won. New Zealand cut the margin with a second try for Mc

Picking up steam at the right time as they stalk front-runners Chelsea, Arsenal look to make it four wins on the bounce Tuesday when they face an Everton squad in crisis at Goodison Park.The Gunners (10-4-1) kept pace with their London rivals over the weekend, beating Stoke City 3-1 while the Blues disposed of West Bromwich Albion. Arsenal overcame an early penalty by Charlie Adam as Theo Walcott equalised late in the first half and got goals from Mesut Ozil and Alex Iwobi after the interval.These were the kind of games last season where Arsenal stumbled, dropping points to mid-table teams that eventually scuttled their title hopes. But this time around, after running rampant to ring up 11 goals versus Bournemouth, West Ham United and now the Potters, manager Arsene Wenger thinks his team is in the right frame of mind ahead of this quick turnaround.Look, we were not too bad last year. We finished second in the league. I believe we have improved yes, Wenger said post-match. But we have to show that on a longer term. I believe that we have created confidence. I think we are ambitious -- but what is at stake is to keep urgency levels very high, humility levels very high and togetherness very high.We have to show that in every single game now. Then we will see where we stand.Wenger, though, must shuffle his central defence pairing once more for this match.While Hector Bellerin returned, he did so at the expense of Shkodran Mustafi, who was forced off after 25 minutes due to a hamstring injury. Wenger expects Mustafi to miss at least three weeks, which essentially rules him out of this busy stretch of fixtures until the new year.Arsenal have been ruthless on the road in league play with an impressive 5-2-0 mark while outscoring opponents 18-5. Sanchez has been the centre of nearly all things goal related outside the Emirates, finding the back of the net eight times and assisting on two others.The Chile international, however, has failed to score in four career contests versus Everton.It was the second goal for Iwobi in his last two matches, having also netted against FC Basel in Champions League play. The 20-year-old Nigeria international had not figured on a goal since contributing a pair of assists in a win at Hull City on Sept. 17.Everton (5-5-5) have slipped to ninth in the table, sandwiched between West Bromwich Albion and Southampton on goal difference. The Toffees are 0-2-3 after a 3-2 defeat at Watford on Saturday. While Romelu Lukaku accounted for both goals, Evertons lack of aggression and slack defending provided an escape route the Hornets gratefully took and left manager Ronald Koeman lamenting his teams mental state.We were the dominant team and scored a good goal, but then the problems started, Koeman said. We werent the same in controlling the game, we had bad mistakes in our ball possession and not good communication.The Toffees are 1-4-5 after opening the season with 13 points in their first five contests. Much like last season, defence have been at the core of their struggles -- Everton have produced just one clean sheet in their last 11 games.The struggles have prompted talk Koeman will be very active in the January transfer window as he tries to rebuild the team to his liking. Everton are a veteran-laden squad, and players like Kevin Mirallas and James McCarthy could be on the move next month.And while Lukaku was pleased he ended a five-game goal-scoring drought, he noted Everton must regroup quickly in a pivotal week of matches. After this contest, the Toffees host Liverpool on Dec. 19 as the Merseyside rivals renew ancient hostilities once more.Its going to be difficult (in the next two games) but you play football to have challenges like that, said Lukaku, who has two goals in 10 lifetime matches versus Arsenal, to Evertons official website. It is down to us to step up and make sure we are present on the day.Arsenal did the double over Everton last season, have won three on the bounce between the teams and are unbeaten in the last four (3-1-0). Sanchez had an assist and Iwboi had a goal in last seasons corresponding fixture, a 2-0 Gunners victory.It hasnt been much of a rivalry for the past decade as Arsenal have taken 12 wins in the last 19 matches. Everton have claimed just one. The Gunners are 5-3-1 in their last nine at Goodison Park in Premier League play. 