Premier League:

 

 

 

I cannot start anywhere else but the North London derby. Two things are true about Arsenal , firstly, they have been the best team in the Premier League and probably Europe through 2025/26 to date, but also, they are (once again) feeling the pressure in games when the level of expectation rises and where they "need" as opposed to want to win! The two points dropped at basement club Wolves on Wednesday from 2-0 up were little short of criminal, but always seemed possible once they conceded the first goal. Some odd decisions are being made, key players are underperforming and sorry, but it has to be said, when the going gets tough, Arsenal underperform and you can almost set your watch by that! It is 22 years since they won the EPL, no EFL Cup since 1993, no European trophy in 32 years and under Mikel Arteta, one FA Cup in 2020 and that behind closed doors! It is remarkably little for a club with their standing on the world stage. The head coach has one year left on his contract after this season but serious questions will be asked come May if doesn't win something and that really has to be a league, be that Premier or Champions!

 

Tottenham have an even worse winning record, domestically, just one League Cup in the 2000's, but they did win the Europa League last season. Their season is all about going as deep as possible in the Champions League and remarkably they are in the last 16, oh and also staying out of the EPL drop zone! The atmosphere at the magnificent Tottenham stadium has been toxic for many, many months and they have lost 17 league games here since the start of last season, but Thomas Frank has gone now and surely Igor Tudor, appointed until the end of the season, will get a pass from those supporters for a couple of games at least and would get huge credit in the bank were he to conjure up a result on Sunday. He has some CL experience, but not a huge amount (9 games) but has not only never coached in the EPL, he has only ever coached against two English teams, losing all three games and perhaps, surprisingly, two were against Spurs! In that regard, it seems an odd appointment, but if he is only keeping the seat warm until Mauricio Pochettino has fulfilled his World Cup commitments, it makes more sense. He will have had 6 days with the squad with only Arsenal to prepare for, it should have been eight, but the players were given FIVE days off after losing at home to Newcastle last week, good grief! 

 

Tudor favours a back 3  (it will be very difficult to play that with the players he has available) and Tottenham have only played with a 3 five times this season and it has not worked out well, so his first formation will be "interesting". Spurs injury issues are well documented and 11 senior players are absent, they had five teenagers on the bench against Newcastle, felt unable to use any, only three subs in total took to the field and they picked up another long term injury. 

 

Is there any way that we could oppose both teams ?

 

Igor Tudor has been in charge of six teams since 2019 and has won his first game at the helm in each (6-0-0), he had taken over at five of those in midseason and seems able to get an immediate reaction out of players and will need one today, but it is not impossible and Arsenal seem to be subconsciously looking for ways to make life difficult. All things considered a hugely interesting game.

 

Good luck!