A step back from the battle in the PL today, we can get return to the trenches tomorrow.
Today however wander with me in the warm sun, along the sunny beaches, blue sky and verdant greenery of Brazil.
I confess I am old enough to have watched the 70 World Cup. I saw the finest football team ever and I realised they were not English. I have in my life bought but one replica football shirt ever – yes – the 70 shirt worn by Pele, Tostao, Rivelino and Jairzinho. The shirt has conferred no more magic skill on me than it ever has on a Norwich player.
Until Arsene arrived at our club the proposition of a Brazilian footballer playing for AFC club would, in my opinion, have been absurd. We did not do what Brazilians do, we were strong, organised. Our strikers were disciplined and effective. Flicks and tricks ? Bending a ball ! Pah – nonsense. When an Arsenal player kicked the ball it stayed kicked. We would not have known what to do with Zico or Socrates despite their talent. Like Mirandinha on the Tyne in the late 80s the poor soul would have shrivelled and died (although that unfortunate chap had the services of Gazza as an interpreter to contend with too).
Enter our French conductor however and the best qualities of movement and skill were demanded of every one of our players. He brought in Frenchmen, we had a Dutchman who was in that class already, another followed. They came from Africa. Inevitably when we required the best they also came from Rio, Sao Paulo and even one from Lagao da Prata (where?).
And over the years Gilberto, Edu, Sylvinho, Denilson, Baptista, Andre Santos (and don’t forget the Brazillo-Croat Eduardo) have added to the quality of our football. Now don’t misunderstand me. I do not claim any of our recruits from Rio were on par with the gods of Brazilian football from times past. Thus far, and I will come to that presently, we have not had a Pele, a Ronaldhino or a Ronaldo. Each player who has signed however has added a dimension to Arsenal and, in some instances, provided some of the best moments of the season.
Who can doubt the relentless efficiency of Gilberto across the centre of the park, tracking, tackling, moving the ball with a short pass to the position of maximum advantage. Fit, alert, season after season – oh Arsene say you did not flog him for just a £million ! Nooooooo
Edu – he took time to settle, and had a bit of a talent for the spectacular own goal, indeed he allegedly took time to find a passport. But when he came good he was very, very good. My favourite game of the modern era was the squeezing of Chelsea at the Bridge in the February of 2004. 0-1 after a Gudjonsson goal in the first minute. We ran out winners 2-1 with Paddy, Gilberto and Edu grinding Chelsea to dust in midfield. With the trip to the Bridge done the unbeaten season was downhill thereafter. Another one who left too early and at the same time as Paddy.
Baptista – the Beast – pursued but slipped away to Madrid then landed on loan. Well his close control at times was most unBrazlian I admit, more a blind man in diving boots. The Carling Cup night at Anfield in January 07 though, the first Arsenal player to net fourgoals at the old stadium, in a 6-3 win was a night long remembered by me. I thought you might enjoy this clip of the Beast on the rampage including the two he scored at the neighbours.
Brazilian bulldozer indeed !
Eduardo, Sylvinho, Santos and Denilson, – I could give then all a paragraph, all good players who scored good goals and added to the club. Chelsea know well the threat of a full back at the Bridge. The latter two endured abuse that it disappointed me to hear.
What now though ? Santos and Denny on loan with clubs in their home country, both doing well and barring civil war in South America likely to stay there. Are we Brazil free and likely to stay that way ?
Well in February 2013 Arsene brought over a young midfielder from the Rio club Vasco da Gama by the name of Matheus da Cunha Gomes, or as he is known on a football pitch ‘Indio’ – He was sixteen years old, has a formidable reputation in youth football in Brazil already and was spending a few days with us, as he said, “It will be a good experience. I want to learn.” His visit paseed me by tbh. Here is a clip of Indio playing for the national u15s last year.
As the Brazilian commentator says “Goooooaaaaaaallllllllllllllllll’ The option to sign him comes when he turns 18 in early 2014.
We shall see.
Positively Arsenal 
Am I the only one who thinks the Ox has done enough in his two substitute appearances to have earned himself a start at Craven Cottage
The boys does actually dribble
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And we didn’t concede, also very important.
