Just a few hour to go to one of the most important games in Arsenal’s season, and the nerves are building to a crescendo. I am sure that Man City will dispose of Aston Villa earlier in the day (well you never know!) and Arsenal will be under pressure to keep pace ahead of the boring interlull.
There will be many stars on show on both sides and we will be pinning our hopes on trusty Olivier Giroud, who has come back to form with a bang recently after a dismal start to the season. Wenger believes that Giroud needed the break when Walcott was leading the line. “The finishing is a bit cyclic and it is linked with sharpness, with form, with confidence,” Wenger said. “Sometimes when Olivier has a breather, he comes back with even more desire and his physical strength is very good.
“After, when you have scored in the game before, you are always convinced that you will score again. Once it leaves you, that’s where you have the fight. At the moment he is on fire.”
We are all hoping he can keep this run up as long as possible as we have very few other options at the moment, but we will certainly be stronger after the enforced break.
Tottenham too have a striker in form, the young Harry Kane, but Wenger believes the key to beating Spurs is that Kane is not provided with too many chances. “It’s always a bit similar because you need somebody who gives the ball to the guy who scores,” said Wenger. “Eriksson can be this guy, so when you play against the team, you need to nullify the player who provides. The player who provides can be Eriksen.
“I believe they have a good level of workrate,” he added. “They have found stability at the back, they have the spine of the team with Lloris, Vertonghen, Alderweireld and Dier in the middle, with Kane in front. They keep that stable, which stabilises them defensively. They have a good energy level as well.”
With ten players on the injury list, the team will mostly pick itself again, but I am going to put my hopes on Laurent Koscielny passing his fitness test this morning and coming back to shore up the defence and replace Gabriel. Campbell will stay on the wing as he needs a run of games to get up to speed and hopefully Debuchy will be a tad more effective today. So here is our Starting XI…..
Giroud
Sanchez Ozil Campbell
Coquelin Cazorla
Monreal Koscielny Mertesacker Debuchy
Cech
No big surprises although I hope to see Reine-Adelaide on the bench for if Campbell gets tired, and we are only a couple of players short of our best team. I am certainly not expecting this to be an easy game, but I’m still going to go for a 2-0 win to the Arsenal.
COYG!
MATCH FACTS FROM THE BBC…..
*Tottenham have only won once at Arsenal in 25 matches in all competitions since May 1993 (D9, L15).
*That was their 3-2 win in November 2010, when they fought back from 2-0 down at half-time.
*Arsenal last failed to score at home to Spurs in the Premier League in November 1998. Since then the Gunners have scored 39 times in 16 home league games against their rivals.
*Arsenal have won their last five Premier League games, scoring 16 goals and conceding just three.
*It is their best run of form since an eight-match winning streak between February and April.
*Their tally of eight goals conceded is the joint lowest in the Premier League.
*Petr Cech is one short of equalling David James’ record of 169 Premier League clean sheets (awarded only in games where goalkeepers played the full 90 minutes).
*Four of Olivier Giroud’s six Premier League goals this term have been assisted by Mesut Ozil, including the last three.
I think Gabriel should start instead of Mertesacker, who had shocking performances vs Sheffield and Bayern. Also would provide better cover for Debuchy who get’s turned as easy as a 10 year old now.
Rest of the team is pretty much a given, hopefully Jeff and Iwobi get gametime
Debuchy just seeing his name makez me irk
Expect spuds to sit deep and counter
Debuchy and Mert in one side…so worrying.
Finding it harder to understand why Wenger keeps on playing Mertesacker ahead of Gabriel.Even if he can’t speak a word of English surely he has so much more to his game.
If only Jenks contract can be terminated in Jan, i’d be happy… Debuchy and Mert’s combination has proven horrible
Arsenal 1-3 Spurs
I just have a bad feeling, just dont have confidence in anyone but Ozil, Sanchez, Chech, Monreal and Coq.
Oh and Kos if fit, but think he will be on bench
a bit pessimistic for me!! on a plane so will miss it unfortunately…will be a hard fought one all draw i think but a lot will turn on kust how robust the defence will be especially if kos is out
Are you sure you’re an Arsenal fan? With a name like that and your score prediction you must surely be a troll?
Of course Arsenal will win, we’re only playing the Spuds!
I like your name!
It’s funny, before you arrived on the forum I use to call our galic striker G-Rude all the time..
