The King Of Arsenal

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(A/N: Also everyone I have a new novel named “From Couch To The Inquisitor”, be sure to check it out and give some power stone)

…

Everyone knew what was coming as the first North London Derby of the season was almost here.

Then the derby morning arrived differently.

There was nothing unusual about the sunrise itself. London woke beneath a pale sky, traffic gradually thickening across the roads, cafés opening their doors and commuters beginning another Saturday.

But around the Emirates, the city seemed to have a little more edge to it.

By the time Francesco arrived with the Arsenal squad, the streets surrounding the stadium were already filling with supporters.

Red and white scarves were everywhere.

Some hung from railings. Others were wrapped around shoulders or held above heads as groups of supporters made their way toward the turnstiles. Vendors stood outside the stadium selling programmes and scarves, while police and stewards worked around the entrances to keep the growing crowds moving.

The North London Derby had arrived.

And nobody needed to explain what that meant.

Francesco looked out through the coach window as they approached the stadium.

The Emirates was already surrounded by noise.

Not the distant roar of a Champions League evening.

This was closer.

More local.

More personal.

He had played enormous matches before, but there was something unmistakable about seeing two sets of supporters preparing to spend ninety minutes trying to out-sing one another.

The coach entered the stadium area.

The players collected their bags and made their way inside.

As soon as Francesco stepped through the doors, the outside noise became muffled, replaced by the familiar sounds of matchday preparation.

Staff moved quickly through the corridors.

Equipment was being checked.

Kit staff arranged shirts and shorts.

Medical staff prepared their stations.

The players entered the dressing room one by one.

Francesco placed his belongings beside his seat and looked around.

The room felt different from a normal league match.

Nobody was panicking.

Nobody was shouting.

But there was an unmistakable concentration in the way everyone moved.

Today mattered.

Francesco changed into the training gear for the warm-up.

Around him, the squad began preparing.

Alexis was already tying his boots.

Gnabry stretched one leg against the bench.

Özil sat quietly for a moment, headphones resting around his neck.

Walker and Robertson were talking near the doorway.

Xhaka was checking his boots.

Kanté, as usual, seemed ready before everyone else.

Francesco stood and looked around the room.

“Ready?”

Alexis glanced up.

“Always.”

Francesco smiled.

“Good.”

The players headed out.

The moment the doors opened toward the pitch, the sound hit them.

The Emirates was filling rapidly.

Thousands of supporters were already in their seats, and the noise rose whenever an Arsenal player appeared.

Francesco stepped onto the grass.

The pitch looked immaculate.

The stadium itself seemed to close around it, the stands rising steeply on all sides.

Arsenal began their warm-up.

Passing came first.

Short combinations.

One-touch exchanges.

Movement after every pass.

The ball moved quickly between the players as the coaching staff watched closely.

Then the tempo increased.

Players worked through directional changes, short acceleration bursts and reaction exercises.

Francesco joined Özil, Alexis and Gnabry for an attacking sequence.

A pass into Francesco.

Layoff to Özil.

Immediate movement beyond the mannequin.

Özil released the ball.

Gnabry crossed.

Francesco finished.

Again.

This time Alexis made the final pass.

The next repetition came from the opposite side.

There was little conversation.

The players knew the movements.

The atmosphere outside kept growing.

Every few minutes another wave of supporters entered.

Songs echoed around the stadium.

The Arsenal players continued their work.

Stretching followed.

Then acceleration.

Then finishing.

Shots came from the edge of the area.

Crosses were delivered toward the near post.

Others were pulled back toward the penalty spot.

The goalkeepers worked separately before joining the wider group.

David Raya moved through his preparation with concentration, taking crosses and working on quick distribution.

Francesco noticed him for a moment.

There was nothing unusual in Raya’s body language.

He was simply preparing for the possibility of playing.

Nobody knew yet that he would be needed.

The final part of the warm-up involved a short passing game in a tight area.

Pressure was immediate.

Players had to scan before receiving.

One touch if possible.

Two at most.

The intensity was higher than usual.

A loose pass brought an immediate shout from Wenger’s staff.

“Again.”

The players reset.

Francesco glanced toward the stands.

The noise had become enormous.

The Tottenham supporters were making themselves heard from their section.

The Arsenal supporters answered.

Francesco took one final breath before the group headed inside.

The match was close.

Very close.

Back in the dressing room, the players removed their training tops.

