Posted by Lineup
Granit Xhaka 🚑 ➡️ (82′) ⬅️ Albert Sambi Lokonga
Bukayo Saka ➡️ (87′) ⬅️ Ainsley Maitland-Niles
Emile Smith Rowe ➡️ (88′) ⬅️ Nuno Tavares
Minute by Minute
| Time | Player | Phase | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0:13 | Partey | Defense | 0-0 |
| Odegaard (-1) leaves Partey (+1) a bit short, but he's able to slide in and knock the ball back to Gabriel. | |||
| 1:10 | Saka | Defense | 0-0 |
| Saka (+1) chases back on Ndombele and tackles to Tomiyasu. | |||
| 1:15 | Odegaard | Attack | 0-0 |
| Odegaard (-1) dawdles on the ball and gets it nicked. | |||
| 1:20 | White | Defense | 0-0 |
| White (+1) at full stretch to make the sliding tackle on Son. | |||
| 1:30 | Saka | Attack | 0-0 |
| White passes marginally wide of Saka (-1), but he should do better than the heavy touch he takes to lose possession. | |||
| 1:35 | Saka | Defense | 0-0 |
| Saka (+1) steals the ball back. | |||
| 2:30 | White | Attack | 0-0 |
| White (+1) sprays the ball wide to Tierney. | |||
| 3:10 | Ramsdale | Attack | 0-0 |
| Ramsdale (-1) overhits everyone, sending the ball 100+ yards straight to Lloris. | |||
| 4:10 | Aubameyang | Defense | 0-0 |
| Aubameyang (+1) harries Sanchez, blocking his long ball and forcing him to shield out for a goal kick. | |||
| 4:40 | White | Defense | 0-0 |
| White (+1) wraps his foot around Kane to prevent Lloris's goal kick from crossing midfield. | |||
| 5:10 | White | Defense | 0-0 |
| Spurs go long and White (-1) / Gabriel (-1) both try to win the header. They don't. Tomiyasu (+1) steps up to catch Son offside. | |||
| 5:50 | Xhaka | Attack | 0-0 |
| Xhaka (+2) beats two pressing Tottenham players with a one-touch pass to Smith Rowe (+1). He drives across midfield, then plays a perfectly weighted pass to Tierney (+1), who crosses first time to Aubameyang. His snap shot is saved, and he's a toenail offside so it wouldn't have counted anyways. | |||
| 6:50 | Partey | Attack | 0-0 |
| Tomiyasu (+1) runs at Son then cuts back and plays square to Partey (+1). Good movement, and better back heel to work the ball to Odegaard. | |||
| 7:20 | Tomiyasu | Attack | 0-0 |
| Tomiyasu (-1) has his pass down the line for Saka cut out... | |||
| 7:25 | Tomiyasu | Defense | 0-0 |
| ...but presses and forces a wild clearance for an Arsenal throw. Tomiyasu (+1). | |||
| 7:50 | Smith Rowe | Attack | 0-0 |
| Smith Rowe (+1) twists, turns, and earns a foul from Tanganga. | |||
| 8:05 | Saka | Attack | 0-0 |
| Saka (-1) telegraphs his pass to Odegaard and Tottenham intercept. | |||
| 8:35 | Tomiyasu | Defense | 0-0 |
| Tomiyasu (+1) wins the aerial duel over Son. | |||
| 9:00 | Tomiyasu | Defense | 0-0 |
| Tomiyasu (-1) heads out for a throw in when he could have let run to keep possession. Maybe language barrier? | |||
| 9:30 | Gabriel | Defense | 0-0 |
| Gabriel (+1) comes off Alli to win the header in front of Kane inside the Arsenal box. | |||
| 9:45 | Tomiyasu | Attack | 0-0 |
| Tomiyasu (+1) plays Saka, gets it back, then pings it first time to Odegaard to break the Tottenham press. | |||
| 10:55 | White | Attack | 0-0 |
| White (-1) has his pass over the top to Aubameyang intercepted. | |||
| 11:05 | White | Defense | 0-0 |
| White (+1) wins the header over Kane. | |||
| 11:10 | Smith Rowe | Attack | 0-0 |
| Smith Rowe (+2) scores the goal, but this move is all Saka (+3), who beats Reguilon 1v1 then crosses to the penalty spot. Xhaka (+1) starts the move by getting the ball to Odegaard. 1-0. | |||
