Photo from Freepik
Morning all.
Before switching to Kev’s match review, no sooner had I asked Alexa to play Radio 1 this morning, “Up The Gunners” boomed back at me. Greg James, an Arsenal fan himself, was talking to today’s quiz contestant, also an Arsenal fan.
Another Arsenal fan, Eberechi Eze, stole the show yesterday with his hat-trick but this was a great team performance from start to finish. A blip for their goal admittedly but not even that should dampen our mood.
The surprising defeat of Manchester City at St James’ Park allied to another capitulation by the champions at Anfield left the title race open for the Gunners to really hammer home the advantage that they hold over their rivals. The opportunity wasn’t lost on Mikel Arteta as he weighed up his options, with some of his most important players becoming available to him again.
The International break had been fairly painless to Arsenal for a change, with the notable exception being the loss of our defensive leader, the King of Brazil, who is now in exile for ‘weeks’ according to Arteta. Fortunately, Mikel had some pretty tasty alternatives in his squad who could step up to the plate and fill the void left by the man who gives his opponents ‘hell’.
With that in mind Arteta surprised me by picking Piero Hincapie rather than Mosquera as Big Gabby’s replacement, at least that’s how it appeared to me. However, the man from Ecuador didn’t put a foot wrong to such an extent that I forgot that Big Gabby wasn’t even playing. Alongside him Big Bill became the defensive leader and he was absolutely peerless.
On the bench we had the welcome return of Gabby Martinelli and Noni Madueke, but that was that. No Odegaard, no Gyokeres, not yet anyway, but the line-up was still strong with the likes of Eze, Saka, Trossard and Merino posing the main goal threat to the enemy and they didn’t disappoint.
Trossard seems to be leaning into his inner Mo Salah and having the best season arguably of his career, how can Arteta leave him out of the team even when everyone is fit? Mikel Merino intelligently drifted across the attack and into the ‘hole’ leaving Tottenham’s three centre backs nobody to mark, his link-up play was invaluable.
Tottenham came to N.5 with the best away record in the Premier League, organised and resolute and despite almost piercing that defence in the opening minutes when Declan Rice was put in on goal by Eze, the Arsenal had to be patient for most of the first period.
Incessant Arsenal pressure had Tottenham pinned in their own half but only had a Saka free kick going wide in the opening 30 minutes to show for their domination. On 33 minutes Bakayo got another one on target this time but Vicario saved, then on 36 minutes Arsenal kicked in the door.
Timber, who has this ability to suddenly stop when on the ball leaving his opponents static and wondering what he’s going to do next just did that and drew four Tottenham players to the ball. He then slipped a pass to Merino who lifted a pass over the Spurs defence where Trossard had smartly timed his run. Leo pivoted, spun and poked the ball home with the Tottenham defence in tatters.
From then on it was chaos for the Spuds as wave after wave of red shirts descended on their goal. Timber again went on a strong run on 41 minutes, fed Declan Rice who slid his pass to Eberichie Eze, Ebbs just glides and he slipped past two bemused Spurs defenders before beating two others and blasting the ball into the net. Tottenham somehow held on for H/T.
Arsenal had pretty much dominated the first half so I expected a response. Thomas Frank sent on Simons, went to a back four and Tottenham then conceded a 3rd goal. Timber again played in Eze who again showed exquisite control to thrash home his 2nd goal, could he get a hat-trick?
Martin Zubimendi, who had had an excellent game up till then, got caught in possession on 55 and with Raya off his line the angriest man in football lobbed him and what was a cakewalk suddenly became a contest. During the next 15 or so minutes Tottenham began to play and the crowd became slightly less happy and more anxious. Arsenal though, showed maturity at this point, we’d been here before. On 72 minutes, Saka found space in the Tottenham box and spun to shoot on target but Vicario saved, 2 minutes later, Timber went close from another Rice corner then on 76 minutes Merino and Trossard set up Eze and boom, he became only the third Arsenal player to score a hat-trick in a NLD after the legendary Ted Drake and Alan Sunderland. Eze almost made it four goals two minutes later!
Tottenham were now completely beaten and Arteta finally made a few changes, probably a little later than he should have done given what’s in store but this was the NLD. On came Madueke (Trossard) on 78 to loud cheers, on 88 Mosquera and Nwaneri came on (Hincapie & Merino) and finally we saw Myles in added time (Calafiori).
Arsenal played out the remaining minutes untroubled even when their was some pushing and shoving, my only regret is that Arsenal didn’t equal their 5-1 record home score against the Spuds but I can live with that. Four goals from open play, thrashing the team with the best away record in the Premier League – are you watching up there in Manchester?
We march on….
By Kev.