The atmosphere was quieter now.

Match shirts came out.

Socks were adjusted.

Boots were tightened.

Francesco pulled on the Arsenal shirt and fastened the captain’s armband around his left arm.

He looked toward the dressing-room board.

The familiar names were listed.

Then Wenger entered.

The conversations stopped.

The manager stood at the front of the room with his notes in hand.

“There is one change.”

The players looked up.

“Petr is unwell today, so David starts.”

Raya looked up immediately.

Wenger nodded toward him.

“David, be confident. Play your game.”

Raya nodded.

“Understood.”

Wenger continued.

“Everyone else stays as we planned.”

The rest of the starting lineup remained unchanged from Bournemouth.

Raya in goal.

Robertson.

Van Dijk.

Koscielny.

Walker.

Kanté.

Xhaka.

Özil.

Alexis.

Gnabry.

Francesco.

Francesco looked across the room.

The shape was familiar.

The relationships were familiar.

Only the goalkeeper had changed.

Wenger then turned toward the tactical board.

“Tottenham.”

The names appeared.

“Hugo Lloris, captain.”

Then the rest.

“Ben Davies. Jan Vertonghen. Juan Foyth. Serge Aurier. Eric Dier. Christian Eriksen. Moussa Sissoko. Dele Alli. Harry Kane. Son Heung-min.”

The room became still.

Everyone knew what those names represented.

Wenger pointed toward the attacking players.

“Eriksen can hurt you between the lines. Alli will arrive late. Son will attack space. Kane can hold the ball, turn, finish and bring others into play.”

He looked around the squad.

“We cannot switch off.”

His finger moved toward the midfield.

“Dier and Sissoko will make it difficult to play through them. Vertonghen will organize behind them. Lloris will be aggressive with his positioning.”

He paused.

“They will punish mistakes.”

Francesco absorbed every word.

Wenger looked directly at him.

“And we do not need to play faster simply because this is a derby.”

Francesco nodded.

“Control the game,” Wenger continued. “Use the ball. Make them move.”

The final instructions were short.

No grand speech.

No attempt to manufacture emotion.

The players already had enough of that outside.

Soon they formed in the corridor.

The tunnel was crowded.

Tottenham’s players stood opposite them.

Lloris was at the front, wearing the captain’s armband.

Kane stood nearby.

Eriksen looked focused.

Son bounced lightly on his feet.

Francesco stood at the head of the Arsenal group.

For several seconds, nobody said anything.

The noise from the stadium filtered through the tunnel.

Then the officials appeared.

The two teams began walking out.

The sound exploded.

Arsenal supporters rose as one.

Tottenham’s section responded immediately.

Francesco stepped onto the Emirates pitch with his teammates around him.

The stadium was full.

The flags were moving.

The chants rolled from one stand to another.

But once the teams reached their positions, the formalities began.

Both sides lined up beside the referees.

The officials exchanged handshakes with the players.

Then the Arsenal players moved along the Tottenham line.

Francesco shook hands with Lloris.

Then Vertonghen.

Dier.

Eriksen.

Kane.

The Tottenham players returned the gesture with equal professionalism.

The formalities continued.

The official starting-eleven photographs were taken.

Players stood shoulder to shoulder.

Cameras flashed.

Then the groups separated.

Francesco walked toward the centre circle.

Lloris joined him.

The referee held up the coin.

“Call it.”

Francesco chose.

The coin went into the air.

It came down in Arsenal’s favour.

Francesco looked toward Lloris.

“We’ll take the kickoff.”

Lloris nodded.

“Good luck.”

“You too.”

They shook hands.

Then returned to their teams.

The players took their positions.

The noise rose one final time.

The referee checked his watch.

Whistle.

The North London Derby began.

Arsenal immediately pushed forward.

Tottenham matched them.

There was no feeling-out period.

The first challenge came inside the opening minute.

Kanté stepped into a midfield duel with Sissoko and won the ball, but Tottenham immediately recovered their shape.

Eriksen dropped deep to receive.

Özil tracked into space.

Francesco moved between Vertonghen and Foyth.

Alexis stayed wide before drifting inward.

Gnabry did the same from the opposite side.

The match moved quickly.

Tottenham attacked through Son.

The South Korean received near the left touchline, drove forward and attempted to cut inside.

Walker stayed with him.

The Arsenal full-back matched the run and eventually forced Son backward.

