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Match Day Thread Tottenham Hotspur v Arsenal

Discussion in 'Tottenham Hotspur' started by PleaseNotPoll, Sep 24, 2021.

  1. PleaseNotPoll

    PleaseNotPoll Well-Known Member
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    Sunday 26th September 4.30pm
    Premier League
    Emirates Stadium​

    Another successful match at Molineux for Espirito Santo and we're through to the next round.
    It's a lot easier to take the positives from that game because of that, so let's hope that the team do, too.
    We need to be far more consistent and make better choices for this one, though.
    The filth may have started their campaign badly, but they've picked up in recent weeks.
    Can the manager get 90 minutes out of this team or will this be another disappointment?

    The Goons had a poor season last year and finished without European football for the first time in 25 years.
    They responded by spending a lot of money in the market and backing their manager.
    It remains to be seen whether that was the correct decision and their fans are rather split on it.
    Was the money well spent and did they do enough to correct the weaknesses in their squad?
    Time will tell.

    Losing the opening three games will not have calmed any nerves down in Woolwich.
    Chelsea and City were to be expected, but the first day loss to Brentford was less of a formality.
    They've responded with narrow wins over relatively weak teams, but it's still points on the board.
    They were in a desperate position, so the results were more important than the performance, in a lot of ways.
    They've also strolled through a couple of easy cup games against lower league sides' B teams, which helps.

    This tie last season was one of the worst performances under Mourinho and that's saying something.
    We started on the back foot and largely stayed there, despite scoring the goal of the season.
    Lamela came on for an injured Son and promptly scored a rabona nutmeg to give us the lead.
    Odegaard levelled via a deflection before the break and a ludicrous Michael Oliver decision put them ahead.
    Lacazette scored from the spot before Oliver showed up again to send off our goalscorer and finish a **** day:


    The reverse fixture earlier in the campaign was almost the complete reverse for Mourinho.
    We counter-attacked in a much more composed fashion and were ruthless on the break.
    The game was essentially over at half-time and they rarely threatened, despite having most of the ball.
    Kane played a great ball to Son to open the scoring with a wonderful finish for the first.
    They then swapped roles for the second, which rattled in off the bar with seconds left in the half:


    Bergwijn misses out again and Sessegnon faces a late test, but Moura is back and available.
    Arsenal have nobody missing, apparently. Neither side has any suspensions.

    Lineups for each side's last league game:

    Spurs: Lloris; Royal, Romero, Dier, Reguilon; Ndombele, Hojbjerg, Alli; Lo Celso, Kane, Son.
    Subs: Gollini, Doherty, Rodon, Sanchez, Davies, Skipp, Winks, Gil, Scarlett.

    Arsenal: Ramsdale; Tomiyasu, White, Gabriel, Tierney; Partey; Pepe, Odegaard, Smith-Rowe, Saka; Aubameyang.
    Subs: Leno, Soares, Holding, Mari, Tavares, Lokonga, Maitland-Niles, Martinelli, Lacazette.

    Ref: Craig Pawson. VAR: Stuart Atwell.

    TV: Sky Sports.

    How would you like to line up for this one?
    Would you stick with much of the same lineup from the Wolves game, tinker a little or change it completely?
    Which system and tactics would you use and what are you expecting the scum to go with?
     
    #1
  2. deedub93

    deedub93 Well-Known Member

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    Found myself wearing a splash of red on navy blue shorts and hoodie this morning. Panic and had to check fixture list just in case I'd got it wrong, phew not until tomorrow as thought, old superstitions are difficult to shake off.
     
    #2
  3. bigsmithy9

    bigsmithy9 Well-Known Member

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    I noticed we are some way behind Arsenal in games won between the two. But they seem to finish below us in the league.Is this because they use all their luck up when they play us and come a cropper against others? COYS!
     
    #3
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  4. LockStock

    LockStock Well-Known Member

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    Could be, or we just seem to collapse in the most important matches against them there.

    Even with the squad we have fit today though we have no business losing against this Arsenal team, at this moment in time.

    I'm not overly confident, but with the right balance of creativity and solidity on the pitch, they can, and should, be stifled if not beaten.

    Nuno can begin to win doubters over by doing the right things with his choices in this match.
     
    #4
  5. KingHotspur

    KingHotspur Well-Known Member

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    He’s already sounding like a broken record to me, every game we hear about how strong the opponents are without sounding too enthusiastic about his own team.

    Unless he’s massively different in the dressing room and training pitch (confident he isn’t) then I don’t see how he inspires these players.
     
    #5
  6. remembercolinlee

    remembercolinlee Well-Known Member

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    Tbh I expect things to get worse before they improve. The best I can hope for is that we are not as pathetically bad as the last time we played them. One of the worst spurs performances in the past 20 years.
     
