The Emirates is all set to host the next edition of the North London Derby. It is that day of the calendar, which has been marked out by both sets of fans. 26th February will see Arsenal and Tottenham go head to head for the 172nd time in their history.
Arsenal have already lost to Tottenham in their first meeting this season at the White Hart Lane, 2-1. Kyle Walker scored the winner that day, a stunner! Arsenal, with revenge in mind, look to cut the gap between them and Spurs, which at the moment stands at 10 points. Things have changed drastically this season with respect to where these two teams are. After years of being overshadowed by the Gunners, Spurs have finally overtaken them in the league. This season, it is Tottenham who are the tittle contenders, where as Arsene Wenger’s men are fighting hard to hold on to 4th place in the league. This scenario has added more spice to this already savory tie.
On the eve of this exciting derby match, TheHardTackle is back with its Rival Rendezvous series. In this edition, our resident author and a passionate Gooner, Amlan Majumdar (AM hereafter) starts the war of words with our esteemed guest Si Twining (ST hereafter), who is an ardent Tottenham supporter. Being the host, Amlan allows Si to have the first go at him in this match up.
ST:During the past couple of decades, Spurs’ fans have looked upon the encounters with Arsenal as the most important fixture of the season – and still do.Ai??During this period, have Arsenal fans considered the Spurs games to be most important to them? Or have they viewed the games against their closer rivals more so? And has this changed now that Spurs are seen as the superior side at this present time?
AM: Gooners, similar to spurs fans, have always given this fixtures high importance, but having said that, in previous years, when Arsenal were competing against Manchester United for the titles on a regular basis, the fixture against United held more significance for us than the ones against Tottenham. Tottenham, in premier league era-have never really challenged Arsenalai??i??s position in the league seriously, but things have changed now. This year, Spurs are above us in the league and hold a 10 points advantage on us. Now Spurs are said to be title contenders where as Arseneai??i??s men are struggling to hold on to their customary Champions league spot. So yes, due to Tottenhamai??i??s rise this season, this fixture certainly holds more significance to us than previous years.
ST:Why do Arsenal not seem to be able to hold on to their best players? Surely it’s more than just money?
AM: It is more than just money, it is lack of silverware, in fact at times it is just due to lack of intent shown to win trophies. Two big names departed last year, Samir Nasri and Cesc Fabregas. At Arsenal, if you look at the contracts of their star players, it is way below than what big names in other big clubs are paid, so that you can say, is one of the reasons. But the most important reasons of all is that the team hasnai??i??t won anything for a long time and they are not aggressive enough in the transfer market to make someone believe that thisAi??droughtAi??is going to end sooner rather than later. So, when a player reaches his prime, it is obvious that he would want to win something during this period of his career to show for, and sadly Arsene Wenger or the board havenai??i??t been able to convince the players (who have left) that they will be able to win medals with this club.
ST:Is Arsene Wenger the man to take Arsenal forward? Or has he taken them as far as he can? If not him, then who?
AM: I have been a strong believer in Arsene Wenger and I am sure most of the Gooners will echo this sentiment. It is easy to criticize him for not spending in the transfer market despite the board handing him a big budget, one has to wonder what if the Budget was never even there? What if the board is using him as a shield to hide from criticism? Despite all these ‘Ifai??i??s’, things have gone from bad to worse this season for the Gunners. One thing that Wenger is clearly to blame for is his confidence in some of the players who are not good enough to wear this famous red and white jersey. Having said all this, if Wenger manages to clinch the 4th spot with THIS squad, this will be one of his greatest achievements. I think, and so do many Gooners, irrespective of where we finish this season, Wenger deserves at least one more summer with Arsenal, and you can almost sense that this summer the club will go through a wave of changes.
ST:Which of the Arsenal players would fit into the current Spurs first team, replacing whom?
AM: This question was coming, wasn’t it(smiles)? Let us start with our best player at the moment, Robin Van Persie, though Spurs do have good depth in striking department, still Van Persie on current form will walk into any team in England.
The Flying Dutchman
Sagna has been out with Injury for a long time, but he has been Arsenalai??i??s most consistent player for past few years, he would get into Tottenham right back slot. Also on present form, Oxlade Chamberlain would get into the Spurs team ahead of Lennon, on the wings. Jack Wilshere, when fit, would walk into this Spurs team as well. Alex Song would have been another option, but Parker has been very consistent this year. The problem with putting Arsenal players in the Tottenham system is that both the clubs play different brand of football. While Tottenham rely on width from the two wingers, Arsenal hardly have any natural wingers in the team. But one thing for sure, Spurs defense is better than that of Arsenal, so yes, other than the above mentioned 4 players, it would be hard for anyone else from the Gunners to make it into the Tottenham team.
