10 Things We Learned From The North London Derby

1. Tottenham were very, very lucky

We might not have played well but Tottenham were very lucky. The first goal was a big mistake by Ospina and the turning point in the game. Before that Tottenham weren’t in it and Arsenal were comfortable.

The second was like the Danny Rose goal a few seasons ago – a goal which 9 times out of 10 would have gone wide.

Added to that, two big chances that we had could have changed the game – Koscielny had a powerful header go straight down Lloris’s throat, and the same happened again with a Tomas Rosicky’s fizzing shot from outside the area – either side of the goalkeeper and it’s a goal.

2. Santi Cazorla and Mesut Özil can’t play in the same team

Santi Cazorla has been fantastic this season, and was the clear man of the match against Manchester City in a game where most of our players played fantastically. However, Arsene hasn’t worked out how to accommodate both Santi and Özil in the same Arsenal team.

Against Brighton, Özil was excellent but remember Cazorla was rested. Against Aston Villa, we played a team that was ready for the slaughter and Cazorla was noticeably unnoticeable. Today, Özil scored the opener but after that both Santi and Mesut showed nothing. They can’t play in the same team.

3. Arsenal were too complacent

After a winning run Arsenal didn’t have the same intensity against Tottenham. They thought today would be a routine win but it was anything but. Tottenham were not the best team we’ve played in 2015 yet we let them win.

4. Arsenal’s tactics were wrong

We’ve been impressive recently, especially against Manchester City, and shown we are a team that can be compact and defend when required. But after the first goal we were too negative and if we managed to nick a second then it would have been a different game.

5. David Ospina isn’t necessarily Arsenal’s goalkeeping solution

After Szczesny’s horror show at Southampton, the Pole has been dropped to the bench, with the Columbian stepping in. With an impressive run in the team (and a string of clean sheets to his name) Arsenal fans have been touting him as a real, bonafide solution to Arsenal’s goalkeeping problems. Today however showed he is prone to a very bad day at the office.

Unfortunately – and I hate saying this as I’m a big fan – he was shockingly poor today. He consistently managed to palm away shots into massive danger areas, and eventually Tottenham capitalised with Kane’s first goal. After that, we were up against it.

6. Arsene’s got his starting line-up wrong

If you take into account Arsenal’s midfield and attack, the only player with any real pace was Danny Welbeck. Ramsey, Coquelin, Özil, Cazorla and Giroud all lack pace and it was clear throughout the game we struggled to keep up with Tottenham’s runs from midfield.

Which brings me to…

7. Arsene needed to start Rosicky or Theo

With no real pace in the team, the game was crying out for either Theo or Rosicky to start the game. Rosicky has been excellent this season, especially int the big games so why he didn’t start baffled me. Theo I understand as he’s just back from injury but still, he’s managed to score some goals since his return.

Rosicky was our brightest player in the second half, and that would have been much handier when we looked to build on our early goal in the first half.

8. Arsene Wenger doesn’t know how to use his substitutions

After Tottenham equalised on 57 minutes, Arsene didn’t respond until 68 minutes when he bought on Rosicky for Cazorla. That was the wrong substitution and Walcott for Welbeck was the wrong call as well – but that’s because….

9. Arsene is scared of bringing off Mesut Özil

Who should have come off was Mesut Özil. Apart from the goal, he was barely noticeable and his only real contribution after scoring was falling over and moaning about being fouled. Arsene needs to man up and make the right substitution for the team. Özil at times is a luxury player who puts Arsenal at a disadvantage – especially when you’re in a scrappy game where the opposition are fighting against us.

10. Arsenal are not actually having a good season at all

The winning run Arsenal have been on for the majority of 2015 has masked the real problems – mainly that we are having a very poor season.

After 24 games we sit in 6th place in the Premier League. How is that good?

Southampton, Manchester United and Tottenham are all in much healthier positions in the league and if we’re not careful we won’t just miss out on Champions League football but might not qualify for Europe at all!

 

39 thoughts on “10 Things We Learned From The North London Derby

  1. I cannot really comment on points 2-10 as I do not get much chance to see the Gunners, but as a neutral who saw the game on TV, your first point is so off the mark as to be delusional. Spurs were far better than Arsenal on this day by any measure

     
  2. The easiest person to deceive is yourself. Spurs weren’t lucky and there was nothing lucky about our winner. It was fantastic skill. Your goal was offside. Forgot to mention that didn’t you. You got beaten fair and square by a better team. Suck it up goon. 2-1. North London is ours. F*ck off back to Woolich.

     
  3. You are a top class deluded mug. Today Arsenal’s best side were soundly walloped for 90 minutes. The goalkeeper you blame for your defeat made some incredible saves to keep you in the game in the ‘comfortable ‘ first half. Buy a white stick and take your licking you gooner mug!!

     
  4. What a sore losser. How can you say Spurs were lucky. Spurs played with more passion and the Tottenham midfield bossed the game. Putting pressure on Arsenal and not letting them settle, which lead to miss placed passes throughout the game. Arsenal were never comfortable, apart from the goal (just offside, but I forgive the linesman very close) Arsenal didn’t have a shot on, or off target until the second half.

     
  5. The only thing this article is missing is # 11 which is that you are a BLITHERING, DELUSIONAL IDIOT! Go back and sulk at The Toilet a.k.a. The Emirates Stadium!

     
  6. The only thing left for a mug like you is off to the loo with a big wad of Kleenex, it’s the only way you’re gonna score today! COYS!

