Spurs v Arsenal -- the North London derby -- 12.45pm Saturday

gebbel

Spurs are unbeaten in their last six Premier League home games (W4 D2) and have lost just one of their last six Premier League home games against their bitter rivals (W3 D2 L1). Will this be the year that Spurs finally finish above the gunners? You have to travel back to the 1994/95 campaign to find the last time Tottenham finished above Arsenal in the league - when in form striker Harry Kane was just one year old. Kane is on fire and Arsenal will need to use similar tactics that starved David Silva of the ball in the great win at Man City a few weeks ago.

Alexis Sanchez is doubtful but the recent return of Özil and Walcott should add serious firepower....Theo has four goals and three assists in his last six appearances against Spurs. Giroud is also on a good run and there is a confidence about Arsenal that wasn't present earlier in the season. But Spurs will be confident too, and after their great win against Chelsea at home why shouldn't they be.

This promises to be one of the tastiest derbies in recent years, a massive game at the start of a month that will define the season for both clubs.

I will go for an Arsenal win but won't bother predicting a score because it could be anything. Expect some high quality ball.

bad2dabone

Both teams in form, should be a cracker.

gosplan

Woot!! An early Sat away fixture.

I seem to remember these always working out pretty well.

Now let the hordes come forth from their private 'supporters club' forum and engage in banter!

Oranage2

This.is going to be good, both teams in excellent form and with no disrespect to any other team in the top 8 but imo these two teams and united are fighting it out for the last two cl spots.

1-2 gooners win.

Nice game to kick off a serious day of sport


Hope it's an entertaining draw with multiple sendings off and bannings

Drexel

rarnes1 wrote: »

Nice game to kick off a serious day of sport


Hope it's an entertaining draw with multiple sendings off and bannings

Weird, Im feeling the same about Everton v Liverpool :pac::pac:

davycc

Come on you spurs!
My heart says 2.1 to spurs chadli , Kane.

My head says 3.3 thriller with 3 adebayour own goals and before he gets sent off just to spite us..

Hangballlouie

3-1 Spurs. Have a feeling they'll bounce off Arsenal early on.

T-b0n3

Big game, looking forward to this one.

I'd go with:

---

Lloris
Walker - Fazio - Vert - Rose

---

Mason - Bentalab
Chadli - Dembele - Eriksen

---

Kane

Stambouli if Nabil isn't ready after the ACON.

OwaynOTT

Can they both lose?

cson

Arsenal will win this comfortably; 3-0/3-1 imo.

Cantona's Collars

This could be a cracker of a game,being biased,a draw would suit me.

The only thing grinding my gears today is the coverage Sky are giving the "Stevie Me" Derby and almost forgetting this game is on,because it's on BT,they are pretty much ignoring it.

ricero

zerks wrote: »

This could be a cracker of a game,being biased,a draw would suit me.

The only thing grinding my gears today is the coverage Sky are giving the "Stevie Me" Derby and almost forgetting this game is on,because it's on BT,they are pretty much ignoring it.

Nothing new there from sky. Why would they want to give their rival recognition for showing a big game

zerks

zerks wrote: »

This could be a cracker of a game,being biased,a draw would suit me.

The only thing grinding my gears today is the coverage Sky are giving the "Stevie Me" Derby and almost forgetting this game is on,because it's on BT,they are pretty much ignoring it.

Sky promoting one of their own games while not promoting a rivals game. Shock horror!

All this while you are watching Sky!

We all know how sky works at this stage

Cantona's Collars

rarnes1 wrote: »

Sky promoting one of their own games while not promoting a rivals game. Shock horror!

All this while you are watching Sky!

We all know how sky works at this stage

Thanks for pointing out the bleeding obvious,I see you haven't given up stalking me on match threads.It's not even a Liverpool or United thread & you follow me into it.

zerks

zerks wrote: »

Thanks for pointing out the bleeding obvious,I see you haven't given up stalking me on match threads.It's not even a Liverpool or United thread & you follow me into it.

?

I only answered your query.

Somebody else did too

efb

@Arsenal: #Arsenal team to play Tottenham Hotspur: Ospina, Bellerin, Mertesacker, Koscielny, Monreal, Coquelin, Ramsey, Welbeck, Cazorla, Ozil, Giroud

Mickeroo

zerks wrote: »

Thanks for pointing out the bleeding obvious,I see you haven't given up stalking me on match threads.It's not even a Liverpool or United thread & you follow me into it.

rarnes1 wrote: »

?

I only answered your query.

Somebody else did too

Take it to PM.

Quazzie

I'm never confident leading into a NLD, it really is a game that can go any way. Arsenal done well against Man City, but they need to prove some consistency in the big games and prove that the City game wasn't just a one off.

