Liverpool has played host to its fair share of smash and grabs, but Arsenal weren’t a threat. How you feel about a point at Goodison Park probably depends on what you think Arsenal’s level is this season, but on the balance of play, this is a point gained.

Happy with a point

It was a disappointing performance from Arsenal, but this is a good point for a number of reasons.

First and foremost, it should have been none. We were poor, and Everton will wonder how they didn’t win that game.

Second, Everton might be on an iffy run but they’re unbeaten in ten games at home.

Third, against one of your main rivals, a draw away is never a bad result.

Getting closer to our first XI

Another reason to be cheerful: pretty soon we will be able to field a first choice team for the first time since the advent of the colour television, or thereabouts.

This is controversial, but our best chance of improving is with our best players on the pitch. That means Walcott, Giroud and Podolski up front, Gibbs on the left, and Arteta, Wilshere and Cazorla getting to know each other in the middle.

If we can also get important squad players like Rosicky and Diaby fit – and keep them that way – then we’ll be totally different proposition. Ramsey shows flashes of quality but his decision making is banjaxed. He needs sheltering.

The whole is smaller than the sum of its parts

But don’t go expecting instant results when we can field our strongest team. Things are looking seriously disjointed at the moment. Cazorla’s arm-waving by the 80 minute mark was testament to that.

While Arsenal’s possession statistics were decent, and none of our midfielders’ pass completion stats look disastrous, the number of misplaced passes in our own half was ridiculous. While Everton’s pressing game should get some of the credit, it’s not like we aren’t used to it by now. It’s a recurring theme. We were shockingly complacent against Montpellier too.

When Arsenal were a very good side, they played with an understanding that very few rivals could match. Players overlapped, one-twos connected, things were made to look very, very easy.

Walcott’s goal was the closest they got to emulating that tonight but for the 95 minutes that followed we were shown how far we have to go.

The Theo question

Expect the press – a fine institution that tears chunks out of Walcott when it suits – to bang the Theo-through-the-middle drum loudly tomorrow.

Of course, his goal proved that up top is exactly where he shouldn’t be. He scored because he had the license to roam across the pitch and use his speed to break beyond the defender. Anchoring him up top precludes that. But let’s be clear – he is currently as important to Arsenal as Jack Wilshere or Santi Cazorla, if not more.

Anyway, we have a bit of gem in our current front man. Giroud is a centre forward in the traditional sense – hard to dispossess and dangerous in the air – and Arsenal need to learn to utilise him.

Case in point: the only good cross he got all game – incidentally from Walcott – almost resulted in an ill-deserved goal. Giroud offers the opportunity to grab goals when our possession game isn’t firing.

Two down, two to go

Arsenal are far closer in quality to the best of the rest than they are the league’s (not so) elite. Our objective should be to win the mini-league with the chasing pack.

Thumping Spurs and restricting Everton to a point is a good start, now home wins against Swansea – a point and a place below us – and high-flying West Brom are required.

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