     
  7. It’s as sad supporter who can’t take defeat, you’d better get used to it pillock, as we are now better than you and will be ahead of you for years to come now, if you want to be a critic, you’d best go down to the local park and watch your football, there won’t have any TV replays there, so nobody will be able to prove what an ill informs prat you are

     
  8. “We let them win” “They were lucky”. blah blah blah, bitter and deluded springs to mind. I could mention the chances Lamela missed or the saves Ospina pulled off. You are a prick

     
  9. Typical scum mug, lucky!! you were played off the pitch for 90 minutes. Your keeper was your mom, look at the stats, possession, shots on target, corners etc. That’s why the Woolwich Wanderers are such a laughing stock, you found football recently and you haven’t a clue what you’re watching, total mug!

     
  10. As an Arsenal fan we were outplayed in every position Cazorla gets player of the month and then goes back to his usual unreliable self he was hopeless and Walcott should have came on after 65 minutes and Ozil off.
    Well done Spuds you deserved win
    PS But dont forget you have that Europa League coming up!

     
  11. Walcott should have started! What was Wenger thinking of? Welbeck is just a ManUre cast off and not a goal scorer. Can we have a petition to get rid of Dan Roebuck on Arsenal commentary. This northern guy gets more excited when someone scores against Arsenal – is he a closet Utd fan?

     
  12. Oh how comfortable you were. Don’t think your goal was offside but it got to Özil by pure accident.

    Ospina was by far your best player, and the fact that you think he’s to blame for the equalizer is just ridiculous. He almost saved your behinds that time too. And the second was an easy goal for Kane, after Koscielny decided not to jump on it.

    One thing I learned about your piece: you didn’t learn anything from the game you were supposedly watching.

     
  13. Lucky! Your goal was a shinner/howler that went to Ozil. Then you parked the bus. There was a time when arsenal had the confidence to take it to spurs. Today they were scared. Must have been hard to watch for you.

     
  14. 1. Your shit
    2.your coach is shit
    3.wenger likes to sniff shit
    4.your youth is shit
    5. Welbeck is shit
    6. Your fat goalie is shit
    7.you and your fan base are shit
    8. The children that wenger molested are shit.
    9.henrys statue and family are shit.
    10. We killed you because you walkers are shit!
    Ten reasons why the mighty spurs ironed you muggy cuts out.! Lol hold that! Wanker!

     
  15. we were poor today, i was there, we gave the ball away, they worked hard but look at the middx all excited as if they were brilliant, they were not, they didnt look like scoring to me unlike most my visits to the lane, in fact as the game wore on they looked less dangerous and we actually started to get in the game and had some big chances, giroud and kos missed really great chances, ospina was at fault for the equaliser a corner he flapped at it and fell for the young gooner supporter, the winner was a great header to be fair but it was a hit and hope cross, we have to take it but again its hardly like winning the league at the lane twice is it?

     
  16. All u spurs fans on this blog are childish for one reason. Am scrolling down looking for a comment from an arsenal fan and I could just find 1! Yes u won and were the better team but purrlease deal with ur obsession with arsenal its obnoxious. Its like u lot read this blog all the time and were waiting for such a result to come out of your hiding. My prediction as always…man u goal diff 17, spurs 6, arsenal 21 therein lies the outcome of the season. Spurs will not be in the top four mark my words. U have just handed arsenal the initiative to ensure that today ..as usual

     
    • They say it’s important to know your enemies.
      In truth I don’t look at whose “team” the article is written for. There are some Arsenal articles that are well written and make sense – this isn’t one of them.
      It’s only one game but Spurs were the better team on the day by a long shot.
      Kidding aside, I love the Spurs Arsenal games – the excitement and rivalry is fantastic.

       
    • Its not an obsession with Arsenal. We dont talk about Arsenal everytime we get a chance. Its More to do with the fact that this article popped up on Tottenham newsnow so obviously we’re gonna comment on it

       
  17. Sad.
    Spurs were the only team that showed up for this game. Luck is a striker totally miss-kicking a ball and the ball falling perfectly for an offside player (marginally enough to forgive the linesman in my opinion) which the linesman doesn’t see to score off.
    Still, victory is that much sweeter when an Arsenal fan resorts to the bleating you’ve resorted to – you sound more like a Chelsea supporter. Thank you!

     
  18. Dominated from start to finish.
    Ospina was your best player by far today. You literally scored a goal because of how shit Giroud is even though it was offside (nearly impossible to call though)

    You’ll probably still finish 4th due to some freak of nature such as Arsenal but for a transition season, this has been awesome for us. We’re finally getting our Tottenham back! COYS!

     
  19. Why is it that on the day that wenger finally admits the better team won (I remember the 5-1 league cup win at the lane (when he said they should have won !) there is still a load of goons making excuses and talking utter rubbish about being the better side. Take it like men we were the better team and more up for it and the atmosphere was like nothing you ever get at the emirates (something that most of my gooner mates admit to )

     
  20. to the author, please report to the natural history museum asap as the have been searching for the missing link for a very long time!!

     
  21. The best thing about this is that you claim we lost down to spurs being lucky, then give 9 other reasons why we lost. Moron.

     
  22. Top four positions May 2015 ……………
    1st CHELSEA
    2nd MAN CITY
    3d ARSENAL
    4th LIVERPOOL
    sorry SPUDS you will rigor in April AS PER USUAL

     

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