Morning all.
Ex Totts player Peter Crouch and Arsenal’s Martin Keown have been talking about tomorrow nights North London Derby and who they think will win.
Keown
Tottenham are dangerous and have become so much more difficult to beat under Conte. Their front three is different class, and I’ve been immensely impressed by their new signings, Kulusevski and Rodrigo Bentancur. But I believe this will finish 2-1 to Arsenal, with the confident Nketiah bagging the winner.
Crouch:
I fancy Tottenham. They have more match-winners, a touch more individual quality.
Would you have expected anything other than loyalty from either? I’d actually forgotten Crouch was once a Totts player but then he moved clubs so often during his career I can be forgiven. Crouch says that if he could, he’d have Bukayo Saka in the Totts team and perhaps a centre-half, although he didn’t say which one, Keown on the other hand simply said ‘none’ when asked the same question about Totts players and Arsenal.
Arsenal v Tottenham – even though it’s at their place, is always a must win game for both sets of fans. Bragging rights are at stake. As is a place in the Champions League this season. Tomorrow’s fixture is not quite a winner takes all moment because if Totts win, they’re still a point behind us but should Arsenal come away with maximum points, 4th place is ours regardless of what happens in the last two games.
Totts have to play Burnley, a club still fighting for Premier League survival, and already relegated Norwich City on the last day of the season. Arsenal go to Newcastle on Monday before playing Everton at The Emirates on the final day of this 2021/22 campaign.
Totts are a different side to the one we played in the first half of season. Under Antonio Conte, they’re much harder to beat. At least that’s what I heard someone on Sky Sports say a while ago, although his name escapes me but I’m sure Jurgen Klopp would agree. Actually, he moaned about Conte’s style of football saying:
I’m sorry, I’m the wrong person for that, I don’t like this kind of football. But that’s my problem. I think they’re world-class, and I think they should do more for the game. I think they had 36, 38 per cent possession, but it’s my problem, I cannot coach it. So that’s why I cannot do it. So, yes, world-class players block all the balls, really difficult. Atletico Madrid do it. Fine, they won whatever. Fine, absolutely fine. I just can’t. I respect everything they do, but it’s not me.
As much as I dislike the club, Liverpool do play the best football this league has on offer. They play like Arsenal used to during Arsene Wenger’s early years. The style of football I hope Mikel Arteta is aiming for. Saying that, there is in my opinion, a time and a place for pragmatic football and Anfield is one of those places. It could be argued that tonight is one of those times.
Conte brought in a couple of winter signings in Dejan Kulusevski and Rodrigo Bentancur and they’ve made a difference. Both are described as being strong and physical midfield players.
Totts last defeat at home was against Brighton nearly a month ago. I would laugh but Graham Potter’s side had beaten Arsenal the week before. Conte’s team had started slowly according to a BBC report I’ve just read, although not for one minute do I expect them to repeat that tonight. I think they’ll be up for this one and so will the home fans.
Arsenal can’t afford to be nervous tonight, certainly not once they cross the white line. I’m sure Conte’s players will make a few early big challenges in order to unsettle our own. They’ll wind Granit Xhaka up, go in hard on Bukayo Saka, Martin Odegaard and Gabriel Martinelli. Eddie Nketiah will find it tough too but with his quick feet, who knows what might happen in the penalty area. We know what’ll happen in our own with Kane so we cannot afford to give him an opportunity to expose his inner Tom Daley.
I can’t see Mikel Arteta making many changes to the team which has won its last three fixtures, other than Ben White probably returning. With Son such a threat down our right hand side, it might be tempting for him to leave Cedric Soares out and keep Rob Holding in the middle with Gabriel, White on the right and Takehiro Tomiyasu at left back.
We are going to go for that match with the same enthusiasm that we always do but knowing that this can be a defining moment. It can be another layer of motivation for us to really go for it. I can’t wait for the game. We have earned the right to play that game in that context. We started the season with nine or 10 players out and playing the best two teams in Europe. – Mikel Arteta.
