No lunchtime lull in North London
Can Spurs bounce back from a bad week by getting the better of their North London rivals?
Down but not out
Back-to-back league defeats and an FA improper conduct charge for boss Poch has made it a rotten four days for Spurs. Firmly out of the title race as a result of their latest shortcomings, there’s a debate as to whether they will hold onto their top 4 place.
Let’s slow down a bit though. Were they truly ever in the title race? The majority of Spurs goers would argue not. They’re still on course to meet pre-season ambitions and have a potential Champions League Quarter final on the horizon.
Spurs may have had a tough time of it but a couple of losses, for me, doesn’t suggest they’ll now drop like a stone. It was only a few weeks back Pochettino was being lauded as the manager of the season for his work in squeezing every last drop from this talented group - what’s changed?
Perfect game to respond
The header says it all. If the manager and players could cherry pick a fixture to get themselves going again it would be this one. What better way to turn around a tough week than a win over your fiercest rivals?
Make no mistake the stakes are high for Spurs - Arsenal are just four points and one place behind in the race for North London supremacy and Champions League qualification. But I sense a Tottenham backlash led by leader of men, Harry Kane.
The captain has made an instant impact upon returning from injury and, playing like a man possessed against Chelsea, was unlucky not to connect with a second half chance that came his way. His effort last week at Burnley was typical Kane; another 90 minutes under his belt midweek will have only improved his match sharpness.
Soft underbelly persists
After a spatter of defeats, Unai Emery is flavour of the month once more at Arsenal. (Eventual) progress in the Europa League and a breakthrough in asserting their authority in the top 4 battle will see Arsenal fans head to Wembley with a spring in their step.
This is typical Arsenal though. Beating Huddersfield, BATE, Southampton and latterly, Bournemouth, is par, it’s what we expect. It’s the bigger matches, especially on the road where Arsenal are brought back to earth.
It doesn’t take much to ascertain why they keep coming up short in the big away games, you only have to look at the 11 goals conceded in defeats to Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester City. Arsenal’s attacking prowess is a joy to behold at times, we all know that. But the facts are Arsenal just cannot defend when they really need to. Zero clean sheets away from the Emirates this term says it all.
Betting Tip
Spurs may have been off the pace the last couple of games but this is a fixture where the formbook tends to go out of the window anyway.
The hosts have all the motivation they need to really go at their arch-enemy and will resemble a wounded animal from the outset.
Arsenal, meanwhile. Do they go for Spurs or try and contain? Emery may be caught between a rock and a hard place here.
Either way, I’m predicting goals. Arsenal’s backline just aren’t up too much and Spurs will come out all guns blazing.
