Everton handed glimpse of future as Frank Lampard left facing familiar problem after Arsenal loss
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A familiar problem reared its ugly head as Everton started pre-season with a 2-0 defeat to Arsenal.
Gabriel Jesus broke the deadlock in the first half after the Blues failed to deal with a corner – a repeated source of frustration last year. Frank Lampard and his coaching staff continue to work with the squad on set-pieces and the goal was a warning sign work still needs to be done.
Bukayo Saka doubled Arsenal’s lead moments later, tapping in at the back post after a Jesus through-ball evaded Gabriel Martinelli. This was a game in which Everton were largely second best – but there were positives on display, particularly the efforts of the academy prospects given an opportunity in a second half in which they were more competitive.
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Almost 40,000 supporters turned out at Baltimore’s M&T Bank Arena for a game dubbed the Charm City Match. Blues shirts were on show everywhere in the build up to the game, dotting the city’s popular Inner Harbour area before packing out the ‘Gameday Firehouse’ for a pre-match gathering.
They were then treated to a spectacle in the minutes before kick-off as fireworks, an overhead fly-past and a performance of the national anthem marked the occasion – while Everton’s players emerged to Z-Cars from a smoke-filled tunnel.
For the Blues inside the stadium the excitement largely ended then as Arsenal dominated the early stages of the match. The Gunners, who defeated Everton 5-1 in the final game of last season, had already played their first 90 minutes of the summer and were sharper against an experimental Blues side captained by Jordan Pickford – awarded the armband for the first time since he did so with such pride at Burnley in March.
Amid interest about how Everton will set up this season, Lampard returned to five at the back for the first 90 minutes – starting in the middle with Ben Godfrey, Yerry Mina and Mason Holgate. That became a partnership of James Tarkowski, Michael Keane and Reece Welch in the second half as the Blues boss continues to assess his tactical options.
Arsenal controlled the opening stages without seriously threatening, their biggest chance falling to Jesus, who drew a good save from a sprawling Pickford. Everton eventually gained a foothold in the game and started to look more threatening as Demarai Gray found Nathan Patterson in space down the right, only for his cross to be cleared and Dominic Calvert-Lewin almost finished a from a pinpoint Abdoulaye Doucoure cross. Niels Nkounkou then forced Matt Turner into a near-post save after bursting into the box and Mina then headed wide from Gray’s corner.
A drinks break then split the first half and checked Everton’s gathering momentum. Minutes after the halt, Cedric Soares’ corner evaded Pickford and fell to Jesus, who hammered into the roof of the net. Just 180 seconds later the lead was doubled. Jesus, a nuisance throughout the first half, dropped deep to receive the ball. Mina stood off Arsenal’s new signing, who then turned and threaded a ball through to Martinelli. Martinelli was unable to finish but Saka beat Nkounkou and Godfrey to the ball and slotted in at the back post.
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Lampard completely changed the line-up in the second half, introducing Alex Iwobi, Tarkowski and Anthony Gordon as well as a host of youngsters. Stanley Mills, playing at right wing back, impressed while Lewis Warrington showed composure on the ball and Reece Welch produced a crucial sliding intervention to prevent a dangerous through-ball. Tarkowski, his first showing in an Everton shirt, was crucial as the Blues looked more solid in the second half that, like the first 45 minutes, will have been more about fitness than form.
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