No Rice, no Ødegaard, no downside: Arsenal prime Spurs in derby

LONDON — Arsenal overcame the absence of key midfielders Declan Rice and Martin Ødegaard to win the North London derby at Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday and transfer into second within the Premier League forward of subsequent week’s conflict with leaders Manchester City.

Gabriel’s Sixty fourth-minute header was sufficient to seal a 1-0 win in opposition to Ange Postecoglou’s crew, who are actually languishing in thirteenth place after successful simply as soon as in 4 video games to this point this season.

The Gunners had gone into the sport with out the suspended Rice and injured Ødegaard on the coronary heart of their midfield, boosting Tottenham’s hopes of a primary house win in opposition to Arsenal since 2022.

However Jorginho and Thomas Partey stepped into the void and proved Arsenal have the squad to compete for the title as they produced a gritty and resolute efficiency to assert victory in opposition to their native rivals.

Whereas Arsenal hammered out their title credentials, the image appears much less promising for Spurs, nonetheless.

Postecoglou’s crew has now misplaced seven of their previous 11 Premier League video games, successful simply three — a dismal sequence that may place the previous Celtic supervisor below stress except he is ready to oversee a fast turnaround in outcomes. — Mark Ogden

Arsenal’s set-piece specialism shines once more

The primary individual Mikel Arteta celebrated Gabriel’s’ Sixty fourth-minute purpose with was set-piece coach Nicolas Jover — and for good purpose.

Jover has revolutionised Arsenal’s set-piece document since becoming a member of the membership from Manchester Metropolis in 2021; the Gunners scored 22 targets final season from dead-ball conditions, greater than another crew. Standing on the nook of the technical space for each set-piece, Jover micromanages Arsenal’s dealing with of offensive and defensive corners and free-kicks to nice impact.

They had been with out common corner-taker Rice and in addition Ødegaard, however Bukayo Saka‘s supply was pinpoint for Gabriel to capitalise on poor Spurs marking.

Distinction that detailed strategy with Postecoglou’s cynicism in direction of appointing a set-piece specialist, explaining again in April that he “all the time suppose[s] it is higher if that is someone who’s part of the teaching employees as a result of then that is an extension of how we play our soccer.”

Nevertheless, maybe the difficulty by extension there’s if the soccer is not fairly firing — as Tottenham’s is not proper now — then set-pieces aren’t fairly the devolved game-changer they could possibly be, as proved the case right here.

Maybe the Spurs coach’s perspective will change when he appears on the naked numbers; for the reason that begin of final season, Tottenham have conceded 18 targets from set-pieces (not together with penalties). Solely Nottingham Forest (23) have conceded extra. — James Olley

Spurs fail to reap the benefits of Arsenal’s midfield woe

The absence of Ødegaard, Rice and summer time signing Mikel Merino — which might probably have been Arsenal’s beginning midfield on one other day — created an apparent alternative for Tottenham to use.

Spurs had been lacking Yves Bissouma however, fairly than begin Pape Matar Sarr, Postecoglou opted for an open midfield three with Rodrigo Bentancur anchoring whereas winger Dejan Kulusevski and James Maddison operated as two No. 8s.

Tottenham had 64% of the possession and extra photographs (15-7) however solely managed a fractionally increased anticipated targets determine of 0.77 to 0.73.

Though there have been occasions when Partey and Jorginho had been unable to stem the circulate of Tottenham assaults — significantly early within the first half — Spurs steadily ran out of concepts and had been unable to maneuver the ball shortly sufficient to dislodge the Gunners from their disciplined form.

Postecoglou responded to Arsenal’s purpose by introducing Sarr and winger Wilson Odobert for Bentancur and the ineffective Brennan Johnson, however by then it felt as if the chance had been missed, as a result of the guests might consider shutting down area and defending their lead fairly than chase a second purpose. — Olley

Solanke wants time to grow to be Tottenham’s purpose menace

Dominic Solanke was all work and no reward in opposition to Arsenal. The £55 million summer time signing from Bournemouth missed two of the primary three video games of the season with an ankle damage and remains to be taking part in catch-up when it comes to health and match sharpness, however Spurs followers might want to settle for a unique form of centre-forward with Solanke than what they grew accustomed to with Harry Kane.

Kane was a completely dependable goal-scorer, however he was additionally a participant who would usually drop deep to begin assaults with lengthy balls out large earlier than racing into the penalty space to assist end the transfer.

Solanke is a extra conventional No. 9 and he was efficient in opposition to Arsenal when it comes to offering his teammates with a goal man. He additionally gave Arsenal defenders Gabriel and William Saliba bodily check all through the sport, however his lack of tempo implies that Spurs might want to alter to his attributes and work out the best way to get the very best from the previous Chelsea and Liverpool ahead.