Moments later, Arsenal countered.

Walker found Özil.

Özil turned.

Francesco had already begun moving.

A through ball came toward him, but Vertonghen stepped across and intercepted.

The crowd applauded the effort.

Neither side was giving the other time.

At the eighth minute, Tottenham nearly created a chance through Kane.

Eriksen found space on the right side and delivered toward the penalty area.

Kane rose.

Van Dijk challenged.

The ball dropped loose, but Koscielny reacted first and cleared.

Arsenal came again.

This time Alexis carried the ball centrally.

Gnabry made a run behind Aurier.

Alexis delayed.

Then released him.

Gnabry crossed low.

Lloris got down quickly and gathered.

The tempo was relentless.

Then, in the 12th minute, Arsenal found their breakthrough.

It began with Xhaka winning possession near the halfway line.

He immediately found Özil.

The German received under pressure from Dier and turned away from him.

Francesco dropped toward the ball, pulling Vertonghen slightly forward.

That created a narrow channel.

Özil saw it.

Alexis had already started moving through the gap.

The pass arrived perfectly.

Alexis took it in stride.

One touch into the penalty area.

Aurier tried to close him down.

Alexis shifted the ball onto his right foot.

Then finished low across Lloris.

The net moved.

1–0.

The Emirates erupted.

Alexis turned toward the corner, shouting as he spread his arms.

Francesco was already running toward him.

Gnabry arrived next.

Then Özil.

The group formed around Alexis.

Francesco grabbed him by the shoulders.

“That’s it!”

Alexis was grinning.

“Keep going!”

The supporters were still roaring when Arsenal returned to halfway.

Tottenham looked frustrated, but not shaken.

Lloris gathered his defenders.

Dier was already talking.

Eriksen gestured for everyone to move higher.

The restart came.

And Tottenham responded.

They began pressing Arsenal’s first pass more aggressively.

Son pushed higher.

Alli moved closer to Kane.

Eriksen started finding pockets between Xhaka and the defensive line.

Arsenal defended well, but the balance of the match shifted.

In the 27th minute, Tottenham equalized.

Eriksen collected the ball outside the Arsenal penalty area after Sissoko had recovered possession.

He looked up.

Dier had made a forward run.

Eriksen’s pass split the midfield.

Dier reached it inside the box.

Raya moved forward to narrow the angle, but Dier struck the ball quickly.

The shot flew beyond the goalkeeper.

1–1.

The Tottenham section erupted.

Dier turned toward them with both arms raised.

Arsenal’s players regrouped.

Raya looked disappointed but immediately picked himself up.

Francesco walked toward him.

“Forget it. We go again.”

Raya nodded.

“Yeah.”

The match had changed.

Tottenham now had confidence.

Arsenal responded by pushing forward again.

Özil tried to find space between Dier and Vertonghen.

Alexis dropped deeper.

Francesco moved across the front line, looking for a way to isolate Foyth.

The chances became scrappier.

A tackle.

A blocked shot.

A misplaced pass.

A recovery.

Then, in the 36th minute, the decisive moment of the half arrived.

Tottenham attacked through the middle.

Eriksen carried the ball toward the edge of the penalty area before releasing it toward Kane.

Kane entered the box.

Koscielny moved across.

The two players challenged for the ball.

Kane went down.

The referee immediately pointed to the spot.

The Emirates erupted in protest.

Arsenal players surrounded the referee.

Francesco stood nearby, trying to keep his teammates from losing control.

Kane had already collected the ball.

He placed it on the penalty spot.

Raya stood on his line.

The noise became deafening.

Kane stepped backward.

Raya bounced lightly from one foot to the other.

He watched Kane carefully.

The referee checked both goalkeepers and players.

Then blew the whistle.

Kane approached.

He struck the ball firmly toward the corner.

Raya guessed.

He went the other way.

The ball hit the net.

2–1 Tottenham.

The Spurs supporters exploded.

Kane turned toward them, punching the air once before being surrounded by his teammates.

Raya remained on his knees for a moment.

Then he stood.

Francesco walked over.

“Keep your head up.”

Raya nodded.

“Got it.”

There was still time.

A lot of it.

Arsenal refused to collapse.

The response came immediately.

Xhaka pushed higher.

Kanté began winning second balls.

Robertson advanced more frequently.

Walker did the same on the opposite side.

Francesco nearly equalized in the 41st minute after Özil found him inside the area.

