Before Tottenham’s defeat in the North London derby, fans were ecstatic. Up until that moment, everything appeared to be coming up in their favour. Unfortunately, it didn’t last and the Gunners provided Andre Villas-Boas’ boys with a stark reminder that they wouldn’t have things all their way this season.
The result game as something as a surprise as it seemed to defy all the pre-game rhetoric, punditry and nonsense that preceded the fixture. Just about everybody expected Spurs to coast to a victory over the Gunners. I’m sure even Arsenal fans will admit, given what had come before, that they were surprised by the result (and the performance).
Spurs had built up a wave of good feeling and it looked like they were going to ride it for some time. Indeed, Tottenham won their first two games (with admittedly unspectacular performances) and looked extremely well placed for the coming season.
There was a certain robustness about Tottenham’s performances that stood out. With the likes of Moussa Dembele, Etienne Capoue and Paulinho bossing the midfield, Spurs are now a physically imposing proposition. What’s more, after his summer of spending, Andre Villas-Boas’s squad now has excellent strength in depth.
So why didn’t Spurs win the North London derby?
There are a few reasons. The foremost is that Arsenal were the better team on the day. The Gunners midfield simply sparkles with creativity and Tottenham’s industrious team couldn’t stop them from crafting opportunities.
Then there’s the fact that it was more or less a ‘must win’ game for Arsenal (who had plenty to lose), whilst this was not really the case for Tottenham.
Finally, I think it’s fair to say that the Gareth Bale saga has affected the club like a bad head-cold. No matter what the players say, losing your best player has a bid effect on a team. He was the focal point of the team last year and it seems that Roberto Soldado still needs some time to adapt to the Premier League.
What’s more, with all Tottenham’s new additions, it’s going to take some time for the team as a whole to gel. You can’t simply throw 8 new players together and expect them to perform. It’s going to take time.
Whilst players have been easy to come by, you get the feeling that time and patience will be harder for Andre Villas-Boas to buy this season. These new signings have built up levels of expectation at White Hart Lane.
Nothing less than fourth place is good enough. That, however may be one step too far for Spurs this season.
What’s your take? What can Tottenham achieve this year?
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So Spurs lost this same game last year 5-2. They lost a game away from home, on a ground they’ve barely won in donkeys years. They nearly grabbed a draw. They have the same number of points as Arsenal so far this season and didn’t lose 3-1 to Aston Villa at home.
But hey, the wheels have fallen off (yawn)
Before making stupid articles likes this, wait at least until Spurs have Lamela and Eriksonn playing along with Lennon to support Soldado. You will see a different Tottenham. Obviously written by a Gooner!!
err meh!
What a load of rubbish, as soon as the team gels in 3 to 4 games time spurs will be beating everyone in there way to a top 4 finish, Arsenal were lucky to win because of a mistake from Dawson, the stats say spurs dominated possesion and crafted out the same amount of shots on and off target.
where is the panic look at the game again we lost one nil by a mistake by 2 c/b s if this happened mid season not much would have been said.If arsenal think that bringing in one player will solve the problem they are in cuck coo land.spurs need to get players to gel and may take time but look at the depth in the squad wiltshire and co seem to pick up injuries easy. man u have more probems than spurs go pick on them.
Harry
Go and take a run and jump
Is this all you could muster
Any excuse for trying to disrupt Spurs’ start to the season!There is nothing wrong – 6 points out of 9 – and some of the new signings are yet to play a full game.it may well be that one or two of the new signings will not make it (as has happened before with Dempsey,Siggy etc.) but most will prosper and come next January we will be playing some good football – better than we have for some time.We do not need to aim for anything except for playing well and taking things one game at a time.That is,no sensational journalism,which is as counter productive in football as it is in every other walk of life.I,for one,am looking forward,no,really looking forward to the next few months to see how things develop – no trouble at all!
it is awesome for arsenal, they have captured a real game changer.
