Ramsey Failed at a Corner

The Everton game exposed certain truths. Number one: Young players do not have the mental concentration that more experienced players like Gallas have. Take the first Everton goal. It came from a corner kick. Whenever Arsenal defend a corner kick, they defend using zonal marking. For me zonal marking does not work for set pieces such as corner kicks. For corner kicks you need old fashioned man to man marking. Zonal marking leaves players marking an area not a man. When Everton took their corner, Osman was standing on the edge of the penalty area. He then sprinted into the zonal area that Aaron Ramsey was covering, only Ramsey was staring at the corner kick not having a clue on who he should mark. His awareness was completely off, so he missed Osman's run.

It was Ramsey's job to pick up Osman. Gallas and Vermaelen were marking Cahill and Fellaini. Sagna was trying to help protect our pathetic goalkeeper Almunia from Saha. No goalkeeper should have his right back acting as his bouncer. The sooner Almunia gets injured the better.

On the goal line, covering the right and left posts were Nasri and Denilson. Traore was covering the area between the front post and the corner kick while Diaby was acting as back up for Gallas and Vermaelen.

On the edges of the penalty area were Arshavin and Eduardo. The Russian was closer to Osman. He watched Osman make his run but decided not to act. Instead he raised his arm - for what I have no clue. If Arshavin had taken responsibilty and tracked Osman maybe the scores would have stayed at 0-0. He didn't and instead passed responsibility on to Ramsey who failed miserably.

Almunia once again showed why he should not be in the Arsenal first team. He can't command his box, he can't punch the ball, or catch the ball. He is a HIV goalkeeper spreading uncertainty throughout the Arsenal players. OK he made a great save against Vaughn but that's what Arsenal goalkeepers are expected to do. Every time Arsenal have to defend a corner or a cross I worry - are we protected? Because with Almunia as our condom, you know we're not!

Traore is not a left back. He had a shocker. He's a left winger. He had no help at all. Aged 20 he needs help playing in a position that he's not comfortable with. Who was in front of him against Everton? Aaron fucking Ramsey - King of the Markers when it comes to defending corners. Traore did not have a good game. Positionally Traore was poor. Every time there was an Arsenal set play or corner kick, the two center-backs would go up into attack and leave Traore as the last man, which is what happened for Everton's second goal. If you're a 20 year old center-back you need someone more experienced to stay back and help you.

Everton got into Arsenal very quickly. They were fast out of the blocks and disrupted Arsenal's fluency. Led by the cunt Phillip Neville who had a good game at right-back. But when Everton gained possession, they played the ball very well. All over the pitch Everton were first to the ball. They snuffed out Arshavin, Arsenal's best player going forward. To stop Arshavin you have to cut off the service to him. For the first 20 minutes of last Saturday's game, Arshavin hardly touched the ball. It was only in the last 10 to 15 minutes that he was a threat.

Everton hussled and harried Arsenal's midfield. Moyes got his tactics spot on.

Bolton will be different.

Man City are now in the title race

I'm not worried

Keep it Arsenal