Arsenal v Everton match report – How the gunners ended the season with a nervous late win

Last night Mikel Arteta and his Arsenal squad ended our season with a big win against Everton, no it wasn’t enough to lift the title, but the lads and the manager can hold their heads high with how great we’ve been this season.

Even more so this year, losing only one game in 2024 and looking to have become a dominant force in English football again. It’s tough doing so well only to lose on the last day of the season, but it gives us a lot of hope for next season. Here’s a run down of everything that happen in our 2-0 win against Everton.

You could tell the nerves were high as soon as the whistle blew for the match to start, and Arsenal just didn’t look like they were as confident as we had been all season. We had most of the possession and were getting early chances in the first 20 minutes, but nothing looked like it was going to stick. Everton were defending well, and Pickford looked like he was going to have a good day, making two massive saves early on to keep the scores level.

Everton had a few chances, with Calvert-Lewin coming very close to a goal but somehow hit the post and our worst fears hit in the 40^th minute when Everton were awarded a freekick from just outside the box. Everton’s Gueye stepped up and took a shot, but the ball took a huge deflection off the head of Declan Rice, sending Raya the wrong way and the ball floating into the back of the net to make it 1-0 Everton.

You could almost feel the life being sucked out of the stadium, but the fans got right behind their team, and it didn’t take long for us to get one back. Only 3 minutes later, White had the ball on the wing and spotted Odegaard, passing a great through ball into his path, Odegaard took a touch, looked up and squared the ball into the path of an unmarked Tomiyasu who drove the ball along the ground and into the bottom left corner to put Arsenal back on equal terms.

Coming out for the second half, Arsenal looked a lot more confident on the ball and were getting opportunity after opportunity, but things just weren’t looking like they’d stick. Havertz got his head onto a cross from Martinelli but hit the woodwork, and only a few minutes later Odegaard and Smith-Rowe had a chance from right in front of goal but was somehow stopped by Pickford to keep the scores level.

But just as all hope seemed to be lost, Everton’s Ashley Young made a soft pass that Jesus read perfectly and managed to win the ball back. He started to drive towards the goal with both Havertz and Odegaard in support either side of him, passing it off to Odegaard who looked to have scuffed his shot but the ball somehow managed to roll into the path of Havertz to smash into the top corner and win the game for Arsenal.

Of course it’s disappointing not to lift the trophy but at least we ended the season off with a good win and we now turn our focus to next season.

What’s your thoughts Gooners?