Arsenal, Nick. I'm going to come to you first because these
two teams have been on the rise in recent months with a few
blips here and there, but very similar in terms of
battling to get into the top four. So it's been a period of
progress for both Tottenham and Arsenal. So what are you
looking at? And who you favoring heading into this big
game in North London?
Yeah. I don't know who the favor so that's what I'll tell
you and that's what's exciting for me. There was a period of
time where
I don't know if it and he will be able to obviously
Oh, that's much better. But a stretch of at least a couple of
Seasons, where if these teams matched up, you had a feeling
it was going to be Tottenham coming out on the winning end.
And now, the sort of rivalry honors are restored. If you
will, in terms of going back and forth and feeling like
the sort
of Derby wear. Anything, that could happen,
you know, go back to the game where lamella sport is
wonderful goal and kind of lifted us, but I think in
the last two games, it's just been sung. It's just been
son getting the job done.
This seems like a big chance for Harry Cannes resurgence.
To take the next step
for Antonio Conte to flex against Miguel arteta.
It feels like Tottenham have a lot. I don't want to say, they
have nothing to lose from this but with the matches in hand
the top for status up in the air
to me Tottenham have an awful lot to win and maybe they can
play a little bit more Carefree
knowing that they're going to have the benefit of
a lot of different things, including, perhaps
the pressure that comes with the venue.
Absolutely, and the big problem hit is obviously Holman saunas,
out injured. So right not really meant, was
that those again, obviously, pile. The pressure on Harry
Kane because he's done it so many times, doesn't it in North
London Derby? Z. We all remember that photo of him in
an Arsenal shirt, when he was younger, that always pops up
around
before Darby days in the days, ahead of that game,
but you always seems to raise his level, no matter how well
he's playing. Or if he's in a bit of a slump. He always steps
up on Derby day.
It's so tight. Andy, I mean, I know, tottenham's the Club
close to your heart, but going into this. I really cannot pick
a favor. I feel like
this could be a tool drawer or something like that on
the cards, because both teams have defensive issues and both teams
are just struggling for cohesion at certain
points of the season and during certain points of the game.
Even, they could have a great 45 minutes but in their
follow-up and be very inconsistent, so, I guess that
goes to show,
just where they're at, Conte,
still doing the early work at Tottenham and miquelon. Sure,
and ask. No, I felt it just nearly getting there but aren't
quite there, right? Yeah. Struggling for cohesion.
I think it's a great phrase to describe both of these seams
and certainly Spurs even more. So at the
moment given that they've had an in-season managerial change,
they had a summer managerial change. They've had two
managers in the span of, about four months time.
So there's a lot of moving Parts going on there. I've not
love what I've seen from Spurs recently. I know they've been
better defensively and they're building a foundation. But if
you look at the squad and the way that Conte wants him to
play
right now. In this very moment. It's not a great fit. And that
was my issue with Conte being mentioned in the summer. Now,
obviously you give him a transfer window in January. You
give them a summer, maybe another full season to build
the squad, the way that he
wants it and then we could be talking about something
completely different but there's no, I don't know. The
word. There's just nothing that inspires fear in this Spurs
team aside from we know that Harry Kane can score at any
moment from any place on the field and that's
about it. Other than that, Spurs are not a dangerous team
right now. Oh, they don't create a ton of scoring
chances. They have good possession. And I think they're
able to control games much more. So, obviously than they
were under knew no better than they were
under Josie Marino, but they don't instill fear in anyone.
And I think that's the difference between these two
teams going into this game. If you look at the form and you
look at the individuals who are in really fine form on both
sides, you can go
down the list. Four five, six players on Arsenal side.
I don't really know who you would pinpoint for Spurs and say,
he's the one that's standing. Devon's and Sanchez,
is that the one. And so we're talking about a centre-back
who's been in and out of the team for four or five years
who's in a good moment right now,
but against Arsenal, a team that's going to look to really
spread the field. That's going to look to put him in space,
where one-on-one where he can make the mistakes defensively
as he has done throughout his time at Spurs.
It just, it seems like it's setting up for Arsenal in this
one too, man. I don't say that, you know, to hedge or to make
it easier to take it. If Spurs
are Beating this weekend. I genuinely believe that and
because
the the
feeling around Arsenal right now is the same feeling and
I recognize it and it's it makes you a bit jealous. It makes you
a bit frustrated as well. It's the exact same feeling.
The Spurs fans had 45 years ago.
When the Maurizio Pacino thing was really starting to take off
when it was really picking up momentum. And you could see
that everyone had bought in and the on-field results,
the spirit. Everything was there.
There's a little bit of that that I'm seeing at Arsenal and I
That momentum, I think maybe pushes them over the line and
there's not only this game, but as we talked about a couple
weeks ago,
probably the favorites for that top four spot.
I enjoy the Tottenham fan, any of with their reverse
psychology trick is tipping Arsenal to win this way. It's
yeah, it's a really not see what you do.
I'm like bursting at the seams to say this a give you the pep
top and rub your shoulders and he because I actually think
this is a really good opportunity. First of all,
we know that Being young and dumb can be good. But this is
a young team. Going into a Darby in a place that is going to be
loving Antonio Conte.
And I look at the last few weeks. I know, Tim hasn't
delivered, the eye-popping results aside from the palace
game. But the one thing I looked up as I remembered
watching that draw against Liverpool and it was all to me.
It was all Tottenham,
Liverpool capitalized on their chances.
Tottenham's allowed less than a single expected goal combined
in their last three games. Now. I know that's Palace Saints in
Watford, but those are teams that can attack you. I mean,
not Watford. In this current iteration, it's Dennis
and everyone else is hurt. But I just think that that content
does have the moving in the right direction. They've all
been on this stage before for the most part. And again, Kane
North, London Derby, starting to score some goals again,
I, I feel like Tottenham should win this game. Mmmmm.
Wow, that's a big statement. I'm really looking forward to
this one because as you mentioned right to start, Nick
taught them for the last. What? Seven, eight years now, they've
had this rivalry. They've been on the rise and he mentioned
that there on the property. No. And they've continued that
the new stadium.
Almost identical to the Emirates and many ways and the Rivalry.
Now, the Arsenal of back this rivalry in North London,
is really, really good. In my opinion. It has,
it's always been good. Don't get me wrong. But when one team
was in the ascendancy, it's just not as much fun. We're
going into this game there. You can to be really don't know
who's going to win or who really is the favorite. I think
that adds just the occasion,
the atmosphere, the fans go in there
and the fact that both of these teams are now in a position
where they're battling together for a top for position. Yeah.
It's going to be
a really, really good battle on and off the pitch in North
London this weekend and over a pro soccer. Talk on NBC
sports.com., We have you covered all the latest as
Tottenham. Host Arsenal
in a massive game, not only for their fans for this weekend,
but also in the story of the rest of their season, how's the
Half of the season going to pan out. You cannot underestimate.
What a Big W and will do for confidence and momentum for
both of these teams moving forward.