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@anicoll
Certainly, he has improved from his early season form in my opinion. I do think he would be deserving of a shot at the full ninety.
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I think so Anicoll, the young man is playing very well. He is always running at defenders and causing problems.
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I am a bit dissapointed to be honest (not with the team), I just thought we would pip it at the end.
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@Paul
It’s testament to what the team has offered us this season that we, as fans, always expect a late goal to win it for us.
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True dat, Evil.
The team is coming along nicely. Played some good stuff today and as FunGun noted, a clean sheet also.
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The ref gave Everton confidence that they could do almost anything they wanted. Fellaini didnt even get a yellow and Gibson should have seen red.
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For me, the big decision that influenced us most was starting Jack again. I was hoping that after the 60 against Norwich he would be one step closer to his best, but his performance tonight wasn’t really much different. I feel Rosicky could have offered us much more, but I hope he is just being kept fresh for the ManU match.
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Jack did not look fit on Saturday – he looked even less fit tonight
Every challenge he went in for, including the mild ones he ended up on the floor clutching his knee or ankle
That ain’t Jack
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However, there are also some positives to take. Ramsey has been continuing with his very good performances, he has truly reached the next level in my opinion. I really find it hard to imagine us playing without him sitting next to Arteta. Our back four looked assured for the most part and Szczesny can be happy with his return. The subs also did well, Ox is really providing some of the much needed spark for the team when he comes on.
Probably the two biggest regrets are Ox not blasting it when he had the opportunity and Arteta in their box not taking the shot on first time. He has a strong right foot, he didn’t have to try to overplay it. Just give it a whack, with the power Arteta can generate, even a direct shot at the keeper would probably have to be palmed away first.
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in most circumstances this would have been a great performance given another biased refs games to contend with. I never understand how year on year especially towards the end of the season we get these types of refs. ive always thought wherever there is money to be earnt then there is money changing hands illegally, nothing that happens has ever changed my mind.
However the team are playing well and we have options from the bench and from the squad if we keep going like this we should be ok
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Good solid performance. We should have nicked it though. I thought the defence was very good.
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Evil, I agree with you about the two opportunities. Overall it was a very good display, the team is getting closer and closer to playing Wenger ball on a continued basis.
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a_or_b, was this the same dude that was the ref when Swansea beat us last season?
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Hmmmm. No comment on that ref.
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Very exciting game, great atmosphere, shame about the result! Can’t really complain. The boys fought like lions and created some good opportunities. But for some poor finishing we could have and probably should have 3 points. Still, you can’t win them all and even the invincible a drew games.
Games against Everton are always tough, butI never realised what a dirty team they are. If ‘fro boy played for us he would have been booked for at least one of his first 3 fouls, but he was given free reign tonight and made the most of his licence to maim.
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I will take a point tonight way ahead of a loss. Gets us closer to the magic number. A loss would have been a killer. Points on the board are points on the board.
Can’t comment on the refereeing as I only saw the second half.
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•/&@#%^**¥^\•=!!!!!!!!!!!!
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@shotta
Lucky you! Those first 30 minutes, I swear, every single decision went against us. It was like playing at Old Trafford.
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Just caught up on the comments. I thought Jack was better tonight and the reason he ended up on the ground most of the time is that he was targeted by Everton and pushed off the ball a few times.
I do wonder if Arteta has a problem playing against his old team as he seemed a little off today? He overhit a few passes, and played his team mates into trouble and he was indecisive when he had a great chance in the box that I feel he would have taken against another team. It’s not the first time I’ve noticed this.
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Shotta, the refereeing was shocking, but it had the effect of galvanising the crowd at least one yellow card only happened after the crowd went ballistic when it looked like the player was only going to get a talking to.
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@Passenal
Probably the human factor. Just remember, Thierry couldn’t do it against us when he was facing us with Barca either. Don’t really begrudge him that, though I wish he would have done better in the box. But I feel that those two points we didn’t gain today won’t have much of an impact in the long term… or at least I hope so!
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“Can’t comment on the refereeing as I only saw the second half.”
