Arsenal returned to action yesterday after a long international break. I understand why international football matters, but the breaks interrupt the club season and place another demand on players already carrying heavy workloads.
Starting lineup
Gyokeres
Madueke · Saka
Myles Lewis-Skelly · Rice · Odegaard
Calafiori · Gabriel · Konsa · White
Raya
I was surprised to see Noni Madueke selected ahead of Eze on the left. Eze has produced a few tremendous moments—nearly all against Spurs—but has otherwise been ordinary. The signing has not worked as hoped so far, and seeing Madueke selected ahead of him should concern him.
Havertz appeared close to returning before picking up a knock during the break. Gyokeres has frustrated me. He looks like a square peg in a round hole, and I increasingly think both the player and the club would be better served by a move.
I remain perplexed by Gyokeres. He is physically robust but lacks a quick burst. His touch and decision-making are inconsistent; at times, it seems as though his feet have been replaced by barn doors. Even when he sees the right pass, the execution often lets him down. He presses and works hard, but his technical limitations make the fit difficult. His scoring record in Portugal makes the contrast with his Premier League performances especially striking.
The rest of the lineup was fairly predictable. I expected Myles Lewis-Skelly to start after Bruno struggled against Brighton.
Leeds were significantly better for long stretches and could have scored two or three goals. Raya was outstanding. I could not fault him on Leeds’ goal, and several of his other saves were excellent.
Arsenal flipped the game quickly. The equalizer was slightly fortunate because the ball pinballed around the box, but Calafiori produced a striker’s finish. He has real X-factor. The challenge is staying healthy.
The substitutions were aggressive. Madueke had played well, but Bruno brought another level of energy. Timber also entered as he continues to build his fitness. He is returning to top form, and Arsenal will need to manage his minutes carefully.
The winning goal came from Bruno. Saka’s pass released him, and his finish was excellent—his second massive goal in as many matches. When the ball hit the net, Madueke immediately raised his arms from the bench. That reaction said something positive about the group.
Saka did not have his best match. It is difficult to know whether he is simply working back toward full sharpness or whether the accumulated minutes are taking a toll. Either way, Arsenal need to manage him wisely.
The defensive substitutions made sense. Hincapie replaced Calafiori, and the back line saw out the match. This was a classic example of a good team being outplayed for long stretches but still finding a way to win. Those are important points over the course of a season. Arsenal also looked more in tune with one another than they had before the international break.
The concern was Hincapie, who rolled his ankle late. The severity was not immediately clear, but Arsenal can ill afford another injury in defense.
Manchester City and Liverpool
Elsewhere, Manchester City benefited from another controversial officiating decision. The second yellow shown to Gravenberch looked extremely harsh and effectively took the game away from Liverpool. Decisions like that deserve clear public explanations. City’s pending financial-rule case and the paid overseas assignments accepted by some Premier League officials make transparency especially important; neither point proves bias, but together they create an avoidable appearance problem. The lack of accountability risks damaging supporters’ confidence. It also brought back memories of Trossard’s second yellow and other decisions Arsenal supporters have found difficult to accept.
Liverpool look a mess. They spent £200 million on strikers last year, both now injured, and started a 17-year-old academy player in his first league match. The team’s balance looks wrong. Liverpool competed well, but they were effectively finished after the red card.
For Arsenal, the lesson is straightforward: the performance must improve, but finding a way to win after a break is valuable. The season moves quickly, and this was a useful three points.