Alien Feelings Away From Home

Sunday saw an early start to the day, hoping for a lot better then my recent trip to Liverpool. Having gone to Anfield early in the season, I was understandably apprehensive about a return to Merseyside. It started badly. Ed’s Dinner wasn’t open, the cash machine was broken and Jens Lehmann, looking splendid and tall in his club blazer, was running away from the trains north. You need a ticket Jens just like the rest of us! However, even though we have been terrible this season away from home, Everton have just been terrible. Walking around Goodison pre match you could sense the pessimism and speaking to some locals, they weren’t particularly upbeat ahead of this one. The match kicked off and you could see why. Early chances for Ramsey and then Lacazette, both saved by Pickford, made it feel like it could be one of those days.

This was then amplified when Idrissa Gana Gueye picked Granit Xhaka’s pocket and the inevitable happened; Wayne Rooney netting against us for the fifteenth time. My seat in the upper tier of the away section was right next to the home supports, and when this goal went in, I made eye contact with an older gentlemen and just started laughing.

Having already costs us goals in defeats at Stoke, Liverpool and Watford in similar fashion, there were question marks over the Swiss international but to be fair to him he did go on and produce an excellent performance.

Surprisingly, Rooney’s opener didn’t change the flow of the match and we continued to dominate before finally beating Pickford from a thunderbolt from Nacho Monreal. 1-1 at half time, a score that would’ve suited neither; you could feel the nervousness from both sets of supporters. At half time Everton switched from 3-4-2-1 to 4-2-3-1, which somehow made them even more open at the back. However, it did take a sublime goal to put the Gunners in front. A brilliant cross from Alexis Sanchez was flicked in by Mesut Özil and sent the traveling contingent wild. One thing I did spot in the aftermath of this goal was the passion from Grant Xhaka. Screaming, shouting and waving his arms around; maybe a sign of his passion or could simply be relief as he was culpable for the Everton opener. As soon as Idrissa Gana Gueye was dismissed for a stupid second yellow, even at only 1-2, you feared for the Toffees and hoped we would be able to see out the game which has been a problem in the past.

Goals number three for Lacazette and four for Ramsey swiftly followed and each was met by a mass Evertonian exit. Both these goals felt significant for the individuals involved. This was our record signing’s first goal away from the Emirates Stadium, which in previous games had felt as though it had been bothering him. As for the latter it wasn’t the scorer but the architect who this was a massive moment for. Throughout the game the previous week at Vicarage Road, despite not even coming on, ‘SUPER JACKY WILSHERE’ had been sung non stop and the same was heard again this week. In claiming this assist it’ll hopefully help Jack properly feel part of the first team again. I was worried when he went out on loan we’d never see him again.  Everton did pull a goal back and I have never seen any goal more half heartedly celebrated then this one. This was then swiftly cancelled out by a superb goal by Alexis Sanchez but again the defending from Everton was some of the worst I’ve ever witnessed. 

All 3 of Alexis, Özil and Lacazette grabbed a goal, with the two former also getting an assist each, and speaking to Arsenal fans in and around the ground, there was genuine excitement about watching this trio. It was worth the wait. The elderly Everton supporter across the barrier from me caught my eye and said, ‘the best team won by an absolute mile, and that’s not because you’re any good it’s just we are s**t.’ The game summed up very accurately? Maybe? We need to be shown this again against a better side and we know how that goes for us!  As we clapped our boys one very very drunk fan ran onto the pitch towards an applauding Jack Wilshere who charitably handed over his shirt. The lucky fan was swiftly removed to cheers as he waved his match worn shirt like a trophy!

The feeling was very different for the Evertonians I chatted to who were in a subdued mood as one would expect. When asked by me who they’d want to take over from the doomed Koeman the most common name was Sam Allardyce, maybe justified by their current predicament. One fan was even hoping for Liverpool legend Rafa Benitez, which would be controversial to say the least but a thing they all agreed on was they did not want to see the return of a certain David Moyes!

Overall, coming back on the train after an away day victory was an all to alien feeling and we didn’t really know what to do as we usually spend this time complaining about how terrible we were. Not to worry, there will be plenty of opportunity to do just that on the way home from my next away trip, when we visit unbeaten league leaders Manchester City. If that all goes wrong never fear …….. It’s Spurs at home! Ooh to, Ooh to be…..