Players shouldn’t need much motivating for this match. It’s probably the first one both sets of fans look for when the Premier League release the fixture list for a new season. Right now though, I wish we’d played it back in January.
Mikel Arteta said this fixture is a defining one, mind you he said the same before the Leeds game but every game is as important as the the next. This one though just means more because of who Arsenal are playing and how the result impacts on one or both teams. All the Arsenal players can do is give 100%, do their job well and not switch off. Be aware of the ‘hit them on the break’ tactics Conte loves to deploy and don’t get caught out by it. If we over commit going forward, we could very well be in trouble.
Stop Kane, Son and Kulusevski and Arsenal should be ok.
See you in the comments, or behind the sofa around 8pm.
Good Morning Rico and all
Dont worry Rico…..Sir Aaron, Sir Gab, Sir Buk and Sir Eddie will all ensure that we will win.
I came across this good read on the bbc site. Its about Arteta and what makes him the man and manager he is
https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/61411433
You seriously have my thought on White at RB, Tomiyasu at LB. To me, that is the best lineup for this kinda match. Frustrate the opponent and hit them on the counter. Secure your defense
Morning Devil, Chudy, all.
I worry about Son more than Kane Chudy so Cedric, as good as he’s been, could struggle against him.
Good morning Rico, I’m not confident of a win tonight but then again I’m not ruling it out. Ouch! The fence I’m sitting on is not very comfortable. 😉
Of subject for a moment, The UEFA pigs have quickly got their snouts in the trough again, they are proposing a pre-season mini tournament in the States featuring the best four teams from the Champions League. Oink, oink, snuffle, snuffle.
So long as we don’t give away a penalty, Kane won’t score Rico.
Morning Cicero, I’m not confident either. A draw at best I reckon. Conte’s experience might be the difference too.
I hope you’re right, the last thing we need to do is gift him a spot kick.
Excellent read Devil.
Morning Rico and all
The main player to stop will be Son, if we do that we will have a chance, but most importantly we can not afford to switch off anytime during the match.
Xhaka will need to make sure that he doesn’t get sucked into getting a red card
Kane nearly always seem to score against us and Son is not far behind , apart from those two I don’t see much difference between the teams .
They are dangerous but so can we be , it is imperative that we don’t just play to contain although there will be times when we are under pressure , we will have to take things to them and put Lloris under pressure.
We have pace to burn in confined spaces where they rely on long balls for Son to either finish or supply Kane . We need to be good at cutting out their out balls and restricting their opportunities . If we manage that we are in with half a chance.
I dont think its Son that we need to stop. Its the wingbacks….the suppliers to Son and Kane who we need to stop. Spurs will play a 3-4-3 formation so if we stop their two wingbacks it all falls flat and they have to play through the middle. So the most important players today are Saka and Martinelli….they need to work their socks off and stop the Spurs’ wingbacks by forcing them to defend their penalty area. That way they cannot do any damage along the flanks and set up the attacks. Without these two pulling the triggers on the flanks Tottenham will not do much.
Plus as Potter pointed out…..we need to stop their long balls…so that means we have to close them down fast since that will force them to look down at the ball…when you do so you can only give a short pass. So stick to them fast enough and dont give them an inch of space where they can look up
Two points. 1) Spurs need a win tonight, a draw will do us fine. 2) Conte’s Spurs struggle to break down teams that set up defensively with a low block. If we don’t give Son and Kane the space behind, their effectiveness is greatly reduced. Longer we hold them off, more space they leave for us to attack as they have to try and score. If we set up the right way, think we can easily get a draw and maybe sneak a W.
Kane is the one we need to stop, not for his scoring ability but to prevent his passing from deep positions. It will be Elneny’s job to deny him the space and time to create chances for Son.
Morning Geoff.
Another reason Kane is dangerous is because 9 times out of 10 he looks for Son.
Agree re Lloris and putting pressure on him. He can be brilliant, but he can also make mistakes. I hope Eddie is all over him a bad rash.
Morning Morning
What an exciting day it is!
