I was brought up on North London derbies and I always loved playing in them. When I was at Arsenal we hated Tottenham and they hated us, so it was the one game you looked out for when the fixtures were announced.
I don't believe that's the case now. I think Arsenal's foreign players would rather beat Manchester United, Liverpool or Chelsea than Spurs. We saw that in the Carling Cup semi-final last year when Arsene Wenger didn't send his first team out and they lost 5-1. That shouldn't happen in Arsenal-Tottenham games because the fans have got to go to work with Spurs supporters and hear about it for months. It clearly means a lot more to the Arsenal fans than the players nowadays.
Redknapp & Wenger: set to clash
These matches are so important for the supporters. I wrote last week that the Tyne-Wear derby wasn't a big game and I feel I should apologise for that. When I played for Middlesbrough against Sunderland it wasn't that big and I thought Newcastle-Sunderland would be similar. When I saw the phenomenal atmosphere on Saturday it proved me wrong - and I'm sure the passion will be similar at the Emirates.
Cup final
For Tottenham, this is their cup final but in many ways the pressure is off them because they're bottom of the league and nobody really expects them to win. I know they got a good win at home to Bolton on Sunday, but away at Arsenal is a completely different kettle of fish.
It was the one game you looked out for when the fixtures were announced, but I don't believe that's the case now. I think Arsenal's foreign players would rather beat Manchester United, Liverpool or Chelsea than Spurs.
Paul Merson
Quotes of the week
7.30pm, Weds, Sky Sports 2&HD2
I can't speak highly enough of Harry Redknapp. He's a great manager and the lads will love playing for him. He's got some good players but they need to play in their proper positions every week instead of chopping and changing. You don't need to be Einstein to realise Luka Modric should play in the free role behind the front man. Harry put him there against Bolton and he had his best game so far.
It was so important for him that they beat Bolton because I don't see them getting anything out of the next three games against Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester City. It's dangerous times because they could be adrift at the bottom after a third of the season and they are still up against it, but those three points on Sunday will ease some of the pressure.
Liability
The goalkeeper, Heurelho Gomes, is a major liability. He comes for everything and it's turning into a bit of a joke. Harry Redknapp has said many times that David James was his best player at Portsmouth and it wouldn't surprise me if he ended up at Spurs. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if he went and got a couple of players from Portsmouth in January because they are also crying out for a midfielder like Lassana Diarra.
Harry will get them going and install some confidence, but if you look all over the pitch it's hard to see a Tottenham player that would get into the Arsenal team - apart from Ledley King, but I'm not sure if he'll be fit enough to play his third game in a week. Tottenham deserved to win both legs of the Carling Cup semi last year, including the drawn game at the Emirates which they should have won, but when Arsenal send their full team out I just cannot see a Tottenham win.
Spurs are hardly free-scoring at the moment and I think they'll play one up front again on Wednesday. They need to find a top-drawer striker to play ahead of Modric because I'm not sure if Roman Pavlyuchenko is up to it. I like Darren Bent but I think you need that bit of extra class if you are going to play up front on your own.
PAUL'S PREDICTION
Home win - I think it will be 2-0 to Arsenal. They are a much better team all around the pitch and even with Harry's motivational powers I can't see how Spurs can get anything out of the game.
MERSON'S MAGIC MEN
Heurelho Gomes and Emmanuel Adebayor - I've seen Gomes playing for PSV in the past and he can be a match-winner, but he can easily lose the match for Spurs as well. If I was Harry Redknapp I'd be sat there worrying for 90 minutes about what he's going to do. Meanwhile, Adebayor could cause mayhem in the Spurs defence, especially if King doesn't play.
Comments (23)
Ian Young (Tottenham Hotspur fan) says...
Hail Harry Hotspur!!! I, for one, am very pleased that the Ramos era has come to an end! And I am pretty sure that I would still be saying that had the last two results been different!... It felt different with Ramos in charge - something felt missing somehow?! (Keane)? I remember after last seasons Carling Cup final the press stating that under Ramos "the spurs team were playing for their positions / futures at the club" - and who was eventually sold - Keane and Berbatov - the two MAIN, (only) goal scorers!!! Also Paul Robinson, in my opinion at times a fantastic keeper, (season 1 @ Spurs- wow)! I know that Ramos had a "proven track record" but somehow it just didn't feel like Spurs under his management... Harry may do well for us - he has always just missed out on the big time and recently so have we - I wish him the best of luck and I support him, (unlike the recently departed)... Please Levy prove us all wrong for once, and back Harry - we can't keep sacking managers!... Let him revive the pride that we don't demand but know that we deserve. Glory. Glory.
Posted 01:53 30th October 2008
Mark Frost (Tottenham Hotspur fan) says...
