Arsenal won 'like a Mourinho team' - Walcott on the north London derby

It was not pretty, but Arsenal sewage nan occupation done against Tottenham to guarantee they did not suffer immoderate much early crushed successful nan Premier League title race.

Gabriel scored their winner, from yet different set-piece, but it was nan Gunners' protect determination and organisation that really impressed their erstwhile guardant Theo Walcott, who was watching nan crippled for Match of nan Day 2.

Arsenal had an mean of only 36.3% of possession complete nan 90 minutes, but that fell from 38.1% earlier they scored successful nan 64th minute, to only 32.2% aft they went 1-0 up.

"It really doesn't matter really they sewage it - it was awesome consequence for Arsenal," Walcott said.

"They showed again that they tin operation it up, because they played almost for illustration a Jose Mourinho broadside to spot nan crippled out."

Arsenal's triumph was moreover much awesome considering they were without cardinal midfelders Martin Odegaard and Declan Rice, who were absent done wounded and suspension.

Jorginho, making his first quality of nan season, replaced Rice and collaborated Thomas Partey astatine nan guidelines of their midfield.

Leandro Trossard, starting alternatively of Odegaard, operated further guardant but besides had plentifulness of protect responsibilities successful a statement that started arsenic a 4-3-3 but was much often a 4-4-2 erstwhile Spurs were connected nan ball.

While Mikel Arteta’s broadside were not astatine their champion arsenic an attacking force, they were capable to unopen retired Spurs successful nan 2nd half - peculiarly aft Gabriel had headed location Bukayo Saka’s corner.

"As a squad performance, astir apt nan champion comparison I tin deliberation of would beryllium erstwhile Arsenal drew 0-0 astatine Manchester City past season," Walcott said.

"People wanted Arsenal to beryllium much adventurous then, but they played pinch a strategy to get that result.

"It was precisely nan aforesaid here, moreover though they had immoderate important unit out, they are truthful good drilled and system that they showed it doesn't really matter who plays, because they are each drilled nan aforesaid measurement defensively.

"That comes down to nan activity they do connected nan training ground. I was fortunate capable to watch them successful pre-season and nan magnitude of coaching unit who are progressive successful each convention is incredible.

"It makes nan players' lives truthful overmuch easier erstwhile location is that level of detail, pinch coaches that are virtually location for each individual player.

"As a squad, they are getting nan aforesaid connection drilled into them connected a regular basis, truthful I americium not amazed anymore erstwhile they tin grind retired a consequence for illustration this one."

Tottenham fired a watercourse of balls into nan Arsenal container successful nan closing stages, but notably grounded to create a clear-cut chance.

By nan extremity it felt for illustration they had tally retired of ideas, if not steam, arsenic they tried and grounded to find immoderate gaps successful nan Gunners' back-line.

"This triumph was down to a squad performance, pinch each Arsenal subordinate taking work of wherever they needed to be,” Walcott added.

"I felt for illustration Spurs went distant from their accustomed game, which amazed maine - nan measurement Ange Postecoglou usually plays shot is incredible, but I didn’t really spot that from them.

"Maybe he thought he would effort thing different too, but it did not rather work. They put successful a batch of crosses but because this Arsenal squad are truthful good drilled, it conscionable fed into what they are bully at.

"It must person felt for illustration they were trying to play their measurement done a ceramic wall successful nan 2nd half because, immoderate they tried, Gabriel and William Saliba were fresh to clear it away.

"It was for illustration watching Mourinho's Chelsea side, and I utilized to dislike playing against them.

"They were truthful good structured, pinch nan likes of John Terry, Alex aliases Branislav Ivanovic, who were each unthinkable units successful that back-line, and would organise everything.

"It would not look pretty, but they would conscionable get results and would past extremity up winning nan league.

"As a guardant playing against them, it felt for illustration location was only truthful overmuch you could do. I would do my occupation by putting nan shot into abstraction but erstwhile everything you effort has been denied, denied and denied again then, arsenic a team, you commencement reasoning 'we are ne'er going to people today'."

While Arsenal were still coagulated without Rice astatine nan bosom of their midfield, they did miss Odegaard's imaginative nous and calmness connected nan ball.

"It's difficult to comparison him and Trossard, because they are very different players,” Walcott explained.

"Trossard, for me, is astir apt nan champion finisher astatine nan nine - but Odegaard is nan conductor, nan 1 who gets everything moving and gets everyone successful nan squad moving astatine their champion level. He moreover starts nan protect press.

"Ethan Nwaneri, who came connected precocious successful nan 2nd half, has immoderate similarities arsenic a subordinate but astatine 17 he is still very young and still processing and learning.

"In clip he could beryllium nan 1 who takes Odegaard's domiciled erstwhile he is not disposable but, whoever comes in, it is going to beryllium difficult to switch him.

"At nan infinitesimal I consciousness for illustration they person to play otherwise erstwhile he is not successful nan team, but we saw connected Sunday that it tin work."

It surely helps that Arsenal ever airs specified a threat from set-pieces, which person brought them much goals (23) than immoderate different Premier League squad since nan commencement of past season.

"Again, that's why these coaches person been brought into these clubs," Walcott said. "But nan cardinal is nan clip they walk connected these situations, each azygous day.

"When I was playing it was conscionable nan time earlier nan crippled erstwhile you would activity connected set-pieces, but Arsenal do it each week. When I watched them successful pre-season, they were moreover doing it then. They are truthful important, they started this process successful nan summer, alternatively than conscionable getting nan players fit.

"Their reasoning is that this is wherever nan quality will beryllium successful definite games and erstwhile you person players of nan stature of Gabriel and Saliba, past of people you want to usage them. It was nan aforesaid pinch Mourinho's teams excessively - Terry would ever airs a immense threat.

"You perceive strikers for illustration Alan Shearer and Wayne Rooney talk astir nan clip they spent focusing connected their finishing each time aft training, truthful it became for illustration 2nd quality to them. That benignant repetition useful pinch practicing set-pieces too, and this is Arsenal's reward."