| 12:55 | Gabriel | Attack | 1-0 |
| Gabriel (+1) passes to Odegaard (+1) between the lines, who's run halfway across the field to find a pocket of space. | |||
| 13:00 | Tierney | Attack | 1-0 |
| Tierney (+1) beats Tanganga to cross, but overhits it. Saka collects before it rolls out for a throw. | |||
| 14:10 | Xhaka | Attack | 1-0 |
| Xhaka (-1) careless with his pass to Tierney. Intercepted. | |||
| 14:20 | Partey | Defense | 1-0 |
| Moura dribbles infield and Partey (-1) chases him, although not quickly enough. Odegaard (-1) leaves Ndombele to double team, opening up the entire right side of the Arsenal defense. Saka (-1) loses Reguilon. Arsenal just about deal with the cross through a Tierney touch and a Gabriel header, but not enough for +1s. | |||
| 15:15 | Odegaard | Attack | 1-0 |
| Odegaard (+1) putting on a clinic on how to move off the ball. Xhaka finds him eventually, but a beat after he initially wanted it so Arsenal content to just keep possession. | |||
| 15:40 | Gabriel | Attack | 1-0 |
| Gabriel (+2) erases five Sputs defenders with a pass into Aubameyang (+1), who's made a terrific run to get behind Sanchez but overhits his cross. | |||
| 15:50 | Partey | Attack | 1-0 |
| Saka lays off for Partey (+1), who smashes a ball from outside the box that Lloris saves. | |||
| 16:35 | Odegaard | Attack | 1-0 |
| Xhaka (+1) loops the ball into Odegaard (+2), who taps to Aubameyang (-1). He shoots rather than play Odegaard through on goal. Goal kick. | |||
| 17:15 | Gabriel | Attack | 1-0 |
| Gabriel (-1) bungles his clearance straight up in the air, but Tierney (+2) brings it down on the turn and Arsenal are off to the races. | |||
| 18:00 | Xhaka | Defense | 1-0 |
| White plays Xhaka (-2) between three Tottenham midfielders, but his layoff is wide of Partey and Spurs take over. | |||
| 18:35 | Smith Rowe | Defense | 1-0 |
| Tanganga tries to beat Smith Rowe (+1) to the endline for the cross but can only hit out for a goal kick. | |||
| 19:05 | Saka | Attack | 1-0 |
| Ramsdale puts the ball right on Saka (-1), but he can't hold off Reguilon and Arsenal turn it over. | |||
| 19:08 | Odegaard | Defense | 1-0 |
| Odegaard (+1) doesn't do anything other than run hard at Dier. That's all it takes to force him into clearing the ball straight to Tomiyasu. | |||
| 19:25 | Gabriel | Attack | 1-0 |
| Gabriel (-1) overhits Smith Rowe on the left and out of bounds. | |||
| 19:55 | Tierney | Defense | 1-0 |
| Dele Alli tries to beat Tierney (+1) 1v1, but the Arsenal man tackles out for a throw. | |||
| 20:20 | Partey | Defense | 1-0 |
| Partey (+1) cuts the passing lane off into Kane and deflects the ball to Tomiyasu. | |||
| 20:50 | Tierney | Defense | 1-0 |
| Tierney (+1) again locks up Alli, this time inside the Arsenal box. | |||
| 21:05 | Tierney | Defense | 1-0 |
| Tierney (+1) nicks the ball off Alli for the third time in just over a minute, tracking back to steal inside the Arsenal box again. | |||
| 21:10 | Xhaka | Attack | 1-0 |
| Xhaka (+1) beats Højbjerg with a simple dip of the shoulder. | |||
| 21:20 | Saka | Attack | 1-0 |
| Saka (-1) leaves Odegaard short in midfield. | |||
| 21:25 | Ramsdale | Defense | 1-0 |
| Tottenham break quickly through Son. Partey does well to show him to the outside, then Ramsdale (+1) saves at his near post. | |||
| 22:40 | Xhaka | Attack | 1-0 |