    #6
  7. redwhiteandermblue

    redwhiteandermblue Well-Known Member

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    • Spurs have lost two straight PL matches
    • Arsenal have won two straight
    • Spurs haven't beaten Arsenal at the Emirates in 11 years
    • This may be the worst Spurs team to travel there in those 11 years
    No need to thank me, RCL.
     
    #7
  8. The RDBD

    The RDBD Well-Known Member

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    As was said elsewhere, we could be 1 pt off top with any
    manner of win, even though the performances overall have
    been woeful and the GF/GA already worse than under Jose.

    However, the fixture schedule is currently unforgiving.
    Spurs have near monthly blocks where two games in succession
    are against last seasons' top 6.
     
    #8
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  9. Dier Hard

    Dier Hard G'day mate!

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    Gil has to start. I’m losing my **** if Dele and/ or Lo Celso get picked ahead of him.

    Nuno’s gotta pull this one out the bag though, can’t get thumped 3-0 twice by Palace and Chelsea then lose a NLD afterwards.
     
    #9
    Last edited: Sep 25, 2021
  10. deedub93

    deedub93 Well-Known Member

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  11. LockStock

    LockStock Well-Known Member

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    I agree, but I’m somewhat hoping that we’ve seen some of that worse happen already. Crystal Palace was worse and Chelsea was not as bad, but bad. Cup match was a little better in terms of line up and intent.

    I know. It’s the hope that kills.
     
    #11
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  12. LockStock

    LockStock Well-Known Member

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    I am probably gonna get shot down for this, but I wanna see Ndombele in the free role that Eriksen had. Gil out on the left, Son or Lucas on the right, with Dele as an option from the bench, along with Lo Celso. (Or even Kane and Son in a two up top in front of Ndombele.)

    I'd even be happy with a back three, promoting Reggie and Royal or Tanganga to attack the flanks high and wide like Rose and Walker used to. Play in their half more.
     
    #12
  13. Alfie Conn

    Alfie Conn Well-Known Member

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  14. humanbeingincroydon

    humanbeingincroydon Well-Known Member

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    Just the fixture I need as I recover from some dodgy sushi I had for lunch yesterday...
     
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  15. District Line

    District Line Well-Known Member
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    Tough one to call but going into this as underdog might actually help THFC because whenever they go in as favourite at the Emirates, Arsenal always seem to pull a rabbit out the hat.

    It’s time for the likes of Aubameyang, Pepe, Alli and Kane to roll their socks up. We haven’t seen a big performance from them in a big game in quite some time.
     
    #15
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  16. District Line

    District Line Well-Known Member
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    Drogba’s dominance against Arsenal was so well renowned you easily forget Rooney scored more against them and was doing it since 02/03.
     
    #16
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  17. "Thanks for that Brian"

    "Thanks for that Brian" Well-Known Member

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    We need to become more creative. Nuno, like every other Spurs manager in recent times, is going to have to work with what he's got. The good ones have the ability to re-energise players who look done and get them going again. Harry transformed the club and squad, as did Poch. Nuno's got to get a tune out of Ndombele and Lo Celso and get talent like Bryan into the starting line up, if he wants to be anything more than a one season coach.

    At this point, like you, I'm up for some radical thinking, if it prevents another Winks, Skippy, Hojbjerg midfield. Arsenal's defence is still a car crash, if you get at it. Today, we have to do that. If we sit back, the chances are we will lose at their place...again. Why not pick Ndombele and go for it. I'm ****ed off with boring, defensive, defeatist football.

    To Dare is To Do, Nuno.
     
    #17
  18. vimhawk

    vimhawk Well-Known Member

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    To Dare is to Duno
     
    #18
  19. Spurf

    Spurf Thread Mover
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    The trouble is Nuno cannot afford to lose this game, he really needs at least a draw to stop the circling crows. That suggests he will not be as gung ho as he was against Chelsea, especially after the second half. On the other hand not many Spurs fans want to see another negative performance even if it gets a result. Nuno has the rock and the hard place to deal with but he knew that when he accepted the job. It's still very early days and far too soon to be making judgements on his performance at Spurs but try telling that to some Spurs fans.
    He was brave against Chelsea and don't forget Arsenal are nothing like the same level and Spurs squad should be good enough to go for the win. I hope he goes for it, I think a lot of fans will stick with him if he calls for his players to attack.

    BUT: in the words of Henry Percy (Hotspur)

    Why, so can I, or so can any man;
    But will they come when you do call for them?
     
    #19
  20. deedub93

    deedub93 Well-Known Member

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    l'arse are no Chavski. Go at them in the first half like we went at the chavs, with luck on our side we could be out of sight before HT.
     
    #20

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