Agree with a lot written above. Defend deep; play on the break; deny Son and Kane space; watch for the Wimbledon style long balls.
Devil pointed to our most important players. Certainly Saka, but Martinelli may be the one to watch with his direct running on the counter.
Let’s do this!
Last night of a short mini break in Algarve. I’d rather not have it spoilt, but know I won’t be able to avoid watching in a bar. Convincing myself we will lose so not too disappointed, or that we don’t need 4th. Then anything else is a bonus and promised wife a late night celebration curry should we win😃😃
Morning Woolwich fans, morning Rico, I sense a lot of nervous tension on here today, whatever happens at the Toilet bowl we just have to ensure we don’t lose, a win is maybe too much at their place but a draw is do’able and if we match them and negate their wing-backs then we should be ok, Ben White’s fitness is the big question as I didn’t see him or Saka in any of the pictures put out of the squad training – hopefully it’s a ploy to confuse the enemy.
Tbh, as important as this evening is, the key is winning our last two games @ Newcastle and home to Everton, sounds simplistic I know but it really is thus…
Great article Devil. Not sure how Guillem Balague knows these personal things though unless players are his source which would not please Arteta. Inspirational assuming largely true.
Arsenal last won at the old White Hart Lane in 2014, so no wins at their new ground, yet…
I can’t remember the last time Arsenal had gone such a long time with no wins at the Slum, it seems to have coincided with the emergence of Harry Kane, he’s been our bete noir ever since he arrived on the scene, along with Son of course.
The last time we really swept them away on their own turf, that sticks in my mind, was when Fabregas inspired an Arsenal team with Adebayor leading the line and scoring an outrageous goal, it seemed at the time as if we would dominate them forever, but the last few years have been more fallow than feast despite the Scums obvious aversion to silverware.
The Scums fans’ would have been even more unbearable if they’d won a few cups in this period but since 2014 they’ve won bugger all and Arsenal have won four FACups.
Long may that remain the case…
I see the Leeds player, Dan James, is getting stick for his red card foul in last night’s game against the Chavs. From the way all the Leeds players were flying into tackles right from the kick off, it is obvious what their manager’s pre-match instructions were, so much of the blame must lie with him.
I expect Conte will have his Spuds near to boiling point tonight…just ready for mashing.
Cicero, you making me more nervous. And Saka, the thought must be why he missed trading 🙂
# training! Autocorrect is so annoying, especially when you can’t amend posts😃
Good news, passengers on flights within Europe will no longer have to wear masks… from Monday. We fly out 6.05 am Sunday. at least we’ll be okay on our return flights.
Afternoon Kev, what a good time it would be to break the six year duck.
Amazon have just delivered what I ordered yesterday, a box of twenty FFP2 masks. 🤣
A big summer ahead for the following and Edu’s team:
Lacazette
Leno
Pepe
Guendouzi
Saliba
Mavropanos
Maitland Niles
Torrieira
Runarsson
Bellerin
Mari
Osei Tutu
Moller
John Jules
Hein
Lewis
Olayinka
Alebiosu
McNuff
Lopez
Matt Smith
Dinzeyi
I really think that such Keown-Crouch debates and predictions are worthless. They are not independent football personalities, they are so-called pundits, whose living depends on their fan-base and invitations to TV shows and interviews. So even if they had a good understanding on the current footballing trends and realities, they would still be inclined to say what they believe is expected from them.
I think we will go down tonight by 3:1, but still finish ahead of Tottenham as we will win the last 2 games of the season. We are in a good position as we can ‘afford’ to lose a game against MU, Chelsea and Tottenham, as we won the other ‘leg’. And the 0 points from those 4 games against Man City and Liverpool was compensated by fine results against mid-table team, therefore even though Spurs defeated the soon-to-be-champions Citizens, they have are trailing by 4 points behind Arsenal.
I will watch the game and obviously root for the boys, but I expect a defeat – somewhere between an unlucky or referee-cheated loss and a trashing – which has nothing to do with the CL spot race. It’s been quite a long and reliable tradition that home teams win the North-London Derbies by a convincing margin.
