EPL – Everton vs Arsenal – 8:00pm – 21/03/12

[Armor for Sleep]

How was Drenthe so far ahead of Gibbs for that offside goal? Thought he played very well but he was miles away for that chance.

To be fair that happens to Sagna often as well. We ask the fullbacks to get forward and provide width all game long, we simply can't afford our midfielders to give it away so cheaply in a situation like that. Song has got be much more switched on and smarter than that.

It just seemed weird that he was so far away especially as i think it was shortly after a goal kick and there was a bit of time between Song's pass and Drenthe being put through on goal.

Meh, didn't matter in the end! Thought Gibbs looked really sharp for the most part. Just needs to stay fit for once and that left back spot is his in the long-term.

 

[Armor for Sleep]

Did you see Gibbs giving Gervinho loads for not doing the same thing less then a minute earlier - I was delighted to see that from Gibbs - Gervinho just looked at him with a blank stare as if his hamster took a water break from the wheel.

I dont think Gibbs meant for him to take it to the corner, rather make an effort not to let it go out for a goal kick and put it out for a throw instead.

Yep. I struggled with streams all game and had remained remarkably calm for the most part but when i saw Gervinho letting the ball out for a goal kick i lost it. Unbelievably stupid.

 

[AFCG7]

Could not beleive he didnt even chase it down , i was sure he would reach it and hit it sideways for a throw in, instead he was incredibly laid back about chasing it and just let it go. Really stupid considering all Everton were doing was lumping it forward high and long , putting pressure on our CBs.
I was surprised Song took the ball all the way to the corner as well, usually our players look to create a chance from there and we almost always end up losing the ball.

 

[yuvken]

Thought Gibbs looked really sharp for the most part. Just needs to stay fit for once and that left back spot is his in the long-term.

I'm not sure yet. He will add a good type of dilemma if he keeps it up, but Santos gives us seriously important stuff all over the pitch.

As for Gervinho, despite that strange moment, for the most par he was composed, and took the sting out of Everton's pressure. He was a good sub (could actually have come on 10 minutes earlier). If he regains some confidence, we'll all remember why he was appreciated earlier this season.

 

[celestis]

I think Gervinho thought it took a touch of the defender and was being clever . Happens I guess when things arent 'going for you .

 

[mavelous]

Even a broken clock is right twice a day. :roll:

Wenger's been right 15 years, cowboy!

 

[GG8]

I think Gervinho thought it took a touch of the defender and was being clever . Happens I guess when things arent 'going for you .

I hope so, because to not have that simple awareness at that stage of the game, at this stage of the season...... hell at this stage of his career, would be criminal. And I’m a fan

 

[entropy13]

Even a broken clock is right twice a day. :roll:

Someone very intimately familiar with clocks with moving parts but not with digital clocks would never really know where a digital clock is broken.

 

[mavelous]

Even a broken clock is right twice a day. :roll:

Someone very intimately familiar with clocks with moving parts but not with digital clocks would never really know where a digital clock is broken.

Sounds just like Wenger

 

[1macca1]

Gibbs vs Everton

 

[Glovegun]

Pleased to see him doing well. I think a lot of people on here have been quick to criticse Gibbs. I like what Santos offers the team going forwards but I don't think he's a natural left-back. Gibbs just looks like he belongs there.

 

[outlaw_member]

We've benefited by sacrificing some style for greater defensive strength. Our performance in the first 20 minutes was absolutely mesmerising, but we once again, failed to truly make our dominance pay. Then we fell into a lull, from which we didn't emerge again until about 15 minutes before the final whistle. We're not exerting the same control as we once did, and as a consequence, the nature of our matches has changed. Vermaelen and Koscielny were superb, but both were supported by the fact that we were hemmed into our own half for large portions of the game. A contrast to the old days when our CB's would often be caught trying to recover their position after our team was ambushed up the field.

