Arsenal vs. Tottenham Hotspur: Selecting a Combined North London Derby XI
The first north London derby of 2016-17 is taking place at a good time. Unlike last season's League Cup phoney war or the preceding two campaigns' early Premier League clashes, both Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur have had ample opportunity to establish just who they are.
Heading into Sunday's fixture at the Emirates Stadium, an ascendant Arsenal will be more satisfied with what they see in the mirror.
Except for an off-colour draw with Middlesbrough, the Gunners have been sparkling in recent weeks. They have already qualified for the Champions League knockout stages and are only behind Premier League leaders Manchester City on goal difference.
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Tottenham are just three points behind their neighbours but have hit a rough patch since they dispatched Man City on Oct. 2. They are battling to stay in the Champions League, undermined by struggles in front of goal. Still, that win over City was an example of what they are capable of when they get their act together.
This is the first meeting since Arsenal pipped Tottenham to the runners-up spot in the league in May. Mauricio Pochettino's men outlasted Arsene Wenger's side in the title race but, demoralised after losing out to Leicester City, collapsed late on to suffer the indignity of finishing below Arsenal for the 21st year in a row.
A long season remains ahead for both, but a victory for either would give a decent idea of their overall viability as title contenders, if not quite a full indication of who the best team in north London is.
Perhaps some separation will occur following the latest contest in one of English football's most reliably entertaining rivalries. But for now, putting together the following XI, using players from both Arsenal and Tottenham, was a close-run thing.
It is testament to the quality on offer with both sides they have been relatively evenly matched of late, drawing their two league meetings last season. That proved the case here, with some difficult choices having to be made throughout.
The criteria for inclusion was individual quality and value to their respective teams. Accordingly, the fantasy side put together here is full of standout individual talents, forming a formidable collective.
First up, a decision over this team's goalkeeper that could have gone either way.
Goalkeeper: Petr Cech
Leaving Tottenham goalkeeper Hugo Lloris out of any team he is eligible for is a big call.
The Frenchman's brilliance between the posts has been well on display of late. In both Spurs' Champions League games with Bayer Leverkusen, he made stunning saves to deny Javier Hernandez. In between times, he kept things level against Bournemouth with a similarly quick reaction to stop Charlie Daniels from close range.
Petr Cech gets the nod for this north London derby XI on the basis of his success, experience and just what recruiting a goalkeeper of this calibre has meant for Arsenal, as exaggerated below.
After years without a sufficiently commanding presence in goal, the ex-Chelsea man has helped Wenger's side become more assured at the back. If they go on to win a first Premier League title since 2004 this season, it will almost certainly be with Cech present.
Right-Back: Hector Bellerin
The tough choices keep on coming in selecting this team.
Kyle Walker has played some of the best football of his career since the start of last season. Motivated by the competition provided by fellow right-back Kieran Trippier, he has tidied up his game considerably and commendably reclaimed an England place in the process.
At 21, though, Arsenal’s Hector Bellerin is already one of the division's, and arguably Europe's, most accomplished full-backs.
Classy and composed in attack—he notably set up both the Gunners’ goals in their 2-2 draw with Spurs in March—he is maturing nicely as a defender too. With the potential to get even better, the Spaniard is a welcome presence in any side.
Left-Back: Danny Rose
Danny Rose introduced himself to the wider-footballing world with a sweetly struck volley against Arsenal on his debut in 2010.
Back then he was still a left-sided midfielder. These days, he is recognised as one of the Premier League's best left-backs.
It took Rose a good few years to get to this point. But significantly helped by the management of Pochettino (like with Walker and Trippier, the Argentinian has used Ben Davies to keep Rose motivated), he has established himself as a competitive defender and relentless wide option.
Arsenal's Nacho Monreal and Kieran Gibbs are fine defenders. However, the spiky Rose's impressive development more than warrants him this spot.
Centre-Back: Toby Alderweireld
Composed and deceptively gritty, Toby Alderweireld proved a big signing for Tottenham last season.
A previously inconsistent defence (and that is putting it lightly) became one of the Premier League’s stingiest, transforming the team from also-rans into title contenders. The ex-Southampton loanee was not alone in engineering this improvement, but his generally solid mix of good timing and robustness made a big difference.
