Gabriel Agbonlahor tells Everton to park the bus and start Demarai Gray vs Arsenal live on talkSPORT
Gabriel Agbonlahor has told Everton to “park the bus” when they face Arsenal to try and nick a draw, and told Sean Dyche to start Demarai Gray.
The Toffees head to the capital while in the relegation zone after their 2-0 loss to Aston Villa at the weekend, but have confidence from Dyche’s record against the Gunners.
Arsenal have won only one of their last four home games, and Dyche has only lost one of his last six trips to the Emirates Stadium, but Agbonlahor told TalkSPORT (1 March, 6:36am) he expects that to change although he gave Everton some advice on how to make it more difficult for the league leaders.
“I think that’ll be different tonight, Al,” he said. “Arsenal are on one. That first game in charge, that new manager bounce, Everton beat Arsenal a few weeks ago. But tonight I feel like Arteta is going to have them up for this.
“Just keep that winning mentality after the Manchester City loss. I just don’t see them losing tonight, Arsenal. I feel like they’ll win comfortably.
“I think they need to use their players. The last few games Demarai Gray hasn’t played.
“Tonight get your three in midfield, Onana, Doucoure and Gueye. Get them three in the middle. They like to get on the ball, they can run with the ball on the counter attack.
“Get Demarai Gray as your number nine, your false nine. Someone with speed, who can run with the ball.
“Just park the bus against Arsenal. Frustrate them.
“They can’t just turn up one week, Al, and then the next week not turn up. Everton have got to wake up tonight and hopefully see if they can upset Arsenal and nick a draw.”
Discipline
Everton are not a better football team than Arsenal right now, regardless of how tribal or blue-tinted you want to be.
However we showed last month with a 1-0 win over them at Goodison that we’re capable of beating them on a football pitch if we show discipline and quality all over the pitch.
We can match them for intensity and power, and at set-pieces we have an advantage with the size in our team so it’s not an impossible task.
But we have to find a way to be threatening going forward and be able to keep them out of the game again, despite the fact their crowd will be pushing them on rather than it being our fans pushing us.
Gray deserves a start having been left out so far, with Neal Maupay just not good enough and Ellis Simms not ready for the Premier League, and this could be the perfect game to do it with plenty of space to run into.