He turned sharply and shot through a crowded group of defenders.

Lloris reacted quickly and blocked it with his legs.

The rebound fell to Alexis.

A defender threw himself in front of the follow-up.

The ball went out.

The Arsenal supporters applauded.

Corner.

Özil delivered.

Van Dijk rose above everyone.

His header was blocked.

Tottenham cleared.

The final minutes became frantic.

Son nearly escaped down the left, but Walker recovered.

Kane attempted to hold the ball up under pressure from Koscielny.

Kanté intercepted a loose pass.

Francesco drove Arsenal forward again.

There were tackles everywhere.

Neither side wanted to give ground.

The referee eventually checked his watch.

Then blew for halftime.

Tottenham 2.

Arsenal 1.

Francesco stood still for a moment.

He looked toward the scoreboard.

Then toward his teammates.

Nobody was devastated.

But the frustration was obvious.

They had started strongly.

They had taken the lead.

Then two moments had turned the match around.

Francesco walked toward the tunnel with Alexis and Özil.

Alexis shook his head.

“We had them.”

“We still have them,” Francesco replied.

Alexis looked at him.

“Second half.”

“Second half.”

The Arsenal players entered the dressing room.

Water bottles were opened immediately.

Players sat down.

Some remained standing.

Towels were passed around.

Raya took a long drink.

The room was quieter than before kickoff.

The first-half disappointment hung in the air, but there was no blame.

Nobody pointed fingers.

Nobody questioned the effort.

Wenger allowed the players a few moments to recover.

Then he stood.

“Listen.”

The room settled.

“We are losing by one goal.”

His voice was calm.

“That is all.”

He looked around the dressing room.

“We are not out of this match. We are not even close to being out of this match.”

The players listened.

“You started well. You moved the ball. You created the first goal. Then we allowed the game to become too open.”

He pointed toward the tactical board.

“We can change that.”

Wenger moved the magnets.

“First, confidence. We cannot become hesitant because they scored twice.”

He looked at Özil.

“Mesut, continue finding the spaces.”

Then Alexis.

“Alexis, stay aggressive. Don’t wait for the ball.”

Then his eyes settled on Francesco.

“And you.”

Francesco straightened.

“Get closer to them.”

Wenger moved the attacking pieces together.

“You, Alexis and Serge.”

Gnabry looked up.

“I want movement between the three of you.”

Wenger pointed toward the Tottenham defensive line.

“Don’t stand in front of them. Move them.”

He shifted Francesco toward the centre, then moved Alexis wider.

“When Francesco drops, Alexis can attack inside.”

He moved Gnabry toward the opposite channel.

“When Serge comes inside, Francesco can run beyond.”

Then he repositioned all three.

“They cannot defend three players if those three players keep changing the picture.”

Francesco nodded.

“Use the space behind them,” Wenger continued. “Vertonghen and Foyth will want to protect the centre. Pull them away. Make them turn.”

He looked at the entire squad.

“And when we lose the ball, we remain disciplined. Eriksen cannot be allowed to play freely. Kane cannot receive comfortably. Son cannot run into open space.”

The instructions were specific.

Not emotional.

Not desperate.

A plan.

“You are one goal behind,” Wenger said. “Nothing more.”

He paused.

“Play with belief.”

The room began to change.

Players stood.

Water bottles were put down.

Boots were checked.

Francesco looked around at his teammates.

Alexis nodded toward him.

Gnabry gave him a quick glance.

Özil stood calmly.

Kanté was already ready to go.

Francesco tightened the captain’s armband.

The frustration had not disappeared.

But it had become something more useful.

Determination.

Wenger’s final words followed them toward the door.

“Go out there and make them defend.”

Francesco led the players into the corridor.

The noise of the Emirates was already returning.

Tottenham were waiting on the other side.

Arsenal were still behind.

2–1.

But the derby was nowhere near finished.

Francesco took one breath.

Then stepped toward the pitch with his teammates behind him, Wenger’s instructions still clear in his mind.

Alexis.

Gnabry.

Movement.

Interchange.

Space behind Tottenham’s defence.

There was another forty-five minutes waiting for them.

Then the second half began beneath a different kind of noise.

When Francesco led the Arsenal players back onto the Emirates pitch, the supporters were already on their feet. The disappointment of the first half had not disappeared, but neither had the belief.

Arsenal were behind.

Only by one goal.