Alderweireld has started the new campaign in fine fashion too, again helping set Spurs up as one of the country’s best rearguards. They have got by alright without him during his current injury absence, but they will still want him back sooner rather than later.
Centre-Back: Laurent Koscielny
As noted in the above Bleacher Report Stat Stories video, the partnership of Laurent Koscielny and Shkodran Mustafi is looking a good one for Arsenal.
They have adjusted well together so far and, like with the aforementioned Cech, could be crucial in making a traditionally expansive attacking side strong enough defensively to go all the way in 2016-17.
They have been far from a walkover at the back in recent times, though. Mainstay Koscielny has been a big reason for that and gets the nod over both Mustafi and Tottenham's Jan Vertonghen.
Now 31, the Frenchman remains a reliable performer for Arsenal and will be keen to keep Spurs' stuttering attack frustrated again.
Midfield: Mousa Dembele
Mousa Dembele has not enjoyed the best of starts to this season. Suspended for the opening month, injury problems since have stopped him from putting together a decent run of games.
Still, Dembele's appearances have fleetingly demonstrated why he has been so important to Tottenham over the last year or so.
He is as demoralising a player to try dispossess as just about any around. Holding off some of English football’s strongest midfielders with ease, any who then try to commit themselves with a challenge could find themselves left for dust as the Belgian glides past them.
Strong defensively and intelligent going forward, on his day, he is a midfielder any team would be grateful to have.
Midfield: Santi Cazorla
Others may have moved ahead of Santi Cazorla in terms of star power at Arsenal, but this has suited him just fine.
The 31-year-old is as clever and eye-pleasing a player as ever and has also got the cachet of being the man who ties so much of the Gunners’ best work together.
This is in both his dictating of play with precise passes and advancing runs, as well as in setting an example for younger players looking to make their mark. Cazorla has happily taken on the responsibility of leadership (as he details in the above video) and is even better for it.
Midfield: Dele Alli
Dele Alli's goal and energetic, positive performance was a big factor in Tottenham winning their biggest match of the season prior to the meeting with Arsenal, the aforementioned 2-0 victory over Manchester City.
Like his team in general, he has not been as good since. But even in moments—a run timed with clockwork precision, a spellbinding piece of skill—there have been ample reminders why the 20-year-old is one of English football’s most highly regarded players.
Time and time again last season, he came up big for Spurs. This included setting up Harry Kane's goal at home to Arsenal, as well as netting some brilliant ones of his own, such as his ingenious volley against Crystal Palace in January.
So long as the precocious midfielder continues to apply himself as well as he has done, he should only get even better from here.
Attack: Mesut Ozil
Usually we could go into greater detail praising Mesut Ozil's qualities as one of world football's best, most aesthetically pleasing playmakers.
But in a week when he scored that goal in Arsenal's 3-2 Champions League win over Ludogorets Razgrad, there is not much more to add. We just have to let the German's football do the talking:
That piece of skill and finish dispelled any notion in a certain Spurs fans' song that Ozil may be inferior to their own Christian Eriksen.
Attack: Alexis Sanchez
Already with eight goals to his name this season, the versatile Alexis Sanchez appears to be getting better and better.
He has scored plenty of greats goals of his own to rival Ozil's, as seen in the below video. His range and the nimble footwork and vision that get him into positions to do so make him an outlet for team-mates whom opponents understandably struggle to contain.
If a little hot and cold at times in the past, Sanchez may now be finding the consistency that sees him go from one of the Premier League's most widely admired attackers to among its most genuinely feared.
Attack: Harry Kane
Briefly on Arsenal's books as a youngster, Kane has become a north London derby hero in his time at Tottenham.
In his first north London derby, the striker scored twice in the 2-1 win over Wenger's men in February 2015. A season later, he struck twice more in the two league draws.
It prompted the Frenchman to wonder how his club had managed to let the young centre-forward go, per the Guardian's David Hytner.
With plenty of other goals and immense displays in big games for Spurs, they are grateful their foes did. He has been their top scorer in each of the last two seasons, winning the Premier League Golden Boot last time out too.
There is no better player to lead the line for this combined side. Tottenham will hope Kane is fit and ready to show why once again at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday.
Combined North London Derby XI (4-3-3): Cech (c); Bellerin, Alderweireld, Koscielny, Rose; Alli, Dembele, Cazorla; Ozil, Sanchez, Kane.