| Odegaard's open between the lines, but Xhaka (-1) underhits the pass and Tottenham take over. | |||
| 24:40 | White | Attack | 1-0 |
| White (+2) plays Saka over the top on a ball that's in the air for at least 60 yards. Saka (-1) slips after catching up to the ball inside the Spurs box. | |||
| 26:05 | Xhaka | Defense | 1-0 |
| Xhaka (+1) reads where Moura wants to go, beats him to the spot, then earns a foul. | |||
| 26:40 | Aubameyang | Attack | 1-0 |
| Xhaka (+1) bodies Højbjerg on the edge of the Arsenal box to get Ramsdale (-1) out of trouble. Aubameyang (+5) flicks Smith Rowe (+4) into space and a 4v4. He drives into the box then slots back to Aubameyang, who fires home. 2-0. | |||
| 29:30 | Tomiyasu | Attack | 2-0 |
| Tomiyasu (-1) holds the ball too long near the sideline and loses it. | |||
| 29:50 | White | Defense | 2-0 |
| White (+1) prevents the entry pass from making it to Kane. | |||
| 30:00 | Aubameyang | Defense | 2-0 |
| Ndombele carries into the Arsenal third but Aubameyang (+1) tracks back to get a foot on it, then Partey (+1) tackles off Kane, who fouls Saka to end the Tottenham move. | |||
| 31:15 | Ramsdale | Attack | 2-0 |
| Ramsdale (+1) unafraid to play the ball between the lines, picking out Partey to beat the Tottenham press. | |||
| 31:35 | Smith Rowe | Attack | 2-0 |
| Xhaka (-1) needlessly tries to squeeze the ball into Smith Rowe, who's surrounded by three Tottenham defenders. He predictably loses it. | |||
| 31:45 | White | Defense | 2-0 |
| White (+1) again cuts off the pass into Kane. | |||
| 31:50 | Gabriel | Attack | 2-0 |
| Gabriel (+1) patiently waits for two Spurs defenders to press high, then calmly passes the ball right between them. Xhaka (-1) slams the ball against Højbjerg to end the counter attack. | |||
| 32:30 | Tierney | Attack | 2-0 |
| Tierney (-1) has Smith Rowe running down the left channel, but overhits him and Tottenham shield out for a goal kick. | |||
| 33:15 | Partey | Defense | 2-0 |
| Kane falls over, to the chagrin of the 60,000+ in attendance. Little do they know what's coming... | |||
| 33:20 | Saka | Attack | 2-0 |
| Smith Rowe (+1) finds Saka (+3) across midfield, and he does the rest. 3-0. | |||
| 37:20 | Gabriel | Defense | 3-0 |
| Tanganga's cross cleared by Gabriel (+1). | |||
| 38:00 | Saka | Defense | 3-0 |
| Saka (-1) inexplicably marking Kane on the corner, but loses him nonetheless. Kane heads just wide. | |||
| 38:45 | Aubameyang | Attack | 3-0 |
| Aubameyang (+1) runs a long way to win the aerial duel. Saka keeps the ball in play, then gets cleaned out from behind. | |||
| 39:20 | Saka | Attack | 3-0 |
| White (+1) clips the ball into Saka (+1), who lays off first time to Odegaard (+1) then gets it back from him. | |||
| 39:45 | Xhaka | Attack | 3-0 |
| Odegaard (+1) again finds space between the lines. Xhaka f(+1) finds him. | |||
| 39:55 | Gabriel | Attack | 3-0 |
| Spurs clear, but Gabriel (-1) heads back into the mix when he had time to bring down and keep possession. Doesn't matter because Alli passes it straight to Partey. | |||
| 40:05 | Saka | Attack | 3-0 |
| Saka (+1) finds Aubameyang down the right, but his cross goes over everyone. | |||
| 40:45 | Aubameyang | Attack | 3-0 |
| Aubameyang (-1) slips and knocks the ball out for a Spurs throw in. | |||
| 41:00 | Odegaard | Attack | 3-0 |
| Odegaard (+1) wins the aerial duel through sheer effort. | |||
