Viktor Gyokeres was the name on everyone’s lips before Arsenal faced Athletic Bilbao on Saturday, but afterwards it was Martin Zubimendi.
The Spain midfielder was the star of the show as Arsenal finished their pre-season with a 3-0 win at Emirates Stadium.
Zubimendi barely put a foot wrong all game, even coolly slotting the winning penalty in the pre-arranged penalty shootout.
It was the first time in pre-season that the 26-year-old had started in midfield alongside Declan Rice and Martin Odegaard, a combination that bodes well for Old Trafford on Sunday.
The trio have quickly formed an excellent understanding and look ready for Arsenal’s opening game of the Premier League season at Manchester United on Sunday.
“It was very easy – the team made it very easy for me,” said Zubimendi, when asked about settling into a new side.
“I think the rest of the team have integrated very well, I think the people on and off the pitch are very friendly. [Odegaard and Rice] are top players, the best in their position. It’s time to learn, adapt and enjoy it above all.”
Arteta had chosen not to start Odegaard, Rice and Zubimendi together before last weekend, perhaps with a view to keeping such a combination up his sleeve.
Manchester United – and the rest of Arsenal’s Premier League rivals – will have no doubt been watching them closely in pre-season, eager to see how Arteta’s team would evolve.
Many of them would have foreseen Arsenal lining up in midfield like this; with Zubimendi playing as a No6, and Odegaard and Rice ahead of him.
Few, however, would have predicted the fluidity on show – which was the biggest takeaway from Saturday’s win.
Zubimendi’s arrival should get more out of Odegaard, especially as the pair know each other from their time at Real Sociedad, but it also looks like it could unlock Rice, too.
Rice has been playing in an advanced midfield role for the past 18 months and it was thought that Zubimendi would see that continue.
Instead, Rice played deeper against Bilbao, sometimes even behind Zubimendi, collecting the ball from the centre backs and frequently looking to find Bukayo Saka early with long-range passes.
It continued the trend of the Gunners being more direct in pre-season and Saka was a real threat in the opening 30 minutes.
By finding him early, Saka enjoyed the rarity of not being doubled up on by defenders – a recurring problem for Arsenal in the past.
It also pinned Bilbao back and gave Odegaard and Zubimendi more time on the ball.
“We saw another evolution today on that,” said Arteta, when asked about Arsenal’s fluid midfield on Saturday.
“And [we saw] things that the team can really benefit from to be much more unpredictable and be much more of a threat, especially from these inside positions.”
Arteta has repeatedly stressed the need for Arsenal to be “unpredictable” – and the way their midfield operated on Saturday certainly was that.
Rice has been excellent as an advanced midfielder, but his influence grew by playing deeper and more central. It also allowed the England star to utilise an underused tool of his at Arsenal – his long-range passing.
Zubimendi dovetailed well with Rice and, particularly in the second half, was the deeper of the pair. At times, they formed a double pivot, giving Arsenal greater control.
Riccardo Calafiori, instead of tucking into midfield as Arsenal’s left back usually does, stayed wide and caused problems on the overlap – adding another dimension to Arsenal’s play.
It all made for a refreshing change from last season, when Arsenal’s attack had been stagnant at times.
Much of that was down to injuries and a lack of options, but Zubimendi’s arrival also feels like a watershed moment.
A deal for the Spaniard was a year in the making, with Arsenal opening talks with Real Sociedad last summer.
Early signs suggest he will have been worth the wait.