Spurs fan here and yes I agree it could turn out to be another season where we come 5th. If that happens I wont be massively suprised. But the main reason why I think we will break top 4 is avb. This is his team….players who he picked. I have faith in him to get the to gell quickly. We already are a robust team and thats our 3rd game. After 10 games we will improve the creative side. Impressed with ozils signing too. What a player….but does it solve arsenals problems? My prediction…..chelsea 1st….man city 2nd…..man utd 3rd…..spurs 4th, liverpool 5th….arsenal 6th
what a moronic prediction.
What on earth are you smoking? top four 2013-2014 will be Liverpool, Arsenal Chelsea and Man city………Man U 5th Swansea 6th and Spurs 7th….top four final finish is anyones guess…..and everyone is saying Arsenal need another striker well Sonogo is a brilliant striker and was the star for France winning the under 21’s Europe cup this year.. so with a little help from Musult and co he will blossom and be another Benteke and take the premier league by storm
LMFAO swansea above spurs are you actually retarded?? laughable haha and liverpool and arsenal 1st and second what the shit are u smoking hahahaha!?????
I agree with azas
Too early to make predictions like that. Can’t see Arsenal in 6th though. After Levy’s tactics of deliberately holding up the Bale transfer until deadline day in order to block Arsenal targets arriving, this has left a bad taste generally in football circles and could backfire on Spurs by giving Arsenal added determination.
Love how Spurs fans the country over were revelling over their new signings. Talking about how they were now gonna be top dog in London and then came the NL derby and BOOM- we put back in their place. Even a couple of badly timed dives in the box couldn’t get them back into it and you have to wonder with all the money they spent during the transfer window and for all there posturing, can the Spuds win without the assistance of the ref?
C A T C H A I D S A N D D I E G O O N E R
I have reported your post as it is sick and unnecessary. I support spurs but people like you make me sick and sad to be associated with you 🙁
we spent less than £10m over the summer you total imbecile. And to say we can’t win without the assistance of the ref proves how little you know as we weren’t awarded a penalty over the whole of last season, showing refs are against us if anything. And we still only finished a point behind you. remember your penalty at home to Norwich? given for literally nothing. The only way you finished above us was with the referees assistance. Otherwise we would be in our rightful place in the champions league and you in europa.
Your rightful place??? Coming from someone who’s team has only played in the competition once it’s a rather strange comment and in ref to the Norwich game I suppose you don’t remember their player conning the ref for the free kick that led to their goal? How convenient! You came 5th cos you were not good enough end of.
lol what a load of tosh!!, our history in the competition is irrelavent we woud be there ahead of you if it wasnt for the ref giving a penalty for a gust of wind fouling one of your players or handballing it or whatever the fuck it was given for
Well explain how it is your rightful place then when u finished outside the top 4 one decision did not make or break your season you delusional swamp dwelling prick
We’ll see at WHL. Wait until you get a couple of injuries in ANY position, FUUUUCKED.
Cock!!!!!
Cazorla maims capoue ; stays on pitch ! Koscelny blatantly pushes soldado in the box ; no pen or sending off ! Understand your frustration with the ref cos you had to play 11 men for once
you must be seriously deluded. Do you really think spuds can finish above the gunners, you had better wake from you slumber, dreamer boy
so sick of arsenal calling spurs fans deluded. arsenal fans are the deluded ones. You sign one good player and think you can win the title. lol you couldnt do it with fabregas, or nasri, or RVP, and you won’t with ozil. so he will be off in a year, 2 at most to united or city once he realises you have a phobia of silverware. seriously in 10 years you have gone from being 38 games unbeaten winning premier league to scrapping for 4th and getting it by the skin of your teeth whereas Spurs continue to improve every season. Your club is a fucking joke.
Here Here
ARSEnal were very fortunate to play us so early. If this match was a month later I can ASSURE you the result would be very different. Of all the clubs in England, Spurs are most definately NOT in trouble. This is a great time tomsupport this club. COYS
you can assure us? how? How many of your players signed are proven quality? they all have ”potential”.
Heres the truth..
Soldado – Behind an aging out of form torres for spain
Lamela – doesnt get a sniff in argentina
Paulinho – played in confeds cup due to Ramires being injured
capoue – we rejected signing him and no where near the france team
all in all these players have amassed about 40 caps maximum between them.