| 41:10 | Tomiyasu | Attack | 3-0 |
| Tomiyasu (-1) tries to beat Reguilon for pace. Doesn't. | |||
| 43:40 | Odegaard | Attack | 3-0 |
| Odegaard (-1) loses the ball under the Tottenham high press. | |||
| 44:15 | Xhaka | Defense | 3-0 |
| Xhaka (+1) slides in to block Moura's pass into the box. | |||
| 44:30 | Partey | Attack | 3-0 |
| Partey (+2) plays a 50-yard pass to Aubameyang (-1) to put him 1v1 with Dier, but he takes a heavy touch and loses it. | |||
| 44:35 | Tierney | Defense | 3-0 |
| Tierney (+1) tracks back and wins the ball off Moura. | |||
| 45:55 | Partey | Defense | 3-0 |
| Partey (+1) blocks the pass into Son. | |||
| 2nd Half | |||
| Time | Player | Phase | Score |
| 45:05 | Tomiyasu | Attack | 3-0 |
| Arsenal play back to Ramsdale (+1) from the kickoff, who pings long to Tomiyasu (+1). He wins the header, then wins the second ball too to get Saka the ball down the right. | |||
| 46:10 | Odegaard | Defense | 3-0 |
| Odegaard (+1) sneaks in behind Højbjerg to steal for Arsenal. | |||
| 46:25 | Partey | Attack | 3-0 |
| Partey (-1) shoots from 25. Not close. | |||
| 46:50 | Saka | Attack | 3-0 |
| Saka (-1) wriggles free from two Spurs defenders, but loses out to the third. | |||
| 47:00 | Partey | Defense | 3-0 |
| Partey (+1) stops the counter by tackling the ball out of bounds. | |||
| 47:10 | Tomiyasu | Defense | 3-0 |
| Tomiyasu (+1) steps across Ndombele to win the ball off his heavy touch. | |||
| 47:25 | Tierney | Attack | 3-0 |
| Tierney (-1) plays the ball to a surging Xhaka, but after splitting two defenders it dies and Tottenham take over. | |||
| 47:55 | Saka | Defense | 3-0 |
| Saka (+1) in position to intercept the Højbjerg pass. | |||
| 48:05 | Odegaard | Attack | 3-0 |
| A heavy touch from Odegaard (-1) kills the Arsenal counter attack. | |||
| 49:20 | Odegaard | Attack | 3-0 |
| Odegaard (-1) goes long for Saka, but Saka's come short. | |||
| 49:45 | Saka | Attack | 3-0 |
| Saka (-1) loses the ball near the right sideline. | |||
| 50:00 | Tomiyasu | Defense | 3-0 |
| Tomiyasu (+1) tight to Son, and heads the ball away from him and onto Aubameyang. | |||
| 50:02 | Aubameyang | Attack | 3-0 |
| Aubameyang (+1) flicks on Tomiyasu's header, but Odegaard (-1)'s return pass takes too long to develop and is stolen. | |||
| 51:15 | Xhaka | Defense | 3-0 |
| Xhaka (+1) makes two tackles near the sideline. Collectively worth ~+1. | |||
| 51:40 | Tomiyasu | Defense | 3-0 |
| Tomiyasu (+1) intercepts Ndombele's crossfield pass. | |||
| 52:25 | Saka | Attack | 3-0 |
| Saka (+1) takes a Tierney balloon shot out of the air, then finds Smith Rowe inside the box | |||
| 52:40 | Odegaard | Attack | 3-0 |
| Odegaard (+2) crosses inch-perfect to Aubameyang (+1), whose header is cleared off the line. | |||
| 54:00 | Tomiyasu | Defense | 3-0 |
| Tomiyasu (+1) not fooled by Reguilon's dummy, and shields out for an Arsenal throw. Reguilon goes down holding his face despite Tomiyasu putting his hand in his chest. | |||
| 54:20 | Saka | Attack | 3-0 |
| Saka (-1) gets the ball tackled off him by Højbjerg. | |||
| 54:30 | Tomiyasu | Defense | 3-0 |
| Ndombele skins Xhaka (-2), but Tomiyasu (+1) backs him up and blocks the cross. | |||
| 55:20 | Gabriel | Defense | 3-0 |
| Gabriel (+1) bravely wins the cross with his head. | |||
| 55:35 | White | Defense | 3-0 |
| Partey (+1) deflects Højbjerg's pass, but the ball bounces to Kane in the box. White (-3) kicks his foot out and should give up a penalty, but referee and VAR think otherwise. Refs +1. | |||
