Arsenal: 4 things we have to see from Arteta’s side vs Everton

What angers most about the Manchester United defeat was arguably the performance, not the result. Arsenal were the victims of their own downfall.

Losing the game stings. Of course it does. This was an fantastic opportunity to break into the top four and put an eight-point breathing space between themselves and the Red Devils. They bottled it, as they so often do when the opportunity arises, making mistake after mistake when victory was there for the taking.

Anyone can lose a match away at a team with Cristiano Ronaldo and two England internationals in attack. It can happen. It’s that it didn’t need to happen which is why this loss will hurt and continue to hurt more than any others suffered this season.

But Arsenal are still fifth. Tottenham are closing in with them sitting just one point behind and boasting a game in hand, with United now just two points adrift, but Arsenal are still fifth. That hasn’t changed ahead of Everton.

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4 improvements we have to see from Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal side when they take on Everton in the Premier League at Goodison Park

As much as the Old Trafford debacle was a bitter pill to swallow, it was informally understood that teething issues were inevitable in a side younger than any other squad in the Premier League. If there is any solace to take the it’s that the problems within this team are clearly laid out.

There is no uncertainty as to why Arsenal are falling short in certain departments. It’s all about finding ways to solve that and there has to be signs of that against Everton.

Mikel Arteta does not escape without criticism at all. He assembled this young crop of players and getting them as close to competitive as he can is his job. A European berth is still firmly on the cards but there have to be improvements to see this pursuit continue on through the festive period.

Coming up against a beleaguered Toffees side without a win in eight matches and missing key players, there are no excuses. Arsenal have to win and there is plenty we need to see from the side to help secure the three points.

1. Positive Starting Lineup

Fielding Mohamed Elneny at Old Trafford stank of negativity. It’s irrelevant whether or not he played half-decent on the day, as any Arsenal team that heads out with him is making a statement of intent before a ball is even kicked.

On paper, the decision hinted at giving Partey a freer role in midfield but it did not play out like that. The indication Arteta gave was that we would be happy to leave with a point.

How he goes about being positive in this one could be to ditch the Elneny idea and move Sambi straight back into midfield alongside Partey. Everton are in freefall and just like Manchester United they are there to be attacked from every available angle. They’re in a relegation scrap as it stands.

Goodison Park was as toxic as any supporter will have remembered at the full-time whistle against Liverpool. Vociferous calls for the board and owners to leave were followed up by anger directed at Benitez and the players. It is not a nice play to be at the moment, so let that continue.

Put out a positive team from the off and get at them.

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2. Gabriel Martinelli on Seamus Coleman All Game

Seamus Coleman has been an excellent servant for Everton across the 13 seasons he’s been at the club. He’s their captain and the skipper of the Republic of Ireland national team for a reason.

He is also well past his best.

Putting in a horrendous performance in the Merseyside Derby, he has become the scorn of many fans who are desperate to see an upgrade signed in the coming windows. Efforts have been made on numerous occasions to replace him, each one falling short like near enough every transfer the Toffees seem to make.

Now 33 years old, he is crying out for someone like Gabriel Martinelli to target. While it isn’t certain that the Brazilian will start, there is a definite possibility that Emile Smith Rowe could be given a rest on the left wing, and in which case the 20-year-old has to run him ragged all game long.

There is joy to be had there and Martinelli will be well aware of the opponent he’s facing in pre-match analysis. Losing his pace, it means he and the Everton backline can be continuously stretched, and Martinelli’s constant movement has the potential to bamboozle Coleman.

Hit them at their weakest.

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3. Some On-Field Leadership

Arsenal’s naivety when taking the lead in matches has been their Achilles heel this season. Well known now is how they sit off teams when they’re in a positive game state. It’s an inferiority complex that cripples the team.

What’s most baffling of all is that the team clearly has the confidence to take opposition sides on and get into those positions in the first place, so why do they then retreat into their shell?

There are various explanations as to why this is, ranging from inexperience to the manager’s tactical setup, but one element that could help prevent it is some more on-field leadership.

Aubameyang and Partey have been in dire form, which is most worrying since they are the only two ‘senior’ players on the pitch in this team. Neither are especially vocal and someone has to grab his teammates by the scruff of their necks and drag them back up the pitch.

A Granit Xhaka type hole exists.

Whether the leadership comes from the aforementioned duo or is shown from the central defenders, something has to change. For this reason it wouldn’t be surprising to have Kieran Tierney return to the side, someone who isn’t the loudest, but at least gets his voice across.

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4. Connectivity in Central Areas With Odegaard, Aubameyang & Partey

Nobody knows for sure what team Arteta is going to put out on Monday, but whoever does feature has to try and bring back some of the centrality that was missing at Old Trafford.

Thomas Partey and Martin Odegaard have the potential to own this team; to dictate it. As key figures in central areas, their connections in the pitch can control entire matches and it’s something neither are doing to the best of their abilites.

Feeding passes through the lines into Odegaard and onto Aubameyang is where Arsenal can truly hurt teams. The North London Derby was a fine example of where this can work, as Partey’s connection with Odegaard was key in the victory, yet too infrequently were there passes into those areas against United.

Across the entire match, Odegaard didn’t make a single pass to Aubameyang. He may have had five shots in the game, but when your creative midfielder doesn’t provide a single ball to your striker then you know something is going wrong in central areas.

It’s time for big players in this team to step up. Everton are surprisingly easy to play through under a manager who prides himself on a solid defensive structure out of possession and the opportunity for Arsenal to dominate that area of the pitch is waiting for them at Goodison Park.