Spurs are the perfect opposition we could play at this moment in time

The Gunners will head into the North London Derby on the back of three very disappointing results in just eight days. Remarkably, these winless matches span three different competitions. As a result, Arsenal have almost certainly dashed their hopes of securing silverware this season, with their EFL Cup ambitions now hanging by a thread. The thought of falling short yet again has fuelled growing discontent among the fan base, which in turn has increased the pressure on Mikel Arteta to deliver tangible success. You can imagine that this discontent will only intensify if Arsenal fail to secure a win against Spurs. Many Gooners are already bracing themselves for the worst, but I believe Tottenham are the ideal opposition for us to bounce back and snap out of this slump.

From my perspective, there are a couple of reasons for this cautious optimism, the most obvious being that it’s a North London Derby. They say form goes out the window in derby games, and I fully expect the Gunners to be fired up for this encounter, especially at home. While I trust the players to rise to the occasion, my optimism isn’t just rooted in the rivalry. Our recent struggles—particularly in the last two games—came against teams employing very deep defensive blocks. Despite amassing an XG of over three in both matches, we failed to break them down effectively. Ange Postecoglou’s Tottenham side, however, are not likely to defend as doggedly as Newcastle or even Manchester United did against us.

Romero and Arteta
(Photo by Alex Pantling/Getty Images)

Since taking over our rivals, Postecoglou has earned both high praise and harsh criticism for his unwavering commitment to his attacking philosophy. This high-tempo, high-octane style of play has brought him notable victories as well as damning defeats. The major downside of such a system is its inconsistency, particularly when injuries and squad limitations come into play. Despite being hampered by defensive injuries for much of the campaign, Tottenham have persisted with their approach. When they visit the Emirates on Wednesday night, it’s almost certain they’ll stick to their principles.

This presents a perfect opportunity for us to exploit the often absurd amount of space they leave behind when attacking. It promises to be a chaotic game, and as we saw in our recent away match against Palace, we thrive in those kinds of situations. To capitalise on this, however, we must drastically improve our finishing from the last two games. Havertz will almost certainly start in place of the injured Gabriel Jesus, and we can only hope he finds his shooting boots for this fixture. It’s not just down to him, though—the entire team must step up if we are to secure a league double over Tottenham.

What are your thoughts on this crucial encounter?

BENJAMIN KENNETH


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4 Comments

  1. That’s a sad thought. Sounds like you’re saying they’re the only team we can beat at the moment, due to their bad form…SMDH…🤨

  2. I wouldn’t take anything for granted at all especially with the recent results which could result in a lack of confidence. I obviously hope not.

    Spurs under Ange haven’t deviated from his philosophy but then, neither has Arteta with the slow and patient build up and poor finishing.

    With the much maligned Havertz the only fit striker it will be a nervy encounter

  3. I’m not confident because I don’t know which Arsenal will show up, and Which spuds will show up.

    For example, the spuds that drew with Liverpool would give us big trouble, compared to the spuds that played Ipswich Town.

    Same for us as well. The Arsenal that dismantled Sporting, or the Arsenal we saw against Newcastle and Man Utd?

    No way to know, so just have to tune in and find out.

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