| 58:20 | Ramsdale | Defense | |
| Tottenham pass the ball around for over a minute before Moura sends in a cross that Ramsdale (+1) claims. | |||
| 58:40 | Tierney | Attack | 3-0 |
| Tierney (-1) doesn't come to the ball, allowing Emerson to beat him to it. | |||
| 60:00 | White | Attack | 3-0 |
| White (-1) goes long to the double-covered Aubameyang. | |||
| 60:15 | Ramsdale | Defense | 3-0 |
| A series of unlucky bounces—and lax defensing from Odegaard (-1)—puts Kane in shooting position. Ramsdale (+2) down quickly to his right to save. Tomiyasu (+1) clears the rebound out for a corner. | |||
| 63:50 | Xhaka | Attack | 3-0 |
| Xhaka (-1) content to smash the ball over his head and up the field, but he doesn't get enough on it and his "clearance" ends up going straight to Emerson. | |||
| 63:55 | Xhaka | Defense | 3-0 |
| Xhaka (+1) races back to steal the ball off Moura on the edge of the Arsenal box, then passes to Ramsdale to clear. | |||
| 64:20 | Tierney | Defense | 3-0 |
| Tierney (+1) wins the aerial duel over Emerson. | |||
| 64:25 | Xhaka | Attack | 3-0 |
| Xhaka (-1) looks to have won a throw for Arsenal by taking the bouncing ball in stride, but the linesman and referee give it to Tottenham. | |||
| 64:55 | Gabriel | Defense | 3-0 |
| Gabriel (+1) tracks Kane into midfield, then blocks his short pass to Moura and forces a heavy touch from Højbjerg. | |||
| 64:58 | White | Attack | 3-0 |
| White (+1) dinks the ball up to Aubameyang, who cushions his header back to Xhaka. | |||
| 65:25 | Xhaka | Attack | 3-0 |
| Son rushes Xhaka (+1), but he drops a shoulder and beats him 1v1 to open space behind him. | |||
| 67:35 | Odegaard | Attack | 3-0 |
| Odegaard (+1) sends his free kick to the back post, where Aubameyang gets a foot to it. But either his cross is too close to Lloris, or he opts to shoot, and the chance is wasted (although not enough for a -1). | |||
| 68:15 | Partey | Attack | 3-0 |
| Partey (+1) sneaks between two Spurs defenders, then lays off to Tomiyasu. | |||
| 68:25 | Odegaard | Attack | 3-0 |
| Odegaard (-1) misses Tomiyasu with a pass infield. | |||
| 69:25 | Gabriel | Attack | 3-0 |
| Tottenham press, but Gabriel (+1) calmly hits a ball the width of the pitch to open up the right. | |||
| 69:35 | Partey | Attack | 3-0 |
| Tomiyasu lays off to Partey (-1), who lets Son get a foot in and forces him to undercook the pass to Saka. | |||
| 69:45 | White | Defense | 3-0 |
| Reguilon gets beyond Tomiyasu, but White (+1) alert to the danger and comes off Kane to intercept and knock out for a throw. | |||
| 71:00 | Aubameyang | Attack | 3-0 |
| Aubameyang (+1) shields off Sanchez to win the throw, then earns a foul. | |||
| 71:40 | Tomiyasu | Attack | 3-0 |
| Tomiyasu (-1) plays the pass wide of Aubameyang. | |||
| 72:15 | Saka | Defense | 3-0 |
| Saka (+1) steals the ball off Gil. | |||
| 72:20 | Ramsdale | Attack | 3-0 |
| Arsenal eviscerate Spurs' press because Ramsdale (+1) is so (SO) calm on the ball. It's probably not even +1 worthy, but fuck it. Odegaard (+1) again with terrific movement to get into space then layoff to Partey, and Arsenal are out. | |||
| 72:55 | Saka | Attack | 3-0 |
| Saka (+1) receives the ball on the right, cuts inside, and shoots low to Lloris' right. Saved. | |||
| 73:40 | Aubameyang | Attack | 3-0 |
