Arsenal cantered their way past Nottingham Forest at the Emirates to return to winning ways in the Premier League and put the pressure back on Liverpool.
Having fallen to a slender defeat at Anfield before the international break after Dominik Szoboszlai’s late free-kick, the Gunners knew they needed a big performance, and Mikel Arteta must be delighted with the slick and stylish showing from a side lacking the injured Bukayo Saka and with Declan Rice on the bench ahead of the midweek return to the Champions League.
That’s four defeats in a row for Ange Postecoglou against Arsenal, the Aussie coach making his bow for Forest after being sacked by Tottenham Hotspur before the summer.
But few will care of an Arsenal persuasion. This is no time for point-scoring, not in that way. With new signings starting to come together, the Londoners are gearing up for a shot at the Premier League title, having finished runners-up three years in a row.
And there’s so much to like about this side; something feels different. Arsenal are more complete, more polished and tuned in an attacking sense. Andrea Berta has overseen some impactful summer transfer business.
Arsenal's impressive summer signings
Arsenal enjoyed a spree of signings throughout the summer transfer window, and they all look to be coming together nicely.
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In particular, Martin Zubimendi’s spectacular strike got things rolling against Nottingham Forest on Saturday, and he scored again but only after Viktor Gyokeres had bagged himself another after the break, making it three goals from four games in the Premier League.
Zubimendi struggled against Liverpool two weeks ago, but the midfield maestro adds such control and flair to Arsenal’s midfield. He contributes to defensive security and fluency in attack. He scored two goals.
And his controlled passing and enterprising nature on the ball fed into Noni Madueke’s latest standout performance. Saka is injured, but it hasn’t mattered too much for a side showing a new level of depth.
The former Chelsea winger won nine duels and created five key passes as he zipped up the right wing, with journalist Miguel Delaney noting that he was “shredding Morato” in the opening period, in particular.
He didn’t score, but Eberechi Eze enjoyed a fantastic full debut himself, setting up his striker’s finish and threatening throughout.
Perhaps the biggest testament that this new crop could be awarded is that they look like they have been playing under Arteta’s wing for months. Years.
They haven’t. These are new players, integrated into a new system and adopting new variations to new roles. It doesn’t look that way, and the quiet pick of the bunch might actually have played at the other end of the field, with Cristhian Mosquera standing tall against the Tricky Trees’ frontline.
Mosquera looks like "one of the best signings in the PL"
Chris Wood might have fancied his chances at the Emirates. After all, William Saliba was absent after picking up that injury against Liverpool before the international break.
But Forest’s powerful striker was subdued by a collective defensive effort that has become a given for Arsenal, who have kept three clean sheets from four matches so far and have been breached only by a stunning set-piece.
Long gone are the days of fragility at the rear, and Mosquera already looks the part in what reinforces the tactical brilliance that has shaped Arsenal into a superpower once more.
Gabriel Magalhaes is one of the best centre-backs around, and he played well against Forest, but Mosquera more than held his own beside the Brazilian, maybe even putting in the better performance all told.
Minutes played
90′
90′
Goals conceded
0
0
Touches
83
93
Accurate passes
62/66 (94%)
76/83 (92%)
Key passes
0
0
Dribbles
1/1
0/0
Tackles
4
4
Interceptions
2
2
Clearances
2
2
Ground duels
5/5
2/2
Aerial duels
1/4
1/2
Arsenal only paid around £13m when bringing the 6 foot 3 defender over from Valencia in the summer, and already that looks to be a bargain.
Mosquera, 21 years old and with one cap for the Spanish national team, has even been described as “one of the best signings in the Premier League this season” by pundit Leo DaSilva, who made the comment after watching the player’s performance.
Football.london even handed the young star an 8/10 match rating for his labours, drawing attention to his defensive efforts in keeping the enemy at bay with a series of well-timed challenges and stooping headers.
Gabriel, by the way, was handed a 7/10 match score following his dependable display.
But how could we do anything other than circuit back to Mosquera’s imperiousness, and his meagre price tag, which seems a steal? Could it be that this young centre-half is quietly establishing himself as the signing of the summer in a team bearing superstars like Eze, Gyokeres and Zubimendi?
Madueke would fancy himself a shrewd purchase, even though he cost a pretty penny at £48.5m. And anyway, Madueke just played out his 71st Premier League match, whereas Mosquera completed his maiden 90 minutes in a Premier League setting.
There’s no doubt that Arteta and Arsenal have a knack for finding talented young defenders and fashioning them into stars, but they must feel all the same that they have hit the jackpot on Mosquera, who plays with such poise and power and purpose.
Arsenal were missing Saliba, you say? It didn’t feel like it. Arsenal have the tools to forge a successful campaign for themselves, with depth and dimensions to compete across multiple fronts and finally get their hands on some silverware.
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