LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - FEBRUARY 04: Thomas Partey of Arsenal is challenged by Idrissa Gueye of Everton during the Premier League match between Everton FC and Arsenal FC at Goodison Park on February 04, 2023 in Liverpool, England. (Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)
3 talking points from Arsenal’s defeat at Goodison Park
by Toby Hill
James Tarkowski’s headed goal gave Everton the edge against Premier League leaders Arsenal at Goodison Park on Saturday afternoon.
In Sean Dyche’s first match as Everton boss, the victory lifted the Merseyside club out of the relegation zone in their conquest for Premier League survival.
An affair which turned feisty towards the end, Arsenal never truly got going and rarely troubled Jordan Pickford. There were a few sporadic bright sparks in attack here and there, but Arsenal were unable to penetrate the Everton defence which meant they fell to their second league defeat of the season.
3 talking points from Arsenal’s defeat at Goodison Park
Here are the three talking points from the defeat.
1. Arsenal aren’t faultless – and there is a long way to go
Defeat. pic.twitter.com/790nNhDWfC
— Arsenal (@Arsenal) February 4, 2023
This has been a superb season for Mikel Arteta’s side thus far. The ability to grind out results against teams that the club would normally struggle against has demonstrated the progress Mikel Arteta has made as a manager, but the team is far from faultless: this match depicted that.
Credit has to be given to Dyche. The match was always going to be a difficult one to go to – Arsenal’s recent history at Goodison Park shows as such – and the instant impact Dyche has had was clear from the get-go.
Arsenal struggled against the Everton press and were unable to play through it to the standard that we have become so accustomed to seeing this season. Think back to the chance created against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge earlier this season. The ability to glide the ball around the oncoming players was evident then but not to the same level today.
Arsenal still have a long way to go, and this match can be passed off as a blip, but it was an opportunity to advance further away from Manchester City; one that should have been taken.
Continued on the next slide…
pic.twitter.com/790nNhDWfC
<p>— Arsenal (@Arsenal) <a href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2023/02/04/3-talking-points-arsenal-defeat-goodison-park/"https://twitter.com/Arsenal/status/1621877939607306244?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%22>February 4, 2023</a></p></blockquote>
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<p>This has been a superb season for Mikel Arteta’s side thus far. The ability to grind out results against teams that the club would normally struggle against has demonstrated the progress Mikel Arteta has made as a manager, but the team is far from faultless: this match depicted that.</p>
<p>Credit has to be given to Dyche. The match was always going to be a difficult one to go to – Arsenal’s recent history at Goodison Park shows as such – and the instant impact Dyche has had was clear from the get-go.</p>
<p>Arsenal struggled against the Everton press and were unable to play through it to the standard that we have become so accustomed to seeing this season. Think back to the chance created against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge earlier this season. The ability to glide the ball around the oncoming players was evident then but not to the same level today.</p>
<p>Arsenal still have a long way to go, and this match can be passed off as a blip, but it was an opportunity to advance further away from Manchester City; one that should have been taken.</p>
<p><em>Continued on the next slide…</em></p>
<div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background: #c01f2f" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2023/02/04/3-talking-points-arsenal-defeat-goodison-park/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> #2 talking point </a>
</div><!—pageview_candidate—><hr id="pagebreak"><h2>2. January signings gave Arteta options</h2>
<div id="attachment_132136" class="wp-caption alignnone">
<img decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-132136" src=https://paininthearsenal.com/2023/02/04/3-talking-points-arsenal-defeat-goodison-park/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_2134,w_3200/https%3A%2F%2Fpaininthearsenal.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2017%2F07%2F1246790535.jpeg" alt="" width="3200" height="2134" srcset="https://paininthearsenal.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2017/07/1246790535.jpeg 3200w, https://paininthearsenal.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2017/07/1246790535-768x512.jpeg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 3200px) 100vw, 3200px"><p class="wp-caption-text">Two January signings were first off the bench at Goodison Park. (Photo by Robbie Jay Barratt – AMA/Getty Images)</p>
</div>
<p>The last time Arsenal dropped points in the league, against Newcastle United in January, Arteta’s lack of options from the bench was apparent. He needed that extra attacking player to run at the tired Newcastle legs. Today he had that – he had Jorginho too.</p>
<p>When Gabriel Martinelli wasn’t getting the best of Seamus Coleman, Arteta turned to new-signing Leandro Trossard to come on. This was something he couldn’t do back against Newcastle. It may not have worked out as Arteta would have liked, Trossard was sub-par at best, but it proved that the need for better depth has been fulfilled.</p>
<p>It has been said a million times – and it is going to be echoed again – but if Arsenal are going to win the league for the first time since 2004, then Arsenal need depth and that is what has been provided in January.</p>
<p><em>Continued on the next slide…</em></p>
<div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background: #c01f2f" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2023/02/04/3-talking-points-arsenal-defeat-goodison-park/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> #3 talking point </a>
</div><!—pageview_candidate—><hr id="pagebreak"><h2>3. An out-of-touch midfield</h2>
<div id="attachment_132137" class="wp-caption alignnone">
<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-132137" src=https://paininthearsenal.com/2023/02/04/3-talking-points-arsenal-defeat-goodison-park/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_2133,w_3200/https%3A%2F%2Fpaininthearsenal.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2017%2F07%2F1246782294.jpeg" alt="" width="3200" height="2133" srcset="https://paininthearsenal.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2017/07/1246782294.jpeg 3200w, https://paininthearsenal.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2017/07/1246782294-768x512.jpeg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 3200px) 100vw, 3200px"><p class="wp-caption-text">Arsenal were thwarted by Everton’s combative midfield. (Photo by PAUL ELLIS/AFP via Getty Images)</p>
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<p>Dyche’s men encapsulated everything that he would have wanted from his midfield. Arteta’s? Not so much.</p>
<p>The midfield trio of Thomas Partey, Granit Xhaka and Martin Odegaard have been so key in Arsenal’s success this season that it feels almost odd writing this, but today they seemed off-pace and out of their usual rhythm.</p>
<p>Maybe it was the new manager bounce, maybe it was Arsenal’s annual trip to Goodison Park producing its usual difficulties, but whatever it was, Arsenal’s midfield didn’t seem as up for the affair as Everton’s was.</p>
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<p>There is little reason to worry about this, though. Players will have off days, and this was one of those. All attention will be turned to the next Premier League match against Brentford next week, with one eye on Man City versus Tottenham on Sunday.</p><!—pageview_candidate—>">
