Nicolas Pepe stole the headlines with his red card against Leeds, but the standout performance on the day was from Kieran Tierney.
The Scot was tireless throughout, bounding up and down the left side of the pitch to support Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Bukayo Saka even after Arsenal were reduced to ten men.
To show such energy and commitment for the full 90 minutes is even more impressive when you consider that he started all three of Scotland’s fixtures over the international break.
But his impressive display did not end at the full time whistle. Most defenders would have been happy with keeping a clean sheet after playing 40 minutes with ten men. But the 23-year-old was visibly furious, and had to be dragged from the field after seeking out Ezgjan Alioski to remonstrate with the North Macedonian for his role in getting Pepe sent off.
It’s symbolic of the kind of mentality the Scot possesses.
Accusations that the Gunners are lacking when it comes to the psychological aspects of the game are almost as old as some of the Hale End graduates pushing to get into Mikel Arteta ’s first team. “Leadership” and “character” have become dog whistle terms for Arsenal’s perceived softness in the past. These though are qualities that Kieran Tierney has in abundance.
It’s a state of mind forged by constantly overcoming adversity throughout his short career. For most players a broken leg, dislocated shoulder and fractured jaw might lead to some wariness when going into challenges, but the Scot is, as his former captain at Celtic put it, a man who “would tackle his granny.”
Winning is everything to Tierney and this was exemplified by the scenes at full time on Sunday. They were not unnoticed by one of the greatest ‘hard men’ in Arsenal’s history, Martin Keown.
"The way Kieran Tierney was trying to have a word with Leeds United’s Ezgjan Alioski at full-time — the player he saw as the protagonist in Pepe’s sending off — showed impressive fighting spirit” he told the Daily Mail.
"Tierney typified that spirit in the game itself, too. He’s not just at the back trying to keep a clean sheet.
"He bombs forward and puts in those extra yards for his team.
"Tierney might have felt incensed to see Granit Xhaka with his arm around Alioski at the end of the game after what had happened.
"I would have certainly felt like that if I’d seen one of my team-mates practically fraternising with the enemy.
"Xhaka then pushed Tierney away from the situation when he tried to confront Alioski.
"But the dust will settle from that incident. Tierney is just the type of personality Arsenal need in their team."
The three-time Premier League winner is exactly right.
If Arsenal want to reach the heights of when he was playing again, then Kieran Tierney is the exact sort of character Mikel Arteta should be looking to build the side around.
