Wake up, Gooners! The morning coffee tastes sweeter today, doesn't it?
If you were at the Emirates yesterday—or even watching from home like me—you felt it. There is winning a football match, and then there is dominating one of your biggest rivals to go six points clear at the top of the league. Yesterday was a STATEMENT. Arsenal 4, Tottenham 1.
With Man City and Liverpool's results from the other day, all eyes were on us to see to if we can capitalize on that.
Let's get straight into my thoughts on a perfect Sunday.
The Atmosphere & That Tifo
Before a ball was even kicked, we had already won the psychological battle. The Ashburton Army outdid themselves again.
As the players walked out, the North Bank was covered by that colossal tifo: "The Arsenal, These Streets Are Our Own." Seeing the faces of legends like Tony Adams, Thierry Henry, and—most brutally for the Spurs fans—Sol Campbell right front and center alongside Saka and Gabriel? It was magnificent. You could see the Spurs players shrinking before the whistle even blew. The Emirates was a cauldron of noise.
The Eberechi Eze Show
When Ornstein announced that we are going to get Eze, I was excited because I felt that he can bring in something that we were missing. The DIRECTNESS. What a signing he has been so far. To think Spurs thought they had him in the summer, only for him to choose The Arsenal... and then score a hattrick against them? You couldn't script it better.
Goal #1: The timing was perfect, right before half-time. A moment of magic to settle the nerves going into the break.
Goal #2: 35 seconds into the second half! He didn't even let them settle. A beautiful strike with his left foot.
Goal #3: That curled finish for the hattrick was pure class. He has that "pause" in his game that only the best players have.
He is the X-factor we needed.
Trossard & Merino: The Unsung Heroes
While Eze will grab the headlines, we need to appreciate the contributions of Trossard and Merino.
I know many were worried about Merion playing that false-9 striker role in place of Gyokeres, but he was immense. He wasn't just a target man; he was a facilitator. That "delightful" ball he played through for Trossard’s opener was pass-of-the-season material. He battled for every ball, held play up, and allowed the wingers to fly.
Trossard must be one of the best finishers in the league. As soon as Merino played him through, you knew it was a goal. He loves a big game, and his finish to open the scoring (a deflection though but who cares 😄) broke the deadlock when Spurs were just trying to park the bus.
Even for the fourth goal, Merino and Trossard's contribution is critical. They both combined well before Trossard's pass to Eze to complete his hat-trick.
Declan Rice: Our Engine
As usual, Rice was our Engine and the heartbeat. He controlled the tempo and completely shut down any hope Spurs had of playing through the middle. He also added an assist to his tally by intercepting the ball for Eze’s second goal! It was a dominant display—he made sure their midfield (which cost a fortune, by the way) looked non-existent.
What's Next?
We enjoy this for today, but the big games keep coming.
We are back at the carpet on Wednesday to face Bayern. It’s a battle for the top spot in the group and also a battle between teams at the top in their respective leagues. If we bring this same intensity, I don't see why we can't beat them too.
For now, enjoy the bragging rights, Gooners. North London is, and always will be, Red.
COYG!
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