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Mathieu Flamini feels Saturday’s last-gasp 2-2 Premier
League draw at Everton shows Arsenal have learned hard
lessons from last season.
Arsene Wenger’s side received heavy defeats at the hands of
champions Manchester City and fellow title chasers Liverpool
and Chelsea in 2013-14.
In April, they were also convincingly dispatched 3-0 at
Goodison Park before overhauling Roberto Martinez’s men to
claim the final UEFA Champions League qualification spot.
They appeared to be on course for a repeat dose as Seamus
Coleman and Steven Naismith handed Everton a 2-0 half-time
lead, with Arsenal labouring on that back of their midweek
exertions in Turkey against Besiktas.
But Aaron Ramsey reduced the arrears with seven minutes
remaining before Olivier Giroud – on at half-time for a
disappointing Alexis Sanchez – headed home Nacho
Monreal’s cross in the final minute of normal time.
“We’ll say it’s a great performance because we were 2-0
down. It was great spirit from the boys because it was not
easy,” Flamini told Sky Sports
“At half-time the manager said there was space to create
opportunities and we believed we could do it.
“We have learned a lot from last year from when we were
playing against these top teams.
“We didn’t give up until the last second and that was
important. This is a game to remember for us.”
But Wenger sounded a note of caution ahead of the return leg
against Besiktas – into which Arsenal take a goalless draw –
as he revealed Giroud is an injury doubt following an incident
in stoppage time.
“It was a stretched ankle, at the moment it doesn’t look too
good,” he told Sky Sports.
On the game itself, Wenger joined Flamini in praising
Arsenal’s character.
“We have a great response with complete desire to come back
and the spirit was fantastic,” he said.
“In the end we got back to 2-2 and we got a strong point but
a deserved one if you look at the chances we had, especially
in the second half. We came back very late but our spirit got
us a point.
“It shows the belief and the resilience is there. The second
goal was offside but we took it on the chin and came back.”