This game against Spurs is a massive test for Arsenal. I can’t remember the last time they won against one of the big guns.
They lost the first two games of the Premier League against top teams, so I’m very curious to see if they’ll be able to stop that curse and come back to the way they used to be before Tottenham became a better team than them.
I’m expecting a lot from The Gunners and the confidence is back, along with the results so they’re in a much better place and will be more prepared than last season.
Emery is 18 games unbeaten so he clearly has done a good job so far but to those people talking about The Invincibles and going unbeaten for the rest of the season – there is just no way that will happen.
I’ve seen every game Arsenal have played this season and to be honest, despite my love for the Gunners, I feel they have been very lucky.
They should have conceded more goals and I just haven’t been convinced in every single game. Defensively they are still weak and because of that they can’t compete for the Premier League title.
They can fight for the Champions League places though, because the gap isn’t huge. I am happy to see them improving, but when you look at Man City, Chelsea, Liverpool, and even Tottenham they have very strong squads.
When I look at Arsenal they don’t have a lot of options on the bench, so if one or two important players get injured then they are in trouble.
They have decent defenders, but they’re not the best in the world. They’re not even the best in the Premier League.
We all know that in football you have to have a very good striker and a very good goalkeeper to win games, but individually and collectively I’m not convinced about the Arsenal defence.
Spurs need to win something and it has to be this season
This is the season that Tottenham have to win something, because this team has been working together for the last four or five years.
They’ve improved so much as a team in that time. Even the players, individually, some of them have made massive strides.
But with all that progression, at the end of it, if you don’t win a trophy it’s going to be very difficult for Pochettino to motivate them to keep going, especially when they’re not spending in the transfer market.
When you’re so close to winning something and you don’t get it, frustration is going to come very soon after.
It’s hard for a player to put in that level of effort and performance each season to come away empty handed.
Your motivation will eventually wane and players will start to think ‘I have to leave’, so this season is huge for Tottenham.
Winning is everything!
Yes, it can be exciting what is happening with a new stadium but that is not what players pay for.
Players want to win titles. Nobody remembers players that finish in the top four every year.
That is not an accolade and Spurs need to win something to lay claim to this power shift.
They remind me of Arsenal 10 years ago when they were building the stadium and had to be careful financially. They had to sell their best player every season.
Thankfully for Spurs they don’t have to do that, but they don’t have the depth they need.
If Harry Kane gets injured, who’s going to play up front?
They don’t have a replacement.
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