We’re back to my favourite competition, the bread and butter, the hardest one to win, the one you just cannot fluke… the one I want the most, of all the 4 trophies on offer this season… the Premier League.
We face Everton at the Emirates, and it’s another MUST WIN fixture. We kick-off before Mancheatster City, and have the chance to go 10 points clear at the top.
Everton have been excellent away from home of late, so we’ll need a colossal performance, to get the 3 points.
The Toffees are on the back of a 2-0 win, at home to Burnley… and the Gunners are on the back of an underwhelming 1-1 draw, away to Bayern Leverkusen.
At the very least, the Arsenal faithful are expecting a much improved performance. We’ll need to rediscover our battling qualities, as we simply cannot afford to be losing our duels, lose possession cheaply… but most importantly, we CANNOT afford to lose our nerve.
Our starting lineup was David Raya in goal, Calafiori came in at left-back, Gabriel and Saliba, central… and Timber at right-back.
In midfield, it was Rice, Zubimendi, and Eze… and up front… it was Madueke on the left, Havertz through the middle, and Saka on the right.
It was a good atmosphere at the Emirates, but understandably… it was a nervous atmosphere too. Nothing that an early goal wouldn’t fix though.
The Gunners started the game well enough, but it was evident early on, that Everton were going to be extremely difficult to break down.
McNeil had an effort which struck the post, and had David Raya scrambling… and Calafiori made a great block while on the floor. He somehow took to the air with one hand, and snuffed out the danger horizontally. It really was a remarkable block.
The Toffees were the better team, and things were looking sticky for The Arsenal.
We should’ve had a penalty, when Havertz was clean through… and the defender stepped on the back of his heel, but it wasn’t given… and I don’t recall VAR even checking it.
It was one of those days, that looked as though it could be turning into… one of those weekends.
Everton had another chance… it was a shot by Dewsbury-Hall, that was smartly saved by David Raya. The Gunners were relentlessly being fired upon, and this wasn’t an irony that I appreciated.
The Toffees have only lost 1 game away from home, in their last 10 away games… and we were seeing exactly why.
In the 38th minute, Timber went off with a suspected injury, and was replaced by Mosquera. I’m hoping the substitution was just precautionary, and not anything to be worried about.
We need the best right-back in the world, doing what he does best… and that’s, playing for The Arsenal. Come back soon Jurien Timber. PLEEEEEEAAAAASE!
The first half finished 0-0, and although it was frustrating… I also felt relieved, because it could’ve been much, much worse.
We needed to find a way to improve our game, and break down this stubborn, well organised, Everton team… in the second half, or we won’t win the game. It’s as simple as that.
The Gunners looked slightly better in the second half, but we were still misfiring, and suffering from gun-jam. An irony, that I couldn’t appreciate.
David Raya was called into action early in the half, as he saved an effort at point-blank range, to keep us in the game, and to keep us believing, that we can win the match. I won’t lie, because of the way we were playing… my belief was on the ropes, taking a vicious beating, and was barely able to stand.
Arteta had decided he’d seen enough, and Martinelli came on for Madueke in the 61st minute, and Gyokeres replaced Havertz.
Our possession increased, and Eze had curling shot that juuussst went wide… but it still wasn’t enough to ease my nerves. This game STILL had draw, etched all over it… and it was time for an Arsenal player to step up, and scribble their signature on this match, and change our fortunes.
In the 74th minute, Hincapie replaced Calafiori, and Max Dowman came on for Zubimendi.
I wanted Arteta to bring on Max Dowman in the game against Bayern Leverkusen, because it was a game that just needed something different, something unscripted, from an Arsenal perspective. Max Dowman is so good, that I don’t hope something happens when he comes on… I KNOW something will happen. THAT’S how good he is!! Now, I’m not trying to put extra pressure on this boy, but every time he plays, he influences the team, in a positive way.
I’m wondering which superlatives to use, to describe the awe, and wonderment, that is The Wonderkid… 16 year old, Max Dowman. 16 years, and 73 days old, to be precise.
I’ve waxed lyrical about this young man, multiple times this season, and for good reason… because yet again, he’s proved that he’s a special, special talent.
Master Dowman picked up the ball on the right, cut inside onto his left… and whipped a sumptuous ball into the box, that Everton keeper Pickford came for, but missed. The ball hit Hincapie, and spilled into the path of Gyokeres… and he tapped the ball into an empty net. 1-0 to The Arsenal!! A big goal! A HUUUUUUGE goal!!! A GARGANTUAN goal, in this title race.
The clock showed 89 minutes played, and I thought… ok, game done, don’t dare push for another goal… just shut up shop defensively, and take all 3 points.
With injury time looming though, The Toffees started to commit players forward… including their goalkeeper, Jordan Pickford… who came up the pitch, for an Everton corner.
The corner was taken, and a BRILLIANT defensive header was made by Martinelli… and the ball fell perfectly for Max Dowman, who carried the ball from deep inside his own half. He brushed off Mykolenko, skipped past Dewsbury-Hall… and then proceeded to slot the ball into the empty net. What a moment for him, his family, and Arsenal football club. 2-0 to The Arsenal!!
History was made!! Max Dowman became the youngest player ever, to score for Arsenal… and the youngest ever goalscorer, in the Premier League. Sensational stuff, from Dowman.
The match finished 2-0, and again Arsenal found a way to win, when not playing particularly well. No, scratch that… Max Dowmnan, found a way… and he’s created a memory that he’ll cherish… foreverton.
On to the next one now, and the next one is… Bayern Leverkusen at home, followed by Mancheatster City, at Wembley, in the Carabao Cup Final. Our first opportunity to lift silverware this season, and we have to grab it with both hands. The opportunity, and… the silverware.
What would be your starting lineup, for the Carabao Cup Final?
Do you think beating City in the final, will finish them off in the league, psychologically?
Hincapie has shown great form of late, should he now be our first choice left-back?
Let me know in the comments, as usual. COYG!!
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