Think you’ll have plenty to say, Shotta, once you’ve seen the first half. I’m worried to pieces about Jack. He looked like he was struggling, and being kicked all over the pitch didn’t help. I tell you, if we could just get Aaron and Jack firing at the same time, we would be on fire. But right now? We need Rosicky.
It seems like hours ago that I read it, but wonderful writing anicoll. I learn so much from you all.
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What can you say when the hidden agenda ain’t event that bothered to stay hidden anymore. I hate it when I sound paranoid but that was eye water ingly bad reffinging. So a World Cup final on its way for swarbuck. What do you have to do to get a red card against the arse? Break someone’s leg? ……. Oh.
The point will do, we need Motzart so badly right now.
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Just back from the match. I thought Jack did ok, better than Saturday. we just looked a little static up front. Didn’t seem to be much coming down the left side in the first half, Gibbs didn’t seem right to me. Santi came alive in the 2nd half, but I thought most of then momentum came when Podolski came on. He strikes me as an intelligent footballer
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The point tonight was hard earned ( I know it looked like it was losing 2 points) and worth being appreciated in the circumstances. we did very much nothing wrong at all tonight apart from being kicked. a. lot. and sometimes the ball just won’t go the net, OG teied hard bur luck just wanst kn his side fonighf (if Grev missed those…) just means that our probable cock up game dropping points just can’t happen at Fulham. If we play 2nd half style from the off, we can do them over at the cottage. I know if takes a first half of hard graft to set up the last 20 mins of higher speed intensity so well done the lads tonight.
Just how many more surprise packages is Reiley going to send our way?
Just back from our local gooner bar in Dublin, having to lisfen to one ungrateful yoof saying we should get mouh next year coz he always wins cups an’ stuff luike dat. Really wanted to smack ‘m one. Mouh, not the yoof.
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The ref let Everton get away with murder in the first half. Fellaini, Gibson and Barkley kicked the ever living shit out of Jack and Santi. That double tackle on Theo which earned Gibson his yellow should have also resulted in Mirallas getting a yellow for raking his studs down the back of Theo’s leg. Fellaini not getting a yellow was a right piss take.
My top three players tonight in order of awesomeness were: Sagna, the boy was on god mode tonight, Ramsey and Gibbs. Too bad the referee didn’t knock out the dirty stuff, otherwise this could have been the game of the season. Everyone was tuned in and on top of their game.
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The Ox is on fire at the moment. If Podi can’t handle more than half an hour, then the Ox should start on the left so Santi can play in the hole.
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ox sparked up our game yesterday again.
That cross from ramsey was a peach and deserved better..giroud had almost an open goal.
i seriously believe we would have won the match had rosicky played.
we misplaced atleast 4-5 key final balls..arteta’s chance should have resulted in goal too..you cannot expect more than 5-6 really good chances against everton setup yesterday..we had the upper hand throughout barring the first 5-6 minutes..
ramsey’s desire to fight is inspirational..he needs to calm down while making that final crucial pass though. he is overhitting them half the time..with a racing heart its very tough be make those key passes 🙂
sagna fought gallantly as ever..its very very tough to blame giroud after all the effort he puts in each game..
wilshere is definitely looking not fully fit..i wonder why arsene picked him over rosicky..tough one to call..
it was a good performance..we just did not manage a goal.
mirallas was really a handful..i expected anichebe to do more..per and kosc shut him magnificently.
we are still in the drivers seat for a top 4 finish imo.
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since you guys moved to this new stadium, i only come to watch without making any comment.
every where i went after yesterday game, all the blame is on giroud! for not converting the half chances he had. they call him many unprintable names that i dare not mention here.
now, i didnt see any seater that he missed. that great cross from ramsey was bravely closed down by howard that only a hungry striker like giroud will manage to get anything on it.
nobody said anything about jack. i like but he is trying too much and thus put the team in danger. a bit like ramsey of last season. he needs to play it simple untill the sharpness and fitness comes back. if rosicky is not ready, we should be playing caz in the midle and make room for poldi.
that said, i have to conclude by saying the guys gave their best against a goood everton side that even tony pulis will be proud of.
p.s the referee?????
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