“A Good Old-Fashioned Slapping” (Arsenal 4–1 Spurs)
Quick take
A luxuriant derby glow: two blokes revel in a comprehensive 4–1, worship Declan’s barnet, praise Hincapié’s Ecuadorian diving header, and enjoy Eze announcing himself. A strange mention of Tim Sherwood but we keep boomeranging back to tactics, roles, and why Spurs helped Arteta.
00:00 – Cold open: best super-slow-mo Eze goal + Saliba slapping Rice in celebration
02:00 – The vibe after a derby: radio silence from Spurs WhatsApps
03:30 – Hincapié appraisal: aerial dominance, passing range, “Ecuadorian diving header”
04:50 – Tifo chat (and why Wrighty should’ve been on it)
06:00 – Manager chess: Arteta guessed Frank’s back-three; Spurs played into his hands
09:40 – Spurs’ plan vs reality; Vicario’s distribution horror show
10:50 – Mini trend: Arsenal’s cute scoop pass into the box
14:05 – Merino the false-nine/ten masterclass; chaos between lines
15:35 – Goal 1: Merino scoop → Trossard velvet touch/finish
16:45 – Trossard’s “miserable son” energy… and elite output
18:10 – Eze vs Ødegaard: risk, ball-striking, and the different #10 profiles
20:35 – Goal 2: Rice regains → Eze just hits it (Lampard-ish)
21:55 – HT wish granted: 3–0 inside 30 seconds of 2H; Spurs’ body language breaks
23:40 – Their goal = freak finish from miles; PTSD duly noted, control restored
25:15 – Richarlison discourse: the snide, the tats, and the stat that won’t be remembered
26:10 – Spurs pod reactions: they’re “on the floor” (tactics & manner, not just score)
27:05 – Why this lights the fuse under Frank (short-termism + living next to Jupiter)
29:30 – Around the league: results that helped; looking at Chelsea/City gaps
31:30 – Fixture density, semi-finals looming, and why the buffer matters
32:45 – Rotation grumbles: Arteta’s “circle of trust” vs spreading minutes
34:00 – Returns: Madueke lively, Ødegaard minutes, Timber world-class at RB
35:30 – Namechecks: Rice and Zubimendi as a two; Zubi’s recovery runs
37:15 – Coaching detail: pressing lanes, hunting in packs, without emotion
40:00 – Bayern preview: Kane’s inevitable pen, but Arteta > Company
40:50 – Big picture: set-pieces aren’t the crutch; this was dominance everywhere
“He didn’t lose a header all game” — Hincapié won everything and sealed it with a diving header.
“Brand-new scoop pattern” — multiple deft lobs into zone 14/half-space for runners.
“Two false nines” — Merino + Eze alternating between 9/10 lanes to unpick the back-five.
“Trossard: moody, productive” — grimacing assassin; opens the scoring (again).
Eze — goals, shot selection, rhythm changes.
Honourable mentions: Hincapié, Rice, Trossard, Zubimendi.
Spurs’ 5-at-the-back invited the scoop; Arsenal flooded the seam behind Eze/Udogie.
Merino’s drop split CBs’ reference points; runners went past him rather than into him.
Set-piece threat remained, but open-play control made it academic.
Post-0:1, Spurs lacked bench tools to flip state; Arsenal throttled risk without emotion.
Bayern (H): expect rotation minutes but assert culture: win every game.
Chelsea (A): chance to extend the City/Liverpool buffer before the crunch run.
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