The question: Are Tottenham now the biggest team in north London?
By Staff
Tottenham beat Arsenal in the north London derby Sunday to confirm they will finish above their rivals for the first time in two decades.
St. Totteringham’s day has officially been canceled. Tottenham will finish above Arsenal this season for the first time in 22 years. With the club’s apparently trending in very different directions, are Spurs now the biggest team in north London? In our weekly roundtable, FanSided’s soccer staff debate.
Tottenham are now a better team than Arsenal
Dan Voicescu, @fiveboroball
North London is ours. Thus tweeted Dele Alli, the young England and Tottenham star, minutes after Spurs adjudicated yet another north London derby in their favor. It’s four years since Arsenal managed a victory against Spurs in the Premier League and it’s starting to feel like even longer than that, with the improvement Mauricio Pochettino’s side have made.
The argument over north London supremacy would have been laughable a few years back. Arsenal were the big club, with the bigger and more charismatic stars, the modern stadium, the pizazz, the Champions League nights, the possession and technique-focused soccer all befitting of north London glamour.
This is a much different era from those times, when Tottenham were the selling club, a club in constant search of the right manager to come in and tinker a bit with the limited talent available in search of a European place or some glimmer of hope for a trophy. That feeling is very much gone from these days.
Spurs have enjoyed superiority in the direct games against Arsenal and have breathed in the rarefied air of midweek European nights of the highest caliber. They will be moving into their own stadium that will boast 21st century amenities befitting of a big, sexy club.
Perhaps most importantly, Tottenham’s strongest reasons for optimism regarding the future direction of the club are directly related to the product on the field. Harry Kane, Dele Alli, Eric Dier, Danny Rose and Kyle Walker are all England national team regulars who will continue to gel and develop together. Of the starting front six who featured against Arsenal, no player is above 25 years old. That’s a remarkably rare statistic for a club that has already proven its ability to retain talent in the post-Gareth Bale era.
By contrast, Arsenal are demonstrably in the worse shape they’ve been in the Arsene Wenger era. The club will almost certainly miss out on Champions League soccer for the first time in 20 years. There are indications this will be Wenger’s last season in charge at the club. And if it isn’t, that might only make things worse. With an impending change of direction sorely and obviously needed, the Gunners identity and direction has to come into scrutiny.
A new manager will almost certainly hit the reset button and attempt to rebuild the club with a different vision and perhaps a style contrasting with Wenger’s notorious penchant for possession soccer, which has proven unsuccessful of late. The club’s most prized asset, Alexis Sanchez, has had a number of incidents that point to an inevitable exit from the club. Without Champions League soccer and its deep coffer of TV rights cash, with many questions regarding the future identity of the team, the prospects for a quick turnaround that will see Arsenal return to their days of north London dominance are bleak.
With Spurs having not just the direct results and higher standing in their favor, but a more cohesive, arguably more talented roster than their rivals, along with the stability necessary to achieve success on the grand scale, Tottenham have all the ingredients in place for a long and successful run.
Arsenal still reign supreme in north London
James Dudko, @JamesDudko
Finishing above Arsenal once in 20 years doesn’t qualify Tottenham to be the biggest club in north London. It’s not a distinction Spurs can claim even after Sunday’s emphatic, 2-0 derby win over the Gunners at White Hart Lane, a result that kept Tottenham in the thick of the Premier League title race, while all but condemning Arsenal to the Europa League next season.
Tottenham are the best side in north London this season. It’s a simple fact Gunners fans have to take on the chin, but not the type of bitter pill they will have to swallow for long.
Spurs have overtaken their local rivals for the first time in Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger’s tenure because of continuity. There is a stability to the Spurs squad the Gunners just can’t match. Mauricio Pochettino’s tactics and message are now ingrained in the fabric of the club and put into action by a talented core who have played together for multiple seasons.
The core is defined by its complementary partnerships. Striker Harry Kane is ably supported by the dynamism of attacking midfielder Dele Alli, along with the flair and vision of playmaker Christian Eriksen. Further back, the best defense in England’s top flight is all about symmetry, specifically the rapport between Belgium international center-backs Jan Vertonghen and Toby Alderweireld. The same is true of Three Lions full-backs Danny Rose and Kyle Walker. Meanwhile, Hugo Lloris has expertly tended goal since 2012.
All in all, Spurs are built on solid foundations while the Gunners are sinking into quicksand.
Ironically, continuity has often been the watchword of Arsenal during Wenger’s time in charge. The annual top-four finishes, the attractive brand of soccer and steady squad turnover were once staples of the Arsenal way.
Indeed, the Gunners’ temporary slip to second in north London can be traced to those core strengths crumbling this season. Wenger’s contract expires this summer and his future remains in flux amid fan protests. Star players Mesut Ozil and Alexis Sanchez will be out of contract in 2018 and have yet to ink new deals. Injuries and failures of form have also denied Wenger any permanence in the playing squad. Even the tactical shape has changed, with Wenger switching to 3-4-3 to try and stop the rot.
Things aren’t changing as much as they’re unravelling at Arsenal.
Yet a little perspective shows you why the Gunners are still top dog in north London. For one thing, history says so. Arsenal boast more league titles and FA Cup wins than Tottenham and greater success in Europe.
Spurs may look primed for sustained superiority over their neighbors, but outside factors can soon change the picture. The biggest factor is the decision to play at Wembley next season, while White Hart Lane is redeveloped, a process set to cost as much as £750 million, with £350 million taken on loan by Tottenham, per James Olley of the London Evening Standard. Handling the outlay means Spurs will lack the necessary financial muscle right when their squad is strong enough to win titles.
Admittedly, this Tottenham team is still one or two marquee players away from a title, but signing them won’t be easy while funding a new home. In fact, balancing recruitment and stadium costs alongside keeping Spurs’ main stars will be an almighty challenge for chairman Daniel Levy.
It won’t get any easier with the vultures already circling in readiness to pick off several key players. Rose, Walker and Alli are reportedly all wanted by mega-rich Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola, per James Robson of the Manchester Evening News.
Keeping the best names won’t be easy if Spurs can’t put silverware on the table to match their progress. Even though they remain just four points adrift of Chelsea in the title race,
Tottenham appear set for another year without a trophy, despite their two best seasons since the early ’60s.
By contrast, Wenger and Arsenal could end a sour season on a positive note by winning the FA Cup. It would mean a third trophy in four years, proof the Gunners can still land prizes. Such proof, along with a more decorated history, add up to greater cache for Arsenal in the transfer market. Wenger’s name may be mud with many supporters and pundits, but players still see him as a draw, with Ozil previously indicating he chose Arsenal because of the Frenchman.
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If he has to replace Ozil and Sanchez this summer, being in the Europa League could even be a silver lining for Wenger. It would force him to lower his sights and sign cheaper players with more potential to develop. Wenger has always been more star-maker than the right manager for ready-made stars. Getting back to his roots of unearthing hidden gems would be the best thing for this stage of his career.
It would also be the best way to maintain Arsenal’s status as kings of north London, despite what will be a blip this season rather than an indicator of things to come.