| Odegaard sends in the corner. Gabriel heads straight into the air. Aubameyang (-1) whiffs the ball on the backside. | |||
| 73:45 | Odegaard | Defense | 3-0 |
| Moura takes a heavy touch, but Arsenal take over because Odegaard (+1) has worked hard to track back. | |||
| 76:20 | Tierney | Defense | 3-0 |
| Tierney (-1) comes to win the header and loses the duel to Moura. Gabriel (+1) again alert to back up. | |||
| 76:48 | Partey | Defense | 3-0 |
| Partey (+1) well positioned to block off the pass to Gil. | |||
| 77:30 | Tierney | Defense | 3-0 |
| Emerson tries to go past Tierney (+1), but the Arsenal defender makes the sliding tackle to knock out for a throw. | |||
| 77:50 | Aubameyang | Defense | 3-0 |
| Aubameyang (-1) working hard but not smart, easily beaten by Moura. Lokonga (-1) fouls him, taking Xhaka out in the process. Saka (-2) gets drawn in after Tomiyasu deflects the pass, leaving Reguilon to cross. Partey (-1) can't catch Son, who powers past Ramsdale. 3-1. | |||
| 81:25 | Ramsdale | Attack | 3-1 |
| It shows how much Arsenal value Ramsdale (+1)'s technical ability, that they play it to him right from the kickoff. He hits the diagonal to Tomiyasu (+1), who flicks the header onto Saka. | |||
| 84:40 | White | Defense | 3-1 |
| White (+1) steps in front of Kane. Again. | |||
| 84:50 | Tomiyasu | Defense | 3-1 |
| Tomiyasu (+1) blocks off Gil's pass, shields him for a beat, then clears. | |||
| 85:55 | Smith Rowe | Defense | 3-1 |
| Emerson tries the give and go with Højbjerg, but Smith Rowe (+1) alertly intercepts, then earns the foul. | |||
| 88:10 | Lokonga | Attack | 3-1 |
| Lokonga (+1) plays the free kick inch perfect to the sprinting Tavares, but his volleyed cross ends up too close to Lloris. | |||
| 88:25 | Lokonga | Defense | 3-1 |
| Moura olés Lokonga (-1) in midfield, but Son can't catch up to the through ball before Gabriel. | |||
| 89:10 | Tavares | Attack | 3-1 |
| Tavares (+1) drops a shoulder then lets the ball run across, beating Emerson and earning the foul. | |||
| 90:10 | Partey | Defense | 3-1 |
| Partey (+1) steps in front of Son to win the ball high up the pitch. | |||
| 90:12 | Maitland-Niles | Attack | 3-1 |
| Arsenal trying to play around Tottenham, but Maitland-Niles (-1) pass to Odegaard intercepted. | |||
| 90:20 | Lokonga | Defense | 3-1 |
| Gil beats Lokonga (-1) for pace, so he drags him down and gets a yellow card. | |||
| 90:55 | Ramsdale | Defense | 3-1 |
| Moura beats Partey (-1) 1v1 in midfield, then goes for the chip. Ramsdale (+3) nearly beaten, but jumps out of the stadium to push the ball onto the crossbar. | |||
| 92:15 | Maitland-Niles | Attack | 3-1 |
| Maitland-Niles (-1) tries to combine with Aubameyang and Odegaard. Successful with the first, not with the second. | |||
| 93:00 | Aubameyang | Defense | 3-1 |
| Aubameyang (+1) blocks the free kick by just standing in front of it. | |||
| 93:10 | Tavares | Defense | 3-1 |
| Tavares (+1) outleaps Dier to win the aerial duel. | |||
| 94:20 | Gabriel | Defense | 3-1 |
| Gabriel (+1) wins the Lloris punt by bodying Kane. | |||
| 94:25 | Partey | Attack | 3-1 |
| Gabriel (+1) backheels the ball to Partey (-1), who's not ready for it and turns it over. | |||
Analysis
This is an Arsenal website but it’s hard not to analyze this game without talking about how terrible Spurs were. Harry Kane touched the ball 25 times in 90 minutes, one more then Deli Alli did in 45.