And everyone inside the stadium knew it.

Francesco stepped over the touchline and looked across toward Tottenham’s players.

Lloris was speaking with Vertonghen.

Dier stood nearby.

Kane was already moving toward his position.

There was no need for words.

The next forty-five minutes would decide everything.

Francesco gathered the Arsenal players briefly.

“Together,” he said.

Alexis nodded.

Gnabry slapped his hands together.

Özil glanced toward the centre circle.

The referee checked both teams.

Then the whistle sounded.

Arsenal went forward immediately.

The first attack lasted nearly a minute.

Kanté found Xhaka.

Xhaka moved it to Robertson.

The left-back advanced before playing inside to Alexis, who had dropped into the half-space.

Alexis turned and found Francesco.

Francesco had moved away from Vertonghen, then immediately spun back toward the space behind him.

The return pass came quickly.

Foyth stepped out.

Francesco touched the ball beyond him, but Vertonghen recovered and forced him toward the corner.

The Emirates applauded anyway.

It was exactly the kind of start Wenger had wanted.

Arsenal weren’t simply throwing bodies forward.

They were making Tottenham move.

Gnabry switched from the right toward the middle.

Alexis drifted left.

Francesco occasionally dropped toward Özil before accelerating beyond the defensive line.

The positions kept changing.

Tottenham’s defenders had to communicate constantly.

“Stay!”

“Hold!”

“Left!”

Vertonghen was repeatedly pointing toward the spaces behind him.

Foyth tracked Gnabry.

Aurier was forced deeper.

Davies rarely had an opportunity to push forward.

Tottenham were still dangerous whenever they escaped.

Eriksen found Kane with a clever pass into the centre.

Kane held off Koscielny and released Son.

Son accelerated down the left.

Walker recovered quickly, matching his pace and forcing him toward the sideline.

Son eventually crossed.

Van Dijk rose and headed away.

The clearance landed with Kanté.

Arsenal were moving again.

This time Özil was at the centre of it.

He received from Kanté and immediately played a short pass into Francesco.

Francesco turned.

Gnabry was already running beyond him.

A quick exchange followed.

Gnabry returned the ball.

Francesco entered the area.

Lloris came out.

But Foyth slid across and blocked the shot.

The ball ricocheted behind for a corner.

The crowd rose again.

Tottenham were under pressure.

But they weren’t broken.

Dier began dropping closer to the centre-backs.

Sissoko stayed deeper to help protect the middle.

Eriksen tried to slow the game whenever Tottenham recovered possession.

Kane occasionally dropped almost into midfield to give his teammates an outlet.

It helped.

For several minutes, Spurs managed to push Arsenal away from their penalty area.

Then Kanté won the ball again.

The Emirates responded with a roar.

The Frenchman immediately gave it to Xhaka.

Xhaka found Robertson.

Robertson drove forward.

His cross was blocked.

Throw-in.

Arsenal took it quickly.

The ball returned to Özil.

He lifted his head.

Francesco was between Vertonghen and Foyth again.

Gnabry had moved inside.

Alexis was wider.

Özil tried the pass.

This time Vertonghen intercepted.

Tottenham escaped.

But only briefly.

Arsenal’s pressure was becoming constant.

By the 52nd minute, Tottenham’s back four were rarely able to hold a comfortable line.

Every time one defender stepped toward the ball, another Arsenal attacker appeared in the space he had left.

Wenger’s halftime instructions were beginning to show themselves.

Francesco was no longer waiting between two centre-backs.

He was moving across them.

Sometimes toward the left.

Sometimes toward the right.

Sometimes dropping beside Özil before suddenly turning and attacking the space behind.

Gnabry was doing the same.

Alexis changed his position almost every attack.

Tottenham were having to solve the same problem over and over again.

And eventually, in the 56th minute, they couldn’t.

The move began on the right.

Walker received possession and played inside to Kanté.

Kanté found Özil.

Özil immediately looked forward.

Gnabry had drifted into the centre, drawing Davies and Sissoko toward him.

Francesco was outside the penalty area.

Alexis was occupying Foyth.

For one moment, Tottenham’s defensive shape stretched.

Gnabry saw it first.

He carried the ball toward the right side of the penalty area, waited for Davies to commit, then slipped a pass backward into Francesco’s path.

Francesco received it just outside the box.

There was space.

Not much.

Just enough.

He took one touch.

Then stopped.

The defenders expected him to pass.

