It's not to say that they are unbeatable but for me, they are one of the best sides we will go against this season. Martinez is tactically excellent. He always gives us a hard time. His Everton side have players who are great at ball retention while they break with pace and power. We will have to take this game very seriously obviously and at home, we should really win this. Specially with City away on the horizon and then Chelsea. Both games that will be more difficult than Everton. There is a high chance that tomorrow's game might be a draw and i don't think that will be good enough either. We have to win.

Team News

For Arsenal, Sagna is still out. Podolski is back in training but will be another week till we see him.

For Everton, Baines is still out. Along with Kony and Gibbson.

Probable Arsenal Team

---------------------------------Szczesny--------------------------------------

Jenkinson--------------Mertesacker------------Koscielny------------------Gibbs

-----------------------Arteta--------------Ramsey----------------------------

Wilshere------------------------Ozil-----------------------------Cazorla

----------------------------------Giroud-----------------------------------------

Probable Everton Team

------------------------------------Howard---------------------------------------

Coleman---------------Jagielka----------------Distin-----------------------Oviedo

-----------------------Barry---------------McCarthy-----------------------------
----------------------------------Barkley---------------------------------------

Deulofeu------------------------Drogba--------------------------------Mirallas


Match Facts(BBC)

Head-to-head

• Arsenal are unbeaten in their last 12 Premier League meetings with Everton (W8, D4), with both of last season's matches ending in draws.
  
• The Toffees have not won at Arsenal since a 2-1 win a Highbury in January 1996, nine months before Arsene Wenger arrived in the Gunners hot-seat. Graham Stuart and Andrei Kanchelskis scored the goals in a comeback win. Everton have lost 14 of drawn three of the subsequent 17 trips to Arsenal.
  
• There have been just four goals scored in the last four Premier League meetings between the clubs.

Arsenal

• Not only are Arsenal top of the Premier League table but they also top the six-game form table (W5, D1), two points clear of Chelsea.
  
• The Gunners have kept six clean sheets in their last seven games in all competitions, conceding just one goal in the other match (0-1 at Manchester United).
  
• Arsene Wenger's side have taken 39 points from a possible 51 at home in 2013 (W12, D3, L2), including 18 from 21 (W6, L1) this season.
  
• Mesut Ozil has scored three goals and supplied six assists in 11 Premier League appearances.

Everton

• Everton are on a seven-match unbeaten Premier League run (W4, D3).
  
• The Toffees have lost only one game in the league this season (away to Manchester City), the fewest in the division.
  
• Roberto Martinez's men have kept three away clean sheets in a row for the first time since May 2009; they last bettered this run with a five-match streak at the end of the 1994-95 season and the start of the 1995-96 campaign.
  
• Everton defenders have scored six goals this season, more than any other club.

Final Word

Stopping Lukaku will be difficult. But Mertesacker

LOL @ Drogba.

Good preview RG. I can see Lukaku getting a goal and Everton playing with tons of confidence after their OT win, but we should come out on top if we maintain our form.

Also, this is definitely a bit knee-jerk, but perhaps Moyes was holding Everton back this whole time . Or, Martinez is just a great manager.

Great Job RG.

A big match, but we are home and not mater how good Everton have been they will go home empty. With the teams below us dropping point we must take advantage and finish Everton off and send a message to the rest of EPL we are here to stay.

The team spirit is high, and should be a good game. Everton wont be easy but we can outscore them.

great preview..
Moyes did a good job at Everton.. but i see him as a less aggressive manager with a defensive mentality.. not matching the ambition or fighting spirit of Manure..
Martinez is a very good manager who is positive and does not fear to make tactical changes..

matches against Everton were always low scoring 1-0 type matches.. but i expect this to be different.. and i am confident in our defence.. if we can keep Suarez quiet why no Lukaku.. we will over run the midfield and cut off the supply.. i hope Walcott is ready to start the game.. and what a chance for Jenko.. a run of games to become solid and he has the stamina to do it..

We will batter them. They will try to combat out midfielders with Barry and Mcarthy. The one person that worries me is Mirales. I think we will win 2-1

^ PS: I understand 2-1 isnt exactly battering them. But I am we will boss the possession, and attempts of goals. Come 75th minute they will try to use long ball tactics, but our BFG will sort it out for us.

I really really hope Wenger doesn't play Vermaelen for this game. Him vs Lukaku could go really wrong.

I'd like to see a strong team:


We can rotate a bit against Napoli. Especially Ramsey, Özil and Koscielny.

Please win... Please Arsenal. Would make this a perfect weekend. COYG!!!

Excellent work RG

another early Goal pls

Everton kept good shape vs utd and Eventually had their spell of possession but had 4-5 chances on the break in 1st half that they showed their are immature and some poor decision/touch etc ruined them

Lukaku Worked right channel and looked to isolate Vidic 1 vs 1 who didnt look comfy had trouble
think he will try the same versus Per this time but if we take early lead then it could be more open
and we should control it

but in the end everton didnt have much rotation and gave it all while we beat hull with ease and rest some personnel so hope that work in our favour

COYG

Mixed feelings about the match. I think we can do the job but it will be tough one.

Btw great preview RG!

RealGunner wrote:
Probable Everton Team

------------------------------------Howard---------------------------------------

Coleman---------------Jagielka----------------Distin-----------------------Oviedo

-----------------------Barry---------------McCarthy-----------------------------
----------------------------------Barkley---------------------------------------

Deulofeu------------------------Drogba--------------------------------Mirallas

RG

BTW,I hope we worry more about this match rather than the City and Chelsea games.This is the most winnable of the 3 games.

With the other supposed challengers being inconsistent,I feel we are be better off with maintaining our consistency against the scrubs rather than worrying about the Big teams.We've so far followed the Manure model of winning the league well and I hope we continue to do so.

P.S.After the recent results of ManU,does anyone sincerely feel that we've missed an opportunity to win at OT?If not a win at least a point would've sufficed.

Yeah absolutely, it was the best chance to get a point or even win at Old Trafford. We just seem to have a mental block playing them away.

Oh well, as long as we win games such as against Everton that loss will be irrelevant.

Anyone else feel like Flamini may play above Jenk at RB?

I'm really hoping Girouds rest sees him return to form for this one.. If Giroud plays well I think we will take this one with ease. If he's not it could be a struggle. A lot rests on him I feel.

I believe Jenko will play, especially after having such a nice performance against Hull.

Nice work RG. Bad feeling about this one, but it's normal with Everton playing so well.

Everton are in form. They have Lukaku (needless to say he's a beast). And they're on a good unbeaten run, hence confidence has got to be high.

But what about us? We're top. We're on this amazing run of conceding only 1 goal in our last 7 matches. And we all the confidence in the world.

It is going to be tough, but we can and should be winning this.

C'MON ARSENAL

The last time we could have built a 7 point lead, we lost at OT.