Arsenal vs Everton Match Preview
Brian Moore, Jan 8th 2010
Arsenal thumped Everton 1-6 at Goodison Park on the opening weekend of the season and although Arsene Wenger’s young stars’ demolition of the Toffees was stunning, a litany of injuries and international commitments have slowed the Gunners’ progress.
Arsene Wenger was hoping to cash in his game-in-hand against Bolton on Wednesday only to have the match postponed due to the weather.
Snow at the Emirates Stadium postponed Arsenal's match against Bolton. A win against Bolton, currently 18th in the table, would have placed Arsenal just a point behind league leaders Chelsea. Now Arsenal will have to wait for their game-in-hand to be rescheduled.
Rest is good
Perhaps Wenger will hope Saturday’s Everton match gets called off too as this would give his men some time to heal. The list of disabled Gunners makes for long reading: Fabregas, Traore, Walcott, Van Persie, Clichy, Bendtner, Gibbs, Djourou.
Meanwhile Wenger will be happy to have Denilson available once again. The Brazilian's all-round skills have led the manager to suggest that he will fill the role of the vacant Alex Song, who is in Africa on international duty.
"Denilson is an all-rounder, but he can play in this position and will come in for Song," said Wenger. "He is very strong in reading the game and winning the ball back."
Despite the injury list Arsenal’s recent record is impressive: five wins and a draw from their last six Premier League games.
Yet with Van Persie out for the season and Bendtner out too, Arsenal have a lack of strikers that Arsene Wenger may be looking to fill with young Ivory Coast striker Lacina Traore.
Everton injuries
Everton’s injury list is nearly as impressive as Arsenal’s. In particular the long term injury to Phil Jagielka as well as the injury to Sylvain Distin will pose continued difficulties at the back for David Moyes’ men.
Mikel Arteta is unavailable for Everton’s midfield but Moyes has options in Belgian midfielder Marouane Fallaini, South African Steven Pienaar, and Australian Tim Cahill all of whom are in good form.
Aid from America
Some sense of reinforcement arrived this week too at Goodison Park in the form of American International Landon Donovan, who has reported to Everton for a 10 week loan spell at the club. Although he hasn't played since November when his LA Galaxy lost in the MLS Cup Final, Donovan has kept up a training regimen of his own and is hopeful of selection for the squad that will turn out against Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium on Saturday.
Frankly it would be a surprise to see Donovan in anything but a cameo role against Arsenal. He may be speedy and clever but he is not the most robust of fellows, and David Moyes is likely to give Donovan only a taste of Premier League physicality and atmosphere, attributes of the English game that he cannot hope to benefit from in Los Angeles or anywhere else in the USA.
