Chapter 80
The time has entered February 2011, and in this month Arsenal needs to start to make efforts; not only in the league, but also in the Champions League knockout stage. This month is very important for Arsenal. They need to face these games in a better state, and they need to establish the initiative on all fronts.
Arsenal did a good job in the league, and they remained unbeaten. The 19 wins and five draws in 24 rounds also made Arsenal far ahead in the standings; the 62 points made Arsenal feel pressureless in the standings, and their winning of the league seems to be a relaxed and comfortable journey.
Manchester United won 14 and got nine draws and one loss. Although they scored 51 points, the gap with Arsenal was basically announced that Manchester United had no hope of winning the league championship, and the gap was close to four games, which was also an insurmountable gap for Manchester United. They may now focus more on the Champions League, because they knew that if they wanted to win the championship in the league, they could only look forward to the arrival of a miracle.
Manchester City won 13 wins, 6 draws and 5 losses and 45 points, and Chelsea won 13 wins, 5 wins, 6 draws and 44 points. They are simply impossible to have an impact on Arsenal now, especially since these two teams played against Arsenal twice in the league, and they even failed to cause too much trouble to Arsenal when Arsenal was at a low point. This has to be said to be a blow to the two biggest tycoons in the Premier League, because they were originally very good, but now they don’t seem to be on the same starting line with Arsenal.
Although the huge advantage in the league does not make Arsenal complacent, they are also very proactive at this time. They don’t need too much urgency at this time, they just need to maintain sufficient stability at this time. Arsenal is getting closer and closer to success. It doesn’t seem that it’s too difficult for Arsenal to defend the title in the league.
In the 25th round of the league, Arsenal's opponent is Toffee Everton, which is a team that has always been relatively competitive in the Premier League; but it has to be said that Everton's situation is very embarrassing because their strength is actually very good, but they have never been able to go further. They seem to be standing still and even regressing. In fact, they were originally more competitive than Manchester City or Tottenham Hotspur, but now Everton cannot compete with these two new quasi-giants.
In this game, Arsenal has all the main players. Although Arsenal will soon begin to fiercely eliminate the Champions League against Inter Milan. However, Everton's current competitiveness is still very good. Arsenal does not want to be seized by Manchester United at this time. Maintaining a double-digit lead makes Arsenal players feel very good, and Arsenal does not want the gap to be narrowed; such a sense of calmness in leading far makes Arsenal very relaxed, and once the gap is narrowed by the opponent, this will more or less affect the feeling of Arsenal players' game.
Nasri was injured in the FA Cup game in the previous season, and he may need to be on standby for nearly a month; this is definitely not good news for Arsenal. Nasri burst into good form this season, and it can be said that he has a performance second only to Xiao Qing and Fabregas this season. But unfortunately, Nasri is now on standby, and even needs to be absent and the upcoming Champions League knockout round with Inter Milan.
As for Arshavin, he has basically lost his main position in Arsenal now; the once popular Russian Tsar's performance at Arsenal is worrying, and his ability is obvious to all, but he always seems unable to maintain a high level performance; Arshavin, who was originally considered to be a top star, has performed a bit in Arsenal's three seasons, which means he has opened high and closed low.
Goalkeeper Szesny; Sania Mertesacker, Koscheerny, Krish on the back line; Midfielder Alexander Song; Midfielder Walcott, Fabregas, Rossiki; Double forwards Xiao Qing and Van Persie.
Everton goalkeeper Howard; Phil Neville Heatinga, Distin Bynes on the back line; Midfielder Coleman, Arteta, Rodwell, Fellaini, Villarezinov; single striker Saha,
Everton's 4-5-1 formation in the game was prepared. They knew Arsenal's terrifying offensive ability. If they wanted to take away a victory at the Emirates Stadium, they had to limit Arsenal's offense. Perhaps Xiao Qing was terrifying and it was difficult for him to be completely ended; then when Xiao Qing could not get the ball in the frontcourt, this may be the biggest limit on Xiao Qing, and this is also the best defensive strategy for Xiao Qing, because Xiao Qing's performance is really good. You can't hope that simple guard can freeze Xiao Qing, which is proven to be unrecognizable. Even the best defender, he does not have the ability to freeze Xiao Qing, because Xiao Qing is too outstanding!