Predicting a 3-2 win here but not confident of which way.

Mickeroo

Is Alexis on the bench?

I think Welbeck is a good call as he'll put more of a defensive shift in but wouldn't be as much of a goal threat as Theo.

davycc

zerks wrote: »

This could be a cracker of a game,being biased,a draw would suit me.

The only thing grinding my gears today is the coverage Sky are giving the "Stevie Me" Derby and almost forgetting this game is on,because it's on BT,they are pretty much ignoring it.

Yeah they did the same last night on fantasy football club! Didn't mention this game once despite their being a load of spurs and arsenal fans in the audience..

efb

Mickeroo wrote: »

Is Alexis on the bench?

I think Welbeck is a good call as he'll put more of a defensive shift in but wouldn't be as much of a goal threat as Theo.

@Arsenal: #Arsenal subs: Szczesny, Gibbs, Gabriel, Flamini, Rosicky, Walcott, Akpom #THFCvAFC

efb

1-3

gosplan

efb wrote: »

@Arsenal: #Arsenal team to play Tottenham Hotspur: Ospina, Bellerin, Mertesacker, Koscielny, Monreal, Coquelin, Ramsey, Welbeck, Cazorla, Ozil, Giroud

Gonna be same setup as against City.

Welbeck and Ozil putting in the shift out wide instead of Ox and Sanchez.

It'll work provided Ozil doesn't neglect the defensive side of things.

If Coq can keep Erikson quiet the way he did Silva, we'd be looking great.

extra gravy

https://twitter.com/Arsenal/status/564032421796921344

Did they run out of grass?

davycc

extra gravy wrote: »

https://twitter.com/Arsenal/status/564032421796921344

Did they run out of grass?

Couldn't afford the extra 1kg of grass seeds after paying Ades mercenary salary lol!
I'm hearing that there is a 15 minute delay due to traffic?

shano_88

Surprised Welbecks in for Walcott. Looking at that Spurs team, I think Dier could be a weak point.

2-1 to Arsenal.

Quazzie

BT are really creaming themselves over Harry Kane. I know the station hate Arsenal but they haven't mentioned anything but Spurs so far. Surely they can't be that obviously biased.

yipeeeee

Welbeck just hasn't got my attention yet.

Very uninspiring.

cson

Strong bench when you consider there's no Sanchez, Wilshere, Chamberlain or Arteta there. You can see why we had to loan Podolski and Campbell.

EuropeanSon

Don't like not starting Walcott. His pace adds an extra threat for them to worry about, without him I fear we might be a bit too predictable.

Still a strong team, and I expect a win.

cson

Welbeck is quick. We won't be static.

extra gravy

AW: "Walcott gets sharper every week... It was a very difficult choice. Welbeck suits the game-plan we want to play today."

Spanish Johnny

Walcott and Ozil on our flanks is a big defensive risk. ...fits with our new approach to big away games that Welbeck starts.

Great option of the bench....Theo and Rosicky.

shano_88

extra gravy wrote: »

AW: "Walcott gets sharper every week... It was a very difficult choice. Welbeck suits the game-plan we want to play today."

Similar plan to the City game so I'd imagine.

Turtyturd

A draw hopefully, but fully expect Spurs to pull a Spurs. They've had their one shock result of the season against Chelsea.

Is there a delayed ko?

EuropeanSon

cson wrote: »

Welbeck is quick. We won't be static.

True, but there's quick, and there's Walcott. Him just being there adds a bit of worry to most defences, I think.

davycc

[Deleted User] wrote: »

Is there a delayed ko?

15min traffic delays

Mickeroo

BT haven't mentioned anything about a delay yet have they?

davycc

Mickeroo wrote: »

BT haven't mentioned anything about a delay yet have they?

I don't have it or even a stream just seen it mentioned on facebook and sky sports news

Kiith

No mention of it yet, which is weird.

They are in the tunnel now, so maybe no delay?

shano_88

There's still loads of fans outside but looks like it's not delayed.

yipeeeee

davycc wrote: »

15min traffic delays

What?

Mickeroo

Duel of the Fates? Nice.

Kiith

Mickeroo wrote: »

Duel of the Fates? Nice.

Works for any occasion :P

davycc

yipeeeee wrote: »

What?

Just what I was reading on facebook etc.

davycc

On my phone so can't link but FB motd said the arsenal team coach got delayed in traffic bizarrely lol

yipeeeee

davycc wrote: »

On my phone so can't link but FB motd said the arsenal team coach got delayed in traffic bizarrely lol

It did.

efb

Oooh Ospina injury

Mickeroo

ffs