Arsenal 2-2 Tottenham Hotspur: 5 Talking Points and Tactical Analysis

#3 Matteo Guendouzi has a storming game

Guendouzi was superb in midfield

Against Spurs, Arsenal favoured a 4-3-3 shape and that wasn’t much of a surprise after their dubious experiment with the 4-4-2 at Anfield. Consequently, Lucas Torreira was brought into the fold alongside Matteo Guendouzi and Xhaka to add steel to the midfield.

However, despite the presence of the Swiss and the Uruguayan, it was the young Frenchman who shone on the day.

Guendouzi was a bundle of energy throughout the game and kept harrying and hassling the Tottenham midfielders whenever they had the ball. Additionally, he portrayed an excellent passing range and pinged passes all across the pitch.

The youngster was also quite instrumental defensively as he nullified Eriksen’s threat in the second half via a string of crucial interceptions and tackles.

However, the Frenchman’s most decisive moment arrived in the 71st minute. After picking up the ball in midfield, Guendouzi assessed his options, carried the ball a touch and then clipped a delightful through-ball for Aubameyang. The Gabonese pounced on the chance and drew parity.

As soon as the equaliser went in, the midfielder looked a man possessed. He got to every loose ball quicker and also won possession high up the pitch several times.

Last summer, the signing of Guendouzi was looked upon as one of tomorrow, especially considering he had previously been plying his trade in the second tier of French football. A bit of weight was lent to that sentiment when the midfielder made a few poor decisions last term.

Yet, so far this season, he has rarely been accused of making silly errors and that has catapulted him as a vital cog in the Arsenal wheel.

And in light of the storming game he conjured today, maybe the Frenchman has come off age.