Arsenal vs Tottenham: Harry Kane, Alexis Sanchez, Dele Alli… which stars make our combined XI?
Just two Gunners players make the list, with Spurs dominating the XI as the tide in North London appears to have truly turned
THERE are few Premier League games that capture the attention quite like the North London derby.
It’s a fiercely contested fixture with fans and players alike desperate to claim local bragging rights until the next meeting.
Saturday’s game at the Emirates will be no different.
But while there were several years that Arsenal went into the game as favourites, the tide has turned and many will expect Spurs to leave the Gunners’ home with all three points.
That’s because of the strength of Mauricio Pochettino’s side.
Tottenham have a young and vibrant team, one that is strong defensively and clinical going forward. Arsenal only possess only the latter of those traits.
We asked our friends at Football Whispers to put together a combined XI (4-2-3-1) from the two clubs.
Spoiler alert, it’s not particularly good reading for Arsenal supporters...
Goalkeeper: Hugo Lloris
There was a time when Petr Cech was, by some distance, the Premier League’s standout goalkeeper.
However, you’d have to go back to his time as Chelsea’s No1 for that to be the case.
There are now several top class goalkeepers in the top flight and near the top of the pile is Spurs’ first-choice Lloris.
KANED HIM Tottenham star Harry Kane boasts better stats than Arsenal legend Thierry Henry in EVERY category in his career
The Frenchman is an excellent shot stopper, commands his penalty area and organises the defence in front of him.
It’s partly why he is captain of his club side and the national team.
This season Lloris has kept five clean sheets in his ten Premier League games.
He is averaging 2.4 saves per goal, far greater than Cech’s 1.4, and his distribution is also better than the Arsenal goalkeeper, although it’s probably the weakest area of his game.
Right-back: Kieran Trippier
There may have been a few eyebrows raised when Spurs let first-choice right-back Kyle Walker leave for Manchester City in the summer.
But Tottenham received a then record fee for a defender and, more importantly, they had Trippier waiting in the wings.
The England international has blossomed into one of the finest full-backs in European football this season.
He is rarely caught out defensively and, particularly when deployed as a wing-back, is a constant threat going forward.
Trippier already has seven assists to his name this season compared to Arsenal right-back Hector Bellerin’s one.
He is also averaging 1.8 key passes per game in the top flight compared to the Spaniard’s 1.
Centre-back: Toby Alderweireld
The Belgian defender will miss the north London derby due to a hamstring problem, however, if fit, he’d be one of the first names on his teamsheet.
Since joining Spurs in the summer of 2015 from Atletico Madrid, Alderweireld has established himself as one of the finest central defenders in Europe.
Positionally, few are better than 28-year-old, which is why he is so comfortable in either a back three or four.
Arsenal defender Laurent Koscielny may make more tackles than Alderweireld, but he could rightly argue that specific metric doesn’t necessarily represent the mark of a good defender.
As Paolo Maldini once said: “If I have to make a tackle then I have already made a mistake.”
Centre-back: Jan Vertonghen
Spurs other Belgian centre-back makes the cut, too. Vertonghen is a different mould of defender to Alderweireld but that doesn’t make him any less effective.
He is more powerful and is willing to put his body on the line to deny the opposition.
Yet with the ball he is a composed passer and someone who isn’t afraid to step out of the three-man defence and play clever through balls.
Tellingly, no Spurs player has averaged more passes per 90 minutes in the Premier League than Vertonghen’s 73.
He is the complete modern-day centre-back and given Arsenal have had to use Nacho Monreal in the heart of their defence, makes this battle a no contest.
Left-back: Sead Kolasinac
The Bosnian arrived from Schalke in the summer on a free transfer and has proven to be an excellent and welcome addition to the Arsenal defence.
Kolasinac’s pace, power and ability on the ball make him the ideal left-back/wing-back for the rigours of the Premier League.
He is a constant threat going forward – he has scored three times and registered three assists – but is also solid defensively.
Danny Rose and Ben Davies are both excellent players, but it’s Kolasinac’s instant impact at the Emirates which gets him in ahead of the Tottenham duo.
Centre midfield: Eric Dier
The versatile England star was named Three Lions skipper for the recent friendlies against Germany and Brazil, a mark of the esteem he’s held in at both club and international level.
Dier isn’t the most skilful of Tottenham’s players but he does an important job in front of the defence.
When in midfield he is the destroyer of the Spurs side, the man who breaks up attacks before quickly giving it to those in front of him.
He’s averaged 1.4 tackles and 1.5 interceptions per game in the top flight this season, figures that would likely be higher if he didn’t also seamlessly slot into the centre of defence when required.
With Alderweireld ruled out of the derby, Dier is likely to slot back into a back three and will be tasked with bringing the ball out of defence and starting Tottenham attacks.
MORE FOOTBALL FEATURES
Centre midfield: Mousa Dembele
If the Belgian could shake off his persistent injury niggles, then he’d undoubtedly be one of the best midfielders in Europe.
Strong, quick and excellent in possession, few players have the physical and technical gifts Dembele possess.
He can glide past a challenge and find a teammate just as easily as bullying an attacker of the ball and deny a goal-scoring chance.
Aaron Ramsey has performed well this season for Arsenal, but when he is fit, Dembele is a cut above the Gunners man.
Right attacking midfield: Christian Eriksen
It’s taken a surprisingly long time for the Dane to be considered one of the best attacking midfielders in Europe.
But his sparkling form this season – coupled with a superb tie-deciding hat-trick against Ireland to take his side to the World Cup – means finally his talent is being recognised on a wider scale.
Eriksen is one of the most important players in Tottenham’s side.
He is physically slight but can hold off opposition defenders, and he is fit enough to carry out Pochettino’s counter-press tactics for 90 minutes.
This season Eriksen has four goals and four assists to his name.
Mesut Ozil has half that amount and is rightly behind the Tottenham man in this side.
Central attacking midfield: Dele Alli
Many a Spurs fan will tell you that the 21-year-old England international has yet to his top form this season.
And yet, after just 13 games in all competitions, Alli has seven goals to his name.
In fact, the former MK Dons youngster is performing at a higher level than last season.
He is averaging more key passes a game (2.9 from 2.5) and is also making more interceptions (1 from 0.3).
Alli is becoming a far more rounded player and it’s little wonder he is a Real Madrid transfer target.
Left attacking midfield: Alexis Sanchez
The Chilean hasn’t been in top form for Arsenal this season, perhaps his failed deadline day move to Manchester City has affected his performances.
However, there is little doubt that when focused few in the Premier League are as good as Sanchez.
So far this term the Arsenal talisman only has one goal and two assists to his name.
But he is actually playing more key passes per 90 minutes this season (2.5) compared to the previous campaign (2.1) so is still contributing.
Son Heung-min is again impressing but it’s Sanchez ability to win a game single-handedly that gets him the nod.
Striker: Harry Kane
The pictures of Kane standing in an Arsenal shirt with dyed red hair must be painful for Gunners supporters. He was the one that got away.
Kane was in the Arsenal academy as a youngster but was released and moved on to Spurs.
For many a year if appeared as if the Gunners had made the right call, that Kane wasn’t good enough for the Premier League.
And then the striker suddenly blossomed into one of the world’s best strikers.
He has scored 20 goals plus in each of the last three seasons and, considering he has 13 in 14 games already this term, will hit that mark again barring injury.
