- Tottenham v Arsenal: it’s the 5th time we’ve had the same referee, and this time….
- Do you remember that old thought: “Fourth is not a trophy”?
- Why Tottenham concede more goals than Arsenal, and what they could do about it (but I hope they don’t)
- Comparing Tottenham and Arsenal. For them it seemed a fantastic start, but then….
By Bulldog Drummond
There are two types of thinking about Tottenham among Arsenal supporters. There are those who want Tottenham to do well, but then fall away at the last as Arsenal shine through, thus giving Tottenham fans hope but with those hopes being dashed. And there are those who want Tottenham to linger in the lower reaches, exploring the concept of relegation which they haven’t tasted since 1978.
Either way it is nice, before a Tottenham game it is good to talk not just of the the actual team today but of a player for the future. Indeed we are often critical of journalistic writing styles but I will accept “jaw dropping” for Chido Obi Martin who aged 16 scored the opening seven goals in the away 0-9 victory at Norwich. OK one could say he is slipping as he got ten against Liverpool but still, it is 24 goals in the last seven games which is not bad going and 28 for the season with two games to go.
And just to top it all up he’s played for both Denmark and England, and apparently could also represent Nigeria if he so wished.
Not that we will see him today of course, but even so, it’s nice to know that the Arsenal tradition of having a plethora of youngsters knocking at the door, is rather good. Jack Wilshere must be smiling every time he watches his team.
Meanwhile, back with the grown-ups, the reports are saying that Jurrien Timber is close to getting some time on the bench, although as Tottenham are known to be a bunch of hearty roughs this may not be the right game to pick.
But with only one win in the last six against Tottenham, Arsenal do need to restore the natural order of things with a hearty win.
Now we know that in their last six games Tottenham have won three, drawn one, and lost two, scoring ten and conceding ten, which is fairly standard mid-table stuff. But if we look at who Tottenham have played in these last six a slightly different tale emerges. Yes they beat Aston Villa, but their other victories were against Luton (by just one goal) and Nottingham Forest. They have lost to Newcastle and Fulham and drawn with West Ham. So engagements with teams in the upper reaches have been rare.
In fact if we look at the four games before that, to give a perspective over the last ten we also see them playing Brentford, Everton, Wolverhampton and Brighton; they have indeed been having some easy fixtures and sometimes making a meal of it. They are seventh in the “last 10 games table”.
Their home goal difference across the whole season is just +13. Arsenal’s away GD alone is more than double that and overall is more than four times that!
And here’s a thought from the BBC, if Arsenal do score today as we hope and expect, Tottenham will have conceded 50+ for two seasons running, which suggests neither their recruitment policy nor their youth policy are up to much in the rearguard department.
Plus they have conceded at least one goal in each of their last dozen home games. Although this season they have locked out the mighty Burnley and Sheffield United. Tottenham will miss the chance to have those two score none next season.
Arsenal have won six and drawn one of their last seven away games and the 24 games Arsenal have won after 34 matches equals their PL record. If Tottenham fail to score, Arsenal will be only the third PL team to have seven successive games without conceding a goal.
So what of the team?
The Standard offer up
Raya;
White, Saliba, Gabriel, Tomiyasu;
Odegaard, Jorginho, Rice;
Saka, Havertz, Trossard
While the Metro gives just one change from that
Raya,
White, Saliba, Gabriel, Tomiyasu,
Odegaard, Partey, Rice,
Saka, Havertz, Trossard
FootballLondon “reveals” the squad for the game, which is not much use at all as they do just give us the squad, not a suggested team, while 90 Min suggest a hybrid of the above
Raya;
White, Saliba, Gabriel, Tomiyasu;
Partey, Rice, Odegaard;
Saka, Havertz, Trossard.
Sky Sports report this as ‘the biggest north London derby for 20 years’ placing that comment in inverted commas, but then somehow forgetting to tell us who they are quoting. I suspect it was Sir Hardly Anyone who actually said it was the biggest north London derby since the last one.
