The goal seemed to wake Everton as they began slowly prodding their way back into the game, putting in a string of passes to retain possession and seeking to hurt the visitors. The game settled into a fine pattern with both sides seeking dominance and Everton looking to hit more on the break as Arsenal piled forward. The game was being played in the midfield as both sides had five players across the park. Twice in quick succession, Everton tried to play in their front-man, but the disciplined back line of the north Londoners meant the assistant referee on the far side raised his flag for offside more often than not.
With the tightly packed midfield, niggling fouls developed in the game and the referee, Lee Mason, was on hand to calm the players down and remind them that the aim of the game was to play the round leather object, not to kick the opposing player.
On the hour mark, a sloppy clearance from the dependable Song meant Cahill picked out Drenthe on the far side. With Gibbo out of position, Drenthe drifted into the box to beat Shezza only for the assistant referee to cut their celebrations short by ruling the goal offside. Replays did show that Drenthe was two-yards onside, even though Jelavic, who was not interfering with play, was two-yards offside. At that point Everton felt hard done by, but it only brought memories of the reverse fixture when Louis Saha scored from a clear offside position.
Before the half was up Rosicky blasted a shot at Howard’s goals, only for the American to parry it away. To Arsenal’s relief the half ended, as it was obvious the home side had improved as the tie wore on. Everton on the other hand must have felt disgusted by the disallowed goal, but these things happen in football.
The second 45 resumed and it was the home side that had the first chance at goal.
After a foul by Bac on Pienaar, Fellaini rose in the box to meet the resulting free-kick from Baines, but the Arsenal keeper was alive to the header on target and kept the Belgians effort out. Van Persie had a shot against the wood work after Gibbo’s nod down, but the referee’s assistant had flagged for offside. The game continued with much of the same pattern before the interval as the Everton side sent cross after cross into the Arsenal box, all aimed at Fellaini, who won most of the headers to unsettle the Arsenal rearguard. But all was to no avail as the duo of Kos and Verma were astute in defending.
The half wore on with Everton dominating play and trying to force an equalizer, but Arsenal were resilient in defending and dangerous on the counter. Moyes tried to force something from the game by bringing on Magaye Gueye and Victor Anichebe for Leon Osman and Royston Drenthe respectively. Kosher stopped Pienaar from bursting through and Wojo saved off the boots of Fellaini after an impressive run. As Everton lost steam midway into the second half, the Arsenal threat gradually came back to life and Theo darted in releasing Rambo, whose shot was blocked off for a corner kick. Van Persie burst through and his left footed drive went across Howard’s goal, but there was no Arsenal player to put it into the net. Drenthe also had a shot from inside the box, but it went over the bar by few inches, before Van Persie sent his shot way off target after fine work from Gervinho, who had replaced Walcott.
