Calm before the Storm

Article by Sean Barratt @ItsmeBazrat

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We shall defend our goal, whatever the cost may be, we shall fight on the halfway line, we shall fight on the edge of our area, we shall fight in the goalmouth and in the corners, we shall fight in the Emirates; we shall never surrender…I hope.

Form is out the window. In a derby, your worst player can become your ultimate hero (Just ask Danny Rose or David Bentley). Before we boldly step into the breach, it is important to note that at this early stage of the season it is not just a derby. It’s a confidence point booster clash. There is surmountable pressure on the line for both teams. Let’s look at the basics of the situation. Arsenal have had a soporific start to the campaign with shaky performances in the league, a drubbing in the Champions League, where the score line was lucky to be but 2 to the good.

A loss against Southampton in the Capital One and Ozil is currently doing his best Jermaine Jenas impression. We on the other hand…Had a great start to the league 4 easy wins on the bounce covering a giant crack with sugar paper. The reality check has been swiftly delivered, with back to back losses at home to Liverpool and West Brom. We are in desperate need of a striker and that is painstakingly obvious in our play.

It is a key game for Arsenal and Spurs to provide a thunderous restart in the league. This is the start of our premier league 2014/15 campaign. That blend of excitement and fear that grips during the derby is beginning to take hold. I hope excitement prevails. The confidence that would be gained from a victory or even a draw could be monumental for the season’s gruelling schedule. A loss in this game and we are once again back to the drawing board.

The capacity for excitement in these matches has hit a glass ceiling, so many build ups with a positive outlook only to be crushed with merely a whimper. It’s time to show that we can cut it with the big boys.

Last season’s record against the teams above us was in a word; Abysmal. I would like an avoidance of the stats we gained against ‘big’ clubs last season and forge a new intent under Pochettino. The players bang on about knowing what’s at stake in these games, it’s time they pull their socks up and enter the threshold. A loss is one thing, but a loss with no ingenuity or fight is a crippling blow to watch. Like being hit in the face with a football, it is dizzying and as your eyes start to water you realise ‘dam. This hurts’.

I am not expecting Spurs to win every game (although please, by all means indulge me). But I do expect them as, you know, professional footballers to show up and put a tackle in or play an incisive pass at the appropriate moment. I’m looking at you Paulinho and Townsend.

For the goodness of my soul and those around me; switch on, don’t give away a penalty, and don’t score then charge halfway down the pitch and dropkick Aaron Ramsey in the back of the head. Passion is fine but not when you kill an opposing player and mess up any slight chance we had of winning the game. Keep it in proportion. In Lehmann’s terms (geddit?), do the stuff, achieve the simple and make us proud. Stay Frosty.

COYS

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