Arsenal’s superior quality ultimately showed in their 4-1 north London derby win, but they were also very clever with the way they exposed Tottenham’s tactical weaknesses too.
Spurs’ 3-5-2 shape under new boss Igor Tudor, and the fact they did not just sit in, left space for Arsenal to exploit in forward areas on Sunday.
The Gunners ran away with the game in the end but, in the first half, when it was still in the balance, the area where they had the most attacking edge was down their right-hand side, where Bukayo Saka and Jurrien Timber were dominant.
It’s never easy to stop a team like Arsenal when so many of their players are playing well, but what the Gunners did really well was produce moments of quality or skill in attack when it mattered.
They looked back to the levels we have seen them perform at for so long this season – this was a great performance by them, not just a brilliant result.
Tottenham battled really well in the first half and, although the game got away from them after the break, it wasn’t through any lack of effort.
They were set up okay too, but I think it did help Arsenal that Spurs were at home and under a new manager because they were expected to have a go rather than just park the bus.
Spurs tried to press Arsenal at times which leaves you open to counter-attacks and also leaves space in behind, which the Gunners are good at exploiting.
In the second half, Arsenal’s quality shone through and Tottenham looked tired – their lack of numbers because of injuries began to show.
Still, what was impressive from Arsenal when they were 2-1 up is that they did not sit back and try to see out time.
Instead, they were quite ruthless and kept coming forward. That’s understandable when you think about what happened to them on Wednesday when they were pegged back by Wolves after leading 2-0.
I wondered what would happen if they got in front this time, and they had obviously talked about what they would do differently.
So, from that point of view, because of the doubts over their mentality after their past couple of results, it was important to see them play so positively.
The same applies for some of their individual players, as well as the whole team.
As well as his two goals, Eberechi Eze had a great game overall. I was pleased for him because he has had a few question marks over his form recently, and we know he is a super talent.
With him playing so well in the central areas as a number 10, Tottenham’s midfielders had something else to worry about – and being busy there meant they could not easily help deal with Saka and Timber out wide.
Declan Rice was making all these runs too, bursting forward to try to make amends for his mistake for Tottenham’s equaliser, so there was all sorts going on.
Rice is always influential, of course, but he was especially impressive here. Instead of dwelling on his mistake, he used it to focus and bring more energy and clarity to what he was doing.
When he dropped into defence after that, he played it simple and quick with his goalkeeper or centre-half – he didn’t risk anything again.
But when he was going the other way, he was trying everything – making runs, getting on the end of knockdowns, bombing forward and occupying defenders.
He is always totally focused anyway so it is hard to judge exactly how much difference that mistake made to his performance but it felt to me like he actually upped his game, which takes great mental strength.
Arsenal back to the levels we are used to
There have been times in the past where, when you are playing Arsenal, Saka and Odegaard are the two players you know you need to stop.
Teams would think, if you can condense play in their areas, you can control them – and if it goes over to another part of the pitch, you can cope with it.
On Sunday, however, it felt like Arsenal were coming from every angle in the end. Eze, especially, was getting on the ball in these pockets of space in front of the Spurs defence.
That helped Gyokeres too, because it meant there was more room for him as well.
Gyokeres had started well anyway, and had a great early chance which he made himself, but this ended up being one of his best games in an Arsenal shirt.
It probably helped that he had a yard of pace on Radu Dragusin, who is not the quickest defender, but he played on him nicely and it was clever of him to stay on the left side.
I remember watching a lot of Gyokeres’ goals for Sporting and he liked to come off that flank a lot, and we have not seen him do it enough this season.
That might change now and, when he got his first goal, it was like the weight had been lifted off his shoulders.
Some of the Arsenal fans who are not convinced by him are going to be more on his side now he has scored twice against Tottenham, and his goals were top quality too.
I’d say that was one of his best games in an Arsenal shirt and to do it in a north London derby will do him the world of good.