ST:Can Arsenal keep up with the best in the Premiership without buying established ‘big name’ players, while waiting for Arsene’s philosophy of ‘youth educated his way’, to bear fruit again or do you feel that, if Arsenal don’t move quick enough they will be in danger of being locked out of a new top 4 monopoly?
AM: They are already in the danger of losing their top 4 status, if not for similar regress of Chelsea and Liverpool, but Chelsea and Liverpool are sure to spend in the next transfer window. One thing is for sure, the next transfer season, there will be numerous movements in the Arsenal squad, either for the bad or good. The most important signature for Arsenal next season would be that of Robin Van Persie signing a new contract. It is interesting you say ai???youth educated his wayai???, because many ai???youthai??? presently in the Arsenal team are simply not good enough to play at this club. So Wenger has to buy, and most importantly before buying he has to sell all the dead wood that has accumulated in the squad. Another important reason to buy is to assure Van Persie that Arsenal can compete for silverware. Unless Wenger shows intent in the transfer market, Captain ‘Van-tastic’ will surely leave.
ST:In light of the fact, Arsenal don’t have half the talent they’ve had available in recent years, (particularly in regards to the defense Wenger originally inherited), do you think it would be prudent of Arsene to forget about his ‘philosophy of football’ and accept the fact that his current squad need drilling in the basics, not least the art of defending?
AM: Arsenal entered a rebuilding phase ever since the ai???Invinciblesai??? left the club. They managed to gather a very talented and exciting team in the 2008 season, and it looked like finally the club would come out of that rebuilding phase and win trophies. It was not to be though, many important players left the club just when it looked like they were on the brink of achieving something. Flamini, Hleb, Rosicky (Not the his look-alike who plays now a days), Eduardo, Adebayor, Van Persie (When he was fit) and off-course Fabregas, this was a squad if Arsenal had managed to keep together, would have certainly won silverware. But slowly most of them left, and the club was back to square one. Ever since that squad broke off, the replacements that have come into the team have flattered to deceive, Henry-Pires-Bergkamp or Flamini-Fabregas-Hleb now seem historical icons from by-gone eras.
Coming to the defense, it is interesting that you point out the fact that Wenger inherited the then famous defense from George Graham. Since the departure of Campbell, Toure, Tony Adams, Martin Keown, Lauren and Ashley Cole, Arsenalai??i??s defense and the quality of its defenders has been on a decline. People have pointed out the fact that Gunners need a new defensive coach, but Wenger hasnai??i??t budged. Tony Adams would have been the perfect man for that role, but Wenger is too busy at he moment trying to prove people wrong.
Amlan now decides to go on the attack, as he asks his guest Si to take the hot seat. Round two begins!
AM: With just 7 points behind Manchester City and 13 games still to play this season, how hopeful are Spurs fans about their teams’ title challenge? Is it a case of Tottenham all of a sudden being in an ai???unexplored territoryai??i???
ST: You wonai??i??t find too many whoai??i??ll say weai??i??re ready to win the title ai??i?? yet. As much progress as weai??i??ve made, weai??i??re all competing with a club who can buy success overnight by spending hundreds of millions… and thatai??i??s a lot to catch up with. Our stock has risen, for sure, and ai???unexplored territoryai??? is a fair shout, at least in the modern era. But looking at each clubai??i??s run-ins, weai??i??re not going to win it this year.
AM:Are the Tottenham fans surprised at the position they find their team in at the moment? Did you really expect at the start of the season Spurs being above Arsenal, Chelsea and Liverpool, 25 games into the season? Is it a case of other teams faltering or is it a case of Spurs being that good?
ST: I think the three teams youai??i??ve mentioned have all regressed quite dramatically, which has coincided with our own rise. Our main aim was a top four place, and I think we all expected it to be a straight race for fourth between us, your lot and possiblyAi??Liverpool. Nobody saw the dip inAi??Chelseaai??i??s progress, so we can all rejoice in that. We had a sensible summerai??i??s spending, strengthened where we needed to, kept our key players and retained the strongest midfield in the country ai??i?? so had every right to be hopeful of fourth. Looking at our position now, Iai??i??d be furious with it. Third it is, I believe.
