Igor Tudor is here to stop the bleeding. Both mathematically and logically, Tottenham Hotspur does not need to do much to avoid relegation, even if the current threat is far closer than this club should ever be. In fact, an ambitious manager might actually see the task to be making a run in the Champions League or sneaking into the European places, not just surviving near the bottom of the table.
No one expects a win on Sunday, but doing so would make those more positive alternatives much more realistic. Arsenal are quite a bit higher in the table than Spurs (only because of an extra match played, right??) but did just drop points to Wolves on Wednesday — imagine the type of club who does that. Maybe the vibes are starting to swap across this North London Derby, making this the perfect spot for an amazing result.
Date: Sunday, February 22
Time: 11:30 am ET, 4:30 pm UK
Location: Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, London
TV: USA Network (US), Sky Sports Main Event (UK)
Table: Spurs (16th, 29 pts), Arsenal (1st, 58 pts)
Not much to say here, as surely everyone is aware that Arsenal has won four straight in this rivalry. We can sit back and remember Heung-Min Son’s equalizer in 2023/24 once again, however. Though a lot of season transpired after that September draw, City ended up winning the title by exactly two points, which is what Arsenal dropped that day thanks to Son’s brace.
Pressure mounting/release
As is the case with most North London Derbies, the biggest talking points are far from the tactics boards. After Arsenal’s midweek stumble, the dichotomy of atmosphere between these two sides could not be more different, despite their objective positions. On one hand, Mikel Arteta’s squad is still in first place by five points and remains the betting favorite to win the league. City has looked a step off all season, and it was not that long ago the race seemed nearly over.
However, City now controls its own destiny again while Arsenal has won just two of its past seven in the league. A slip against Spurs would elevate pressure on Arteta substantially. Accordingly, this is a freebee for Tudor. First match in charge, falling short against the league leaders — even bitter rivals — is not going to dictate his perception for the next three months.
All of that being said, these two recent events suddenly make this match feel heavier for Tottenham. With Thomas Frank, this was a guaranteed loss; now, the home side has hope. Likewise, Arsenal is in disarray, but a convincing road won over its rivals could help stop the bleeding and right the ship heading into the stretch run. Spurs certainly do not want to help out in this way at all.
History suggests Tudor would like to implement a 3-4-2-1, though it is questionable if the available personnel would allow for it. Regardless, it seems like Spurs should expect some defensive solidity with an aggressive press to help set up some better scoring opportunities. This feels like a welcome shift from whatever Frank was supposedly trying to implement, and any change at this point is worthwhile.
Arsenal killed Spurs on both ends last fall. Despite the poor recent run of form, Arteta’s squad has still scored 12 goals over the past five matches while Tottenham allowed exactly two goals in each match during that span. Like the previous manager (heh), Tudor’s first priority will be fixing the defense, which is not an easy task given the lack of options, but certainly one he seems capable of doing.
The need is just as large in the attack. Arsenal has only allowed three goals in the past four matches while Frank’s final two contests in charge saw one total goal scored. Again, a lack of options might limit what the interim leader can actually do, but I am curious to see if the Tottenham attackers shows more directness and motivation under new leadership. One can dream!
