Inevitability is a dangerous sensation in football. No matter how dominant a team appears, no matter how impressive their possession stats, there comes a point when they still have to put the ball in the net. For much of Arsenal’s goalless draw against Everton, it seemed like a breakthrough was inevitable. Arsenal controlled the game, creating enough chances and half-chances to suggest a goal was coming. But it didn’t, and with Liverpool dropping points elsewhere, another opportunity to close the gap at the top was missed.
Arsenal dominated possession, as they often do, but lacked the spark to convert that control into goals. Mikel Arteta’s frustration was evident as he spoke after the match: “When you do what we did today, you have to win the game. I’m very disappointed not to win. We gave nothing away. If there was one team that deserved to win, it was Arsenal. But at the end, you need a spark and you have to be precise.” Both those qualities were sorely missing in this encounter. Despite controlling the ball for large stretches, Arsenal’s attacking ideas seemed to dry up when faced with Everton’s deep defensive block.
Arsenal had opportunities to score. Martin Ødegaard, back from injury and key to Arsenal’s recent form, missed two decent chances early in the game. His first attempt was off target, while a second was deflected over by James Tarkowski. Just before half-time, Gabriel Martinelli saw his shot blocked by Everton’s goalkeeper, Jordan Pickford, and in the second half, Bukayo Saka’s volley was saved by Pickford once again. Had any of these chances gone in, Arsenal might have been able to cruise to a comfortable win, but they didn’t, and the game became more frustrating as time went on.
The longer the match went on without a goal, the more Arsenal’s creativity seemed to fade. There were crosses, but few of them were effective, and Everton’s defense, led by Sean Dyche’s organization and resilience, dealt with them with relative ease. Arsenal’s frustration grew, and their play became more predictable. Ødegaard, despite his early chances, was withdrawn on the hour mark after failing to reach the level of performance Arsenal needed from him.
Everton’s attacking threat was minimal, but it hardly mattered. Dyche’s team, despite their limited attacking options, focused on stifling Arsenal’s creativity and limiting their chances. Abdoulaye Doucouré had Everton’s best opportunity, but after being played through by Orel Mangala, he hesitated long enough for Gabriel to recover and block his shot. Everton’s primary aim was not to score but to frustrate Arsenal, and they succeeded, in part due to their excellent defensive organization, Pickford’s goalkeeping, and a fair amount of time-wasting, which earned them two yellow cards.
Increasingly, Arsenal’s game seemed to revolve around set pieces. It was as though the match had become a series of necessary context-setting moments before the real action of the corners. While set pieces are a crucial part of modern football, it was clear that against a team like Everton, whose manager Dyche thrives on defensive organization and set-piece preparation, Arsenal would struggle to make an impact. Dyche, who prides himself on his team’s ability to defend set pieces, was never going to let Arsenal break through with dead balls alone.
The match highlighted a growing issue for Arsenal. While they dominate possession and create chances, they seem to lack the cutting edge to turn that dominance into goals. Against teams that defend deep and organize well, Arsenal has struggled to find a way through. In the end, their inability to break down Everton meant that they missed another chance to close the gap at the top of the Premier League. As the season progresses, Arsenal will need to find more creative solutions in attack if they are to remain in the title race.
