Arsenal will be flying high after their midweek Champions League win over Bayern Munich, but manager Arsene Wenger must bring the team back down to earth for this evenings clash with Everton, who unlike Bayern Munich will expect Arsenal to bring the game to them so that they can hit the Gunners on the counter attack.
The game against Bayern Munich was an oddity in a way for Arsenal fans, with the visitors enjoying a whopping 73% of the possession with 21 shots on target as opposed to Arsenal’s 13.
Normally it is Arsenal who controls the tempo of the game while enjoying the most possession, and they will have to go back to their old ways this afternoon as Roberto Martinez’s men sit deep trying to soak up all Arsenal can throw at them.
Let’s not forget that up until the 3-0 loss at Goodison Park to Manchester United, Everton were playing good football, and we have to be honest in saying they let themselves down against a Manchester United side who were still reeling from the humiliation of having three-goals fired past them in the space of 20 minutes just a week earlier.
An added bonus for Arsene Wenger’s men is the fact they can go top of the table tonight following a win, and even if it might only be for 24 hours it is a nice physiological boost for the team, reminding them that they are right there in the mix for this seasons title.
Team News
With Arsenal’s next match a Capital One Cup tie against Sheffield Wednesday at Hillsbourgh on Tuesday night we think that the Gunners boss will stick with the team that played Bayern and then rest key players against the Owls.
One change the Frenchman is forced to make is to bring Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain in for the injured Aaron Ramsey who will be missing due to a strained hamstring. Other absentees are Jack Wilshere and Danny Welbeck, while David Ospina is also still recovering from a shoulder problem picked up while playing for Colombia.