Instead, Francesco looked up at Lloris.

The goalkeeper was positioned slightly toward the centre of his goal.

Francesco shifted his body.

His right foot met the ball cleanly.

The shot rose away from him, bending beautifully through the air.

Lloris immediately moved across his goal.

He stretched.

He got close.

But not close enough.

The ball curved toward the far side of the goal, brushing past the reach of the Tottenham goalkeeper before nestling inside the net.

2–2.

For half a second, the Emirates seemed stunned by what it had just seen.

Then the entire stadium erupted.

Francesco turned toward the supporters.

He didn’t even have time to celebrate alone.

Gnabry was already sprinting toward him.

Alexis arrived from the other side.

Özil followed.

Francesco was grabbed from both shoulders as the Arsenal players converged around him.

Gnabry shouted above the noise.

“That’s what you wanted!”

Francesco laughed.

“That was you!”

Gnabry pointed toward the pitch.

“Exactly!”

Alexis wrapped an arm around both of them.

The roar continued.

Thousands of Arsenal supporters were on their feet.

Scarves waved.

Arms stretched into the air.

The sound seemed to roll through the stadium in waves.

Francesco finally looked toward the scoreboard.

2–2.

The comeback had begun.

Across the pitch, Tottenham’s players were regrouping.

Lloris retrieved the ball from the net.

Vertonghen was already speaking to Foyth.

Dier looked frustrated.

Kane clapped his hands, demanding focus.

The two-goal advantage they had enjoyed at the start of the second half was gone.

The match was level again.

And suddenly Tottenham had a different problem.

Arsenal believed.

The restart was frantic.

Tottenham pushed forward immediately.

Eriksen found Kane.

Kane attempted to turn, but Koscielny stepped in.

The ball fell to Alli.

Kanté arrived and took it away.

Sissoko recovered the loose ball and drove forward.

He found Son.

Son crossed.

Raya came through traffic and punched clear.

The goalkeeper landed and immediately shouted toward his defenders.

“Push!”

Arsenal moved out.

The counterattack came.

Walker surged down the right.

He found Alexis.

Alexis moved inside.

Francesco was already running toward the penalty area.

Alexis slipped the ball through.

Francesco reached it.

Vertonghen intercepted at the last moment.

The Emirates groaned.

The match had become completely open.

Neither side wanted to settle for the draw.

Tottenham created another chance through Eriksen, whose shot from distance forced Raya to dive low.

The goalkeeper pushed it around the post.

Arsenal answered with a corner.

Özil walked toward the quadrant.

Francesco moved toward the edge of the box.

Koscielny stood among the crowd of players inside.

The German raised his hand.

Everyone knew where the delivery was going.

The ball swung toward the six-yard area.

Koscielny attacked it.

He had spent much of the first half carrying the frustration of the penalty incident, but now he had an opportunity to do something about the match in a completely different way.

He timed his movement perfectly.

Koscielny rose above the defenders.

His forehead met the ball.

The header was firm and downward.

Lloris reacted.

Too late.

The ball bounced inside the goal.

3–2.

The Emirates exploded again.

Koscielny landed and immediately shouted toward the supporters.

His teammates surrounded him.

Van Dijk reached him first.

Then Xhaka.

Kanté joined.

Francesco ran over, smiling.

Koscielny’s face carried the release of a player who had just turned frustration into something useful.

Francesco grabbed him.

“Laurent!”

Koscielny laughed.

“Much better.”

Özil arrived and pointed toward the corner flag.

“Good delivery?”

Koscielny nodded.

“Very good.”

The Arsenal players returned toward halfway.

The scoreboard had changed again.

Arsenal 3.

Tottenham 2.

From 2–1 down at halftime to leading inside twenty-two minutes.

Wenger stood near the touchline, arms folded, watching the players reset.

He didn’t celebrate wildly.

But there was a clear satisfaction in his expression.

His team had listened.

Tottenham had no intention of accepting the result.

Pochettino began making changes.

The fourth official raised the board.

Three Tottenham substitutions.

Son Heung-min came off.

Lucas Moura replaced him.

Dele Alli was withdrawn.

Harry Winks came on.

Ben Davies left the pitch.

Danny Rose entered.

The Spurs shape shifted.

Lucas immediately positioned himself higher on the right.

Winks dropped into midfield.

Rose pushed forward whenever Tottenham had possession.