Leaving aside any thoughts of other games a win for Arsenal will leave them where they are at the moment, which is top. A win for Tottenham will leave them where they are, which is fifth. So no change then.
Except as they love to say in the media, it is all to play for.
We are in a bit of a quandary with Spurs, which is why I was, against all my instincts, cheering loudly for a Chelsea win last night. I know, that should never happen but I shall explain. It’s all about the battle for the ‘not a trophy trophy’ of 4th place. We need Spurs to be in with a shout of 4th place when they face Man City and I think, even with Villa dropping 2 points last night, that is looking very unlikely, especially if we beat them today, as we have to do.
Even with Villa dropping those 2 points last night, and assuming we beat Spurs today, that still leaves:
Aston Villa Played 35 on 67 Points.
Tottenham Played 33 on 60 points.
Villa also have a better GD
Villas remaining fixtures are Brighton away, Liverpool at Home and Palace Away.
Spurs remaining fixtures are Chelsea away, Liverpool away, Burnley at Home Man City at Home and Sheff Utd at home.
Villas maximum return is 76
Spurs maximum return is 75
So even if Villa lose their 3 remaining fixtures, Spurs have to win all theirs. Neither of those will happen.
My worry is, if Villa beat both Brighton and Liverpool, as I suspect they will, that puts them on 73 points, that means Spurs basically have to win at both Chelsea and Liverpool, as well as at home to Burnley (putting them on 69 points) to mean anything depends on their City match. If they lose one of those 3 matches they are almost certain to be out of the race for a CL spot by the time they play Man City.
And with nothing resting on it, what do you honestly think is going to happen?
Corr:
“So even if Villa lose their 3 remaining fixtures, Spurs have to win all theirs. Neither of those will happen”.
Sorry that’s wrong, but the final paragraph scenario is really the point.
oh happy days…. oh happy days…
65 millions down the Sp*rs drain…
28 % possession, 4 shots on goal, 3 goals….
Talk about RUTHLESS so far.
I love the sound of a Sp*rs stadium silent in the afternoon….
YES! YES! YES! Made it difficult for ourselves with Raya giving them a goal. Then fatigue crept in I felt and it was fighting for every meter and keep the win. It is St. Totteringhamsday already… Spuds probably miss out on CL football… We are sure of CL football… good day… can Nottingham Forrest make it a great day???
Walter
As I said, as much as Spurs probably missing out on Champions league football is fun, we really needed them in with a chance when they play Man City because without it they simply will not try and that is the only match I can see them dropping points in.
Nothing like a NLD…..
Still it must be stated how the Gunners have evolved and can win ugly, can take a beginning of a remontada and not crumble.
I ain’t over until it is over. Now we’ve only got the Pl games, no more 2 game weeks. Should help.
Thanks Walter for the St Totteringham’s day mention, I had overseen it. Cheers to that.
As for the Sp*rs not going to the CL, their manager does not care and prefers the EL. So they’ve got what they wanted.
After all, each club has it’s own ambitions….
Ref let Spurs kick and batter Odegaard, before they turned on Saka, the usual target. Davies should have had at least two yellows and Richarlison should have a red card for the assault on Gabriel.
Raya recovered well after his disastrous error and was great at taking high crosses and calming the whole defence.
John L
Re Raya
You make a good point.
I don’t usually get too animated when one of our players makes an error, even a catastrophic one, after all they don’t mean to do it, but I was spitting feathers with that one.
Reason being, that due to Spurs very good, relentless high press Raya was kicking long all day. That was just another ‘kick it long’ moment, but he tried to be clever. Why? Absolutely no need. Felt like show boating. He must of felt terrible.
But as you say. He regained his composure. Didn’t panic. And was calmness personified in those last 15 minutes.
Given the final result I think I can forgive him 😉
Yes, Happy St. Totteringham’s Day, everybody! And, I wouldn’t count on any help from that lot up Seven Sisters. If they can’t help themselves, they can’t help us!