Towards Arsenal, he created a few good probabilities and nearly scored with a first-half header, however he wants to spice up his health and his motion if he’s to be the answer to Tottenham’s goalscoring issues. — Ogden

Timber displaying he was definitely worth the wait

Jurriën Timber was signed for £34m as the ultimate piece of the defensive jigsaw when he arrived at Arsenal from Ajax within the 2023 summer time switch window, however a cruciate ligament damage suffered on his Premier League debut compelled him to overlook the rest of the season.

However the Netherlands worldwide is now again to full health and he confirmed in opposition to Tottenham simply what Arteta’s aspect missed final season because the Gunners narrowly did not beat Manchester Metropolis to the title.

Arteta had signed Timber to play on the left of Arsenal’s defence and his absence was by no means satisfactorily resolved, with Jakub Kiwior and Oleksandr Zinchenko each proving strong if unspectacular replacements.

Timber made an enormous distinction in opposition to Spurs together with his power and tenacity down the left flank. He additionally displayed an actual powerful streak that may solely serve Arsenal nicely within the video games in opposition to title rivals comparable to Metropolis and Liverpool.

Timber was booked within the first half following a conflict with goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario after a agency, however truthful, problem on Spurs defender Pedro Porro. The yellow card meant he was strolling a tightrope for the remainder of the sport, however it did not have an effect on his efficiency and he continued to offer Arsenal rock-solid reliability at left-back. — Ogden

Arsenal begin a giant week in the very best approach

Three away video games in eight days beginning with visiting their fiercest rivals and ending with a recreation on the Premier League champions affords a looking out early check of Arsenal’s credentials. This was a really perfect strategy to begin.

Bereft of influential midfielder Rice and captain Ødegaard, Arsenal lined up with Partey and Jorginho in central midfield and Leandro Trossard working as a No. 10. They had been not often at their most fluid, however Arsenal dug in and secured a outcome which is able to gasoline their self-belief for the challenges forward.

The Gunners had been lucky with accidents final season. Saliba was considered one of solely two outfield gamers to play each minute of their Premier League marketing campaign whereas Ødegaard and Saka had been regulars and Rice was tireless together with Ben White and Gabriel.

Arteta was proper to assert “a number of work” went into that degree of availability however, however, modern-day calls for on gamers all the time make a repeat unlikely. Subsequently, overcoming the absence of a number of absentees — new signings Riccardo Calafiori and Merino had been additionally among the many lacking — can be a helpful increase forward of two big video games at Atalanta and Manchester Metropolis

Rice will return from suspension. The prognosis on the remaining is unclear however any prolonged absences mustn’t immediate the concern which will have earlier than Sunday’s outcome. — Olley

North London derby breaks a disciplinary document

Referee Jarred Gillett set a brand new document throughout the first half of this recreation by issuing seven yellow playing cards — probably the most ever handed out within the opening 45 minutes of a Premier League recreation.

At one stage, it appeared as if each foul or infringement was deemed to be worthy of a warning, however Gillett slowed down within the second half by solely issuing one yellow card after the interval.

However lower than 24 hours after 14 yellow cards were awarded during Chelsea’s 1-0 win at Bournemouth, the sight of so many bookings within the early levels of the North London derby hinted at officers being urged to clamp down on each space of rule-breaking this weekend.

Over the course of the primary and second rounds of matches this season there have been 38 yellow playing cards issued in every weekend, however that quantity jumped to 57 on the weekend earlier than the worldwide break. But earlier than a ball had even been kicked in Sunday’s two video games there had already been 58 yellow playing cards within the weekend’s eight earlier matches.

VAR controversies have been noticeably few and much between to this point this season, however yellow playing cards are undoubtedly on the rise. — Ogden

Arsenal get proper outcome, however within the mistaken colors

For the primary time in residing reminiscence, Arsenal performed Tottenham in a unique color than their conventional purple, and it simply did not look proper.

The Premier League introduced within the build-up to the sport that Arsenal would not be allowed to wear their home colours — purple with white sleeves — as a result of there was an excessive amount of white within the shirt, and subsequently would probably conflict with Tottenham’s predominantly white shirts. As a consequence, Spurs should put on their gentle blue away equipment after they play on the Emirates in January.

The choice left each golf equipment and their supporters bemused, however it meant that Arsenal performed their conventional rivals in an unfamiliar all-black uniform — or black with a giant rip in it in case you are Trossard, who needed to change his jersey late on after the entrance of his authentic one had a sq. torn within the entrance.

The North London derby is among the Premier League’s greatest video games, one which has a worldwide attraction, so it ought to really seem like the North London derby.

Think about Everton-Liverpool and Manchester United-Manchester Metropolis being performed with groups in change colors? It would not occur, so perhaps the Premier League ought to go along with custom fairly than a minor equipment conflict subsequent time. — Ogden