Wenger looked toward his own bench.

It was time.

At the 70th minute, the fourth official raised another board.

Three Arsenal changes.

Francesco.

Mesut Özil.

Serge Gnabry.

Coming off.

Olivier Giroud.

Emile Smith Rowe.

Bukayo Saka.

Coming on.

Francesco looked toward Wenger as he approached the touchline.

The manager gave him a brief nod.

“Excellent.”

Francesco nodded back.

Then he turned toward the pitch.

Before leaving, he removed the captain’s armband.

Laurent Koscielny was nearby.

Francesco handed it to him.

“Here.”

Koscielny took it.

“I’ve got it.”

Francesco patted his shoulder.

“Finish it.”

Koscielny smiled.

“We will.”

Francesco walked toward the bench as the Emirates rose to applaud him.

The supporters had seen their captain score the equalizer that had changed the match.

Francesco lifted a hand toward them.

No theatrical gesture.

Just a quiet acknowledgement.

Alexis came over as he reached the technical area.

“Good one.”

Francesco smiled.

“Now you finish it.”

Alexis laughed.

“Maybe.”

The players on the pitch had already reorganized.

Giroud took Francesco’s central position.

Saka moved into the attacking line.

Smith Rowe occupied the spaces Özil had previously controlled.

The substitutions changed Arsenal’s rhythm.

Giroud offered a physical outlet.

Saka brought fresh pace.

Smith Rowe immediately began looking for pockets between Tottenham’s midfield and defence.

Tottenham pushed forward.

They had to.

Lucas Moura carried the ball inside and tested Robertson.

Robertson stayed with him.

Kane dropped deep and attempted to draw Van Dijk forward.

Koscielny refused to be pulled away.

Eriksen received near the edge of the area.

Xhaka blocked his path.

Winks tried to recycle possession.

Kanté closed him down.

Arsenal were defending with patience.

From the technical area, Francesco watched.

The captain’s armband was now on Koscielny.

His teammates were protecting the lead.

But Wenger had not asked them simply to retreat.

When the opportunity appeared, they attacked.

That opportunity came in the 82nd minute.

Giroud received the ball near the right side of midfield.

His first touch brought him under pressure from Vertonghen.

He used his body to shield the ball.

Saka moved toward him.

Smith Rowe was already running beyond the midfield line.

Giroud waited.

Then turned.

The Frenchman carried the ball forward before playing a measured pass into Smith Rowe’s path.

The young midfielder took it in stride.

There was space in front of him.

Rose tried to close the angle.

Smith Rowe cut inside.

Dier stepped across.

Smith Rowe remained calm.

He waited for the goalkeeper to commit.

Then placed the ball beyond Lloris.

4–2.

The Emirates erupted for the third time in the second half.

Smith Rowe stopped for a fraction of a second.

Then his teammates crashed into him.

Saka was first.

Giroud arrived immediately afterward.

The Frenchman grabbed Smith Rowe and laughed.

“That’s it!”

Smith Rowe could barely hear him.

The noise was enormous.

Wenger stood near the technical area and allowed himself a small smile.

The changes had worked.

Giroud’s strength had created the opening.

Smith Rowe’s movement had finished it.

Arsenal had turned the derby around completely.

Francesco watched from nearby, applauding.

Four goals.

Three in the second half.

And his own strike had started the comeback.

Tottenham restarted.

They still had time.

Pochettino urged his players forward.

Kane tried to bring Lucas and Eriksen into the game.

Rose pushed higher.

Winks looked for forward passes.

But Arsenal were now playing with greater composure.

The defensive line stayed together.

Van Dijk won an aerial challenge against Kane.

Koscielny cleared another cross.

Robertson blocked a delivery from Lucas.

Walker intercepted a pass intended for Rose.

Kanté continued covering enormous areas of midfield.

Xhaka slowed the game whenever he could.

Raya made one final important save when Eriksen’s low shot came through a crowd of players.

He held it firmly.

No rebound.

No second chance.

The Emirates responded with another roar.

Arsenal were almost there.

The final minutes became less about attacking and more about making sensible decisions.

Giroud held the ball near the corner.

Saka carried it toward the halfway line before winning a throw.

Smith Rowe chased down a loose pass.

Alexis dropped deeper to help.

The supporters could sense the end.

The chants became louder.

Tottenham continued trying.

But every Arsenal player understood his responsibility.

No needless risks.

No gaps.

