Arsenal vs. Everton: Lessons Learned from Asia Trophy

Arsenal destroyed Everton 3-1 on Saturday to win the Barclays Asia Trophy in Singapore.

Theo Walcott tucked the Gunners ahead with a well-taken strike on the run early on. Santi Cazorla doubled their advantage on the hour mark after squeezing a finish into the bottom corner from 18 yards.

Mesut Ozil immediately secured the result with a third, and Ross Barkley netted a consolatory strike worth watching again and again, spoiling debutant Petr Cech's clean-sheet hopes.

"We have a good squad, not a massive one, but what's important is that we have good cohesion," Arsene Wenger told the Premier League following the match. After rotating his squad healthily to avoid burnout, his sharper, fitter players took the tiring Toffees apart at the seams in a rampant showing.

Here B/R takes a look at some of the lessons learned—and reinforced!

Santi Rules

Joseph Nair/Associated Press

Santi Cazorla hit a rich vein of form toward the end of the 2014-15 season, and it appears to have rolled into this summer's pre-season work too. The Spaniard dazzled on Saturday, controlling the game with ease and ripping Everton to shreds over and over again.

It was his delightful pass that served up the opener for Theo Walcott. He scored the second after turning James McCarthy inside out, and it was his delicate work on the ball that freed up Mesut Ozil for the third. 

An unerringly dominant, 10-out-of-10 showing.

Ross Barkley's Game Summed Up in 45 Minutes

Joseph Nair/Associated Press

Ross Barkley entered the fray at half-time, looking to inject some drive and forward motion to Everton's midfield. Arouna Kone was failing to make it stick up front, so perhaps the Englishman could make a difference.

While the scoresheet suggests he did, his 45-minute showing was the perfect encapsulation of the young Everton man's game and why he engenders such frustration. His thunderous strike, nestling right in the top corner with Petr Cech helpless, was accompanied by plenty of head-down dribbles and failures to pick out passes.

Roberto Martinez will need to continue to work hard with Barkley for him to fulfil his potential.

Theo Walcott Continues to Stake His Claim

Rui Vieira/Associated Press

Theo Walcott's opening goal consisted of a brilliant run between the centre-backs and a smooth, first-time finish past the onrushing goalkeeper. Some would say it was a typical No. 9's goal.

The player's intentions and wants are clear: He wants to play as Arsenal's centre-forward, and after destroying West Bromwich Albion on the final day of last season, causing Aston Villa fits in the FA Cup final and converting such a natural chance here, his pile of bargaining chips is starting to teeter under its own weight.

Will Arsene Wenger take the plunge and place his trust in him? Football writer Chris Moar remarked on Twitter that should it happen, Walcott would be in line for his best season in Arsenal red yet.

Joel's No Challenge to Tim Howard

Jon Super/Associated Press

Tim Howard had a rough 2014-15; he was among the worst goalkeepers in the Premier League, if not the worst on show.

In an ideal situation, Roberto Martinez would be able to put him under pressure by playing his No. 2, but when given the chance, said No. 2, Joel Robles, never impresses. A number of shaky moments in this loss paint the picture of his Toffees career to date; he's never looked capable of assuming the starting mantle.

If Howard is to find his old level, he's going to need to do all the motivating himself.

Not Olivier Giroud's Day

Rui Vieira/Associated Press

In simple terms, Arsenal ripped Everton to shreds on Saturday off the back of some incredible midfield play. It was one of the most one-sided matches in recent memory, and the Gunners scored the goals to consolidate their superiority.

But for one player, it didn't go so well. Olivier Giroud had a day to forget in front of goal; despite great service from the flanks and the centre, he failed to get his name on the scoresheet and missed a few chances he'd have been expected to bury.

He looked weighty and tired and in stark contrast to the sharp, speedy Theo Walcott, who is gunning for his spot in the team.

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