Journalist: What late win at Newcastle says about Arsenal and Arteta | OneFootball

Arsenal show substance under Arteta at St James’ Park

“It’s a massive opportunity now to make a statement and to prove to everybody, and ourselves, the team that we are,” Mikel Arteta declared in the aftermath of Arsenal’s dramatic win at Newcastle. It was not just the three points that resonated but the manner in which they were taken, late, defiant and fuelled by a sense of injustice.

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Mentality shines through in late comeback

Gabriel’s 97th-minute goal secured victory after Mikel Merino had equalised from the bench, answering Gary Neville’s pointed question on Sky Sports: “The teams that are going to win the title don’t just stop there, they go on and win the game.” Arsenal did not settle for one point, they hunted for more. The anger at Jarred Gillett’s penalty reversal, denying Viktor Gyokeres from the spot, only stiffened resolve.

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This was not a team cowed by adversity but one strengthened by it. The depth of Arsenal’s squad, Arteta’s substitutions and the willingness to seize control of the closing stages underlined a collective belief that has often been questioned in the past.

Tactical choices and midfield balance

Arteta, criticised for caution in the stalemate with Manchester City, responded boldly at St James’ Park. His decision to start Eberechi Eze in a central role gave Arsenal a more fluid balance, complementing Martin Zubimendi and Declan Rice. Merino’s header drew attention, but it was Eze’s positioning that provided the tempo and structure. “The balance of the midfield with Eze playing centrally looks so much better,” read one assessment, and it felt like the foundation for Arsenal’s future approach.

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Resilience built on Rice’s influence

Declan Rice embodied the resilience demanded of champions. He was everywhere, chasing back to make last-ditch interventions and then instigating attacks with the same urgency. His contribution encapsulated Arsenal’s mentality, a proper team in football parlance, unshaken by setbacks and determined to respond.

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This victory was as much about psychology as it was tactics. Arsenal have stumbled at St James’ Park in recent years, but here they walked away with both points and presence. The early fixture list has been unforgiving, with trips to Liverpool, Newcastle and Manchester United alongside hosting Manchester City. To emerge from such tests still firmly in contention speaks volumes about Arteta’s squad.

What remains is the question of consistency. The scars of Anfield and the frustrations of the City draw still linger, but performances like Newcastle suggest lessons are being absorbed. This felt like a statement, one Arteta will demand is repeated over and again.

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This win at Newcastle feels monumental. It was not just the result but the defiance in the performance that set it apart. For years, there have been questions about Arsenal’s backbone, whether this side can truly mix it with the heavyweights away from home. To go to St James’ Park, a place of bad memories, and dig out a 97th-minute winner shows the mentality has shifted.

What will excite fans most is the balance in midfield. Seeing Eze, Zubimendi and Rice operating together looked like the kind of trio you can build a title challenge around. Eze brings creativity, Zubimendi control, and Rice everything in between. It was brave from Arteta to trust that set-up so early in the season, and it paid off.

There was also something deeply satisfying about the response to adversity. The overturned penalty could easily have derailed the players, but instead it spurred them on. That resilience is what separates good sides from great ones.

The optimism now is genuine. Arsenal are through some of the toughest fixtures already, and still right in the mix. For the first time in a long while, it feels like Arsenal are not simply participating in the title race but shaping it.