The Arsenal analysts at the rear of the press box were ecstatic when Gabriel scored the game’s third goal in a row for Mikel Arteta’s team in the 64th minute with a towering header past Guglielmo Vicario. This highlight the significant difference between the two teams.
With Declan Rice and captain Martin Odegaard missing due to injury and suspension, respectively, the Arsenal teamsheet featured Spurs with a massive opportunity to make a statement against their greatest rivals.
Instead, as a kind of panic struck following Gabriel’s goal, Ange Postecoglou’s team gave a performance that devolved into a jumble of bad choices made all over the field, missing and squandering shooting and crossing possibilities.
A few match programs that were thrown into the field and some jeers at the end of the game expressed the frustration. For a club with aspirations as high as theirs, one victory in four league games is an ambivalent start. Seven of their previous 11 league games, which span this season and the previous, have been losses.
In contrast, Arsenal, wearing an unfamiliar black uniform, put up a strong defensive wall in front of goalkeeper David Raya before hitting quickly to win the match.
