Lowell Hornby 
Inexcusable. Absolutely inexcusable.
Outplayed by a team without a win in eight - and I’m sure every Arsenal fan will have seen this movie before.
The days of me starting my pieces with apologies to Mikel Arteta seem long gone.
The trip was a silver lining. Going up with a good mate (Everton fan, called John in case I mention him again), walking round the city, and in particular a sensational chips and curry sauce.
That was after we arrived at around 130pm. Liverpool is one of my favourite cities and, having been in and out for the Anfield trip, it was really nice to get to spend a bit of time up there - and stay over, partly to save Layth from more driving but also as it is a more relaxing experience.
We got to a pub pre-game (called Rigby’s if anyone cares) at about 5pm following check in.
A proper Liverpool boozer, and a bit of a dive - much to the delight of John who perversely really hopes any bar that we go to is a dump.
It was quite nice to be fair, just not to the standard of the gastropubs that we are left with in London now…
In again what feels like the start to some weird, niche football joke that I’m not in the mood to try and think of: I (Arsenal fan) was in the pub with… John (Everton fan), his childhood friend Jenno (Everton too), and his cousin David (Liverpool fan, who ostensibly paid for a ticket to laugh at those that support football teams less fortunate…
The Everton fans were in a state of apathy.
Completely accepting of the fact that going to the game was, as most of football is, a blatant form of masochism.
On the other hand, I was sat in a corner shaking with nerves. As I told them, and as most Arsenal fans would’ve done, there is no team you’d rather play if you haven’t won in eight.
We’re a very kind football team! We gave United their day on Thursday, and then gave Everton their day on Monday.
The team again was surprising, this time in a pleasant sense. Tierney back in, Xhaka back in, and the underperforming Aubameyang dropped.
I’ve been supporting Arsenal religiously since I was five (2007 ish) and from what I have gathered from these 14 years, it doesn’t matter who plays or who your manager is, there is something in the (post-Highbury) Arsenal DNA that encourages capitulation.
We got to the ground about 30 minutes before kick off. John went off to a chippy, Jenno walked me to the away end.
We’d agreed to meet in front of a Duncan Ferguson mural. I didn’t think I’d be the first one there after the game.
Layth was there waiting for me as I got in, and we had really great seats. It then started to feel like an away day. Layth went for the 1-1 draw, I said it would be 2-1 - I’ll say that I was ambiguous over where the three points were headed so I look a bit cleverer.
Anyway, the team walked out to rapturous applause immediately in front of us. No hangover from Old Trafford - clean slate, but expectant of a reaction. A reaction which we absolutely did not get.
The first half was shockingly bad.
Both teams as bad as each other. It was expected from Everton to be fair who were without a win in eight, but Arsenal, who performed encouragingly at Old Trafford but came back with zero points, were incredibly bad.
There was of course a customary poor Mike Dean decision though as Ben Godfrey didn’t receive a red for taking Tomiyasu’s face off.
Partey was poor again, laughably dropping a 2/10 performance having come out in the week and rating himself a 4/10. Martinelli and Saka were non-existent, as was Laca. Odegaard and Tierney were the only real threats.
The game burst into life in the 44th minute. Richarlison flicked on from a delicious Townsend delivery, celebrating madly in front of the Arsenal fans.
Enjoyably his strange chicken celebration was cut short as Mike Dean pulled it back for an offside from the free kick.
Two minutes later, our two most dangerous players connected to put us in the lead. Tierney cut it back for Ødegaard who finished delightfully into the bottom corner. A rare moment of quality, in an otherwise dire first half.
The second half was more entertaining, particularly for the neutral.
Arsenal did their classic ‘let’s sit back after going into the lead’ routine and Everton capitalised, ish.
They wrestled back momentum, and their fans got behind them (having initially done so in the 27th minute when about 10 of them partook in a walk out).
Another disallowed goal, we were absolutely rocked. It was a miracle we stayed ahead for the length of time that we did, resorting to time wasting tactics like we were clinging onto an aggregate lead in the Camp Nou.
The equaliser finally came for Everton in the 79th minute. Demarai Gray unleashed, forcing Ramsdale into yet another fingertip save onto the bar only for Richarlison to follow in.
Goodison went wild, and the typical Arsenal capitulation ensued. We played well for five minutes after as we usually do, and Nketiah (Nketiah!) missed an open goal as he carefully picked out the foot of the post from a Saka cross.
In the 92nd minute our misery was compounded.
Demarai Gray cut inside and unleashed again, this time his strike arrowing in off the post past a helpless Ramsdale.
I walked out as soon as the final whistle went. The first game since that City game that I haven’t stayed to clap the players off. They didn’t deserve it.
I walked straight to the Duncan mural, and of course I was the first one there. Jenno met me first - he had his hands in his pockets, but a wry smile told the story as he tongue in cheek exclaimed that gloating wasn’t “his style”.
John on the other hand… We were waiting about 10 minutes for him, and when he arrived he practically streaked down Goodison Road performing his victory dance. Exactly what I needed.
That was, in my opinion, the most worrying performance I’ve seen under Arteta.
A complete regression from the display at Old Trafford, where we didn’t pick up any points anyway.
The game plan was inexplicable, the substitutions too.
As much as I don’t agree with all the Arteta out slander after a couple of results like that, he has a lot more to answer for than I thought he did.
Twelve points from the next four is a minimum if we don’t want to drift further into mid table.
Southampton next, and a proper reaction is needed.
Until then, Gunners.
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Lowell Hornby features in the pages of the current Gooner Fanzine. Buy it here
Lowell plans to attend every Arsenal Premier League game this season and will be writing about it for the Gooner Fanzine.
Read the brilliant Lowell's previous pieces below:
Lowell reflects on Arsenal's 3-2 defeat at Manchester United
Back to winning ways against the Magpies
Lowell analyses loss to Liverpool
Arsenal's victory over Watford at the Emirates on Invincibles Day
Arsenal's stirring victory over land and sea and Leicester
Gunners outclass and overwhelm the Villa
Arsenal's frustrating evening against Palace
Arsenal's rain-check at wet and windy Brighton
My word Arsenal were good against Spurs
Another disappointing performance
Brentford: my first ever away game
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Learn more about Lowell in his own words.
My name is Lowell Hornby.
I’ve been a devout Gooner for all I can remember. I was taken to my first Arsenal game in 2007 and never looked back.
I’ve never really thought of football being in my life as a conscious choice, more of a genetic deficiency.
The relationship my Dad (who some of you may know: Nick Hornby, author of Fever Pitch) has developed with football inevitably has rubbed off on me.
It feels like it’s a lot more than results; it’s the club, the feeling, the fans, the friends - everything.
In my year off, after an unimaginably painful 18 months of fan-less football, I can’t think of anything I’d rather do than follow my beloved Arsenal up and down the country as I attempt to go to every Premier League game this season.
The pieces I write will document not just the games, but my experiences, the cities, the journeys, the people.
I hope in doing so I can capture, express, articulate and transmit the visceral emotions of myself, fellow Gooners and football fans as a whole.
I live and breathe football, and I hope these pieces and my project this season can convey that in a way that’s enjoyable to experience vicariously.
If you’d like to be following me more casually, and be notified of any pieces of course, my Twitter handle is @weststandlowell and I’ll be tweeting over there. COYG
