By Bulldog Drummond
Showing just where they lie in the scheme of things, the Standard has an article on the Internet headlined “Tottenham XI vs Arsenal: Confirmed team news, predicted lineup and injury latest for Premier League today” which starts with “Ange Postecoglou handed a huge double fitness boost.” It has nothing to say about Arsenal.
Jonathan Liew, a Guardian writer who seems to me sometimes to be viewing events from a different planet from that which I generally think I am on, has a piece under the headline, “Tottenham v Arsenal: blood feud or a bit of banter for bragging rights?” – although to be fair he probably didn’t write the headline.
But still, you know the article is going to be a load of turnips when it starts with the subheading, “The Observer travels deep into the heart of north London to explore whether the bitter rivalry is all it’s cracked up to be.”
And maybe we should pause there, because whatever the rivalry between Arsenal and the Tiny Totts is “cracked up to be” it is “cracked up to be” that, by the media. Not by the likes of you and me. Thus this is the media, reporting on, well, the media.
But then of course, you and me actually pay to get in to the games, and these writers don’t, so it is easy to see why they get confused. In fact, what we have are people who are watching the game for free and being paid for their opinions, telling us, the actual supporters who pay to go and watch the games, whether what we experience is all that the media writers proclaim it to be. Which by and large would seem rather pathetic and stupid if it weren’t for the fact that some people believe what they say.
“Take a wrong turn, or catch the wrong eye, and nobody can really say what will happen next,” the appalling article proclaims. And if I were on the district council I’d demand an apology. It is virtually an incitement to riot.
The piece speaks of a 111-year-old “feud,” thus suggesting that it all started when Woolwich Arsenal moved from Plumstead – although in reality Arsenal and Tottenham were not even in the same division at the time, and didn’t play each other in a league match for another eight years.
But really this is a bit like saying there is a feud between Tottenham Hotspur and Leyton Orient. I mean Tottenham have only won one of the last seven games between the two sides. Or put it another way Tottenham has only won the league twice in their entire history. They last won the cup in 1991 and last won the league in … well I am not sure my history goes back that far but it was over 60 years ago.
The article’s conclusion that, “north London must feel like a tinder box constantly on the verge of ignition,” is so slanderous, I hope the local council take legal action. I don’t live there now, but I did for many years and it never felt like that. Occasionally one met a Tottenham supporter, and said “oh hard luck” and that was it.
But anyway, back to the game. As SportsMole says, “When Brighton defender Joel Veltman took a wild swipe at Declan Rice in Arsenal’s showdown with Brighton, the vast majority of supporters inside the stadium expected the Dutchman to receive punishment….” and that tells us where we stand with the referee. Although that standing, as we showed in a previous article, includes a propensity to support the away team, so we may still have some hope on that score.
But despite that, they still think Tottenham will win. However, I will nonetheless reprint their suggestion for a line up
Raya;
White, Saliba, Gabriel, Timber;
Havertz, Partey, Jorginho;
Saka, Jesus, Martinelli.
The Metro however has
Raya;
White, Saliba, Gabriel, Timber;
Jorginho, Party, Havertz
Saka, Sterling, Trossard
Fansided go with
Raya,
White, Saliba, Gabriel, Timber,
Jorginho, Havertz, Partey,
Saka, Jesus, Trossard
So I guess it is going to be something along one of those lines..
The current score in games is 87 wins to Arsenal, 67 to the Tiny Totts and 55 draws. But Tottenham have only won one game in the last seven – something most of the media seem to be reluctant to note. Harry Kane has scored more goals in Arsenal / Tottenham games than anyone else but unfortunately for Tottenham, Mr Kane decided he had had enough of never winning and trophy and so went to Germany to play for the serial league winners there. As a result, they came second.
Here;s the league table for the moment. We;ve extended the normal view in order to be able to get Tottenham into the list. A 4-0 win for Arsenal will put Tottenham below West Ham. Any win will take Arsenal up to second.
| Pos | Team | P | W | D | L | F | A | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Manchester City | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 3 | 8 | 12 |
| 2 | Liverpool | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 1 | 6 | 9 |
| 3 | Aston Villa | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 6 | 1 | 9 |
| 4 | Brighton and Hove Albion | 4 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 2 | 4 | 8 |
| 5 | Nottingham Forest | 4 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 8 |
| 6 | Arsenal | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 4 | 7 |
| 7 | Chelsea | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 8 | 5 | 3 | 7 |
| 8 | Newcastle United | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 7 |
| 9 | Brentford | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 6 | 6 | 0 | 6 |
| 10 | Manchester United | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 6 |
| 11 | AFC Bournemouth | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 5 |
| 12 | Fulham | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 5 |
| 13 | Tottenham Hotspur | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 3 | 3 | 4 |
| 14 | West Ham United | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 6 | -1 | 4 |
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More after the game.
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What a masterful tactical plan from Mikel Arteta. They sat back and were clearly unafraid of Spurs ability to pose a serious threat. The players dug deep, got the 3 points and a clean sheet at the Blank Stadium. Strange game from Gillett. If a player even looked at an opponent he went to his pocket. Linesmen were carefully checking ball placement on corners and throw-ins. Throw-ins could take a minute without pressure. Remember the cards on White and Tomiyasu when the league wanted less time wasting? The restarts were leisurely.
My takeaway is that even without Odegaard and Rice, Arsenal have way too much for Tottenham
No cards given for Spurs players kicking the ball away when Arsenal wanted to take a free kick.