Keep dreaming and we’ll be laughing when you carry on your thursday night trend next season.
Gooner here! Spurs’ signings need time to gel – I really wasn’t too surprised with the result on the day because if you compared the two teams player-for-player (including form) then on the day Arsenal had the better players on the pitch.
With regards to Ozil, yes, he won’t obviously solve our defensive problems but people forget that we finished with the 2nd best defensive record in the league last year with that defence – no reason why we can’t do that again. Wenger is certainly taking a gamble though but I’m sure he’ll buy a striker and a defender in January if the injuries continue to mount up. Getting back to Ozil, he’s a MASSIVE signing for us, not just because of the quality that he has but because of the boost that it gives to the fans and to the rest of the team.
I strongly believe that Arsenal will still finish above Tottenham, Liverpool, etc…
I think you two are dreaming wenger will do well and I suspect we will buy a striker in jan. Spurs will finish 6th behind Liverpool
You must be joking rite mate????arsenal 6th????even without ozil we would have easily been in the top four but now we have ozil…we are genuine title challenger…spurs can just dream on..but one positive for spurs fans..atleast your Europa league position is secured forsone years.
lol here we go again, arsenal thinking they can challenge for the title because they signed one world class player. You didnt get anywhere near with fabregas, or with nasri, or RVP, and you won’t with ozil either. Title challenge my arse lol
Well we know how you feel as we get to hear how this year the tide will turn in north London yr after yr after yr and guess what happens yr after yr after yr?
It was very disappointing to lose to the arse on Sunday but let snot forget we had more possession, more shots, more corners. Arse played on the break, at home, to a team that has played 2 games together at most. Yes, they could have scored 2 or 3 in total but so could we and a draw would have not been an unfair result. It is nice to see Le Arse give us the respect we deserve and pack the defence (4 full backs!!) to try and counter us!
As for challenging for titles with Ol’ fish face, all i can say is dream on goons! You aren’t lacking a creative midfield player are you? What about your world beaters – Whiltshire, Carzola, Ramsey??? Guess he can provide cover for Jack’s 8 months out injured this season!
Arsenal added one world-class player #Ozil to the exiting ‘Shere’ the Wilpower, Santi etc + a world-class Manager.
Spurs have only average players in Soldado, Rose, Dembele …… (name them) except may be Hugo Lloris
Yeshay mate your talking absloute balshite a geezer, but then again your a sad Gooner . You think one win against us your now gonn wn the league, shows you have overdosed on too much shit
Lol title challengers looooooool with 1 striker your title challengers mate your mad and not a genuine football fan just a deluded gooner fact arsenal will never be title challengers until they spend like 150 mill on new stars and let them gel for 2 -3 years ozil is good but fabregas is better u had fabregas nasri and van persie were was your title challenge then looooool deluded
LOL this guy^
The defence was playing our usual high line but against arsenal this is dangerous with Walcott etc.
Dawson and Rose looked edgy and vulnerable
Looking back and forward to other matches with fast attackers we must have Kaboul playing and maybe our defence will cope better.
As for attack we all know we have new talent which will get better.
Remember for notorious slow starters we already have four wins out of five.
As for goals with Bale last season we struggled to score more than two in a game.
Solano will score loads as he hangs in th he critical areas waiting something no one did last year as Defoe and Adebayor often play on the wings wanting the ball which in today’s fast games means no one was in the box when ball was there.
“Just about everybody expected Spurs to coast to a victory over the Gunners.”
Except for all the bookmakers in all of the world?!?
Lol I love the gooners who have taken time out of their busy scedual of masturbating over Tony Adams to comment on a spurs page.
Hae Gooners! Am so greatful to talk about all the contravasy that we had had from sunday evening, it was hot but we managed, one problem that spurs should have rectified is the use of the new players, that won’t have brought any ‘results’ according to their expectations, there is no way you buy a player and use him in less than a weeks time and expect results, no way! What Boas should have done is to use the players he had from last season, and forget the Bale Saga, all would have been good. What I would Like To urge my Fellow Gunners is to have faith in our club and every thing will be good! Kuddos Arsene for Ozil