Match Day Thread Everton vs. Arsenal 2016/17 Official Match Thread

Sure, fair point. But Henry and bergkamp didn't exactly look great after their 1st 7 games and they turned out OK ish. Sonogoals also.

Vela had a lot more opportunities to prove himself not good enough.

 

But they weren't 28 and having already spent most of their career not being particularly top class.

 

Fair enough. I think he has potential to be a useful squad player though. Give him a season and let's see.

 

Perez has done well soo far.

It takes a while to adapt and he isn't going to do that without games. If I were Wenger he would be in the side ahead of Chamberlain for sure.

 

As do I. But no idea why we bought him when we already have five other wing forward squad players who aren't good enough to be championship winning starters. That's what we lack.

 

Tbh I think he is our Spanish version of Vardy. Wenger clearly wanted a poacher which we haven't had since podolski left. And someone who can run in behind and has an eye for goal.

He has spent most of his career on the wing at a team not near the top then moved central and done really well. After we failed to sign Vardy I think Perez was wengers answer to a similar player to fill the role he wanted within the squad.

Had Sanchez not done so well down the middle I think Perez would have had a run of games in the centre.

 

From what I've seen so far I'm impressed with him. He doesn't come across like a top class player but rather a hard worker with good technique who likes to link up with others and has an eye for goal.

In limited appearances he's managed a handful of goals and some assists. He's done everything asked of him so far and I hope he gets more of an opportunity to contribute.

I get the feeling he needs to be used the right way but could be very effective. I can see him having a role as a sub when we are chasing games until he proves himself.

 

I understand Cini's point but we also need to give him an entire season to judge him. He is 28 so should be at his peak and if he was going to do something, he would do it this season. We'll see how good he really is when the chips are down, and the chips will be down very soon.

We will soon find out whether Perez, OXO, Iwobi, Walcott, Ramsey and Giroud have it when we aren't at our best.

 

Perez maybe (though he's 28 so doubt it). Iwobi sure, he has plenty of time on his side. The rest we already know from years of experience don't have it when we aren't at our best.

 

Last season was bad in the way we capitulated late December/Jan and it was one of our best chances of us winning the title. This season too is a great chance to win the title with no team looking outstanding. This again will highlight whether the players have it and so far it's looking 50/50. Everton is an example of a game where we shouldn't be losing, a draw should have been the minimum. We look great and then slump to a loss. The team needs to show more consistency.

 

Chelsea look outstanding and Liverpool look strong with klopp with the odd hiccup. We couldn't win it last year when all the big teams were turd. Chance of doing it now one, maybe two, of them are actually looking quality?

 

It's only our second loss in the league since the opening day of the season. It's frustrating that everyone else around us won midweek but let's not lose perspective. We've been consistent so far and the teams around us will have blips too, even Chelsea despite their lack of European football.

 

Chelsea and Liverpool are playing some good stuff, as are we and City but none of us are outstanding. Everyone is dropping points and will continue to do so until the end. Chelsea look like they have the edge in grinding out results but I won't be surprised if they start dropping points at some stage.

The league will go down to the wire and whoever manages to grind out a few more results will win. That's why we need to stop taking loses even if it means grinding out draws against off form teams like Everton. It could go down to a couple of points at the end.

 

Yeah.... But... Chelsea AREN'T dropping points? If it carries on much more there's no way it will go down to the wire, just like it never did last season. Chelsea will run away with it.

 

Plus you can almost guarantee we will have some kind of blip in late Feb-Early march. Its as predictable as our November form. If we avoided this annual collapse we could be in with a shout but it seems unlikely.

The only plus is that we normally finish strongly.

 

Everyone will have some kind of blip. Chelsea won't win every single game until the end of the season.

 

They haven't won every game so far either and are still already 6pts ahead. And it's not like WE'VE had a blip yet either. Why would Chelsea 'blip' 6pts less than we'd 'blip'?

As much as I'd love us to win this and we have the best squad in years (though nor necessarily a better first XI), it's all looking worryingly like most other seasons where we fall further and further behind the front runner.

 

They had a reasonable start to the season followed by a dodgy spell. It will happen again. People build clubs up in their minds and I'm sure players do too and it's not healthy. Everyone needs to drop this growing feeling that Chelsea are something special, they're a strong side but that's it. It's like Fergie's last season where he won with that dog sh*t side and people still entered every game like United were unbeatable. Unfortunately I think only a few of our squad are mentally tough enough to overcome the history/mind games etc.

 

Come on, Chelsea are a very, very good team and with what looks like a very, very good manager. Solid centre backs. Solid wing backs. Amazing central midfield. Not many attackers better than Hazard and not many strikers better than Costa.

Liverpool aren't far behind them but just lack the first XI, especially in defence.

Not really sure how I'd view us if I was neutral.

First XI as good as Chelsea's but with a weaker manager probably.

 

We've already beaten Chelsea 3-0 this season, just sayin' .....