What happened in Arsenal's dressing room after thumping Tottenham speaks volumes

Submitted by daniel on
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A special moment unfolded in the Arsenal dressing room following the North London derby. The club released a video on social media showing all the players returning to the tunnel after their resounding 4-1 victory over Tottenham. The spotlight was firmly on hat-trick hero Eberechi Eze. Piero Hincapie put in a flawless performance, stepping in for Gabriel.

Declan Rice and Leandro Trossard were also exceptional. Bukayo Saka was seen dancing joyfully to the music post-match. The scenes were truly inspiring. And, wonderfully, it wasn't just about them. Players like Viktor Gyokeres and Martin Odegaard were waiting in the dressing room. Even the injured players wanted to join in the fun.

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Gabriel was no different. Once he'd left the pitch, donning an Arsenal scarf, he joined in the celebrations.

All of the absent players, and there were quite a few, were eager to partake in the festivities. Gabriel Jesus and Kai Havertz are well-liked and valuable members of the squad.

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Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta often speaks about the unity within the squad, and he discussed the celebratory scenes in the dressing room and what they meant to the players.

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Of course, rival fans might argue that this is perfectly normal. And it's only what you would expect.

But this is football. There are egos, disgruntled players, and those who don't want to celebrate if they haven't played.

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It might surprise you.

Some footballers are dreadful when they're injured, showing no interest in recovery. Jesus is a prime example of the opposite - he's eager, can't wait to return to the pitch and is an incredibly positive influence.

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Gyokeres is incredibly motivated. His mindset is outstanding.

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Odegaard is a strong leader and a highly respected captain. You don't have to be a showy gladiator to lead.

Arteta admires Odegaard because he sets the pace and leads the press. If you understand football, you'll recognise that this is what being a courageous leader looks like today.

Mikel Merino had an odd game. Initially struggled trying to play with his back to goal.

He dropped deeper, played with the goal in front of him and then was excellent. This is another testament to a player who is such a valuable team member.

There's a unity in this group that stems from winning. But it's more than just that.

Arteta and Arsenal have specifically sought out individuals with character. They want players who contribute to dressing room unity. This is a serious player.

He's enjoyed success at Bayer Leverkusen and Ecuador are gaining a reputation as World Cup dark horses. They've got some fantastic players.

Arsenal signed a player who came knowing he might have to play second fiddle to Gabriel for a while. But they clearly did their homework as he has patiently waited his turn, and will now seize his opportunity.

He didn't put a foot wrong.

This is all about squad building. Arteta firmly believes that Arsenal has what it takes to clinch the title this season.

They are in it together. Arsenal have a tough fixture list ahead.

They will need to rest and rotate. It's Bayern Munich on Wednesday.

Chelsea on Sunday.

Then the following week sees Brentford on Wednesday night, followed by an away game at Aston Villa on Saturday lunchtime. That is downright criminal.

However, after football authorities rearranged Crystal Palace's Carabao Cup tie to ease their fixtures, one would presume the Premier League will intervene at some point. Anyone?

That's when the depth of the squad becomes crucial - and all of the big guns will be returning over the next few weeks and games.

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