Tottenham Hotspur vs. Arsenal: 5 Key Battles to Decide the North London Derby
Tottenham Hotspur host Arsenal on Saturday with both managers facing conundrums as to how to halt their rivals’ key attacking threats, with strikers Harry Kane and Olivier Giroud in free-scoring form.
Christian Eriksen and Santi Cazorla have also impressed from midfield this season and will potentially be more difficult to pick up given the freedom they operate with, offering additional headaches for Mauricio Pochettino and Arsene Wenger.
Alexis Sanchez’s absence will be considered a boost for Spurs, but the Gunners hardly struggled in his absence as they handed out a 5-0 thumping of Aston Villa on Sunday, while their neighbours were once again dependent on Kane and Eriksen in Saturday’s 3-0 win at West Brom.
With just two points separating the sides, the race for a top-four finish adds extra spice to the encounter, while last weekend’s victories mean both outfits boast six wins from their last eight Premier League games.
Here are the five key battles for Saturday’s derby date, descending in order as to how likely they are to determine which side will come out on top.
Duels to Be Decided
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Needless to say, all 22 players will have their say in the fixture, and both camps will claim to hold superiority in different regions of the field, while there are other matchups which will be dictated by some difficult tactical decisions from both bosses.
Spurs have the more experienced and impressive goalkeeper in France captain Hugo Lloris, while the Gunners boast a more settled centre-back pairing, with fit-again duo Laurent Koscielny and Per Mertesacker producing three successive clean sheets in the Premier League.
The battle for control of the middle of the park is sure to be key, including one particular matchup which we’ll examine shortly, while it remains to be seen who will operate from Tottenham’s right flank and Arsenal’s left given recent rotation in those roles.
Mesut Ozil has previously struggled with defensive duties on the left and, while possessing the ability to be a match-winner, would have his hands full in keeping track of the pacey Kyle Walker, leaving Wenger with a tough call on that flank.
On the other side, Sanchez vs. Rose had been the No. 1 battle to decide the match in Arsenal's favour, with Spurs’ winger-turned-full-back expected to struggle.
However, Walcott vs. Rose looks far more of an even contest given both players boast tremendous pace.
No. 5: Nacer Chadli vs. Hector Bellerin
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Hector Bellerin has seized his opportunity amid an injury crisis at the back and is expected to be handed the task of stopping the man who scored for Spurs in September's 1-1 draw at the Emirates.
Gary Neville sang the praises of the 19-year-old on Sky Sports' Super Sunday (h/t the Daily Mail), saying: "The one that stood out most for me having watched him come back into the team against Manchester City and see him at close hand (against Villa) was Bellerin the full-back."
High praise indeed from a man who made 85 appearances at right-back for England and is one of the game’s most highly regarded pundits.
The former Manchester United defender also highlighted to the young Spaniard’s pace, adding: "I was told he beat not only Walcott's record but [Thierry] Henry's record for over 40 metres."
However, Bellerin faces a tricky task on Saturday with Nacer Chadli, rather than attempting to win foot races down the flank, cutting in from the left to fire shots away on his stronger right foot.
After a difficult first season, the 25-year-old has proven his worth with seven goals to his name and will test Bellerin’s defensive astuteness, along with the Arsenal back line’s ability to work as a unit.
Much like Ozil vs. Walker, this has the potential to be an intriguing tactical matchup but is less likely to determine the result than those to come.
Outcome: Big test for young Bellerin and one Chadli relishes—Spurs lead 1-0.
No. 4: Mousa Dembele vs. Santi Cazorla
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With Mousa Dembele regaining his place in Pochettino’s XI after a string of impressive displays and Santi Cazorla being back to his creative best, both players head into the game on the back of an upturn in form of late.
Taking a grip on the game from their central roles will be their objectives, with the ultimate winner being the player who can provide the greatest supply to their side’s attacking talents.
Dembele was able to provide two assists from advanced positions against West Bromwich Albion, while Cazorla also set up two and netted his sixth goal of the season against Aston Villa.
The Belgium midfielder commands superior physical attributes but, having failed to net in his last 42 appearances for Spurs, is far less of a goal threat.
Outcome: Closely-fought battle but Cazorla makes more of his possession—Arsenal level for 1-1.
No. 3: Harry Kane vs. Laurent Koscielny
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Kane has been one of the biggest revelations in world football this season, going from squad player to the Premier League's leading scorer across all competitions with 20 goals.
While early impressions were made in the Europa League and the Capital One Cup, he has since proved he can produce on the big stage, most notably having a hand in four goals in the New Year’s Day’s 5-3 victory over other rivals Chelsea.
Koscielny and Mertesacker will share the duties of marking Spurs’ lone striker, but the 21-year-old, who prefers to receive the ball to feet due to his limited pace, will look to impose his physicality on the Frenchman.
Given Kane’s form in front of goal, the agile Koscielny’s job will be to intercept supply and limit shooting opportunities.
Outcome: Koscielny keeps a close eye on his man, but Kane only needs one chance—Spurs lead 2-1
No. 2: Federico Fazio vs. Olivier Giroud
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Extra burden falls on Arsenal’s target man Giroud with leading scorer Sanchez out, but five goals from his last six appearances suggests he is capable of delivering.
The duty of marking the powerful Frenchman is likely to sit with Federico Fazio due to his extra height, but it is a task which involves more than just directly preventing goals.
Giroud’s physical presence is key to bringing his team-mates into play, holding up the ball, winning flick-ons and offering a threat from set pieces.
Wenger also believes he has made improvements in other areas of his game since returning from injury last month, telling Arsenal's official website as reported by International Business Times: "He's much more focused, technically he has improved, his feet have improved, his movement has improved and he has a big presence in the game."
Fazio has formed a regular partnership with Jan Vertonghen, but with Spurs keeping just six clean sheets this season, the pair have improvements to make and look more vulnerable than Arsenal's central pairing.
Outcome: Giroud’s form suggests he can expose Spurs’ defensive frailties—the Frenchman pulls the Gunners level again for 2-2.
No. 1: Christian Eriksen vs. Francis Coquelin
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Preventing Christian Eriksen from having an impact on the game will be Arsene Wenger’s top priority.
The 22-year-old Dane’s last-gasp salvos have been a key theme of Tottenham’s campaign, scoring decisive goals in the 88th minute or later on four occasions and netting 11 times in total.
The responsibility of keeping track of Spurs’ playmaker is likely to fall on the shoulders of Frenchman Francis Coquelin, who has established himself as Wenger’s first-choice defensive midfielder in recent weeks.
Speaking to Sky Sports, club legend Thierry Henry hailed the 23-year-old, saying: "He has been amazing, Arsenal don’t look like they will concede, they can score and he gave everyone protection everybody was talking about."
While he’s certainly impressed since being handed his chance, Coquelin is set to face a 90-minute test to prove he is the real deal.
Eriksen has proven himself as a man for the big occasion for Spurs, and limiting his influence will go a long way to stopping them.
Outcome: Coquelin’s inexperience tells and Eriksen makes him pay—the Dane secures yet another late win. Tottenham win 3-2.
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