Arsenal have been ruthless in trimming their squad of deadwood over these last two seasons, as manager Mikel Arteta and sporting director Edu Gaspar orchestrate a serious rebuild, but one of the casualties has now come out and explained why he’s actually relieved to have escaped the Emirates.
Arsenal prepare for Atalanta following victory at Tottenham
The Gunners go into their opening Champions League clash of the new campaign in good spirits, having just sealed a crucial 1-0 North London Derby win over fierce rivals Tottenham on Sunday.
Star defender Gabriel Magalhaes took advantage of an in-swinging corner to head the ball past Guglielmo Vicario from just outside his six-yard box, gifting Arsenal all three points and the bragging rights on a joyous afternoon for Arteta.
This result is made all the more impressive considering Arsenal were without a host of key players, with Declan Rice, captain Martin Odegaard, Riccardo Calafiori, Mikel Merino, Takehiro Tomiyasu and Oleksandr Zincheko all absent due to injury.
| Spurs vs Arsenal (last 7 meetings) | |
|---|---|
| Date | Result |
| 15th Sept 2024 | 1-0 Arsenal win |
| 28th April 2024 | 3-2 Arsenal win |
| 24th Sept 2023 | 2-2 draw |
| 15th Jan 2023 | 2-0 Arsenal win |
| 1st Oct 2022 | 3-1 Arsenal win |
| 12th May 2022 | 3-0 Spurs win |
| 26th Sept 2021 | 3-1 Arsenal defeat |
Arsenal won three consecutive games away to Spurs for the first time in 35 years, breaking a record which spanned over three decades, and it’s safe to say Arteta was thrilled with his players.
“The people that we have, I think I already spoke about it during the week, people that are harder, they have thick skin, they love the game, and they love winning,” said Arteta on Arsenal’s 1-0 win at Tottenham.
“In order to love the game and win, you have to do a lot of things – sometimes people call them ugly. Enjoying doing those ugly things is a big compliment of this team right now, and when you’re able to normally, you get a good gift.
“We’ve won three years in a row here. I don’t know when’s the last time that this has happened, so that’s a big thing. I think they believe already, we’ve won a lot of big games. It’s a big week coming up and that’s going to give us a lot of energy and belief.”
Europa League champions Atalanta await Arsenal in Italy on Thursday evening, before Arteta’s side travel to face Man City at the Etihad Stadium in one of their biggest games of the Premier League season.
It’s a pretty exciting time to be an Arsenal player right now, but there are those who have moved on for the better. Emile Smith Rowe has been lavished with praise since swapping London Colney for Fulham this summer, having played a crucial role for his new club so far this season.
Granit Xhaka shares why he’s “grateful” to leave Arsenal
Former Arsenal captain Granit Xhaka, who made nearly 300 appearances for them in all competitions before joining Bayer Leverkusen last year, has now opened up on his departure.
After years of faithful service, Edu agreed to sell Xhaka in a £21.4 million deal to Leverkusen, and the Switzerland star has since gone on to help his new side to a Bundesliga title and an unprecedented unbeaten run last season, before defeat to Atalanta.
“It was pure relief for me. I said: ‘Yes! It’s not just me who feels that way, but the family too’,” Xhaka explained.
“I was lucky enough to be booed in 2019. As captain at Arsenal. In front of 60,000 fans. I say lucky because that made me brutally strong.
“I’m grateful that I got out of there. Because it was a black day for my family, my wife and my parents. I think it was even harder for them than it was for me.”
The 31-year-old, reportedly on around £68,000-per-week, has already made 55 appearances in total under Alonso, becoming a mainstay in their midfield and helping them achieve history in his debut campaign.
