Soccer Saturday pundit Charlie Nicholas gives us his thoughts and predictions for Sunday's north London derby.
Tottenham v Arsenal
- Sunday 4.40pm Sky Sports
- Match Odds: Home 8/5 | Draw 12/5 | Away 13/8
This is a game where they will both look at each other and realise they have become average sides. From an Arsenal perspective, they are improving. It is slow and not overly attractive, despite playing decent going forwards.
Tottenham are going backwards. You look at Heung-min Son, and I may regret this, but they look to be playing as individuals. There is no team pattern, but the defence changes and they keep a clean sheet. Harry Kane should have had a penalty but Bournemouth should have had a goal.
This is a team under Jose Mourinho which does not have any identity. It is hard work and they are grafting but it isn’t working. Tanguy Ndombele is coming in for bits and pieces, Giovani Lo Celso is nice and neat, and Eric Lamela has lovely ability. Harry Kane is always a goal threat against Arsenal so I would not be surprised if he scored once again.
The back three of Arsenal looked more solid and in control, so for these improvements, alongside Granit Xhaka and Dani Ceballos, Arsenal have looked better. These two are not my favourites and they are weak defensively as a holding pair, but they have improved on the ball.
Tottenham could raise their game, but Arsenal will be dangerous on the counter-attack. Serge Aurier makes mistakes, and Alexandre Lacazette and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang will both play as Eddie Nketiah is suspended, but I do think Arsenal could see them off.
Prediction: Tottenham 1-2 Arsenal (Sky Bet odds: 9/1)
Key Battle
I think the key battle will be in the wide areas, specifically with Kieran Tierney and Hector Bellerin for Arsenal, where you look at Tottenham with Serge Aurier and Ben Davies. I think you can get in behind them, and what Arsenal will do with their wing backs is spread the game.
Tottenham play four at the back, so when would the full back go out to meet the wing backs? They could be stretched. Will they ask Heung-min Son or Steven Bergwijn to double up? Tottenham could be pinned back, but at the moment it does not look as though Tottenham want to do that. They want to play on the front foot but do not have it right.
The wing backs in the wide areas will be key. It will be fiery and tense in the middle areas, and in the wide areas the game can be won. If they get high, I can see Arsenal creating chances and that is where they can win the game.
Who is in better shape for next season?
I think Arsenal look as though they are building. They have got three to four young players who can fit in the system, while they are trying to keep Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Alexandre Lacazette too.
I don’t think David Luiz earned the right to a new contract but they have kept him. William Saliba will be coming in but we need at least one more centre back on top of that. Thomas Partey could be through the door too.
If they add these players, as well as losing perhaps Mesut Ozil, Rob Holding, Carl Jenkinson and Henrikh Mkhitaryan, you have five or six that will be sold on to accommodate the funding for those types of players.
With Tottenham, I am unsure whether Jose Mourinho will continue into next season. If they do not make Europe, I cannot see what they will do. If there were Tottenham fans in the stadium, they would be angry and would be asking Mourinho what is going on. They were in the Champions League final last year, and behind the scenes they will be scratching their heads.
It does not look like it is working at the minute. The signs are more promising for Arsenal under Mikel Arteta, who is shaping up for a proper re-build, but does Harry Kane come out and say he has had enough? If he goes, then how do Tottenham replace him?
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