What: English Premier League
Who: Arsenal vs Tottenham
When: Saturday 17th November, 2012, at 12:45 UK Time
Where: Emirates Stadium, London, England
Arsene Wenger Losing Case For The Defence
For the first time this season, both of Arsenal’s goalscoring replacements for Robin van Persie, Lukas Podolski and Olivier Giroud, scored in the same game for the Gunners last weekend. Perhaps it was fitting that this was the match in which the Premier League’s previously most solid defence finally crumbled. It was all too easy for a slick Fulham side to carve open the Arsenal backline and the visitors could easily have won.
It is hard to remember the last time these two sides met when there was a roughly equal amount at stake for both. For most of the last decade and a half, Arsenal have enjoyed superiority in North London, while last year it appeared Tottenham had turned the tables when they travelled to the Emirates Stadium. For the first time in quite a while, the two seem rather evenly matched.
That will distress Arsenal fans, who have come to take comfort in their superiority over their local rivals. Even the most hardened supporter will now admit that things are now rather equal and there is all to play for in the battle for bragging rights in this part of London. But both teams are desperate to make sure that they are competing in next season’s Champions League. At present, it appears there is only once place to play for and an impressive Everton could yet take that. Then again, much the same was said last year, only for both sides to finish in the top four.
Andre Villas-Boas Struggles To Win Over Doubters
Few managers who do not arrive at a club having bossed their most direct rivals can have experienced the lack of goodwill extended to Andre Villas-Boas. The Tottenham boss must wonder what he has to do to win over the Spurs faithful. Win at Old Trafford? Check. Give the other two of the current top three a testing time in games which could have gone either way? Again, check.
Yet his treatment of certain players, as it was at Chelsea, is the reason for the friction; for example, the decision to ostracise former club captain Michael Dawson looked strange. However, Villas-Boas will feel as though he cannot win. Having kept faith with the reliable stalwart between the sticks, Brad Friedel, rather than bring Hugo Lloris straight in, the Portuguese found himself at loggerheads with the France number one. For Villas-Boas, even when he is winning he seems to be, well, losing.
Now, the best way to win over the sceptical Tottenham faithful would be to get one over on their North London rivals at the Emirates Stadium and go some way towards claiming bragging rights over the Gunners for the first time in a decade and a half.
Recent form
Arsenal:
Manchester United 2-1 Arsenal (03/11; Premier League)
Schalke 2-2 Arsenal (06/10; Champions League)
Arsenal 3-3 Fulham (10/11; Premier League)
Tottenham Hotspur:
Tottenham Hotspur 0-1 Wigan (03/11; Premier League)
Tottenham Hotspur 3-1 Maribor (27/10; Europa League)
Manchester City 2-1 Tottenham Hotspur (11/11; Premier League)
Key absences
Arsenal: Tomas Rosicky; Lukasz Fabianski; Kieran Gibbs; Gervinho; Abou Diaby
Tottenham Hotspur: Kyle Walker (doubt); Moussa Dembele (doubt); Jermain Defoe (doubt); Benoit Assou-Ekotto; Younes Kaboul; Scott Parker
Players to watch
Arsenal – Mikel Arteta: Probably Arsenal’s most important defensive player of the last year, the usually so consistent Spaniard’s form has dropped of late and it is no coincidence that has happened as Wenger’s side have looked more open at the back. Last week was particularly disappointing for Arteta, who not only missed a last minute penalty that meant Arsenal drew 3-3 with Fulham, but made a major mistake in giving away a penalty. Unlike compatriot Santi Cazorla, Arteta has had a rest this week with most of his team-mates on international duty. That may be just what he needs to freshen up and get back to his best form. Arteta’s combination of reliable passing and intelligent defensive positioning to prevent counter attacks makes him tactically vital and Wenger will be relying on him in this crucial encounter.
Tottenham Hospur – Emmanuel Adebayor: Adebayor has been given more of a chance of late and will hope to start against his former team here. The centre forward at his best is one of the Premier League’s most dangerous strikers. His ability to hold the ball and play a key role in the build-up play of his side, allied to useful finishing skills, makes him a potentially ‘unplayable’ forward when at his best. He will relish this game.
Match Prediction
Both of these teams have had a fairly horrendous time of late in terms of injuries and the game could be determined by which side suffers less from the absence of key players. Tottenham probably have it worse, with Moussa Dembele coming back from injury, but probably not in time for this. Younes Kaboul and Benoit Assou-Ekotto remain out, as does Scott Parker. For Arsenal, Jack Wilshere continues to get back to full fitness, but at least he is playing again, while Kieran Gibbs is still missing. Wenger may consider playing a three-man central defence with full backs and while that may mean that there is less space for Gareth Bale, Aaron Lennon and Adebayor, it would also let Tottenham mitigate the impact of Dembele’s absence by reducing Arsenal’s midfield numbers. It is unlikely Wenger will experiment like that in a game of this importance though.
Last weekend Jan Vertonghen looked horribly exposed at left back against Manchester City and with Tottenham’s high line Arsenal can take advantage, if, and it is a big if, Wenger sticks with Theo Walcott out wide. However, Tottenham have two speedy wingers of their own in Bale and Lennon who should enjoy playing Arsenal’s own high line, particularly if they are as porous as they have been of late. Former Southampton stars Walcott and Bale will be looking forward to this game, they have scored three times each in North London derbies.
Two teams who play high lines and have fast technical players should make for an exciting encounter, but whichever side controls the midfield better will have a significant advantage. This is where Tottenham may come out second best, given the absence of the usually brilliant Dembele. One of the few positives for Arsenal against Fulham was that they controlled most of a game in midfield for the first time in a month and with Jack Wilshere back in the side, their passing game should improve further. If either edges this encounter, it will probably be the home side. Arsenal 2-1 Tottenham Hotspur.
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