25/11/2025 - Arsenal 4-1 Tottenham “Derby Day Delirium: Arsenal at Their Very Best”

Well, well, well, it doesn’t get much better than that. Is that the best weekend ever as an Arsenal fan? We sit 6 points clear at the top of the table with Chelsea in second who we play next. Both City and Liverpool losing makes our win even better, Anfield shocked into silence is a beautiful image. Arsenal looked unstoppable, it was up there with one of the best Arsenal performances I’ve ever seen. Every Player was on the top of their game, and we ran rings around Spurs. This is the Arsenal that every fan was hoping would arrive at the start of this season and boy did they choose a game to arrive in! I woke up yesterday morning very fragile due to the celebrations after the game but honestly it felt like I had dreamt the whole weekend. It was the best possible game week in every respect for an Arsenal fan. By 4:30pm on Sunday the pressure was on, Saturday had been so good that a win became even more important. The atmosphere in the ground was absolutely electric; I really felt that we had an impact on Spurs and when a goal went in it was complete pandemonium. Just a quick shoutout to who designed that tifo, what a belter! Legends that Spurs have never seen the like of.

Arsenal were missing Havertz, Jesus, Gyokores, Gabriel and Odegaard arguably those last three are our most influential players full stop, but you wouldn’t have even known they were missing. The players on the pitch were nothing short of unplayable, the way we moved the ball was quick, decisive, and done with intent. Thomas Frank changed shape in the hope of getting a draw, a very cowardly and costly move in a North London Derby, it was very clear that they tried to emulate what Sunderland had done to us, but Arsenal didn’t even give them the opportunity to put it into practice. The tactical set up by Arteta though was top draw the constant forward runs drew Spurs’ defence out of position and left channels for other players to run into. The way that Arteta has our full backs working is perfection, Timber and Califiori cause so many problems for other defences. They are often the players with the most touches in the oppositions box and they are great defenders in their own right. Timber especially must get a shoutout, aside from Gabriel he has been far and away our best player this season, he brings a whole new meaning to consistency, he never drops less than an 8/10. Also, Merino, what a squad player to have, a beautiful assist for Trossard’s goal and he was always picking up dangerous positions. Against 3 centre backs yesterday he could’ve been overrun but he kept them moving and opened the space for Eze to work in, and blimey he worked.

Ebere Eze, the man we stole from under Spurs’ nose, the boyhood Arsenal fan and academy reject, now just the fourth player ever to score a hat trick in a NLD, the first since Alan Sunderland in 1978! I think we can safely say that with his big money move to Arsenal, it has all worked out. What a brilliant hattrick it was, the second goal especially on his weaker foot to tuck it into the bottom corner, just wow. That goal killed the game, just 40 seconds into the second half it caught Spurs completely cold. Arteta said he could’ve had 4 or 5 goals and he’s right Spurs had absolutely no answer for his movement and finishing. As much as Eze really was the star of the show everyone around him was just as brilliant, Saka and Rice were dangerous, Trossard casually picked up his 5^th and 6^th goal contribution in the Premier League this season with an assist and a goal. That’s 4 games on the bounce with a goal contribution. Hincapie did exactly what we needed from him, although his selection surprised me, as a left footed player he’s able to open out to play the ball forward which I think was a key reason for him being picked ahead of Mosquera. Raya sat and watched the entire game with the fans even when the ball was going over his head. Overall, it was just phenomenal, an absolute pleasure to watch, and it really did feel like we made a statement.

So, Bayern tomorrow where we can all but confirm our place in the round of 16, I’d like to see a bit of rotation some minutes given to Lewis Skelly, Nwaneri and maybe get some minutes in the legs of Madueke and Martinelli. However, Bayern are the only team in the top 5 leagues to not have lost a league game so far. They are beaming with confidence and with Harry Kane returning to the Emirates it should be a tasty battle. Although not fatal, losing this game could shift our momentum slightly heading into the Chelsea game on Sunday, for that reason although I would freshen up the side a little, I think Arteta will field almost an identical eleven tomorrow evening. The main concern is avoiding any injuries, after Chelsea we have 4 games in 10 days. We simply cannot afford to lose anyone else to injury.

So, we have started our defining week emphatically, the weekend you dream of. 1 down 2 to go. Back at the Emirates tomorrow, let’s keep this momentum going. What a time to be an Arsenal fan!

COYG!!

The Northbank Blogger.

It seems a bit pointless this week as everyone was nye on perfect but I’m going to do match ratings:

Raya – 6.5/10

Timber – 9/10   Hincapie – 8/10

Saliba – 8/10     Califiori – 8/10

Zubimendi – 8/10

Rice – 8.5/10

Eze – 10/10

Saka – 8.5/10

Merino – 8.5/10

Trossard – 8/10

Subs:

Madueke - 7/10         Lewis Skelly - 7/10

Nwaneri – 7/10          Mosquera – 7/10

And finally, my predicted lineup for Bayern Munich:

Raya

Timber

Saliba

Hincapie

Zubimendi

Rice

Eze

Saka

Merino

Madueke