DECLAN RICE CROWNS MARTIN ZUBIMENDI AS THE PREMIER LEAGUE’S BEST NO.6
Arsenal lead by six! Discover why Declan Rice is calling Martin Zubimendi "unreal" and how their partnership is winning the league.
Arsenal midfielder Declan Rice couldn’t stop raving about Martin Zubimendi after the Gunners edged Bournemouth 3-2 and pushed their lead at the top of the Premier League. That win put them six points ahead of Aston Villa, and you could feel the buzz around the squad.
The match itself was a rollercoaster. Arsenal grabbed the win with a huge performance from their midfield—Zubimendi, in particular, ran the show. Rice had missed the previous game against Villa, but he came back strong against Bournemouth. Gabriel found the net too, but Zubimendi really caught everyone’s eye with how calm and in control he looked in the middle of the park. Rice made sure to single him out, calling the summer signing from Real Sociedad “unreal.” Zubimendi hasn’t missed a single league game this season and even scored while Rice was out.
Talking to reporters, Rice said, “Don’t underestimate what it takes to come from La Liga and fit straight into this team. He’s not the biggest guy or the strongest, but the way he reads the game just makes us tick. He’s unreal. He’s played loads of minutes, gets on the ball, and you can see why he’s Spain’s No. 6 right now. The quality, the calmness, the way he thinks—it’s all there. Playing with him has been great for me. I’m learning a ton, and we’ve got a good partnership going. We’re both young, both hungry, and we want to keep building on this.”
Zubimendi didn’t hold back when talking about Rice either. He admitted he was surprised by how good the England international really is. “One of the things that excited me most about coming here was playing with Declan,” Zubimendi said. “I always thought he was good, but this year, seeing him up close and how happy he is, he’s taken a big step forward. I’m happy to help him, and he helps me too. Everyone knows what Declan brings—he’s strong, technical, great at set pieces, and his personality surprised me. He wants to lead, both in the dressing room and on the pitch. For me, having a midfield partner like that is vital. He wants the ball and wants to make things happen. It’s the perfect fit.”
Next up, Arsenal has a big one—they’ll face Liverpool on Thursday in the Premier League, then Portsmouth in the FA Cup’s third round. Zubimendi’s going to be key again, especially with people already comparing him to Rodri from Manchester City.
Gaizka Mendieta even weighed in, saying, “When I think of Zubimendi at Arsenal, I think of Rodri at City. City has other players who can fill that role, but it’s not the same. Rodri’s been one of the best in the league because he lets his teammates play their best game, even if you don’t always notice him. When he’s not there, you can’t always put your finger on what’s missing, but it’s obvious things aren’t the same. Zubimendi’s got that same effect—he lets others do things they just can’t do without him.”
ODEGAARD TO UNITED? ARSENAL CAPTAIN REPORTEDLY OPEN TO SHOCK MANCHESTER UNITED SUMMER TRANSFER
Discover why Martin Odegaard is linked to Manchester United and the "broken promises" behind his Arsenal exit.
Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard is facing calls to leave the club after fresh rumours linked him with a move to Manchester United.
Odegaard has been a key player for Arsenal in recent seasons, but this year, things just haven’t clicked. Injuries have thrown him off course, and even when he’s played, he hasn’t looked like his usual self. Now there’s real competition in the squad too, especially with the arrival of Eberechi Eze, who cost the club over £67 million.
Lately, reports have been swirling that Odegaard isn’t happy at Arsenal. FC Barcelona and Bayern Munich are both said to be interested, and talk of a transfer is only heating up.
Earlier this month, Topskills Sports UK claimed that Odegaard told his agent to start talks with Manchester United. According to them, he feels let down by Arsenal’s board and coaching staff, and sources say there’s been tension between him and Mikel Arteta. The report even said Odegaard is “100% willing to leave the club.” Bayern Munich still wants him badly, but Odegaard’s first choice is to stay in the Premier League. It would take something special to lure him to Germany over United.
Now, pundits Steve Nicol and Frank Leboeuf have weighed in, both saying they think it’s time for Odegaard to move on, especially with Eze coming in and Odegaard’s own form dipping.
“Odegaard might be leaving Arsenal,” Nicol told ESPN. “If you’re Odegaard, the club captain, and just 18 months ago you were the main man, suddenly there are doubts about whether you even start because of Eze. And with the way he’s been playing, someone else could leapfrog him, too. So if you’re Martin Odegaard, do you stick around? I don’t think you do.”
Leboeuf agreed: “I’ve always liked Odegaard’s style; he’s elegant, but he’s not as influential anymore. He helps start the play and move the ball sideways, but Eze brings something different. He’s more direct, more influential, and he’ll help Gyokeres as well. It’s going to be tough for Odegaard, and he’s got a big decision to make at the end of the season.”
ARSENAL RULE LONDON: EZE AND GYöKERES SHINE AS GUNNERS DISMANTLE SPURS AT THE LANE
Arsenal dominate the derby! Discover how Eze and Gyökeres fueled a 4-1 win while Spurs sank further into a relegation battle.
For a little while before today’s North London Derby at home between Tottenham and Arsenal, there was some hope. Igor Tudor stepped in for his first match as interim head coach, Dele Alli showed up as a halftime guest, and you could almost believe Spurs might turn their whole season around and spoil Arsenal’s, all in one afternoon.
But that didn’t happen. Arsenal walked away with the win, thanks to two goals each from Eberechi Eze, who, remember, rejected Spurs to join Arsenal, and Victor Gyokeres, their misfiring Swedish striker. Randal Kolo Muani managed to tie things up in the first half just two minutes after Eze’s opener, and he even put the ball in the net again, only for the ref to rule it out after Gabriel Magalhaes hit the turf a bit too dramatically. Richarlison came off the bench in the second half and nearly scored with a clever flick, but David Raya somehow kept it out. Then, in extra time, Gyokeres slammed in another, and Arsenal left with a 4-1 win.
Honestly, Arsenal controlled the match from the start. They had the ball, the stats – everything. Spurs fans can’t help but feel gutted. The team’s stuck in a real relegation fight now, and they need every single point they can scrape together. Losing to Arsenal always stings, but this one? It hurts even more than usual.
That finality you get from moments like Didier Drogba’s penalty after extra time in the 2012 Champions League Final – it’s almost too much. If you really want to understand the pressure and weight of that moment, you’ve got to dig into all the tangled histories leading up to it.
Back to today: Tudor set Spurs up with his usual back three, but he had to improvise. Joao Palhinha and Radu Dragusin lined up next to Micky van de Ven, since Cristian Romero was suspended and Kevin Danso was out hurt. Honestly, Spurs didn’t look that different from how they played under Thomas Frank for most of this season, but there was a bit more energy, a little more purpose, at least at the start. That edge, the one they’ve been missing for months, showed up for a bit, but it just wasn’t enough.
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