It has been 17 years since Tottenham Hotspur managed to sit above Arsenal confidently in the Premier League, a team now relishing towards the top of the table with the fortitude of destabilizing the Manchester supremacy.
FlashbackAi??- Season 1994-95′
Spurs finished that season 11 points clear of Arsenal at the end of the season. It was a lacklustre season for the Gunners with a troubled managerial situation. Not only did they lose their legendary manager George Graham in some controversial circumstances, they even managed to lose out on Paul Merson due to reasons beyond football. Graham’s assistant Stewart Houston served as caretaker-manager but failed to keep Arsenal even in the Top Ten of the league positions. Arsenal did manage to show some verve in Europe, reaching the finals of the Cup Winner’s Cup for the second time in a row, but lost to a goal from NayimAi??(another irony), former Spurs player, in the closing stages of the game.
Faith had it that Houston would reunite with George Graham yet again, this time at The White Hart Lane, as assistant manager till Graham was sacked from the position.
FlashbackAi??- Season 2005-06′
It was Arsenal’s last season in London’s ‘Home of Football’ – Highbury. Spurs were leading their fierce rivals till the last day, as they were to play West Ham away from home. Meanwhile, Arsenal entertained Wigan Athletic at home, setting foot on the famous Highbury green, for that one last time. ‘The Invincibles’ produced the most incredible chapter in English Football, and they were not to disappoint on this historic day. Not only did Arsenal manage to win, coming from behind, thanks to a Thierry Henry hattrick, Spurs managed to completely lose the plot. As for destiny’s sweet gesture to Arsenal’s folklore, Spurs lost their game as Arsenal finished above them in fourth spot and secured qualification on their expense.
Present Day, Spurs are all charged up with their team’s enigmatically brilliant display this season – upsetting all odds, raising a lot of once-cynical eye-brows. They have finally come of age, and Arsenal, for a change, are catching up with their ‘lesser’ neighbors. The Gunners have shown some promise this season but have again failed to win big games for the purpose of silverware. This is as big a game as they have played in the last decade or so. This is more than a North London Derby. This is the final throw of the dice for North London’s crown and pride.
Team News And Tactical Brief
Arsenal
A completely fit Arsenal team is a concept, it doesn’t exist, it never did. Arsene Wenger will have a lesser headache with shaping up his team with many players unavailable due to injuries and reasons like ‘not interested in football any more’. The player fighting to prove otherwise was given an outing with the Reserves lately, where he managed to score a brace, there is some interest in football after all. Andrei Arshavin can get a run-in ahead of the woefully out-of-form Theo Walcott, whose consistency is like Abou Diaby’s availability to Arsenal.
Laurent Koscielny and Kieran Gibbs will have to clear fitness tests to play a part in this crucial encounter. If these players are not fit to start, Arsene will have to go for make-shift arrangements like playing Thomas Vermaelen at Left Back, a position he clearly detests. Full Back Carl Jenkinson is fit, and will provide a decent back-up option to Bacary Sagna. Aaron Ramsey had hobbled off the pitch in the last game, he will certainly miss this one with Thomas Rosicky filling his gap. The Czech captain has been the only bright spark in this Arsenal midfield in the last month or so.
Arsenal are without long-term absentees Santos, Mertesacker, Diaby and Wilshere. Moroccan hitmanAi??Marouane Chamakh will also be unavailable due to a toe injury suffered during the midweek Reserves game. Meanwhile, Yossi Benayoun has shown his displeasure on being under-used this year, he scored in midweek, and will hope for some sort of an outing on Sunday. Robin van Persie and Oxlade-Chamberlain will share attacking duties at the top of the park while Mikel Arteta and Alex Song will continue to shield their defenders from Gareth Bale and company.
Possible Starting Line-Up [4-2-3-1]: Szczesny; Sagna, Koscielny, Vermaelen, Gibbs; Song, Arteta, Rosicky; Oxlade, van Persie, Gervinho
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Tottenham Hotspur
It remains to be seen if Spurs are more concerned about retaining the services of their beloved manager or fighting for top honors at the end of the season. From the looks of it, they have almost secured Champions League qualification for next season, unless calamity happens of epic proportions. Spurs travel to North London knowing quite well how much their opponents want to win this particular game. But, they, like everybody, are quite aware of the weakness of this Gunners’ side. With the talent at Redknapp’s disposal, he is well capable of exploiting every weakness of Arsenal, more so at such a crucial juncture in the season when Arsenal are at an all-time low in their confidence.
Both Adebayor and van der Vaart are understood to be passing fitness tests before making it to the starting lineup on Sunday. Assou-Ekotto and star-man Luka Modric are expected to play too, having missed the FA Cup game last weekend. While Ledley King will try his best to make it to the big game, Sandro, in midfield, is an assured casualty due to a calf injury. Gallas and Huddlestone are long-term absentees for the traveling outfit.
The recent acquisition of former Manchester United man, Luis Saha, is going to give a ‘good’ headache to Redknapp. He will have to choose between Adebayor playing all-alone at the top or pairing one of Saha and Defoe leaving only four men in the midfield. If he sticks to a 5-man midfield, then Niko Kranjcar can get a look-in. Attacking wingers Gareth Bale and Aaron Lennon will continue to haunt the opposition defence with their incisive runs into the middle. Scott Parker, Modric and van der Vaart are the preferred trio in the middle of the park.
Possible Starting Line-Up [4-5-1]: Friedel; Walker, Dawson, King, Assou-Ekotto; van der Vaart, Parker, Modric, Bale, Lennon; Adebayor
Key Match Facts
Spurs are looking for that elusive double over the Gunners, a first in 19 years.
Mike Dean will operate, Arsenal haven’t won with him being a ref in their last 11 league games.
William Gallas and Adebayor are the two latest Spurs players to have changed loyalties at North London.
Jimmy Robertson is the only player to have scored for both teams in North London Derbies.
Recent North London Derby Stats [League]
Spurs 2 – 1 Arsenal [4th Oct, 2011]
Arsenal 3 -3 Spurs [20th April, 2011]
Spurs 3 – 2 Arsenal [20th November, 2010]
Spurs 2 – 1 Arsenal [14th April, 2010]
Arsenal 3 – 0 Spurs [31st Oct, 2009]
TheHardTackle’s Players To Watch Out For
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain [Arsenal]
Rising Star - Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain
The youngstar from the famous Southampton academy has already made a name for himself with his performances in recent months. He is sure to start the game which means one of Gervinho or Theo Walcott misses out. The winger has been prolific with hisAi??technique, work-rate and vision. He is sure to cause a lot of head-ache to the Spurs back-line.
Gareth Bale [Tottenham Hotspur]
The Spurs Lethal Weapon
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Nobody is oblivious to the talent that is Gareth Bale, belonging to the same academy as Oxlade. He is a more matured player than the Arsenal man, capable of providing more flexibility to the midfield. He is even capable of taking free-kicks if needed. The “shaky” Arsenal defence needs to bring their A-game to nullify attacking advances from Bale.
TheHardTackle’s Prediction
Arsenal 2 – 2 Tottenham Hotspur
Never short of excitement, Arsenal vs Spurs game are a treat for the neutrals as well as the fans. This one will again live to the hyper, both teams scoring goals but failing to get the upper-hand at the end of it.