They had no midfield to speak of, both offensively…
…and defensively:
And their effort bordered on abject. Watch Ndombele and Højbjerg on the change of possession leading up to Arsenal’s first goal:
Contrast that with Arsenal, who looked well drilled in every facet of the game. Against their biggest rival, the Gunners combined a disciplined defensive performance with a creative attacking one, maybe for the first time ever under Arteta. They totaled +67 overall on the chart below, finally emerging from a negative season score for the first time.
And there was this:
Arsenal are a long way from where they want to be. But maybe—just maybe—we’ll look back on 2021’s North London Derby as the day everything turned around.
Chart
| Att | Att | Att | Def | Def | Def | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Goalkeeper | + | - | +/- | Goalkeeper | + | - | +/- | Total | Minutes |
| Aaron Ramsdale | 4 | 2 | 2 | Aaron Ramsdale | 7 | 0 | 7 | 9 | 90 |
| Defenders | + | - | +/- | Defenders | + | - | +/- | Total | Minutes |
| Kieran Tierney | 4 | 3 | 1 | Kieran Tierney | 6 | 1 | 5 | 6 | 90 |
| Gabriel | 6 | 3 | 3 | Gabriel | 6 | 1 | 5 | 8 | 90 |
| Ben White | 4 | 2 | 2 | Ben White | 7 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 90 |
| Takehiro Tomiyasu | 3 | 4 | -1 | Takehiro Tomiyasu | 10 | 1 | 9 | 8 | 90 |
| Nuno Tavares | 1 | 0 | 1 | Nuno Tavares | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 |
| Midfielders | + | - | +/- | Midfielders | + | - | +/- | Total | Minutes |
| Granit Xhaka | 7 | 8 | -1 | Granit Xhaka | 4 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 82 |
| Thomas Partey | 6 | 3 | 3 | Thomas Partey | 7 | 3 | 4 | 7 | 90 |
| Albert Sambi Lokonga | 1 | 0 | 1 | Albert Sambi Lokonga | 0 | 3 | -3 | -2 | 8 |
| Ainsley Maitland-Niles | 0 | 2 | -2 | Ainsley Maitland-Niles | 0 | 0 | 0 | -2 | 3 |
| Attackers | + | - | +/- | Attackers | + | - | +/- | Total | Minutes |
| Emile Smith Rowe | 9 | 0 | 9 | Emile Smith Rowe | 2 | 0 | 2 | 11 | 88 |
| Bukayo Saka | 10 | 8 | 2 | Bukayo Saka | 4 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 87 |
| Martin Odegaard | 10 | 7 | 3 | Martin Odegaard | 3 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 90 |
| Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang | 10 | 4 | 6 | Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang | 3 | 1 | 2 | 8 | 90 |
| Total | 75 | 46 | 29 | Total | 60 | 22 | 38 | 67 | 990 |
As always, the season chart can be found here.
