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Match Thread – The Perfect Time For Spurs To Face Arsenal

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With Tottenham Hotspur again racking up three wins on the spin in the Premier League, and the Europa League continuing to prove fruitful in midweek, there’s probably no better a time to face North London rivals Arsenal.

We travel to the Emirates Stadium to face Mikel Arteta’s strugglers late on Sunday afternoon and we can again expect rotation from manager Jose Mourinho but as things stand, it’s not expected that Harry Kane’s midweek knee knock against Dinamo Zagreb will keep him out of this one, despite his early substitution.

Having found a richer goalscoring vein of form in recent weeks, there’s every reason to be confident in us taking a good victory here. It’s a derby, we won’t have it all our own way and there will be tight and tricky moments, but if our attackers click again, our margin of victory should be pretty comfortable here.

Let’s just hope that’s the case and we take a further boost of confidence as the campaign comes to a close.

Arsenal

Win

Draw

Lose


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  • block 108 spurs says:

    Any N London derby, form of both teams are not relevant, as they are highly motivated in this game. Currently spurs are on an upwards curve of form, in PL & Europa, arsenal not as good. Which VS posters will hope to see maintained by spurs players. I expect sonny HK10 bale starting lucas / dele / lamela behind with Ndem hoj, and Aurier sanchez toby reggie, lloris.

    This is another must win game for spurs and fans… a 2-1 or 2-0 win should see happy fans in UK.. OZ (geof) & others… TK etc. around the world COYS

  • TQ2Spurs says:

    As you rightly indicate block, the NLD is all about which side wants it most rather than form, it’s never good to poke the snake as Jose has done this week as that just adds to their motivation. I do believe we can get a result this time round if our defence can deal with the threat of their youngsters Saka and Smith-Rowe. David Luiz is always a good bet for a red card in these games so we should encourage him to make a few of his rash challenges! :- )

  • jod says:

    A lot of it is about who can rotate better, both clubs are playing twice a week and that does have an impact. At the moment West Ham might be a good bet to finish top London club as unlike us, Arsenal and Chelsea they are only playing once a week which will mean their players will be in better shape and following a better training regime. Last time we played Arsenal they got something of a football lesson, the funny thing was the Arsenal supporters seemed to understand and appreciate Jose’s tactics more than some of our fans. I am sure Arteta will have learned from that and it will be harder this time.

  • Hot Tottingham says:

    Isn’t it a bit of a cliche to say form doesn’t come into play in a NLD? I think that sometimes it does and sometimes it doesn’t. Because, just a month ago, I wouldn’t be anywhere near as confident about beating them, as I am today…

    When we beat them at home, early in December, Spurs were in very good form. But Arsenal had had a very poor start to the season. We were at the top of the PL and they were below halfway…

    I wouldn’t say that we taught them a footballing lesson that day. However we did show them how to sit deep and defend like hell. And then we hit them on the counter attack with a great early goal by Son and then another fantastic finish, right at the end of the 1st half, from Kane.

    It was attack (Arsenal) v defence (Spurs). And we surrendered ball possession to the tune of 30 to their 70%. Our two counter-attacks that gave us our goals on the day, were fast and clinical. On the other hand, whilst our defending was great, their finishing was poor. As it has been for most of the season. But like Spurs, their overall defensive record is not bad and it’s on a par with Spurs, with both teams conceding 28 PL goals this season.

    By the way, there were Spurs supporters at WHL that day. 10,000. Did it help us? Who knows?

    What I do know is that Spurs carried on playing defence v attack for the next couple of months and our form turned bad. But since we have now moved in the other direction and we’re playing a more attacking form of football, we have looked so much better. So I’m not sure exactly what Arteta can learn from all this, or indeed Jose.

    I’m hoping that we don’t revert back to the overly defensive for this game and carry on as we have recently seen. Okay, we may see ourselves concede a goal or two. Who knows? But we may also see us score 3 or 4 this time. Who knows? But we are more than capable of giving Arsenal a footballing lesson that sees the best of both THFC worlds. Whereby we attack on the front-foot and with a much more positive attacking intent. But when we have to, we defend like troopers too.

    And, with our probable front line on Sunday playing to recent good form, then maybe its the Gooners turn to park the bus…. That’s if they have any sense. ….. Ah, but I don’t think they do! ๐Ÿ˜‰ Watch out, watch out, there’s a Kane, Bale n Son about!

    Arsenal 1-4 Spurs!

  • PompeyYid says:

    Another tough NLD, oh wait a minute they got a lesson last time we played em, but this time its at the Empticrates, should and probably will be a lot tougher, they are coming along nicely but we are coming along a hell of a lot better, it should be a good game, well for us anyway.

    So a win it is for me. COYS

  • DoncasterHotspur says:

    HT – a good analysis. More often than not the defending deep and playing on the counter attack didnโ€™t work – partly because the counter- attack tag we were given was in my opinion overplayed. We rarely had more than a couple of counter attackers per game but Kane and Son were so prolific earlier in the season that we were producing results that were not sustainable playing the way we were.
    Interesting to see how Jose sets up tomorrow – I am pretty sure it will be more of the same sitting back, defend defend defend and hope for some magic from the front three.
    For what itโ€™s worth I think Arteta has been rotating far more effectively than Jose, he even left out some of their best players for Leicester away, a match that they won.
    So far this calendar year we have been the ultimate flat track bullies – the best team we have beaten is Leeds while we have surrendered tamely to any half decent team. Are Arsenal half decent, I would say yes. An interesting game in store tomorrow. COYS

  • Niall D says:

    Hi folks,
    Trust you’re all keeping safe and well.Danjy cheers for the thread.
    We’ll it’s the old NLD, on paper, we are indeed the better side and in better form currently.
    However as HT says in this game form goes out the window, its aCup game every time.
    I just hope that we don’t “lose it” in defence or end up with our usual bit of bad luck a silly hand ball.
    If they lose they are really in a mid table miasma with nothing other than the Europa league for them.
    So they could have the bit between their teeth, if only for local bragging rites.
    However we are due a win, its been around 10 years since we did the double over them and we are due and are in form and in reality actually have more to play for.
    But after about 10 odd years we

  • Niall D says:

    Sorry folks after 10 odd years we are due the win. I’II take the same result as our last away game against Man U, COYS.

