Arsenal beat Tottenham 1-0 at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in a crucial North London Derby in the Premier League. This is a vital win for the Gunners, especially after the draw with Brighton. Without further ado, let’s continue discussing this victory in our Arsenal 24-25 part 3 article.
Arsenal 24-25 Part 3: Arsenal’s Defense Kept a Clean Sheet
The Gunners defended well against Tottenham overall, despite Declan Rice’s absence in midfield. Tottenham had a few opportunities in the first half, but Arsenal largely kept them at bay. David Raya provides Arsenal with a steady presence in goal and he did so once again in this North London Derby.
Raya made five saves, distributed the ball effectively, and confidently claimed crosses. Raya has now helped Arsenal keep three clean sheets in four Premier League matches thus far. It is quite possible that David Raya will win another Premier League Golden Glove award if he, and Arsenal as a whole, continue to maintain their overall outstanding defensive performances.
Speaking of Arsenal defenders, Gabriel Magalhaes was the standout player from Arsenal’s defense and also overall in this game. He defended well, even though one challenge he made in Arsenal’s box in the second half was risky.
Gabriel Magalhaes’ Powerful Header Won the Game
Gabriel scored a towering header in the second half to secure all three points for Arsenal. He has scored 15 Premier League goals since joining Arsenal in September 2020. Almost exactly four years after Arsenal announced the signing of Gabriel, the Brazilian scored the winner in a vital North London Derby. Gabriel’s resilience, mental strength, defensive ability, and ability to score crucial goals is why it is no surprise that there is even a book about him.
William Saliba Had Another Great Performance
William Saliba played well, too. Saliba defended expertly and was composed on the ball, as usual. Saliba remains one of Arsenal’s most consistent performers. The French defender nearly always produces at least a 7/10 performance for the Gunners.
White and Timber Played Well
At right-back, Ben White defended well and supported Saka when Arsenal attacked. It is important to acknowledge both White’s consistency and availability on a regular basis. White played an important role in this Arsenal win and continues to play a vital, if sometimes underappreciated, role in the team’s success. He had the unenviable task of dealing with Son Heung-Min but did so expertly. White ensured that Son had little impact on the game and didn’t hurt Arsenal.
Jurrien Timber at left-back receives plenty of appreciation for his performances, as he should for his performance against Tottenham in this game. Timber dealt with Brennan Johnson comfortably. Postecoglou recognized this and subbed Johnson off in the 68th minute as a result. Timber did a great job supporting Arsenal’s attacks down the left flank and his composure on the ball is vital for how Arteta wants the team to play.
Timber provided one of Arsenal’s five shots on target in this game. It wouldn’t be too surprising if Timber scores his first official Arsenal goal sooner than later.
Arsenal 24-25 Part 3: Arsenal’s Midfield Lost the Possession Battle But Did Enough
It is a fact that Tottenham dominated possession in this game, with 63% possession to Arsenal’s 37% possession. However, Thomas Partey battled in midfield to ensure that Tottenham couldn’t take full advantage of this. It is good to see Partey fit and playing well. Arsenal needed him in this game.
Gabriel Martinelli had a decent performance, providing pace and energy to Arsenal’s midfield. However, Martinelli is not a natural midfielder and the possession stats indicate that. Despite playing out of position, Martinelli managed a shot on target and caused Tottenham’s defense problems at times. Thankfully, with Rice’s suspension now over, it is unlikely that Martinelli will start in midfield again any time soon in a Premier League fixture.
Jorginho is a good squad player and adds important depth and experience to the Gunners’ midfield. That being said, he’s never had much pace and he could do little as Tottenham’s midfield players raced around him. Arteta had little choice but to start Jorginho, given Odegaard’s injury and Rice’s suspension.
However, as one might expect, Jorginho’s lack of pace and age made him ill-suited to helping Arsenal win the possession battle against Tottenham’s midfield trio of Bentancur, Kulusevski, and Maddison.
Arsenal 24-25 Part 3: Arsenal’s Attack Was Somewhat Ineffective
Leandro Trossard played fairly well, contributing to several Arsenal shots on target. Trossard deserves his starting position on Arsenal’s left wing, given Martinelli’s slow start to the season. However, it is likely that Martinelli will start on the left wing during some of Arsenal’s busy September schedule. Hopefully, Trossard can provide a goal or an assist in next week’s monumental clash with Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium.
Bukayo Saka helped provide the biggest attacking moment in the game by assisting Gabriel Magalhaes’ match-winning header in the second half. Saka now has four goal contributions so far this season in only four matches. He continues to demonstrate that he is a superstar.
Kai Havertz anchored Arsenal’s attack and played pretty well. Havertz didn’t score or provide an assist. However, he won several headers and helped keep Tottenham’s defense busy with his work rate. Havertz is now comfortable in Arteta’s system and has scored twice so far this season. He will prove vital for Arsenal to successfully navigate a busy September.
Manager Rating: 8.5/10
Mikel Arteta receives an 8.5/10 manager rating for the 1-0 away win against Tottenham. Arsenal defended well overall, kept a clean sheet, and won a challenging away game with both Rice and Odegaard unavailable. However, Arsenal only got five shots on target and could have done more to cause issues for Tottenham’s defense.
Despite this, Arteta set up the team for success given the players he had at his disposal and helped lead them to a vital derby away victory. Additionally, Arteta’s substitutions were sensible and proactive, with Ethan Nwaneri making the biggest impact off Arsenal’s bench. Some thought Nwaneri would start in this game, but Arteta clearly believes in him despite not including him in the starting eleven this time. Nwaneri’s time will come.
On a side note, it is great to see Arteta sign a contract extension to stay at Arsenal until at least 2027. Arteta was in high demand after the success of his first several years at the club. Now, Arsenal can move forward with the 2024-25 season without worrying about whether or not Arteta will remain at the club beyond 2025.
Arsenal Travel to Bergamo to Face Atalanta in the Champions League Next
The Gunners begin their Champions League campaign next with a trip to Bergamo, Italy, to face Atalanta this Thursday. This is another huge game. Hopefully, Arsenal can win again and start off their Champions League campaign positively.
We will cover that match and Arsenal’s game against Manchester City here. Check back soon for our next Arsenal article.