Arsenal were finally back at home, putting on a pretty damn fine showing against an Everton side that may have underperformed the sparkly headlines so far this season.
Mikel put out quite an odd-looking side. Midfield saw Merino and Dekkers, Myles slipped in as left back, Gyokeres took over the reins at 9, and Benny B retook his role as right back.
Different formula, same outcome… we won. It was convincing, the football was really nice at times, and the finishing was… not that great.
Arsenal are a team that tends to get what they deserve out of games, this was one of those games. A roughly 2 xG, 2 goals kind of afternoon. The team created the sort of control that should really have led to a 4-0 result. No one was bad, quite the opposite, but you do tend to find yourself as an Arsenal fan excusing average attacking performances because you know there aren’t really levels to the group we have at the moment.
I know, that sounds cruel… but I’m loving what I’m seeing from Madueke at the moment. 2 chances created, 3 shots off target, I was in dreamland. He had an xG of 0.16, and xA of 0.06. But I’m going to credit him all the same because I’ve seen worse.
Viktor Gyokeres. Wow. What a game. He dropped deep, he made some nice passes, he managed to get his second assist of the season… noting that last season, being our most minuted player, he only managed three. He created three chances in total. But… what are we doing here, that was his 43rd game without having a shot on target in 65 for Arsenal. He didn’t even manage an attempt, yet here I am, dreaming of Ballon d’Or nominations after a 17-touch game where he managed 77% pass completion off 13, having won zero duels.
Eze? So smooth and cool. One chance created, two blocked shots, but at least he had the most touches in the oppo box. Right, RIGHT?
Top three for xG? Gabriel, Merino, and Konsa.
Chances created? Declan with 4 (mostly setpieces).
Most shots? Martin and Merino with 5 each.
Our front three combined had the same amount of shots as Mikel Merino… a rusty midfielder playing out of his favored role.
Isn’t it all a bit odd? Do you find it weird? This obviously isn’t a point of real contention, we just drew away to Bayern, and we’re joint top of the Premier League. It’s just very strange to watch a football team that is so unbelievably good, with an attacking complement of players who just aren’t really, you know, at the level you expect of a team that wants to win Champions League finals.
Defensively? Woah… rarefied air. We’re looking at the best to have done it.
Ezri Konsa… steaming in at the back post after Big Gabi loops a header over Pickford, the scramble saw Gyokeres tee him up for a Sunday League finish for the ages. Proper goal. Loved it.
Don’t love Pickford. He’s outrageously performative. It’s a weird Harlem Globetrotters aura watching him march around the pitch like people specifically paid to see him play, but it’s actually your dad in the back garden doing trampoline-supported dunks after 6 Carlsbergs. I don’t get the stupid punch. I’m not sure why he pretends he has Tourette’s? I don’t know why he’s time wasting 16 minutes into the game. Then he gets spanked, and it makes the behaviour all the more uncompelling.
You know who is compelling?
Gabriel went down in the first half after jarring his knee.
He signaled to the bench. Mosquera was booting up. The Big Brazilian was talking to his knee, looking at the sky, he was done. Life was over, I just know for sure you were all with me on my knees in the living room screaming ‘IS THERE NO GOD’… then he gets up, shakes it off, comes onto the pitch, and scores the winner. This man is a freak; that was some WrestleMania 1996 Undertaker vs. Hulk Hogan shit from the 90s. What a relief, what a player, what a moment to do that for us!
So where do we stand after that?
Arsenal are in great shape. We can rotate heavily for Fleetwood Mac, Tzolis should be ready for that game which will bring some additional firepower to our attack. There’s still more work to be done with our forwards, not sure how we’re going to resolve any of it, bar hoping some confidence will get the boys going. Everything else is as positive as it can be, we’re back joint top of the league, we don’t have that many fitness issues, and we’re winning a lot of games.
Unai Emery also put in a shift for us for once, his Villa side slapped up Man City and won a huge game 2-1. Maresca has been quite lucky so far this season. Elliot Anderson commented on the heat they’ve been getting at every ground for cheating the Premier League for so long… I do wonder if there will be a tipping point when that stuff really starts to take a toll on players. But, point is, they aren’t invincible, and Villa slapped them the same way smaller teams have been trying to down us. Aggressive, relentless pressing, against teams that are struggling with fatigue.
Nico Jackson… I do like him. Great athlete, loads of potential, a VERY Unai Emery striker. Not shocked United fans are willing Emery to Old Trafford… he’s a manager who mostly does well in chaotic environments. He needs a good Sporting Director, and allies at board level… he almost makes too much sense for them. Which is why United will opt for Eddie Howe.
The only other drama I wanted to touch on was Zubimendi, who took a bloody nose during his 10-minute cameo, but also before, when he was overlooked again, this time for Mikel Merino.
There’s certainly something going on there, I was told he was homesick in April, and there was a chance he’d exit the club. I’m also not sure Arteta has forgiven him for that showing against West Ham. Arsenal can’t afford to have Zubi be the ‘Nørgaard so good in training’ character of 2026. A player of that level is going to exit, and he has a strong market value, with José Mourinho and Xabi Alonso being big fans of what he offers. I just hope if we let him go in January it’s for a disgusting fee, plus a player… Vini Jnr, João Pedro, or Estêvão.
Oh, nice to see Max Dowman land some minutes. He’ll start against Fleetwood, and no doubt he’ll be expected to share the minutes with Noni over the next 2 months. Exciting times. This is his Ashley Cole moment, except no one has forged a passport to get us here. Or have they? They haven’t. They really haven’t.
Ok, that’s me done. Check out JC and Kandela for the On the Whistle. Have a FINE day and know that I love you from afar. x
Podcast## EVERTON (H) | ON THE WHISTLE | FULL ACCESS MEMBERS LIVE SHOW 🔋
EVERTON (H) | ON THE WHISTLE | FULL ACCESS MEMBERS LIVE SHOW 🔋
Johnny is joined by Matt Kandela straight after Arsenal’s 2-0 win over Everton, and a happy Invincibles Day it was. The Hottest Takes go to Esri Konsa’s brilliant start and a Johnny prediction that came right, with Arsenal back on top of the league while Man City drop points.