The north London derby is traditionally one of the most entertaining spectacles in English football, more often than not guaranteeing a glut of goals, moments of high drama and the odd on-pitch scuffle that fans secretly enjoy when they aren’t supposed to.
During the Premier League era, there have been 164 goals scored in 58 matches between Arsenal and Tottenham, at an average of 2.8 per game; in contrast, there have been 131 goals scored in the same number of Merseyside derbies, at a rate of 2.2 per game. The last 0-0 was 12 years and 24 games ago.
Some of the most memorable moments in Premier League history have occurred in this fixture: who can forget the Invincibles’ title win at White Hart Lane in 2004? Or Danny Rose’s debut stunner in 2010? Or Erik Lamela’s rabona/red card combo in March? Make your way to the south east corner of the Emirates, meanwhile, and you will be greeted by a bronze Thierry Henry upon arrival. The occasion that commemorates the Frenchman’s statue? A stunning slaloming goal in the derby in 2002, of course.
If the opening five weeks of the campaign are anything to go by, however, this weekend’s match-up is likely to be defined by caution, rather than chaos. Both sides rank in the bottom five in the table for goals scored; Tottenham have managed three, Arsenal two. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has scored just once from nine attempts, while Harry Kane is behind 109 of his contemporaries for league shots.
Anthony Joshua might be fighting at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium this weekend, but it’s clear for all to see that Spurs are lacking a bit of punch in attack. Nuno Espirito Santo’s side have struggled to craft many openings in the final third and are bottom of the table for chances created.
For Arsenal, that hasn’t really been an issue – they are fifth in that particular metric – however, they have found it difficult to create good opportunities. Of their 59 chances, only five have been registered as “big chances” defined by Opta as a “situation where a player should reasonably be expected to score”.
Interestingly, the teams feature at opposite ends of the spectrum when it comes to the efficiency of their shooting. Tottenham are top of the league – when’s the trophy parade? Etc – for their percentage of shots that hit the target, whereas Arsenal are second-bottom.
How to watch Arsenal vs Spurs
- Date: Sunday 26 September
- Kick-off: 4.30pm [BST]
- TV: Watch it live on Sky Sports Main Event
- Stream: Watch it online or on mobile on Now TV
- Highlights: Match of the Day, BBC One at 10.30pm
Arsenal are a quantity over quality team that can, as in recent wins over Norwich and Burnley, eventually make a breakthrough through sheer volume of shots; Tottenham are the opposite, reliant on two of the league’s most efficient finishers, Kane and Son Heung-min, to score from minimal service, as was the case with the latter’s goal out of nothing against Manchester City.
Clearly, there are systemic issues at play, but also personnel ones too. Neither club has yet come close to replacing a playmaker through whom the bulk of their goalscoring opportunities once flowed. Over the past five seasons, only four players have created 100 or more chances in a Premier League campaign: Kevin De Bruyne (three times), Christian Eriksen, Mesut Ozil and James Maddison.
That Arsenal were strongly linked with a move for Leicester’s Maddison in the summer indicates that it was an area of concern for Mikel Arteta and one that he will hope Martin Odegaard or Emile Smith Rowe, or even both, will be able to rectify before long.
Goals scored in the Premier League this season
- Man Utd – 13
- Chelsea, Liverpool – 12
- Man City, West Ham – 11
- Everton – 10
- Aston Villa – 8
- Brighton – 7
- Newcastle, Watford – 6
- Brentford, Crystal Palace, Leeds, Leicester – 5
- Southampton – 4
- Burnley, Tottenham – 3
- Arsenal, Norwich, Wolves – 2
Rather than fill the Eriksen void with a like-for-like replacement, meanwhile, Spurs have instead attempted to mould a new-look frontline with quick wingers running beyond Kane. It was a ploy that succeeded, at points, last season, when Kane won the top playmaker award for most assists, but increasingly opposition sides have welcomed the sight of Spurs’ chief goal threat gravitating further and further away from their 18-yard-box.
The north London derby is usually the Premier League equivalent to a bonfire night fireworks display, filled with spark, colour and excitement, an occasion which lends itself to wide-eyed excitement. But based on recent form, Arsenal and Spurs have work to do in order to keep the tradition alive.
Team news
Mikel Arteta has the luxury of having a fully fit squad to choose from this weekend. Granit Xhaka is available after seeing out his three-match suspension, while Thomas Partey played an hour of Wednesday’s win against AFC Wimbledon.
Nuno Espirito Santo will be without Steven Bergwijn (ankle) and Ryan Sessegnon (hamstring) but Lucas Moura is in contention after returning to first-team training on Friday.
from Football – inews.co.uk https://ift.tt/3m3Rdxg
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