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Spurs Odyssey Preview - Arsenal v Spurs - 17.11.12

· Arsenal 5 Spurs 2 - 26th February, 2012
· This week - last year
· What happened in the Premiership in Match 2011-12

· See the current injury list for all Premiership Teams
· All the Spurs Stats you could hope for here! THFC6061 Sports Stats


Full Record of Spurs -v- Arsenal
 
Prem          Pl  W   D   L  For-Ag  Pts
Home          20  6  10   4  28 -28  28
Away          20  2   7  11  20 -38  13
========================================
Total(Prem)   40  8  17  15  48 -66  41
=======================================
Football Lge
Home(Div 1)   55 24  12  19  93 -83  63
Away(Div 1)   55 16  12  27  65 -85  46
========================================
Total(Div 1) 110 40  24  46 158 -168 109
========================================
Total(Prem)   40  8  17  15  48 -66  41
Total(Div 1) 110 40  24  46 158 -168 109
========================================
Grand Total  150 48  41  61 206 -234 150
========================================

Last Six Premier League results:-

Arsenal

Arsenal    1-2   Chelsea
West Ham   1-3   Arsenal
Norwich    1-0   Arsenal
Arsenal    1-0   QPR
Man Utd    2-1   Arsenal
Arsenal    3-3   Fulham

Spurs

Man Utd    2-3   Spurs
Spurs      2-0   A. Villa
Spurs      2-4   Chelsea
S'hampton  1-2   Spurs
Spurs      0-1   Wigan
Man City   2-1   Spurs

Pos        P  W  D  L  F-A  GD  Pts
7.Spurs   11  5  2  4 18-16  2  17
8.Arsenal 11  4  4  3 18-11  7  16

London Derbies coming thick and fast!

Spurs are entering a London Derby mini-season with this annual trip to The Emirates Stadium. After Arsenal, we face West Ham at home in the Premier League, then a trip to Craven Cottage after a mid-week game against Liverpool. We've also got a little matter of a trip to Rome next Thursday, of course, for a crucial Europa League game against Lazio.

It's all getting a bit expensive to say the least for the ardent football fan. We are having to fork out £62 for the dubious privilege of standing in the lower (yes, lower) tier of The Emirates, and can look forward to a similar exorbitant amount being charged by Fulham F.C in a couple of weeks' time.

The supply and demand policy is easy to understand and usually works for these matches, but Spurs fans are starting to question the quality of football being served up these days, when considering the outlay of their hard-earnt cash. Football clubs need to keep a close eye on their pricing policies, especially with Christmas looming.

Spurs have played two London clubs so far this season, both at home, beating QPR, but losing to Chelsea. Arsenal's London form has not been that good either after 4 games, three of which have been at home. Last week former Spurs striker Dimitar Berbatov ruled the roost, scoring two of Fulham's goals, as they came back from 2-0 down to secure a 3-3 draw. Gooner hearts were broken when Schwarzer saved Arteta's fortuitously awarded added time penalty to ensure the points were shared.

Arsenal also lost at home to Chelsea, but beat West Ham away and QPR at home.

It's not unusual these days for Spurs to go into a North London Derby game above their opponents, and that is the case this time, as we sit one point above our old rivals. A win for either side would kick-start a recovery period in the Premier League and send the victors chasing a top four slot. Defeat would be especially hard to bear, not just for the mere fact of losing, but for the implications regarding the rest of the season.

Last season, in February, we came-a-crowing, in third place, 10 full points above Arsenal. After our set-back at Man City in January, we had bounced back in the league with wins over Wigan and Newcastle, and a creditable draw at Anfield. The match started so well for Harry Redknapp's team, with Louis Saha and Adebayor giving us an early two goal lead, but that had gone by half-time, and in the second half we truly rolled over, getting beaten by a horrible 5-2 scoreline. I was home early that day. (Arsenal 5 Spurs 2 - 26th February, 2012)

Both sides have had to adjust this season to the loss of top players in the transfer window. Arsenal of course lost Van Persie, and despite the arrival of Podolski and Giroud, they have not replaced their former hero's goal-power. Similarly, Spurs have missed the guile, skills and class of Modric and Van der Vaart. The truth is that neither club has fully adjusted to their respective losses as yet.

The key to any Spurs success on Saturday could well lay in the possible return of Mousa Dembele, who we have not seen in club action since 7th October. (We have since been told that Dembele will not be fit) There are also concerns about Sandro who faces a long trip home after a late and distant Wednesday night outing for Brazil.

Both clubs look forward to the return of their young England stars. In the case of Arsenal, Jack Wilshere's re-habilitation and match fitness is surely not yet complete, as he has played just 225 minutes of club football since his return from injury late last month. Spurs' Steven Caulker had an eventful full England debut in Stockholm, marking Zlatan Ibrahimovic. Caulker was a little unlucky when his attempted block rebounded to the striker to score his first goal, but ultimately Caulker gave England the lead with a his 38th minute goal. Caulker can say that his team were winning 2-1 when he left the field, and that they lost 3-0 in his absence. Maybe even he was able to enjoy Ibrahimovic's astounding final goal.

Spurs have had additional injury worries this week, when both Kyle Walker and Aaron Lennon were pulled out of the England squad. Walker could be adequately replaced by Naughton, but without Lennon on the right wing, and tracking back as he does so well, Spurs would have a big, big gap to fill.

I hoped to see Dembele and Sandro in tandem. That is not to be. I hope to see Lennon on the right and Bale on the left. I hope to see Adebayor's first goal of the season against his old club, and I hope to see a goal from Jermain Defoe, but with so many uncertainties regarding team availability and selection, it is hard to predict a result. I'll take the easy option and go for a draw. I'll be there though!

· Spurs record in London Derby League matches since August 2002

· 10 years ago on 16th November, 2002 - we lost 3-0 at Highbury

· What happened in the Prermier League this week, 10 years ago?

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