The upcoming North London derby in the Premier League has a dash of extra significance for a number of reasons. Firstly, this could genuinely be the first time in a long while that Spurs can avoid St. Totteringham’s day, the day when Arsenal are assured of finishing above Tottenham based on points in the league table.
Secondly, this is set to be the last North London derby at White Hart Lane, giving it extra importance in the eyes of the fans.
Lastly, Spurs can truly make a statement that they are ready to turn the tables on Arsenal at a psychological level. For the Gunners, there will be an added motivation as they attempt to derail their neighbours’ title hopes while boosting their own chances of finishing in the top four.
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Moreover, Arsenal will hope that a win at White Hart Lane can continue their recent form and dent Spurs’ morale to such an extent that there might be a repeat of last season’s drama where Spurs crumbled on the final day to finish below the Gunners.
The stakes are higher than usual and the players in both squads will be aware of that. These two have some of the best attack-minded players in every position and both sides ooze class.
A combined XI will provide further answers as to which side in North London is in better shape in terms of quality and form. So, here is the combined XI for Tottenham and Arsenal, taking into consideration the players who have a chance to be a part of the titanic clash, in a 4-2-3-1 formation, so that the best prospects can all fit in.
Goalkeeper – Hugo Lloris (Tottenham)
The Spurs captain is one of the best keepers in the world, with his reflexes and commanding presence in the box second to none. The speed with which he comes out of his box in crucial situations is also commendable. He is one of the key reasons behind Spurs’ solid defence and is not prone to errors.
On the other hand, Petr Cech has shown signs of vulnerability this season. The illustrious goalkeeper has not been at fault or become error-prone but he has not been outstanding in a way either. Age seems to be catching up with the former Chelsea man and Arsenal could look to find a suitable replacement in the near future.
The above statistics show how the French no.1 comfortably beats Cech to the spot and unless Arsenal sign a new keeper, the spot is Lloris’s to lose for the next season as well.
Defence
Right-back – Kyle Walker (Tottenham)
Hector Bellerin can consider himself unlucky to miss out but Kyle Walker is right now a more complete full-back with pace, work-rate and end-product and he is highly durable as well. The 26-year Englishman is in his peak years and currently has 5 assists this season as well.
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Hector Bellerin has the technique, game intelligence and quality and will become one of world’s best without a doubt. A shaky defence does not help Bellerin’s cause either. For now, Walker trumps Bellerin for the right-back slot and his ability at both ends of the pitch ensures he is the first-choice for his country as well, ahead of the likes of Liverpool’s Nathaniel Clyne.
Left-back – Nacho Monreal (Arsenal)
Danny Rose is the other Spurs full-back who is in peak form but he is out of the match as he is recovering from an injury. Therefore, Arsenal’s Nacho Monreal, who has been enjoying a good season under the radar, clinches the left-back slot.
The Spaniard has two goals and three assists this season and is a very reliable option in defence as well as a good passing outlet in the offence. At 31 years of age, he is definitely not as pacy as Rose but it is important to have experienced players in the side to see out matches, especially in defence and Monreal fits the bill perfectly.
Right centre-back – Laurent Koscielny (Arsenal)
While Toby Alderweireld has been getting a lot of plaudits for being a key part of Spurs’ outstanding defence, Koscielny has been having a superb season at Emirates. His performances have been consistent and he is one of the leaders on the side.
The Frenchman has a Whoscored.com rating of 7.33 while Alderweireld’s 6.98 is significantly lower and this justifies Koscielny’s selection ahead of the Belgian. Although Pochettino’s team defends better, as a player Koscielny has the better statistics.
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These point to the fact that Koscielny could have made the Spurs defence much better this season without taking anything away from Alderweireld. Although he is an injury doubt for the match, there are good chances he will make it to the starting line-up.
Left centre-back – Jan Vertonghen (Tottenham)
Jan Vertonghen is having one of his best seasons for Tottenham. Comfortable on the ball, strong and imposing while defending, the Belgian is the unanimous choice for one of the two centre-back slots.
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Shkodran Mustafi had a good debut season so far but Vertonghen’s consistency, experience, skill and versatility set the latter apart and he is no slouch in the pace department either. These attributes make him the automatic pick for the role and Spurs have 3 players in total to Arsenal’s 2 in defence.
Midfield
Centre-midfielder – Granit Xhaka (Arsenal)
Victor Wanyama will normally be an automatic pick for the defensive midfield role. The Kenyan captain’s association started with Mauricio Pochettino during the latter’s time at Southampton and the Argentine manager brought him to London last summer.
