This was a real "end of season" game, neither team with much to play for, so it was a pretty dull affair. Nobody on the pitch seemed to care much, Everton came with no attacking ambition, and by half time everybody in the crowd had lost the will to live as well. A shame, because it was a lovely sunny "end of season" day, and a decent game (not to mention some trophies being presented) would have been fantastic. Still, maybe next season. We didn't even get to say Happy Birthday to Cesc Fabregas, today being his 21st birthday.The boss gave a few players, Fabregas and Flamini included, a rest today - which meant that the team was a strange mix of some players getting a rare start in the first team (like Denilson and Fabianski), and others playing to receive the applause and adulation of the crowd (like Adebayor, Gilberto and late substitute Jens Lehmann). All this made the game a bit disjointed, the team wasn't exactly an established team, but then the game and result didn't really matter.
Everton needed only a point to qualify for Europe for next season, so tried some halfhearted attacking in the first half. When they realised that it probably wasn't going to get them anywhere, they put lots of men behind the ball and tried to defend a 0-0 draw. They showed little ambition, so they probably got what they deserved from the game - nothing. Andy Johnson in particular was an annoying little shit, falling over, questioning every refereeing decision, and generally acting like he should have been playing for Chelsea rather than Everton.
The only goal of the game came quite late on, a fantastic cross from substitute Armand Traore on the left, nodded in by Nicklas Bendtner. Bendtner has been a bit part player this season, but has notched a few goals all in all, which shows that he could be useful given a run in the team. Certainly a step up from Aliadiere, who managed one Premier League goal in his whole Arsenal career. At the end of the game, the players came around for a lap of honour, with particular honour for Jens Lehmann, playing his last game for the club, who got a very good, and very well deserved ovation.
After a promising start this season, and with everything still going swimmingly until mid February, the last couple of months have been difficult for Arsenal fans. Because of that, I like many others am a bit sick of football for the time being, and am eagerly thinking "roll on August", when we can start with a fresh slate. Hopefully Chelsea won't be English or European Champions when we start playing football again, and hopefully we'll have a squad with slightly more strength in depth to do better next time.
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