  • Geofspurs says:

    ND …. I’d be quite happy with that, too. But I’d settle for 0-3 if I have to!

  • TQ2Spurs says:

    With Everton losing to Burnley, if United beat the spammers we could go fourth by winning the two games in hand we have over Chelsea. That should be incentive enough for our players in this match.

  • jod says:

    Its funny how some people seem to think its a choice between attack and defence. City have always had a great attack, this year they have a better defence and are reaping the benefits. Conversely the injury to Van Dyke has pretty much destroyed Liverpool’s defence and the problems have rippled forward through the team so that they are a shadow of what they were last season. You need to be able to attack and defend, the problem we’ve had is doing both at the same time. Incidentally when I said we gave Arsenal a football lesson I was repeating what some of their supporters said after the last match.

  • Hot Tottingham says:

    This is the team that I would like Jose to pick for today.

    Hugo
    Aurier Sanchez Toby Reguilon
    Ndombele Hojbjerg
    Bale Dele Son
    Harry

    But, I think that Lucas will probably start, and not Dele.

  • Hot Tottingham says:

    Jod. My post wasn’t a criticism of your one in which you wrote that you think Spurs gave Arsenal a football lesson. I was just following on from that and giving my own perspective on the game in December.

    As for it being a choice between attack against defence? I don’t think I have read anyone on here ever say that.

    Personally, I always talk of a balance between the two. And it’s why I wrote that I would like to see the “Best of both THFC worlds. Whereby we attack on the front-foot and with a much more positive attacking intent. But when we have to, we defend like troopers too.”

    I praised the team for our performance versus Arsenal that day as I praised them yesterday. But I also pointed out that our mainly defence v attack tactics didn’t work so well beyond that Arsenal game and we hit some very poor form. We did. And it saw us drop from the top to halfway down the PL. Our recent good form has coincided with Jose setting up with more attacking intent. And apart from winning matches well, whilst scoring a good few goals. We have also tightened up again defensively, and have conceded less.

    This is not just about my opinion here. It is indeed what we have seen. And I hope it continues this way.

  • PompeyYid says:

    The NLD anything can happen Derby today, for me no matter how we play I want a win! yes playing well will make it all the better, and people will take note.

    As TQ said a win today will put us in an even better place for 4th, 2 games in hand, plus our Faves lol! MU beat them lot from East London, how good, after todays game and tomorrow nights game going our way, will we feel. COYS

  • TQ2Spurs says:

    I see we are being linked with Vestergaard in the gossip columns today, have they seen how many goals Soton have conceded this season? lol

  • Niall D says:

    Hi HT agree with much of your last post there, where I slightly differ is in team selection.
    I would prefer to see Doh at RB, for a few reasons, whilst indeed he has not exactly hit the ground running, he is gradually improving and I can see a bit of a partnership forming with him and Bale that isn’t there with Aurier who going forward seems to” row his own boat” and I noticed Bale(at times) having to play round him rather than with him, also Aurier is very often found out of position and can be a bit impetuous at times with tackles in dangerous areas, he (Aurier) has improved but (for me) not in this game. I’m a bit neutral on the Dele /Lucas, I can see your argument for Dele, however given his recent performances Lucas could get the nod.

  • Hot Tottingham says:

    Hi Niall.
    Usually I pick a team based on what I think Jose will go for and not necessarily what I’d like to see. And I wouldn’t be surprised to see Doherty today, anyway. I’ll be okay with him as I will also be ok seeing Lucas start. I’m just pleased that Dele is now getting more opportunities. Whereas before he was lucky to be on the bench in the PL. As for Aurier, I think I probably rate him more than many Spurs supporters do, it would seem… ๐Ÿ™‚

    But I have seen that Bale has been working well with Doherty and supporting him a lot with instructions and plenty of encouragement. He talks to him and motivates him all the time. Which is a very good thing to see from the more seasoned and older player.

  • Niall D says:

    100% HT.
    I agree thank goodness we don’t actually do the selection, I do think that Aurier has vastly improved this season, but it was just in this game I sometimes feel” he loses the run of himself “as we say over here which leads to mistakes. Also agreed I do see Bale encouraging Doh which has improved his play, but still a ways to go.
    Regardless let’s hope for a great result today COYS.

  • Love totty says:

    For me it’s simple; if we play high tempo two touch football we will score more than we concede. I never expect us to keep a clean sheet as too many have a mistake in them whoever plays. I think that is what Jose was referring to when he said there were things he could not fix. On the other hand the careful pedestrian approach we are apt to fall into, fails to produce enough chances. A lot depends on NDombele. Sometimes he is too languid for me, over-relying on his ability to fend off challenges rather than offloading. Bale to play and win it for us comfortably… Maybe ๐Ÿคž

  • TQ2Spurs says:

    Doesn’t look like Leicester are going to give up their top 4 place easily.

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