Match Day Thread Tottenham Hotspur v Arsenal

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Sunday 14th March 4.30pm
Premier League
Emirates Stadium​

The victory over Dinamo on Thursday was our fifth consecutive win in all competitions.
It's certainly been an improvement over the previous weeks, but this will be a sterner test for us.
Matches between the two sides have tended to favour the home side lately, so we'll need to upset that run.
Things have also improved recently for the hosts though, unfortunately.
Can Mourinho continue this improved form or will Arteta get his own back for the result at our place?

Arsenal had a mixed campaign last time out, dropping to 8th in the league, but fluking a cup win, somehow.
Unai Emery started the season as manager, but only lasted until late November.
He was swiftly replaced by Freddie Ljungberg, who came in as a caretaker and was dispatched after a month.
After much speculation, the permanent position was handed to another ex-Arsenal player, Mikel Arteta.
He left Man City, where he was assistant to his former Barca academy teammate, Pep Guardiola.

It's safe to say that things didn't go exactly to plan during Arteta's debut season, though it wasn't all bad.
Emery was dismissed with Arsenal in 8th and he managed to match that.
They crashed out at the first post-group hurdle in the Europa League to unfancied Olympiakos, though.
Lifting the FA Cup against Chelsea gave the fans some hope and the summer transfer window added to it.
This was seen as a time for the new manager to put his stamp on the squad.

Thomas Partey was the flagship signing, joining from Atletico Madrid for £45m.
He's impressed when fit, but his injury problems have been symptomatic of a stop-start season for them.
Star names and big signings have largely played second fiddle to promising youngsters like Saka.
Arteta's job looked to be on the line at one point, but things have improved recently.
They've moved from 15th to 10th and have ambitions further up the table.

This fixture took place early in last season's proceedings and we started well before throwing it away.
Eriksen and Kane put us 2-0 up, scoring early and late in the first half.
Poor defending allowed them to pull one back before the break though, which lead to a nervous second.
Kane struck the post before Aubameyang pulled them level with about 20 minutes to go.
Dele Alli had a late penalty appeal turned down, but it was mystifyingly turned down:

The game at our place in December was the only game that our fans have attended so far this season.
It was a good one to pick though, as we were in good form and it carried into the match from the start.
Nothing much had happened when Kane picked out Son early on and he scored a wonderful opener.
The visitors struggled to make an impact and their best chance in the first half went badly awry.
A misplaced Bellerin pass in our box lead to a break and Kane making it 2-0 to kill things off:

Lo Celso should be our only absentee again, as he's picked up a different, minor injury.
The hosts don't appear to have any injuries and neither side has any suspensions.

Lineups for each side's last league game:

Spurs: Lloris; Doherty, Sanchez, Alderweireld, Reguilon; Winks, Hojbjerg; Bale, Moura, Son; Kane.
Subs: Hart, Dier, Davies, Sissoko, Ndombele, Alli, Bergwijn, Lamela, Vinicius.
League form: WLLWWW.

Arsenal: Leno; Chambers, Luiz, Mari, Tierney; Xhaka, Partey; Saka, Odegaard, Willian; Aubameyang.
Subs: Ryan, Bellerin, Gabriel, Holding, Elneny, Ceballos, Pepe, Martinelli, Lacazette.
League form: LLWLWD.

Ref: Michael ****ing Oliver. VAR: Paul Tierney.

TV: Sky Sports.

How would you like to line up for this one and what would you change from the Dinamo game?
Would you stick with much of the same lineup, make a few changes or go for a wholesale switch?
Which system and tactics would you use and what are you expecting Arsenal to go with?

 

LET’S GOOOOOOOOOOO! Hope the boys will be right up for this. NLD’s have generally favoured the home team in recent seasons, would love to break that mould tomorrow.

Team more or less picks itself:

Hugo
Aurier, Sanchez, Toby, Reguilon
Hojbjerg, Ndombele
Bale, Lucas, Son
Kane

Hopefully Son can use the NLD momentum to put in a performance despite running on empty.

 

How the build up and NLD match makes me feel...

 

5-1 Kane hattrick, Aurier, Son.

 

wrong fred?

better get it on the right one

You know what Spurf like about these things

 

NLD, so all form goes out the window.
The Goons will be in good spirits after their Olympiakos game.

Motivation-wise beforehand for the boys this match week :

- Chelsky (PL 4th) are now 6 pts ahead having played two games more

- At least one of Man Utd or the Spanners are dropping pts

- A Spurs win should ensure the Goons do not finish above
come season end (and whatever UEFA grief that could cause
a la 2012) .


Given the 2-2 last season, I am going full Tommy Docherty :

I can see Spurs conceding two, but there aren't many teams
that Spurs will score three against.

 

Unfortunately, I've got a very bad feeling about this and think we'll be turned over quite comfortably.

The win in Olympiacos was great, but we were coasting through too much of the game, were far too casual in possession and were fortunate to get away with some horrific mistakes. A late flurry of goals flattered us. Doesn't seem like we've learned our lesson from the Burnley game, and I don't see that changing for this one.

I hate drawing to you, let alone losing, so it'll be a tough to accept. However, it won't hurt as much as previous losses. In the grand scheme of things, a loss, though annoying, won't really make a huge difference to our league campaign. It's not like we'll be getting CL football via that route, even qualifying for Europa looks quite unlikely too and I sure as hell don't want to be in that Europa Conference competition.

And if there is a time to lose, it's when there's no fans around. So at least I don't have to see your mob going wild on our own patch.

Hoping we may spring a positive surprise, but it's unlikely.

 

We've reached the point where a certain pundit suggests we're overly reliant on six players...

 

Is Merson suggesting that we rely on our forwards for goals? That's their job isn't it?

 

Chelsea drawing with Leeds adds even more incentive to try and get a positive result tomorrow.

No pressure, lads.

 

Is that the same Paul Merson who said that Kane would struggle in a Jose team? Probably had too much sauce.............again

 

And proof that we played football before the premiership

 

Was at that game...Easter 1983 5-0 win.
2 goals from Chris Houghton and Falco and 1 from Brazil.
Was on the bottom of the shelf.
Was still a school kid!

 

Just got in and seen the Chelsea and Everton scores.

We all know how this ends....

 

When did Rob Lowe take over as their manager?