Everyone’s tomorrow.
Last night, the international competitions ended with the last clutch of “Arsenal” players. Myles Lewis-Skelly and Eberechi Eze both started for England and played the full 90 of their 3-0 win over the Czech Republic. I haven’t looked, but it looks like Miles had a strong performance in midfield, while left-back Eze was second for England in tackles (3). Maybe those two minutes will be useful minutes when we head to Leeds on Saturday.
In Croatia, David Raya returned to the bench for Spain, while Mikel Merino and Martin Zubimendi were second-half substitutes. He contributed greatly by scoring both goals in the first, 2:1 win as his team trailed 1-0. The first was, as we’ve come to expect from him, a classic striker’s goal – when the ball broke in the box he was in the right place to sweep home (see here).
The second comes from Zubimendi’s cross, a superb strike before firing the ball into the top corner. Alternate angles are worth watching, this is one hell of a finish. His scoring record is really something. Having scored two goals in his first 30 games for Spain, he now has 13 in his last 24 games – which coincides with Arsenal’s need to play him as an emergency striker at a time when we are dealing with injuries and shortages. The move certainly unlocked something in that, a hidden final third ability for Arsenal that will be on display throughout this season.
At a time when we question so much about football, hyper-focused on the sordid exploits of those who deliberately and strategically decide to cheat their way to success and greatness, something like this is a reminder of what makes the game beautiful. Why do we invest in it, why can’t we give it up. We all think we know it all, who can do what and how well, and then someone like Merino comes along and reminds you that there’s still beautiful and surprising unpredictability that we don’t even think about.
Of course, the manager’s hand was forced at that time. Everyone else was unavailable, he had to find a solution, and necessity is the mother of invention, etc. It also added layers to his game as a midfielder. As we saw in the summer, he was instrumental in Spain’s run to the finals and eventual World Cup win, and I just love that a 30-year-old heading into September of his career has enjoyed such an impressive flourish. Not to mention he seems like such a nice guy too, you can’t help but be happy for him.
So now with all the games played and players coming back at different intervals, the manager can gauge everyone’s feelings and see their preparations for the upcoming games. Leeds, then Lille, then Nottingham Forest away, things will heat up with four games in ten days to play Bayern Munich before their Champions League trip. Then five more in quick succession until the November Interlull (which is shorter than the one we just experienced). He has had three weeks to recover from the Brighton game and has to think about how to get the right response from his side – not just against Leeds but beyond and I’m sure he wants football to start again.
I also wonder if we will hear anything soon about his contract extension. In the days that followed, Man City were slightly overshadowed by reports that everything had been agreed. It feels like Interlull is the best time to announce something like this, so with all the games finished and the focus on Arsenal, maybe we can get an announcement about it. Let’s wait and see.
Well, today is a little short, but that’s about it. We’ll have any story on Arseblog News today, and we’ll have an Arsecast for you tomorrow as well. Until then.
Soon
— arseblog (@arseblog.com) 2026-10-06T14:19:19.955Z