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Yes I know numerous New Zealand rugby supporters take delight in ridiculing their Australian counterparts... and it can be so mind numbing.The Kiwi baiting has continued for some time, leading to a rugby inferiority complex this side of the Tasman; not surprising considering Australia has not sighted the Bledisloe Cup for 14 seasons.Painful as it is to admit, Australia still must give thanks to New Zealand this season for at least making the revamped Super Rugby tournament watchable, enjoyable at times.We even should not quibble if any of the New Zealand teams which have made the Super Rugby quarterfinals go on to win the title. It would be the right outcome, because the New Zealand conference has quality wise been by far the best of the four.For those who follow the Australian provinces, this seasons competition has been a tough ride.If just working out the logistics of a flawed and lopsided tournament format was bewildering enough, adding to the confusion was the dismal form of those in the Australian conference.A once confident, exuberant brand of rugby has become hesitant, lacking in intelligence and relying more on hope than instinct, to the extent that the winner of the Australian conference- the Brumbies- stumbled instead of marched their way into the finals.The Brumbies, while industrious, are not the team of enlightenment they once were. Solid rather than spectacular. Cautious rather than creative. They survive another week, but are spluttering. Even the benefit of hosting a final in Canberra on Friday night is not likely to be enough of an advantage against a special Highlanders outfit who could easily successfully defend their title.The figureheads of Australian Rugby- such as national coach Michael Cheika are making the necessary rallying the troops messages at the moment by arguing that it is not all doom and gloom. It is still impossible to avoid the fact that the fodder provided by the five Australian provinces over the past few months has often been dire.In a season where two of the provincial coaches- Richard Graham and Michael Foley- were replaced during the season and the Australian Rugby Union had to prop up several financially struggling provinces- its hardly startling that Australian teams have sometimes appeared distracted.With the talent spread too thinly across the five Australian provinces, it has led to numerous substandard matches, and late in the season when injuries took its toll, round 16 turned nightmarish when Australian teams were roundly humiliated by New Zealand sides in all four encounters- losing by a collective 140 points.The last round was a little more encouraging, with Rebels backrower Sean McMahon enlivening the match against thee Reds by showing what actually can happen if someone has the courage to takes risks and the Waratahs pack providing some menace against the Blues.dddddddddddd.But this was countered by constant elementary errors in either game and that the Waratahs over the final two rounds badly wasted their opportunity to make the finals through poor finishing and average options.In another disconcerting sign for Australian Rugby, just two years after winning the Super Rugby title, the Waratahs have collapsed to tenth spot.Thankfully we have been able to watch the New Zealand local derbies to revive our faith in rugby, and remind us that when played properly, it can still enlighten and invigorate.Unlike the Australian conference, where the low skill level and predictable coaching methods were often exposed, the New Zealand matches have constantly been of the highest standard because the players are willing to trust their own abilities.Their skill set and level of fitness is exceptional, leading to a succession of high intensity games played at a frenetic rate, often with virtually no interruption. More often than not when under pressure they do not make mistakes. They instead lift.New Zealand coaches also trust their players to allow them to try something different and seize the moment, which has prompted numerous memorable individual performances.With this has come a constant stream of standout games- as good as anything witnessed at the top level in recent times. It doesnt get much better than what the Highlanders and Chiefs offered in Dunedin on Saturday night, which involved endless highlights, in particular the home team winger Waisake Naholos leap of faith that enabled him to score one of the best tries of the season.This followed a mighty performance by the Hurricanes in Christchurch, where through the ingenuity of such vast talents as their All Black five-eighth Beauden Barrett they succeeded in a bonus-point triumph over the Crusaders that saw them unexpectedly finish on top of the ladder.And so four New Zealand teams are in the finals to Australias paltry one.Even though a competition structure, which is stacked in favour of the South African conference, makes it difficult for the Crusaders and Chiefs to continue on as they are respectively off to Johannesburg and Cape Town for their finals match, they should never be under-estimated. Its again about faith. They dont get hung up about hardships.As for the Hurricanes and Highlanders, you really cannot complain if they continue on, as those with initiative who want to entertain deserve just rewards. ' ' '