Great to see Tottenham come back and draw against Arsenal ladies just as Fabregas predicted.
Posted 23:31 29th October 2008
Greg Brooks (Tottenham Hotspur fan) says...
I like the way that the Arsenal supporters are forgetting that their own defence has looked shakey at times this season, even against mediocre opposition. Merson only ever sees it from an Arsenal point of view anyway and is about as biased as it gets in terms of punditry between Arsenal and Spurs games. If Harry can pull a performance out of our players tonight I can see us sneaking a 2-1 away win. Don't care what you say, its what happens on the night and we saw glimpses of what Spurs can do against decent opposition when we stepped our game up against Chelski earlier this season which was a game we could have won. If we do the same tonight against Arsenal I think there's a few gooners who will be eating their words come tomorrow morning! Don't forget that Arsenal still have not come up against the big 4 yet this season so have not been truly tested. Thats not to say that Spurs compare or are on a similar level as Chelsea, Man Utd or Liverpool right now in terms of results or form but as far as skill on paper goes we are competitive and can put up a good fight.
Posted 18:54 29th October 2008
Yunus Ibrahim (Arsenal fan) says...
I am attendign the match at the Emirates tonight and I think Paul Merson has got it spot on. Although you never know what will happen in football let alone a derby. I think Arsenal are on a slight high and even though Spurs won on the weekend, they played poor opposition. Arsenal to take advatage of low confidence at Spurs and I'm going to say a 3-1 win to Arsenal.
Posted 18:10 29th October 2008
Alphonse Penesula (Arsenal fan) says...
In all honesty , Paul has been fair in his comment . As a gooner , I feel much the rivalry with Spurs . But , I know they are a good team . But , what I never agree is them to compare themselves to Arsenal . Arsenal is at the different planet to them . Its what they want to become .Its their role model even though they wouldn't agree but deep down Spurs fans know they want their team to perform like Arsenal . Tonight game ? Make no mistake , Harry is a great coach and a good motivator , but Wenger will have too much for him . Verdict : comfortable win for Arsenal but Spurs will give evering thing for the sake of the derby but it won't be enough . Score ? 3-1 or 4-2
Posted 17:33 29th October 2008
Pete Mosse (Tottenham Hotspur fan) says...
First of all would like to welcome Harry to the club ,he's what we need.As for the game tonight I don't think we will get anything from it, as long as the team put in a good performance and show us (Spurs) fans that they want to play for Harry then there get no moaning from me. Last season is gone it's this season we need to worry about ......hopfully a 1-1 draw tonight.
Posted 15:13 29th October 2008
Michelle Smith (Arsenal fan) says...
I have to say that if arsenal play the football i know that they can then spurs are in for a hiding. However if they come out to cocky and let there defences down they might get a shock. But i am sure that arsenal will win comfortably 2-0 to the gunners is my prediction.
Posted 15:13 29th October 2008
Gareth Baker (Tottenham Hotspur fan) says...
Sorry mate....but Audere-Est-Facere means to dare is to do!
Posted 14:54 29th October 2008
Kanu David (Arsenal fan) says...
Quite frankly,I do not understand the presss'obsession with their percieved Arse nal's weak point-Foreign players.Its difficult to find a team in the premiership these days that fields more than 50%english players in a match.Therefore the arguement that Arsenal's players might not appreciate the import of beating Spurs tonight begs the question at best;and is seen as a distraction.Pls give Arsene Wenger and his priceless boys some credit and accept the fact that Arsenal offers the best entertainment in world football.Stay glued tonight and watch the artists in their best form.
Posted 14:53 29th October 2008
Ace Vicenzo (Tottenham Hotspur fan) says...
I think there is far too much of mouthing off by the Arsenal contingent. Trying to kick Spurs in the teeth while thy're down aint gonna work. One thing you forget is that they have rolled over already after the 2-0 win to Bolton.The display at Chelsea is enough to shut the gooner mouths because the skill and talent at Spurs is there.One only needed to sort some off-field matters out and now that its done,the team will play again. It will be a good run for Spurs, a draw will be enough to kill off Arsenal's season me thinks.Don't expect a 4-5-1 in this game, Harry will play Bent and Pav and with Bale and Bentley belting it in, expect Gallas and co to go walkies again!
Posted 14:44 29th October 2008
Chuks David (Chelsea fan) says...
i wish harry the best of luck.arsenal is a good team but always have a hitch when it come to spurs rivarly.though no spurs player it is a match to arsenal player s but they always get it right when it comes to arsenal match.iwish them the best of luck.
Posted 14:04 29th October 2008
Kieran Ryan (Tottenham Hotspur fan) says...
