6 Points to note from Arsenal 2-0 Everton

Arsenal beat Everton 2-0 on Sunday 23rd September 2018, at the Emirates Stadium.

Everton was possibly the better side overall. They pressed well early on, and old Arsenal boy Theo Walcott looked strong together with Richarlison in getting both width and chances.

Had Everton possessed a top forward, unlike Arsenal, they may have won this game. Calvert-Lewin was not able to convert chances when required, and Petr Cech kept both Walcott and Richarlison at bay at critical points.

Arsenal, with their top forwards, were more clinical when it mattered, and this was the ultimate difference between the two sides.

For Arsenal, the first half tempo was poor, and Everton had a clearly defined game plan in this case. Their manager, Marco Silva, clearly identified Arsenal's defence as a weakness, and they looked to exploit this. Poor finishing in their part though stopped them from scoring.

Arsenal improved in the second half, and they got two goals in a short spell, due to their star forwards Alexandre Lacazette and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.

Everton can be heartened by this performance as they pinned Arsenal down for much of the game. They had a very bad defeat to West Ham United in their previous game, but they were able to target Arsenal in specific ways in this game. Arsenal, in turn, showed similar failings to their recent wins but managed to get the win in the end.

What can both team take from the game though? Is Arsenal improving? And can Everton take some heart from this?

There are some points to take here though, and there are some factors which can affect both teams in the coming weeks and months.

Arsenal was lucky to get the win, and Marco Silva said the result didn't match the performance his team gave. But let's see what points stood out from the game for both sides.

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#6 Arsenal needs to show more consistent energy

The first half performance was muted, largely due to Everton's pressing game. However, the first half showings vs. Newcastle, Man City, and Cardiff, were similarly poor.

Is this a fitness or concentration issue? Possibly.

It is an issue that Emery needs to correct. It has not presented a major issue in recent games, though this doesn't mean it won't in the future.

It may also be that Emery is still adapting and learning, though the learning curve will inevitably be short.

Either way, part of good game management is pacing performance in various parts of matches, and the performance level must be consistent over 90 minutes.

#5 An Arsenal clean sheet

At last, Arsenal kept a clean sheet.

Despite looking comfortable late on vs. Newcastle, and Vorskla Poltava, some late goals were conceded which made things more anxious than they should have been.

Today was different though. Everton kept pressing towards the end, but the defence held firm overall. Maybe the head coach and players had some discussions on this, and if so, it showed.

Sokratis went off injured, and Holding came on to provide a comfortable performance. He hasn't had much game time this season, but he did well to contain Everton's defence.

#4 Petr Cech - Not as past it as people think

Petr Cech has received much criticism this season, and over the past 18 months.

He has made several key errors, notably in 16/17 vs. Chelsea away, or last season vs. Swansea away. He scored a near own goal against Man City, however, his shot-stopping has been good overall.

Today, he did very well and warranted the man of the match award.

His saves in the first half in which Everton was dominant, were very telling, and manage to keep the scoreline at 0-0.

Cech tody surely answered his critics well and added another clean sheet to his current Premier League goalkeeping record.

#3 Two clinical forwards

Aubameyang and Lacazette proved again to be a formidable partnership and were the difference between Arsenal and Everton.

Lacazette's finish was expert, and his curling shot off the post was unsaveable.

Aubameyang's goal was offside, given Ramsey's flick to him, from an Ozil pass.

Both players are capable of scoring 20 goals apiece, and if they can capitalise on this performance, the Premier League needs to watch out.

If Arsenal is to get top four this season or win the Europa League, getting the best from their star forwards is elemental. From what we've seen thus far, they are proving solid.

#2 Everton's promising performance

Everton's performance today was like their nickname - "the Toffeemen". Sweet for the most part.

Whilst not having players on the level of the top six, they are a big historical club looking to gain a presence at the top table again, and this showed they are making progress.

Arsenal looked rattled in the opening minutes, and had they possessed a good forward they may have won this game.

It was Arsenal's better quality that told in the end, and shows where Everton need to go.

Marco Silva is thus far proving to be capable, and his tactics were spot on in this game, accounting for Arsenal's much-maligned defensive capabilities.

#1 Everton's potential owing to the club's new signings

Richarlison, despite many eyebrows being raised vis a vis his transfer from Watford, played very well vs. Arsenal, and certainly is akin to the wide forward needed in the current PL.

Walcott too was effective on the day.

However, if Everton can build on this performance, they in time challenge for the top four, if they continue also in getting top signings.

Marco Silva is a manager who is tactically sound, and this is something to be harnessed going forward.

Everton currently is in mid-table, but with their new owner Moshiri, they have a plan and a vision to progress, and it will be interesting to see how they develop over the season and coming years.

They play Fulham in their next game, and surely with a performance akin to this, they can attain all three points.