Don’t be sure of the win. I’m not and I AM a arsenal fan. I think a draw is realistic (1-1).
They will attack our week right that is hardly the best defensively speaking (Campbell, Santi, & debuchy) and apart from Santi is not that offensively sharp either.
The spuds will try to do a Bayern and take the game to us with a strong pressing game I suspect.
Hopefully we will get a better result.
He’s been G-Rude since that dirty hotel night before a match. I think he may have seen a bit of ArseOverTit that nght too!
Tottenham would be so happy Wilshere is out..he loves games like this, plus Wilshere is a pain in Tottenham’s ass..am worried bout Sanchez more than Debuchy or Campbell, lately he looks exhausted and off pace except for his work rate..I hope he and Giroud score today and wish Ozil a hat trick of assist
Walcott also loves playing Spurs. Shame,
Walcott’s only been out a week and a half …. feels more like a month.
Although the international break is extremely boring, it’s very good news for us ATM.
All I will say is its a Must not Lose game , a win would obviously be brilliant but the boys must play it like a final just like the United game. High intensity; passion, quick passing do that and we should win but if it’s side to side slow plus debuchy at back who I don’t trust at all then we’re asking fir trouble .
Massive game hope fans in the stadium make it daunting today for the spurs team & uplifting for our boys that is absolutely KEY
COYG COME ON
We will win baby Please
3-1 to the Arsenal
Don’t call me baby!
My names G-Rude…… James G-Rude!
EvenWith Iwobi and Rheine in the starting line up, I don’t see a Spud’s victory. They’re just not in our level and they know.
COYG
Arsenal 2 – 1 Spuds
Ozil Kane
Giroud
Cant see Arsenal losing this game at home vs Spuds. Need to be diciplined and patient today as spurs are not playing too bad either, lost once this season not a bad start. We cant go into this half hearted we need to be up for this and turn this lot into Mash…. COYG
Big win before the break to keep us joint top (as i i dnt see Villa beatn City) and get a break with a few injuries coming back before the busy set of festive fixures coming up.
Also would like to see Adelide get a we run for last 15mins to see if he could step up… has all the tools too for such a young player!
Shame on all the negativity coming from you gooners today. Me? Nothing but positivity..
COME ON YOU GOONERS.
The Gunners MUST be cautious in their game against Spurs in the early stages of the match to enabled themselves to first have a firm foothold on the ground before venturing to attack. Rhinosacker and Debuchy are slow starters, thus they need settling down in the early stages of the game before they can gather match momentum game speed. And the derby newcomer – Campbell will need to 1st acclimatize the weather of the North London Derby game. So, the Gunners SHOULD not rush in the first 15-20 minutes of the match. But they MUST punish any error committed by Spurs early on in the game. Arsenal MUST VANDALIZED>(the key) Tottenham Hotspur game to take advantage of the Gunners injury problem to get a victory at the Emirates Stadium. The Gunners MUST not adopt any offside tactics in this game. Because Spurs have the speedsters that can beat offside traps. The Boss MUST start De Abreu alongside Koscielny if Kos’ is fit to play. This will help to minimise the overunning pace of Harry Kane against slower Rhinosacker. Santi Cazorla MUST raise the level of his game in this match, and should 1st take a touch before shooting in front of Spurs’ goal to avoid his shots going wide off the mark. Sanchez MUST deliver today to score or assist to score. And he MUST eschew any form of selfishness. The Gunners MUST hit the Spurs on the counter-attack as they temporarily switched off to have a breather after their initial attacking fury in the first 15-20 of the match, or at any stage of the game. AFC 3-0 THFC. Full Time 90” +.
Let’s hope that that we hammer them … mashed spud!
Arsenal 4:2,Ozil,Kos,Giroud(2)
Best possible outcome is a draw
0-0 I suspect
Either that or I could go against Arsenal
Either way, no joy!
arsenal 3 – 1 spuds
sanchez
5th minute
Campbell has been given his chance so has debouchy.but I must say Campbell is not arsenal quality.yea teams turn out poorly in some games but I expect some players to turn up regardless, this is where the depth of our team is called to question. irrespective of injuries we should have some fantastic talents to turn to at times like this.I hope Wenger corrects carzola and Campbell to increase d tempo of their game.I say we win 3-1……c.o.y.g