AM: Now to the obvious question, do you think Harry Redknapp will reject an opportunity to manage England if he gets it? If Redknapp leaves Spurs, how will it affect the team? Have Spurs lined up any probable replacement sensing the inevitable?
ST: I donai??i??t doubt for a second that heai??i??ll be gone. Heai??i??s been talking himself up for theAi??England job since the last World Cup, and I do feel that the club are serving a purpose for Harry as much as he is for us. Heai??i??s been great for us, and I donai??i??t think anybody would begrudge him the chance to manageAi??England, but the worst case scenario for all concerned is that he tries both. We have one of the best chairmen in the country in Levy, but heai??i??s not always got it right with the manager, so I hope heai??i??s making good use of the notice heai??i??s been fairly served to look for somebody now. Weai??i??re in a strong enough position to get someone in with an established reputation in Europe, which is a natural progression for us these days. Weai??i??ve overtaken the reputation of the likes of Moyes etc at this point. Iai??i??d be keen on Jurgen Klinsmann.Ai??GermanyAi??are reaping the benefits of his blueprint for that countryai??i??s football, from their schools upward, and he has a vision ahead of his time. There are strong and persistent rumours around Mourinho also, although I donai??i??t believe we have the funds to keep him happy in the market.
AM:Even if Tottenham qualify for Champions league this season, how confident are the fans of holding on to Modric and Bale for one more season? Barcelona have been linked heavily with a move for Bale, will the Welshman show loyalty if the Spanish giants comes calling? Do you think the scenario regarding the retention of Modric and Bale will change if Redknapp leaves the club?
ST: Thatai??i??s a funny one, because although the players have staunchly backed Harry in the press, you wonder if theyai??i??d say the same regardless of who was in charge. While Levy was putting out categorical statements about keeping Modric last summer, Redknapp openly sympathised with the player, and a lot of our fans wondered what he was up to. Iai??i??d like to think that both playersAi??recognizeAi??that weai??i??re on an upward rise, and would be content to see how that develops next season, but after Modricai??i??s antics last August nothing would surprise me. Heai??i??s never yet explained what he was thinking, or exactly what he asked for. Bale, Iai??i??m less suspicious of, as heai??i??s made it plain that heai??i??d like to develop with us for now. But you know as well as I do, it only takes another clubai??i??s billions to change anybodyai??i??s mind.
AM:Adebayor has been in brilliant form for Tottenham this season, how do you rate his contribution? How confident are Spurs about retaining him permanently when his loan spell ends? And the main question now, how hard has it been for the Tottenham fans to accept two ex-Arsenal players (including Gallas) in the team? Or does the fan see it as a revenge for the Sol Campbell saga?
ST: Iai??i??m not sure we can afford to keep Adebayor unless heai??i??s willing to half his wage packet, at least. Whatai??i??s he on, 200 grand a week?! Weai??i??re linked with enough forwards ai??i?? Damiao, for instance ai??i?? to make me think that weai??i??re planning for the future without him. Heai??i??s been great when heai??i??s had his game face on, but as you know, if heai??i??s not motivated that day then he can be anonymous. Thatai??i??s been rare, though. Weai??i??ve gladly accepted both him and Gallas ai??i?? well they both upset your lot, which didnai??i??t hurt! I donai??i??t think it was solely Spurs fans who couldnai??i??t stand either of them, but they both publicly said there are no hard feelings toward our supporters (and we were pretty vile to Adebayor, to say the least). I think we recognised the character of both men, and that we needed them both. Having said that, Redknapp was also talking up CampbellAi??a year or two ago, and he quickly put straight on that one.
AM:Honestly, what are your expectations from the match? Do you think Spurs will go into this match as favorites for the first time in the history of this derby? Do you think your defense can contain Robin Van Persie at the Emirates? Which Arsenal player do you think can cause Tottenham most problems? Give us your predictions for the score-line at the end of the match.
ST: I donai??i??t think we go into Sunday dreading what might happen, and even encouraged by what happened last year. Having van der Vaart ready will be crucial, as he does enjoy playing against you! RVP scares me, and you have the best centre forward in the country, for now. Weai??i??re suddenly spoilt at the back at the moment though, but having Ledley fit and ready is key. We donai??i??t do nil-nils in the league, so allowing for our customary lapse in concentration and your rather unique idea of defending lately, Iai??i??ll go for 1-1.
Amlan and Si could have continued this battle of words till Sunday, but we decide to pull the curtains over here. Only time will tell, who is going to have the last laugh. 26th Feb, it is the day London will stand still!
