Tottenham’s 2-0 victory over Arsenal on Sunday means they can put “psychological pressure” on Chelsea at the top of the Premier League, believes boss Mauricio Pochettino.
“We have to be focused now. We have another big game against West Ham on Friday, another difficult derby. That could be a chance to put psychological pressure on Chelsea. We play before them and, if we win, we will see what happens when Chelsea play Middlesbrough at Stamford Bridge on Monday.”
But the victory against Arsenal only made things more difficult for the Gunners. Here’s a look at the three big talking points from the game:
Tottenham’s palpable progress not enough for title
“Energia Universal” - it’s been one of the buzz words at Tottenham. “It is connected,” said Mauricio Pochettino last December. “Nothing happens for causality. It is always a consequence [of something else]. Maybe, it is one of the reasons that Harry always scores in derbies. I believe in that energy. For me, it exists.”
On Sunday, Pochettino’s word were prophetic. His Tottenham displayed a universal energy, and perhaps something more profound, against Arsenal. They had energy. They were holistic in their play, and, as a consequence, they got the required result. It was a refined sequence of cause and effect, the Pochettino way.
Tottenham were more than the sum of their parts. Pochettino’s XI played with assurance, purpose and guile. Even without Danny Rose and Kyle Walker, even without midfield anchor Moussa Dembele and with Son Heung-min shoe-horned in at left, the hosts were still dominant. His players were the perfect Pochettino prototypes. They were physical, tactical and adventurous - a legion of young prodigies, brimming with life and exuding a radiant self-confidence. The PPP’s buzzed around the field, a relentless swarm of bees stinging their opponent, with Dele Alli and Harry Kane, from the penalty spot, scoring Tottenham’s second half goals in the space of 147 seconds.
And so in 2017 there won’t be a St Totteringham’s Day. In Haringey there will be Schadenfreude, but if anything, for all of Tottenham’s palpable progress under Pochettino, for all the talk about “energy” and “feel” by the Argentinean coach, Tottenham’s position in the league remains a source of deep frustration and a perfect illustration of a club within striking distance of greatness, but, at present, wandering in the realm of subterraneans, well behind an impeccable Chelsea. 1961 and never again. It is tenet that will continue to haunt Tottenham for the foreseeable future.
Arsenal stick to 3-4-3, but to little avail
Arsene Wenger halted the inertia and general Weltschmerz at his club by reverting to a back three, a mini-tactical revolution at Arsenal, or perhaps an acknowledgement that the voguish formation offered a desperate way out of the Arsenal malaise after that soul-crushing 3-0 defeat away at Crystal Palace. Against Tottenham, the Frenchman stuck to his 3-4-3 formation in a peculiar role reversal as his Tottenham counterpart seemed to alternate between a back three and a conventional four men defense during the match.
The match began frantically, with hustle and bustle, and much endeavor from both Tottenham and Arsenal as quality came at a premium. In part Arsenal stifled their opponents in the first half, but they offered little else. Mesut Ozil was absent. Alex-Oxlade Chamberlain’s flaws as a wing-back were exposed and the selection of Oliver Giroud, whose sole contribution was fashion advice about trimmed beards, was curious at the least.
After the break Arsenal disintegrated in trademark fashion, knocked-out by Tottenham’s nimble one-two. The visitors didn’t respond and weren’t comfortable with their shape. The 3-4-3 has obfuscated some of Arsenal’s flaws, but also has its limitations. Guardiola’s Manchester City didn’t expose Wenger’s new formation, Tottenham did. Does Arsenal have the players for the system and do they understand it well enough to execute it properly?
For the last 30 minutes Arsenal reverted to a back four, but they were disjointed and barely spun together a decent attack. The implosion was Arsenalesque and Tottenham’s fans thoroughly enjoyed it. ‘We want Arsene Wenger to stay,’ they chanted.
An invisible Mesut Ozil
Alexis Sanchez, Chamberlain and Kieran Gibbs all lost possession 20 times each against Tottenham. That was perhaps a fair measure of Tottenham’s dominance. Pochettino’s charges simply eclipsed Wenger and co. The scoreline remained respectable courtesy of Petr Cech’s blinding saves, the Arsenal goalkeeper the hero in a cast of anti-heroes.
Chamberlain was awkward at best in his position and Giroud made any striker look world-class, but perhaps Ozil was Arsenal’s biggest disappointment. His match was all too ‘subtle’, the number eleven with his gossamer touch had no impact at all. In the first half the German registered just sixteen touches on the ball. He was not just peripheral, but nigh invisible. Yet again Ozil didn’t show up during a major match. On a day that Arsenal needed him more than ever and Champions League football was slipping out of their grasp, Ozil never seemed like delivering one of his delightful defense-splitting passes.