No panic.

The referee looked at his watch.

Francesco stood beside the technical area.

Koscielny’s voice could be heard from the pitch.

“Stay together!”

Van Dijk nodded.

Walker moved back into position.

Kanté tracked one final run.

The next Tottenham attack broke down.

The ball rolled toward the touchline.

Saka cleared it forward.

The referee raised his whistle.

And blew.

Full time.

Arsenal 4.

Tottenham 2.

For a moment, nobody moved.

Then the Emirates erupted.

The sound was enormous.

Arsenal players embraced across the pitch.

Koscielny was immediately surrounded.

Smith Rowe was laughing.

Giroud put an arm around him.

Saka was celebrating with the supporters.

Raya stood near his penalty area, looking toward the scoreboard.

He had endured a difficult first half.

Now he was part of a winning derby side.

Francesco stepped onto the pitch from the technical area.

Alexis saw him and walked over.

“We did it.”

Francesco smiled.

“We did.”

They embraced briefly.

Gnabry joined them.

Then Walker.

Then Xhaka.

The group kept growing until almost the entire squad had gathered together.

The Emirates was still shaking with noise.

Francesco looked toward the supporters.

He had already played his part.

His 56th-minute strike had pulled Arsenal level.

Koscielny had completed the turnaround with Özil’s corner.

Smith Rowe had delivered the final blow after Giroud’s intelligent assist.

Three second-half goals.

A 4–2 victory.

The first North London Derby of the season belonged to Arsenal.

Francesco walked toward the supporters with his teammates.

The players applauded.

The supporters answered.

Koscielny, still wearing the captain’s armband, raised it briefly toward the stands.

Francesco smiled at him.

“Not bad.”

Koscielny laughed.

“Not bad?”

Francesco nodded.

“Very good.”

Nearby, Smith Rowe was still being congratulated by teammates.

Giroud received a handshake from Wenger as the manager finally stepped onto the pitch.

Wenger looked toward his players.

“You made it difficult for yourselves,” he said, loud enough for those nearest him to hear.

Francesco laughed.

“But you finished it properly.”

That was Wenger’s version of praise.

The squad continued around the pitch, acknowledging the home supporters.

The celebration never reached the scale of the Champions League nights.

It didn’t need to.

This victory belonged to North London.

It was local.

It was immediate.

And it had required Arsenal to fight their way back from a difficult position.

At halftime they had been behind.

Tottenham had led 2–1.

Forty-five minutes later, the scoreboard told a completely different story.

4–2.

Francesco looked up toward the stands one final time before walking back toward the dressing room.

The derby had been everything the players expected.

Physical.

Technical.

Unpredictable.

And ultimately decided by Arsenal’s response.

The first North London Derby of the season was over, and Arsenal had won it.

__________________________________________________

Name : Francesco Lee

Age : 19 (2017)

Birthplace : London, England

Football Club : Arsenal First Team

Championship History : 2014/2015 Premier League, 2014/2015 FA Cup, 2015/2016 Community Shield, 2016/2017 Premier League, 2015/2016 Champions League, Euro 2016, Premier League Champion 2016/2017, FA Cup 2016/2017, 2016/2017 Champions League, 2017/2018 Carabao Cup, Premier League 2017/2018, FA Cup 2017/2018, Champions League 2017/2018, 2018 World Cup, and 2018/2019 Community Shield.

Season 17/18 stats:

Arsenal:

Match: 19

Goal: 22

Assist: 1

MOTM: 0

POTM: 0

England:

Match: 2

Goal: 2

Assist: 0

MOTM: 0

Season 17/18 stats:

Arsenal:

Match: 59

Goal: 76

Assist: 6

MOTM: 7

POTM: 0

England:

Match: 11

Goal: 14

Assist: 1

MOTM: 7

Season 16/17 stats:

Arsenal:

Match: 55

Goal: 87

Assist: 5

MOTM: 14

POTM: 1

England:

Match: 1

Goal: 1

Assist: 0

MOTM: 0

Season 15/16 stats:

Arsenal:

Match Played: 60

Goal: 82

Assist: 10

MOTM: 9

POTM: 1

England:

Match Played: 2

Goal: 4

Assist: 0

Euro 2016

Match Played: 6

Goal: 13

Assist: 4

MOTM: 6

Season 14/15 stats:

Match Played: 35

Goal: 45

Assist: 12

MOTM: 9

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