Overcoming a lot of pressure because of losing 2 consecutive matches against Tottenham and Villarreal, Arsenal played very impressively with Bilbao. The victory over the Gunners' Basqua team shows a positive effect from the rookies, especially the Gyokeres and Zubimendi duo.
After a lot of waiting and expectations, more than 6,000 spectators on the Emirates Stadium were also shouted at the names of the valuable rookies that The Gunners brought back from the exciting summer transfer. First, the special excitement for Viktor Gyokeres. The Swedish striker had the first goal when he opened the score for the home team in the 34th minute.
The goal came from the assist of another rookie, midfielder Martin Zubimendi. But more importantly, the former Sporting Lisbon striker puts pressure on the opponent, as Mikel Arteta admits that “the two central defenders cannot live peacefully with Gyokeres.” More specifically, Gyokeres is very dangerous when the opponent's defense let him have a gap with one -on -one phase.
“If you let Viktor have a gap to one match, he will destroy you, so he will create many gaps for his teammates. In every situation on the field, we always have a player who can score.
And the second highlight is named another rookie, Zubimendi. Perhaps, the Spanish midfielder is the best player in the match. A sharp assist for Gyokeres and a combination of Declan Rice – Martin Odegaard helped Zubimendi conquer the audience of the Emirates Stadium.
Zubimendi does not shine in a personal style but is the one who keeps the beat, interceptor and ensures seamlessness in Arsenal's play. The 26 -year -old played excellent in midfield, coordinated with calm and accurate. His ability to circulate effectively allows teammates to create opportunities to attack and put continuous pressure on the opponent.
The cross -ball phase is placed on the head for Gyokeres to open the score of Zubimendi to bring a goal of English football that proves the very good integration of these rookies at the new team. Moreover, the combination of these two rookies confirms their potential impact during the next season. Both played as if “have played at the 10 -year Emirates”.
As for the excellent performance of Zubimendi, journalist Art De Roche rated worthy 10 points on Give Me Sport. “It is clear that Zubimendi works very smoothly in midfield, but it is also very good to see that he is ready and capable of participating in the defense. With a rookie just wet his feet coming here, this performance deserves a score of 10”, Art De Roche emphasized.
These comments not only reflect the technical level of Zubimendi but also the willingness to contribute to the defense when necessary. With the Spanish player, Rice and Odegaard have more creative space, helping the line between Arsenal more virtual this season.
Most importantly, the performance against Bilbao (even a friendly match) shows the pace, decision -making and energy of Arsenal improved compared to previous friendly matches. The coordination between Zubimendi and Gyokeres is especially prominent, for those who love the Gunners to see creativity and efficiency, the factors that can shape the team's attacking play in the 2025/26 season.
With the approaching tense matches, this performance will bring encouragement to both coaches and NHM. If Zubimendi and other rookies continue to show this form, Arsenal can create a significant motivation for the beginning of the English Premier League season, especially the heroic match with MU at Old Trafford in the first round of the next week.