Player Ratings
Emile Smith Rowe
[+9 Att | +2 Def | +11 Ovr | 88 Mins]
This game’s Man of the Match, Smith Rowe didn’t put a foot wrong on Sunday. Literally. He contributed seven separate actions, all of them positive, and ended the day with the highest total output of any Arsenal player (+11).
Even though he scored himself, his most impressive sequence came on his assist:
He makes this move from start to finish, checking into space to get Arsenal out from behind Spurs’ press, bursting past Ndombele and Sanchez on a 50+ yard run, and slotting back to Aubameyang on an inch-perfect pass that allows him to bury it.
He’s not someone Arsenal supporters have associated with blistering pace, but we may have to re-assess. This is the second or third time this season that he’s blown past Premier League defenders.
His goal was quite a bit more straight forward, and required little of the pace above. But it’s Tottenham so let’s watch again:
On the other side of the ball, no one’s going to mistake him for Ngolo Kanté, but I was impressed by both his workrate and ability to stick to opposing attackers. Here he stays right with Tanganga and forces a poor cross out of bounds:
There was a lot to like for Arsenal in this one. Smith Rowe was at the top of the list.
Ben White
[+2 Att | +3 Def | +5 Ovr | 90 Mins]
White has taken a hiding from this website in his opening three appearances, but with one exception I thought he was excellent in this one. From the first minute:
He absolutely dominated £150 million Harry Kane…
…and was everything Arsenal hoped he would be in possession:
The elephant in the room is the foul that wasn’t:
That’s a penalty for me. White can count himself lucky that the referee didn’t give it, and that VAR didn’t overturn on review.
Still, Sunday was significantly his best performance in an Arsenal shirt, and one he’ll hopefully build on moving forward.
Martin Ødegaard
[+3 Att | +1 Def | +4 Ovr | 90 Mins]
The limitation in this system of charting games is that it doesn’t capture off the ball moments well enough. If it did, Ødegaard would have been +20. His movement shapes everything Arsenal do in attack, from the build up to the attacking third.
Here’s an example:
He starts nearly on the right touchline before running 30+ yards horizontally to receive the ball left of center. He moves into space to receive from Gabriel before Gabriel even has the ball.
Here’s another one:
This time, he makes on overlapping run to receive the ball off Saka (prior to the GIF starting), then plays it back centrally and runs all the way across the field to receive on the left.
The game looks easy when there are passing options between the lines. Ødegaard was the option over and over again against Tottenham.
And then there’s his ability on the ball, which is why Arsenal made him their priority signing over the summer:
This was his fourth game since signing for Arsenal permanently. I can’t think of a better summer signing in the Premier League—for the money—so far.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang
[+6 Att | +2 Def | +8 Ovr | 90 Mins]
Aubameyang’s another that’s caught the ire of this website over the past 14 months.
I was never a fan of giving him the fat post-30 contract and turning him into another Mesut Özil. There was nothing Özil about his game in this one:
That’s the fifth minute of the game, mind you. He was clearly up for it.
He’s also still Aubameyang in the box:
That’s a left-footed finish on a ball that skips up at the last second, and he buries it. Not to mention the flick-on to Smith Rowe to start the move off.
This version of Aubameyang could get minutes for every team in the league bar maybe Chelsea. Hopefully we see more of it.
Looking Ahead – Matchday 7: Brighton
After losing their opening three games of the season, Arsenal have won three in a row to give themselves the momentum they’ve been searching for for 14 months. It’s no coincidence they’ve done so after changing half the team. Ramsdale, Tomiyasu, Gabriel, Partey, and Ødegaard haven’t lost in 2021-22.
Tottenham was the big one. It remains to be seen if the Gunners will have the same motivation for perennial relegation candidate Brighton.
They should…
If Arsenal are serious about getting into Europe next season, this has to be a win. Brighton could be missing as many as five outfield players, including engine-man Yves Bissouma. Arsenal have everyone available apart from Granit Xhaka.
Arsenal have made a habit out of losing these games, dating back even to the end of the Wenger era.
Forgive me for drinking the Kool-aid this year, but I think they get it over the line.
Prediction: Brighton 0 – 2 Arsenal