Ronnie Goodlass' pre-match report: Everton must break down the pass masters

Dec 29 2007 Liverpool Daily Post

EVERTON will need a real team effort today to see off the best passing team in the Premier League.

Defence

Manuel Almunia used to play second fiddle to Jens Lehmann, but is now established as number one.

A good shot-stopper, a question mark still surrounds his ability to deal with crosses under pressure and commanding his area, so Everton will look to test him as early as possible.

Bacary Sagna is an excellent full-back who joined from Auxerre. Strong and quick, he likes to join the attacks and, like Gael Clichy on the other flank, he is not afraid to get beyond the attacking line in the knowledge that his team-mates will fill the gap behind him.

Clichy has been such a consistent performer than no-one ever talks about Ashley Cole anymore. He is very comfortable on the ball and links well with Tomas Rosicky.

It is the ability of the full-backs to interchange with the wide midfield players that gives Arsenal such attacking variety.

William Gallas is the team’s leader on the pitch. He has suffered a few injury problems but when he is in the side Arsenal are a much more difficult side to beat.

Plenty of pace and athleticism, as has Kolo Toure alongside him.

Midfield

On paper it looks like Arsenal use a five-man midfield, but there is plenty of support for the front man. Rosicky, Alexander Hleb and Francesc Fabregas will all look to push on.

Hleb shows good control and distribution, but particularly in the final third of the field where he can open up any defence with one decisive pass or piece of trickery.

Rosicky is an experienced Czech international and is quick and skilful. Like Hleb, he helps create a lot of scoring chances. Combines well with Emmanuel Adebayor by making breaks from midfield.

It is incredible to think that Febregas has played 150 times for Arsenal as well as having experience in the Champions League and World Cup, but is still only 20. There had been doubts over his goal-scoring, but that is something he has put right this year.

Everton will want to deny him time and space because that is when he can hurt sides. He rarely gives the ball away.

Mathieu Flamini is another hard-working player who can put his tackles in.

Attack

Adebayor has emerged from the shadow of Thierry Henry and is now playing the best football of his career.

He leads the line willingly for his side and will happily chase down defenders and put them under pressure.

He can hold the ball up well to give the midfield players time to join in the attack. You are unlikely to see Arsenal lump the ball forward to him and look for flick-ons, but instead they will adopt a more controlled approach.

One thing he has added to Arsenal’s attacking options is that he is more of a threat in the air than Henry, which means Arsenal can use their wide players to get good crosses in rather than being guilty of trying to pass the ball into the back of the net, as they have been accused of in the past.

Dangerman

FRANCESC FABREGAS – he is the player who pulls the strings for Arsenal and every time he is on the ball he looks to make a positive contribution.

Overall verdict

Everton will have to press the visitors from the very first minute until the last. They have a decent record against Arsenal at Goodison Park and given their recent run of form, David Moyes’s side can get something from the game.

Ronny Goodlass was talking to RICHARD WILLIAMSON