--- title: "Opposition Analysis: Everton" canonical: "https://readarsenal.com/2015/10/23/opposition-analysis-everton/" type: "post" language: "en-GB" author: "Sam Baker" section: "Uncategorized" published: "2015-10-23T16:32:43Z" modified: "2015-10-23T16:32:43Z" --- # Opposition Analysis: Everton Gameweek 10 is upon us and this weekend Arsenal take on Roberto Martinez’s Everton, who have looked far more impressive this season than they did for the entirety of the last one. As such, the Gunners can’t take the Toffees lightly and should expect a tight game with Everton probing for a goal right up until the end. However, after big wins against Leicester City, Manchester United, Watford and most recently Bayern Munich, Arsene Wenger’s men look to be in prime form and so will be coming into the game in brimming with confidence. The main man for Everton this season has been the big Belgian Romelu Lukaku. The former Chelsea striker has enjoyed a prolific start to the season, netting seven times in 11 games in all competitions. The 22-year-old is one of the most feared strikers in the Barclays Premier League and his goalscoring efforts have seen Everton reach ninth so far this season. If Arsenal hope to prevent Everton scoring, then limiting this man’s opportunities will be imperative. Lukaku is immense in the air and is an excellent finisher of the ball, however, what lets him down time and time again is his first touch. He doesn’t have the greatest ball control and can often be seen chasing his first touch rather than shooting at goal. Te best way to stop Lukaku will be to prevent giving him easy passes. If Arsenal can replicate the defensive shape that they utilised against Bayern Munich then they can do just that. The Germans were confined to long shots and half-chances against the Gunners and so if Lukaku is offered these few scraps as well, then he will be taken completely out of the game. ![Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty Images Sport](https://media.readarsenal.com/readarsenal/2015/10/491382966.jpg) Another player that Arsenal must keep an eye on is Brendan Galloway. The England youth international has been a breakout star for the Toffees this season and has rightly earned himself a first-team spot in their side. As such, the Gunners must be wary of him. He is an excellent defender who has the commitment to chase down attackers and throw himself into last-ditch tackles to try and save his side. Galloway is also dangerous going forwards. He is a fairly quick attacker who can whip in dangerous crosses and this ability has seen him pick up a couple of assists this season. If his crossing meets the head of the powerful Lukaku then the Gunners will have a big problem. Therefore, it is vital that Hector Bellerin doesn’t let Galloway get past him. By all means usher him out wide, but don’t allow him to get into a position where he can play in crosses. With Bellerin’s pace and the fact that he is in such fine form at the moment, the young Spaniard shouldn’t have too much trouble with this – especially after keeping Douglas Costa quiet for Munich. Gareth Barry has also been a surprise performer for Everton this season. The seasoned Premier League veteran has been at the peak of English football for his whole career and so is street-wise in the way that he approaches the game. His main role is to sit just in front of the back four and protect them from attackers, similar to Francis Coquelin in that respect. This season he has been outstanding in this role and as such sees Everton as the seventh best defensive side in the league; a huge improvement from last season. However, Barry doesn’t only defend, his passing is very strong too. He may not be the flashiest of players, but his simple passing style has seen many attacks be created for Roberto Martinez’s side this season. As a result, it is crucial that Arsene Wenger’s side don’t allow him too much time on the ball because he may well string a pass through that eludes the entire team. ![Alex Broadway/Getty Images Sport](https://media.readarsenal.com/readarsenal/2015/10/489104002.jpg) Going forward, Arsenal must be more assertive than they were against Bayern Munich. Obviously, they were going to be on the back foot against the Germans but at times it looked as though they may not escape their own half. The best way for Arsenal to attack against Everton will be to attack and press the ball with speed like they did against Manchester United. In that game, they hounded the United midfield and made it very difficult for them to create any chances and when the Gunners attacked, the United defenders were left clueless by the speed and flair that the Gunners showed. ![Paul Gilham/Getty Images Sport](https://media.readarsenal.com/readarsenal/2015/10/4934565246.jpg) This game may very well prove to be a tough one for Arsenal, however, they must be winning these sorts of games if they plan on reaching the top of the Barclays Premier League. If the game goes into a stalemate like it did against Watford in their last league fixture, then they must grind out the game to a point where Everton are tired and then hit them with fast, precise counter attacks. Either way, Wenger will be hoping that his side can earn all three points this weekend and keep the pressure on league leaders Manchester City.