We still witness moments where we are being counter-attacked, but those instances are fewer than before. We're also positioned deeper as a team on greater occassions (due to our decline in possession capabilities) which enables us to initiate counters, and defend with higher numbers than ever before. We're performing more like an old Arsenal side, or even Man Utd, displaying sporadic periods of dominance interwined with periods of seeming inertia. The key to this style will be to possess ruthlessness in front of goal during such short periods.

On a last note, our form, either side of the FB crisis has been of a Championship winning level, so it makes you wonder what might have been. Wenger deserves credit for our recovery, even if he himself was responsible for our downfall in the first place. We're built more like the old Arsenal now. Although, it's slightly concerning just how much of a form side we are.

 

[outlaw_member]

How was Drenthe so far ahead of Gibbs for that offside goal? Thought he played very well but he was miles away for that chance.

To be fair that happens to Sagna often as well. We ask the fullbacks to get forward and provide width all game long, we simply can't afford our midfielders to give it away so cheaply in a situation like that. Song has got be much more switched on and smarter than that.

It just seemed weird that he was so far away especially as i think it was shortly after a goal kick and there was a bit of time between Song's pass and Drenthe being put through on goal.

Meh, didn't matter in the end! Thought Gibbs looked really sharp for the most part. Just needs to stay fit for once and that left back spot is his in the long-term.

As our fullbacks push forward to support the midfielders and front men, they are invariably creating spaces down the flanks which can then be exploited. In order to combat this, the answer isn't to question the fullbacks (although they no doubt may be culpable in some instances), but rather to ensure that a)the CB's are flexible enough to cover down the flanks and b)the CB's, CM's and FB's are not careless enough to misplace passes in our first third.

Think about it this way, if Gibbs has forayed forward to offer an outlet, and Song is in possession 20 metres deeper than him and has proceeded to lose the ball, an astute opponent would look to exploit the gap Kieran has left. In such a scenario, the incident when viewed in isolation which produced a goal, chance or whatever, would make it seem like Gibbs was criminally out of position and nowhere to be seen. However, the reality was that Gibbs was merely performing his duty, and it was Song's carelessness which is it what caught him 'out of position'.

 

[Floating]

Just look at this leap, in between 4 Everton players. Majestic.

<a class="postlink" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/27453474@N02/7004163763/in/photostream/lightbox/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://www.flickr.com/photos/27453474@N ... /lightbox/</a>

 

[outlaw_member]

Vermaelen's position inside the opponents box, and the number of markers accompanying him is of little importance. The key to his aerial success is his determination through movement, and ability to read the flight of the ball. The only way to stop him is if you can match his aggression, and also be of a top class aerial standard. Fellaini for example is incredibly strong in the air, but he didn't display the same vigour as his Belgian counterpart, and was therefore beaten.

 

[GG8]

It was Verms movement as much as anything that won him that header. The little stop start movement which got him away from Fellaini was very Robin-esque, and gave him the two yards of space he needed to attack the ball so well.

Even though his scoring record is so good, I really feel he should be converting more from set pieces given his ability in the box and in the air.

Cant wait untill he finally smashes a free kick into the top bag as well.

 

[yuvken]

It was Verms movement as much as anything that won him that header.

True, GG8, in this instance it was. What outlaw says is true generally about him. I feel there's more to come.

 

[Floating]

The only way to stop him is if you can match his aggression, and also be of a top class aerial standard. Fellaini for example is incredibly strong in the air, but he didn't display the same vigour as his Belgian counterpart, and was therefore beaten.

Just look at how much higher Vermaelen is than Fellaini (hair and all). Speaks volumes.

 

[mistaT]

RVP's delivery is as vital as Vermalean's 'aggression'.

Seriously, his delivery is world class and it completely enables our CB's.

 

[Ron Burgundy]

RVP's delivery is as vital as Vermalean's 'aggression'.

Seriously, his delivery is world class and it completely enables our CB's.

Absolutely. I'm sure I read a stat that said nobody has more assists from set pieces this season than Robin.