Arsenal has won six wins and one draw in the last seven matches between the two sides. Arsenal has won 13 wins and two draws in the last 15 home games against Everton and remained unbeaten. Arsenal is naturally confident in this game now.
Although Arsenal was full of confidence in this game, they encountered some trouble at the beginning of this game, and they were caught off guard by Everton's powerful midfielder.
The active performance of Everton core Arteta caught Arsenal off guard, especially Arsenal, who was not as strong as his midfield defense, seemed very embarrassed when facing Espanyol's left and right pass. Arteta, who was also from Barcelona's youth training camp, used the strong breakthrough to create a yellow card for Fabregas in less than five minutes of the game.
Xiao Qing was very depressed. The Toffees' tactics were very successful because it was difficult for Xiao Qing to get the ball in the frontcourt at this time, because Everton's attack seemed even more successful at this time. For Xiao Qing, he is a little useless now. He cannot get the ball in the frontcourt to help the team attack Everton's defense line. Now Arsenal was caught off guard by Everton's tough impact at the beginning.
Because he lost his own rhythm at the beginning of the game, Arsenal seemed a little passive; although the Gunners were trying hard to find their own rhythm, it was still difficult for them to easily regain the initiative in the game against Everton, who was strong. Arsenal is still passively confronting Everton in the midfield and fiercely confronting Everton in the midfield.
Although Arsenal lost one player in the midfield, the individual skills of Arsenal's midfielders are definitely better; at this time, the two teams are constantly changing offense and defense, and the two teams have also launched crazy attacks in order to win control of the game.
In the 14th minute, Everton defender Distin tackled Sarnia, who was assisted outside the edge of the penalty area. Van Persie passed a free kick from the right and was blocked by Phil Neville from the front point and went out of the baseline. Van Persie then took a corner kick, Xiao Qing headed the ball forward and missed the back corner. Arsenal got the first chance in the 16th minute. Van Persie passed the ball, and Fabregas shot from the left side of the penalty area slightly missed the near corner.
In the 22nd minute, Alexander Song struggled to tackle Arteta in the frontcourt; Arsenal counterattacked quickly, and Walcott's powerful shot from the right side of the penalty area was saved by Howard from the baseline.
Arsenal seemed to have seized a certain initiative in the game, and Arsenal's offensive energy was still very good. But just as Arsenal launched a crazy attack, their defense line began to rise. At this time, the loopholes in Arsenal's defense line began to be exposed, and they were seized by Everton.
In the 27th minute of the game, Arsenal midfielder Fabregas fell into double-team and conceded the ball; Everton counterattacked quickly, and Coleman made a long pass after intercepting the ball. Arsenal didn't seem to have many solutions at this time. Although Arsenal players raised their hands to signal at this time, the referee did not make any statement at all.
Arsenal's main defender Koscheerney failed to intercept. Sakha, who was obviously in an offside position, easily took the ball on the edge of the penalty area to form a single shot; Sakha shot hard on the edge of the lower right corner into the net, which was an obvious offside, but the referee did not see it at all!
One to zero, the Emirates Stadium booed everywhere, which was an obvious offside. Although the depressed Arsenal players protested one after another, the referee still signaled that the goal was valid after discussing with the lineman!
The booing at the Emirates Stadium reached its limit. Arsenal players were speechless about the referee at this time; but now Arsenal players can only accept that misjudgment on the court is also part of the game. No one can guarantee that they will never make mistakes. As long as the referee does not deliberately suppress Arsenal.
Although Xiao Qing also protested around the referee for a long time, when the result was decided, Xiao Qing could only leave; Xiao Qing would not overstimulate the referee, at least before this obvious misjudgment, the referee's judgment standard was still very good. Now Xiao Qing also knows that people are emotional, even if the referee needs to maintain fairness, when a player overstimulates the referee, it is very likely that the referee will swear with emotion.
Xiao Qing wisely did not continue to entangle. As long as he appropriately gave the referee some pressure, it would be enough. Xiao Qing believed that the referee would definitely know some of the mistakes just now at this time, so Xiao Qing can basically accept it now. As long as the referee should not continue to make such mistakes in the next game, it would be enough. As long as Arsenal can receive more fair treatment in the next game, it would be enough.
Chapter completed!