After Arsenal lost to Aston Villa and went out of the Champions League in the same week, there were suggestions their season was at risk of unravelling. Since then they have secured a win at Wolves and thrashed Chelsea but they face a pivotal test of their credentials against their bitter rivals Tottenham on Sunday.
That game is not just about a team fighting for the title travelling to one aiming to qualify for the Champions League; there is a lot more at stake in a derby – just ask Liverpool. The effect of hostility should not be underestimated in potentially season-defining matches. Tottenham will be desperate to dent the Gunners’ chances of securing a first Premier League trophy in 20 years.
No one wants to lose against their closest neighbours and with the extra edge to this fixture it is sure to be a ferocious battle. A lot of the focus is on Arsenal but Tottenham are six points behind fourth-placed Villa with two games in hand. They have a lot to play for, and the players and supporters are well aware of that.
When I was playing, derbies focused the mind. In the buildup I would think about the consequences of losing. The idea of seeing the opposition fans celebrate and gloat for days on social media would irritate me. My ego never wanted to experience that and it was a good source of inspiration to help lift things a potentially critical one or two per cent. There was almost a level of fear of facing the consequences of not winning, and channelling that was important.
Arsenal have shown great character to recover from setbacks, and winning at Spurs would boost their momentum. Their fixtures after Sunday – against Bournemouth, Manchester United and Everton – are winnable, leaving the visit to Tottenham as their biggest task, and the result could define their final place. That ramps up the pressure but Arsenal are getting used to having to cope with it.
Mikel Arteta’s players need to keep composed in what will be a heated environment. There is a fine line between being up for a match and letting emotions dictate performance. This time a year ago, Arsenal had a similarly important match at Manchester City and lost 4-1, going on to finish five points behind the champions, but they have a season’s more experience of fighting for silverware and this will put them in a stronger position than 12 months ago. This is a group that knows what needs to be done to get through this phase; the performance is not the most important thing in the north London derby – it is the result.
Tottenham have had two weeks off since their 4-0 defeat at Newcastle. A fortnight is more than enough to reflect, refresh and move forward but I would rather be in Arsenal’s camp where the games are coming thick and fast, providing momentum and rhythm. They have played four times since Tottenham last kicked a ball in anger. Many will say Tottenham are fresher but I believe it is better to be rolling with matches rather than waiting for the next one, especially considering the past two victories Arsenal have enjoyed.
The win at Wolves was not Arsenal’s best performance but it will have helped to flush the two previous defeats out of the system and been a great mental boost. To follow up by scoring five against Chelsea, improving the goal difference and keeping a clean sheet, will amplify the positivity but winning a derby is often more about mentality than form.
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Tottenham need to play on the emotions of what Arsenal are up against by getting at them in the early stages and testing them physically. They should test whoever is playing at left-back because that is a slight weakness for Arsenal and Ange Postecoglou has the right players to target it. Unai Emery and Aston Villa showed it was possible to play through Arsenal with the right gameplan and Postecoglou will have made note of that, even if he has a different style. He knows that bravery on the ball will be imperative.
Villa and Bayern stifled Arsenal, as did Wolves for long periods. There are chinks in the Arteta armour because they are very structured in terms of how they play. For example, if Tottenham have a goal-kick, Arsenal will know the positions they need to be in to win the ball back. On the one hand that helps them but on the other clever opponents can find ways to combat that prescriptive defensive organisation. Villa took advantage of this and created some unexpected problems and Arsenal found it difficult to come up with solutions. In the second leg against Bayern Munich, Thomas Tuchel’s plan of defending in a different manner on the left and right stopped Arsenal playing out and they struggled to adapt.
The title will not be decided this weekend but if Arsenal get past Tottenham they will put themselves in a very strong position.