My biggest game of the year, bar none. Out of the 38 games we play all season, Spurs away is the most important for me. Winning at that stadium just gives me joy that only Old Trafford away kind of rivals. And for us to do it today, the way we did, the first time in that shit new stadium they have, has put me in heaven. We went 8 points clear after a 2-0 demolition of Spurs in their toilet bowl stadium. Just from start to finish, it was an Arteta masterclass. The boys came out guns blazing which has become an Arsenal staple this season with champagne football with high intensity and pressing. In the second half, we were defensively superb with Spurs growing into the game and Arsenal not giving an inch defensively, winning all our duels, putting our bodies in front of shots. Almost would have thought Spurs would have had a better chance if Harry Kane played.
THOUGHTS ON THE MATCH:
- Arsenal players won their matchups all across the pitch: We started our regular starting XI of Ramsdale, Ben White, Saliba, Gabriel, Zinchenko, Thomas, Xhaka, Ø, Saka, Martinelli, and Nketiah and credit to them all, they all won their respective matchups. Gabriel and Saliba had Kane all tied up in their pockets, Saka had Sessegnon on strings all game at RW, to be fair to Ryan, he was trying to get up as much as he could to help the Spurs attack but since we were able to put them through a spin cycle of possession, there was so much space for Saka to operate like this goal right here:
Zinchenko was dragging Kulu all over the pitch, almost seemed he had Kulu as a RB with Zinchenko’s positional flexibility. Thomas and Xhaka pushed aside Højberg and Sarr like they weren’t there. It was just a masterclass by the Arsenal lads all over the pitch.
2. Thomas Partey masterclass: Tears in my eyes man. From start to finish, we went as he went in the middle of the park. Conte mistakenly went with the pair of useless Højberg and 20-year-old Pape Sarr in the midfield and Thomas Partey was having his way with them. Thomas Partey today was like the older brother that gives the younger brothers (Ø, Saka, and Martinelli) the freedom to be aggressive on the attack cause they know Thomas is holding it down in the midfield.
It will go under the radar, but Thomas Partey started the interplay for both goals. Just magnificent. Every second ball, he won. Every pass he needed to be made, he made. My MOTM for sure. Just need to keep him healthy and fit til the end of the season.
3. Best game in an Arsenal shirt for Aaron Ramsdale: Especially when Spurs surged out to a strong start in the 2nd half to get into this game, every time we needed him to step up, he did. H controlled his 18 from the start and with every ball that went in there, he either got his hands to it or made the required saves.
This is absolutely not to take away from the back 4 as well, I thought they were magnificent but in these contests, it was always going to be tight and Ramsdale stood tall for us when we needed him most.
On another note, Ramsdale is turning into an Arsenal legend with how much he winds up the opposing team and fans. Richarlison, that wanker went and got mad at Ramsdale for God knows what and took some unnecessary shoves at Aaron. And then some idiot Spurs fan thought he was tough and assaulted Ramsdale with a ridiculous kick. Just absolute madness from the Spurs fan, but I’d be mad too if I went against Ramsdale, superb from him today.
4. Arsenal press was superb today: At our best, it is like a spin cycle sometimes for the other teams. When we are at our mercurial best, we dominate possession, create a chance or we misplace a pass but then we press our assess off and win the ball again. Just a repeated spin cycle of Arsenal possession we put Spurs under in the first half. It is definitely something Arteta learned under Pep as his best Barcelona and City teams work on the same pressing. It is just a matter of us not getting caught out with the high press like we did against United.
5. Ødegaard and Xhaka played their parts too: Week in and week out, Ødegaard has shown up for the Gunners and makes me eat shit for my negativity towards him at the beginning of the season. Xhaka just slots into the LCM 8 role for us so well. The Ø-Xhaka-Thomas midfield partnership has blossomed into one of the league’s best this season, just need a trophy to cap it off.
6. LET’S ALL LAUGH AT MUDRYK AND CHELSEA TOGETHER.
(we might might might win the league)
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