The Emirates Stadium will witness tomorrow afternoon (17:30) the so-called “North London Derby”, one of the most rival games in England, but in which the lack of fans and the bad season that both teams are starring in They will be, at least, decaffeinated. The Gunners seem to have been stuck in the middle of the table, while the Spurs team, who had started the league with the aim of the title, are now even out of the European positions.
Background
2020/21 season:
Tottenham 2-0 Arsenal (06.Dic.20)
Season 2019/20:
Tottenham 2-1 Arsenal (12.Jul. 20)
Arsenal 2-2 Tottenham (01.Sep.19)
2018/19 season:
Tottenham 1-1 Arsenal (02.Mar.19)
Arsenal 0-2 Tottenham (19.Dic.18)
How do both teams arrive?
It is not being the expected season for either team. Arsenal, after a very bad start, playing with relegation, seems to have finally found calm, already being 12 points away from the red zone of the table, but still 10 points away from being able to travel to Europe next season. On the other side is Tottenham. José Mourinho’s men started the season well, even becoming leaders on some day, but the slump that occurred at the end of January and lasted until February 28, getting only three points out of the 18 possible, took them away too much of your goals.
Despite this, both teams have shown to be in better shape lately, as the Gunners have only lost one of their last seven games, the one in which they faced Guardiola’s Manchester City, while the Spurs have won their last five games. , thus approaching three points of the fifth position, which gives access to the UEFA Europa League.
The match
In this match, two teams will face each other that usually play with a 1-4-2-3-1 formation, with a large accumulation of men in the center of the field and who usually seek possession. Despite the team that will play home, it has a tendency to join lines in a 1-4-4-2 when playing against superior teams a priori, so we can assume that the game will start with much disputed possession, but little by little. little the spurs should take control. It should also be noted that Tottenham usually likes to give up the ball when they get ahead in the electronic, as it would happen in the first leg of this derby, when after going ahead through Heung-Min Son in the 13th minute, the team led by Mourinho passed to play in a more defensive way, creating danger through counterattacks like the one that ended up transforming Harry Kane in the minute 45 + 1 to put the final 2-0.
Players to watch
Harry Kane: The English killer is having a sweet moment this season, having scored five goals and given two assists in his last four appearances. The forward is thus a key piece of the improvement that his team has recently experienced.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang: with 9 goals so far this season in the Premier, the Gabonese is showing that he has not lost his sense of goal despite not having his best season. We will have to be very attentive to him in case the Gunners come out with a defensive attitude, as the striker could be Arsenal’s greatest danger in counterattacks due to his great speed.
Press conference:
Mikel Arteta: “It will be very difficult because the level of quality, precision, understanding and chemistry that they have between them, makes them probably one of the most special teams in Europe, and they don’t need much, they are capable of creating their own opportunities, to connect as a team, so it will be very difficult to achieve it, but we will prepare the game to try to stop them. “
José Mourinho: «I want to be respectful, I don’t want to go in that direction, I’m proud to be at Tottenham, I know I work for a great club, but despite the rivalry between us and Arsenal I want to be respectful, Arsenal is a great club with a great history and as we are trying to build a better future, I have total respect for them.
Possible eleven
Arsenal: Leno; Bellerín, David Luiz, Gabriel, Tierney; Thomas Partey, Xhaka; Saka, Odegaard, Willian; Aubameyang.
Tottenham: Lloris; Aurier, Sánchez, Alderweireld, Reguilón; Hojbjerg, Ndombele; Bale, Lucas, Son; Kane.
Referee: Michael Oliver.
WHERE: Paul Tierney y Lee Betts.
–
