Arsene Wenger accepted Arsenal were lacking a cutting edge against Everton, but believes the 2-2 draw was a point gained at The Emirates.
Leon Osman headed the visitors into a deserved lead after 12 minutes in the snow on Saturday.
However, the midfielder then deflected Denilson's shot past Tim Howard as the Gunners - looking to keep the pressure on leaders Chelsea - levelled before the break. Steven Pienaar's breakaway goal, finished with an audacious chip, looked to have won it, only for substitute Tomas Rosicky to grab a leveller in the second minute of stoppage time.
Arsenal are now three points behind Chelsea, having both played the same number of matches after the recent postponements. Wenger accepted his side - still without injured captain Cesc Fabregas - had been below par.
"We played against a very good Everton team who for most of the game was more dangerous and sharper than us," he said. "At the end of the day we dropped two points, but looking at the game we gained one point because we were closer to losing the game than to winning it.
"We got the point because we had the spirit and the desire, but we didn't find our game today.
"We had problems technically and because Everton stopped us from playing and in midfield they were dominant."
Wenger accepted Rosicky's late strike, which deflected in off Lucas Neill, could yet prove crucial come the end of the season. He said: "It is an important goal because it shows the spirit of the team right until the last minute.
"With three minutes to go Everton had three or four corners and we didn't get out of the box. At that time I would have signed for a point.
"But we kept going and in the end we got that point which rewards the efforts we produced.
"We didn't produce the quality we are used to in our team play, we were a little bit flat, but the spirit was there."
Arsenal lost midfielder Denilson, who had only just returned from a back injury, during the closing stages. Wenger said: "It is a little bit mysterious at the moment. "It could be an intercostal (muscle) problem.
"I've just seen him in the dressing room and he can walk quite normally.
"We have to see if it is a broken rib, if it is a deeper problem with his lungs."
Everton - trashed 6-1 at home by the Gunners on the opening day of the season - could consider themselves somewhat unfortunate not to have left with all three points. United States international Landon Donovan impressed on his debut following a loan move from Los Angeles Galaxy, delivering the corner which led to the opening goal.
Toffees boss David Moyes, whose side are now unbeaten in six league games, said: "There are one or two shouting at each other in the dressing room as we have to be more ruthless.
"Against Arsenal you have to take the chances. "But the performance was terrific. "We have played well in the last few weeks, but it's the point about being ruthless.
"We should have won at Sunderland and we're not quite finishing as well as we should be. "We had a chance at 2-1 and then can you see the game out against a good Arsenal team?"
Moyes was full of praise for Pienaar's finish, the South African chipping Manuel Almunia as he raced clear on goal. The Everton boss said: "If it was (Thierry) Henry or (Dennis) Bergkamp, you boys would be writing about it for days.
"It was a terrific finish, and fitting for the place he tried it, because so many Arsenal players in the past would have done that."
