And so the interminable wait for club football has finally ended and what a way to resume football with the most historical and heated derby in the EPL: Arsenal vs Tottenham…Which team will take the bragging rights as the North London Derby victor?
In terms of our squad, we are facing an issue at Left-Back, yet again! Zinchenko is uncertain and so is Tierney. El Neny and ESR are out and there is a doubt about Tomy and Partey but things are looking bright for Odegaard. Tottenham is waiting for news on Lloris and Kulusevski while Davies and Moura are most likely out of the game.
Tottenham is enjoying a fine start to the season and is scoring a lot of goals. Kane is enjoying another good season while Richarlison, Kulusevski and Son are able lieutenant as well. The main improvements though is with Sessegnon, Betancur, Hojberg, Dier and Perisic providing excellent defensive resilience. If Romero is fit, he will also be able to improve on the erratic Sanchez. Their main threat remains Kane but we know that Son gives us trouble everytime so he is to be watched closely. Tottenham plays in a 3-4-3 set-up and the main areas to explore are behind their full-back and we can always rely on a Dier error too. Another area that can be exploited is if we overcrowd their midfield with our three players (Partey, Xhaka, Odegaard) so let us see.
We have to hope that Partey and Zinchenko are fit to play, otherwise we are in trouble…
Ramsdale – White, Saliba, Gabriel, Zinchenko – Partey, Xhaka – Saka, Ode, Martinelli – Gabi J.
Lloris – Romero, Dier, Lenglet – Perisic, Hojberg, Berancur, Sessegnon – Son, Kane, Richarlison
Predicted score: 2-2
Predicted number of yellow cards: 5
Predicted scorers: Martinelli and Ode (or Vieira if Ode does not play) vs Kane and Perisic.
COYG – prove me wrong and win this NLD!
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Rc78 I think the issue in the back 3 is griezmann he doesn’t link play in my opinion and against Denmark u have eriksen picking out players for fun will we had no creativety from our players
I wonder why he switched from 433 I think a front 3 of mbappe benzema and dembele
and midfield of kante tchameni/camavinga and and attacking midfielder with give us more of a threat
This is going to be a big game for Jesus I think
It’s all about Partey, Partey, Partey…….If he is fit we control the game. Zinchenko less of a concern, many would argue that Tierney is better suited for today’s enconter.
Good write up RC, thanks for the read.
It was all about Partey, indeed but what about Xhaka? Where was this Xhaka hiding all along?
Odd thing to see is that Saliba seems actually more solid than Gabriel now…Maybe we will need a better CB in time to pair up with Saliba. Skriniar?
Ramsdale – 6
White – 7.5
Saliba – 7
Gabriel – 5
Zinchenko – 6.5
Partey – 8
Xhaka – 8
Saka – 6.5
Ode – 6
Gabi – 7.5
Jesus – 7.5
Almost shot ourselves in the foot by conceding a silly PK but we were the better team overall and definitely after Spurs went down to 10 men…
Another week at top of the league and we own NLD as of now! COYG and thank you for a memorable win!
Wasn’t that a foul on Jesus?
At least the ref gave the red card…
Next up Liverpool in the EPL – it s gonna be fun too
What a lovely day.
LB had it right: Partey was the key to us winning the derby (even without him needing to be MoTM).
He just gives us so much control at the base of MF. Sambi is a great prospect and very good on the ball, but he doesn’t have Thomas’s overall game intelligence (he may get there in time).
Granit was my MoTM today, for what it’s worth, closely followed by Jesus, Martinelli and Saliba.
If Gabriel continues to ne shaky my white and bring back in Tomi
Also saliba missed a tackle which in evidentally led to the penalty
Another sizzling performance.
Great team win, big save by Ramsdale, and richarl’s move into the box was offside, but hey, does not matter now does it.
Top of the table, and yes Partey was immense, along with our Rolls Royce Saiba with moves everywhere.
Thoroughly enjoyable futbol!!
He should have given the penalty, any other side would have gotten that at home
Gabriel had a good game apart from the pen.
Yea he did,
Ratings….
Ramsdale 10
White 10
Saliba 11
Gabriel 9
Zinchenko 10
Partey 11
Xhaka 11
Odegaard 10
Saka 10
Martinelli 11
Jesus 11
Arteta 20
Love those ratings Slim.
I have waxed lyrical about Partey and he was my MOTM by some way but watching Saliba is something special; he is calmness personified; he makes Gabriel look erratic, did you notice the nutmeg in the spud 18 yard box, the cheek of it, love it, love it. Maybe you feel the same, most players I watch I get a feel for where the ceiling is but with Saliba I have no idea; he is so exciting to watch.
I really enjoyed listening to Cesc talking about Saliba after the game. He couldn’t praise him enough. I think if people like Cesc and Rio are waxing lyrical about him every week then you know he’s the real deal. I just pray that he stays for a good few years and that he develops as we all think he will. He looks an absolute Rolls Royce of a defender.
Yea that’s nutmeg was brilliant even his calmness on the ball in our own box does amaze me, I was telling my partner today when he makes a mistake I does be in shock lol