Well done to Mers for another fair approach to another North London Derby. In the same way he clearly wasnt pleased but was able to praise us last season for a good performance in the Carling Cup he's obviously a lot more confident about tonights fixture, and as much as it pains me to say this, i'd be checking for aviating pigs if we get anything from this amtch tonight. One thing I do disagree with and it seems i may be in the minority with this one, is that i believe Gomes is an outstanding keeper. I have never seen suck bravery and agility outside a Bruce Lee movie, you will never see Gomes hiding on his line waiting on the shot and if there was a Harrier Jumpjet flying over White Hart Lane i'd have money on him getting his hand to it!! Ok, well maybe not but if you look over the course of the season, Gomes has made some trully world class saves, the one against Udinese when Di Natalie chipped him, probably the pick of the bunch for me. Sure he's had a few heart-in-mouth moments but name me a keeper that would look good between the sticks in a Spurs top this season!
Posted 14:01 29th October 2008
Ming yu Wong (Arsenal fan) says...
Great to see the fair comments made by both the Arsenal and Spurs fans. Merson mentioned that Spurs need a top drawer striker to play up front and that Pavlyuchenko is not up to it, but I feel he will be a threat. If Spurs do score a goal it will very likely be from a set piece or from a header, and King and Pavlyuchenko are threats. As much as Gomes could cost Spurs the game, I fear that Gallas will cost us a crucial goal and I'm pretty sure Arsenal will concede. It's just whether we can score first or whether the players are able to play their flowing football because the players will feel the pressure from the fans in what will definitely be an electric atmosphere.
Posted 13:57 29th October 2008
Dave Beck (Arsenal fan) says...
Nice one Paul, Spot on. But as said, these players want to beat spurs as much as anyone else. Arsenal fans deserve a big scoreline tonight to shut up the spurs fans for beating the kids.
Posted 13:51 29th October 2008
Elsie Pappoe (Arsenal fan) says...
i think the arsenal are going to win. I would be very suprise if we don't take all the 3 points, because totteham are a rubbish team. Having a new manager doesn't change the fact that they are so bad. Come on the arsenal.
Posted 13:42 29th October 2008
Joe Lucey (Tottenham Hotspur fan) says...
Would you expect any other prediction from a gooner? Watch out Arsenal, the spurs have got our rose tinted spectacles back on again so we can beat anyone in our opinion! Seriously, I expect a good game - these are often close with Arsenal usually nicking it so I don't honestly expect anything different. But I would hope we are going to give you a better game with 'arry than we would have done with Ramos.
Posted 13:41 29th October 2008
Park Lane (Tottenham Hotspur fan) says...
The amount of talking and mind games by the A***nal manager, players and ex-players this week - You'd get the impression that they're a bit worried! Well they should be - Spurs under Harry won't be the soft touch they were this season under Juande - Maybe we'll win, maybe we won't, but A***nal won't get an easy ride!!!
Posted 13:26 29th October 2008
Nick Kruseman (Arsenal fan) says...
Merson right as always, the spuds havn't got a hope in this one
Posted 13:16 29th October 2008
Thomas Honeckstein (Arsenal fan) says...
I agree mostly with these points execpt for the one about foregin players wanting to beat liverpool chelsea and man u more because if u look at the tyne wear derby alot of people said the people from the area wouldn't understand it well look at richardson's reaction when he scored look at cisse's reaction and if you look at fabregas' reaction to scoring last year that shows the players want it And one point i really agree on is the goalie gomes he is a liability if arsenal get some crosses into adebayor the goalie could be flapping all over the place and some long shots would shake him up a bit aswell arsene should tell the midfeild to shoot a bit more often. If we can keep our style of play and tempo spurs will be dazzled but i have a feeling modric and co. will cause some trouble bently with his crosses against our short back 4 and modric with his skill could make one moment of magic but i fancy there midfeild to be overrun by fabregas and diaby.
Posted 12:58 29th October 2008
Ken O (Arsenal fan) says...
Paul is right in many areas but assuming that this will be an easy win will be a costly mistake to both the players and supporters. they (Spurs) have a very good squad. If Spurs beat Arsenal they wouldn't mind being in a relagation battle. The excuse we had for the Carling Cup defeat was that it wasn't the 1st team squad - true -but we got beat. For the game tonight, we just have to make sure that our defence is water tight against Modric, Jenas and Lennon. and let no goals in the 1st 20mins. After that the game is ours.
Posted 12:04 29th October 2008
Recent Comments:
Daniel Basheer on Ear come the champs
"As a Liverpool fan I have to agree with Merse on this one. Man Utd won't lose to anyone in their current form, let alone Wigan. Liverpool have done well this season to even still be in ... " View all comments
Kevin Rooney on Bagg to worse
"Merse, bang on right as usual. I expect March to be a defining month in the race to avoid relegation. Expect Stoke and West Brom to drift away but not to the extent Derby did last ... " View all comments