Cicero, and there was me thinking you were going to say Amazon had delivered giant sized cushions. You might be needing them. 😂
There is no surprise in the starting line-ups.
Conte decided that Sanchez start ahead of Romero, but the Dier-Davis-Davinson trio doesn’t seem invincible. Otherwise the rest of the team setup was obvious. It’s 3-4-3. Spurs expect the creativity from the front 3, their 2 CMs are not very attacking-minded. (OK, Elneny ditto).
Or starting line-up is identical to our XI against Leeds. Holding retained his CB role, Soares keeds RB, Tomiyasu starts again as left back. Martinelli got the nod ahead of ESR, and Nketiah kept his place as the sole striker.
COYG!
Son v Cedric scares me…
Arsenal: Ramsdale, Cedric, Holding, Gabriel, Tomiyasu, Xhaka, Elneny, Odegaard, Saka, Martinelli, Nketiah
Subs: Leno, Tavares, Swanson, White, Lokonga, Patino, Smith Rowe, Pepe, Lacazette
White on the bench…
How many times have we seen something like that from Cedric against us go by without being penalised… Naive from Holding after getting away with 2/3 challenges on Son.
Just knew that was on the cards.
This is a stitch up
I don’t think it was a penalty, not if compared to what goes on in other games but Holding was the author of his own destiny imo, really stupid.
Replays look shows Holding went in with the shoulder. No it smart on a yellow.
No one telling him to take it down a notch after the yellow.
Didn’t see Son elbowing Holding on 11 minutes though
He’s certainly got no complaints. Tierney let him off the first two.
But Son should have been penalised too . He played Holding and Tierney let him do it
The referee has ruined a good game imo. First of all, if all the pushes similar to the one done by Cedric are given a penalty we will be getting at least two pens a game. 2ndly, Holding did foul, but the second one never warranted another yellow. If anything Son ran into him. Obviously Holding did not intend to stick the elbow in his face but Son simply ran into him to get him sent off. Plus Son retaliated with another elbow….but none done about that. not even a yellow.
No VAR on that Son elbow. Totally agree on that point.
Definitely not a penalty, we always get the BS end of that type of decision.
Still we know the refs screw us over and Holding was heavily involved with son. Surely someone could see what we could see coming. A calm down from the captain or sub from Arteta as he was way too hot headed.
Dean on VAR means no VAR..
I think that we made a mistake not matching them with three at the back and wingbacks.
Playing a back four allows them too much space to run into and left Holding exposed against the pace of Son – that one is on Arteta and hopefully he’ll learn from this?
Tottenham want you to come onto them and what did we do, we pushed up on them instead of stifling the space, it was Arteta’s Wenger moment when he did what the opposition wanted him to do instead of being circumspect and doing a Brighton on them.
I’m glad he didn’t risk White and that at 3-0 he took off Martinelli and Nketiah, it’s all about Newcastle now our season is all on next Monday. This game has gone – forget it.
Didn’t watch match due to time difference, what really went wrong, was it that bad of refereeing or did we crack under pressure.
Morning all.
Kev, agree, move on to Monday now. It’s still in our hands. For now.
New post up
Agreed, Kev, our season is on the games against Newcatle and Everton.
Arsenal was expected to lose this game, so I can’t/don’t hold that against Arteta, but as you correctly pointed this out we should have adapted our line-up and tactics to Tottenham’s 3-4-3.
Funny, that Rico herself admitted (explained) in the post that Conte’s tactics are something to be worried about, she still expected (advocated?) the ‘no change to a squad winning the previous 3-4 games’ policy.
I’m not too worried though; we have to defeat the strong, but not particularly motivated Newcastle side on Monday, and even though Everton might be fighting for their lives (top flight place) on next Sunday, Arsenal always win the ultimate game of the season.
Now it’s up to Mikel to fire up the boys, as both games are winnable – far easier than our matches against Chelsea, West Ham or United.