However, Granit Xhaka gets in ahead of Wanyama and the likes of Eric Dier and Francis Coquelin, despite the criticism on him regarding his penchant for getting sent off.
The above comparison between the four players shows that Dier and Coquelin are not particularly inclined towards forward forays. Between Wanyama and Xhaka, the former Borussia Monchengladbach captain definitely has the ability to defend well despite not having Wanyama’s power and strength. His liking for shooting from range is a useful skill for the team as well.
Further, players who come in from German leagues come into their own in the second season and if Xhaka has been decent to good this year, he is bound to get better the following year. Thus, the Swiss gets the nod ahead of Wanyama.
Centre-midfielder – Mousa Dembele (Tottenham)
One of the most under-rated players in the league, Mousa Dembele is the orchestrator and the engine of this Spurs side and definitely one of the best midfielders in the league. Arsenal’s midfield has sorely missed Santi Cazorla this season and none of the others have truly nailed the role although Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain has shown promise when played in that position in recent months.
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The 29-year old Dembele is well-known for his defensive contribution as much as his dribbling ability from the middle of the park. His skill was recently praised by current Real Madrid superstar and former Tottenham team-mate Gareth Bale, who said, “To see Dembélé as a key member of Spurs’ squad is fantastic. Tottenham play better when he’s in form. It’s incredibly hard to get the ball off him. Once he has his body between you and the ball, he can keep it for years.”
Such talents are rare to find but the Belgian definitely finds himself in the combined XI.
Right attacking midfielder – Christian Eriksen (Tottenham)
The Dane is having the season of his life and easily takes the spot ahead of the likes of Theo Walcott and Mesut Ozil. Eriksen has been the creative spark for Spurs and has 8 goals and 12 assists to his name in the Premier League this season.
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Ozil’s form has suffered this season and without end-product to show, he is a difficult player to have in the side as he does not offer much in terms of defensive contribution or work-rate. Walcott is a great option to have on the bench, but considering the attack on display, Eriksen’s vision, crossing and link-up play with Walker make him the apt choice for this position.
Left attacking midfielder – Alexis Sanchez (Arsenal)
The Chilean’s versatility is of great use in this combined XI as he can play on the left wing or as a striker with equal aplomb. Sanchez has been the brightest star for Arsenal this season with 19 goals and 9 assists in the league.
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Sanchez’s skill, work-rate and ability to link up well with the team make him the right person on the left-wing. Although Spurs’ Son Heung-min has definitely been outstanding in his sophomore season, he cannot displace Sanchez, who is undoubtedly a world-class player at the peak of his powers.
Central attacking midfield / Second striker – Dele Alli (Tottenham)
Receiving high praise from Arsene Wenger before a North London derby tells you the talent 21-year old Dele Alli has got in his locker. The Arsenal manager said, “He's done very well, he’s a complete player, he’s dangerous and it’s marvellous at his age.”
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He has already scored 16 goals in the league and is a very clever player who loves to play off the main striker and is adept at finding spaces to open up opposition defences. He is a better option than Arsenal’s Aaron Ramsey, who is yet to rediscover his old form and also Alli offers more playing behind the striker than Ozil though they are different types of players.
Further, Alli’s presence allows for great interchange of positions with Eriksen and Sanchez. All these factors are further proof for Alli, currently the hottest English prospect, to be in the combined XI.
Striker – Harry Kane (Tottenham)
“You are a wizard Harry,” is a common chant heard in Tottenham’s matches in the past three seasons, alluding to Kane’s first name being similar to a popular fictional character. The Spurs main man was labelled a one-season wonder but he is now into his third season and continues to leave supporters and pundits in wonder.
The Englishman has scored 20 league goals so far this season to go along with 25 and 21 goals in the previous two seasons, outlining his consistency. He has the ability to score with either foot, brings his side’s attackers into play and has the knack to score goals in a bunch making him a complete striker at the young age of 23.
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Arsenal’s Olivier Giroud is having a good season but his efforts fall short of Kane. While Alexis Sanchez is a definite contender, his versatility to play on the left-wing allows for the inclusion of both the players and deservedly so.
In midfield and attack, Spurs have 4 players to Arsenal’s two and in total, Spurs have 7 players to Arsenal’s 4.
This is a significant change from the Gunners completely dominating the XI and while it needs consistency from the Spurs side to truly claim a shift in power, Arsenal’s neighbours are definitely in the driver’s seat for North London supremacy at present.
