By Myles Palmer
__________________________________
SATURDAY IS INTERESTING because Arsene Wenger passed on half the Spurs team.
He looked at Robinson, Carrick and Defoe.
He had Robinson on trial from Leeds and wasn’t impressed, or so we’ve heard on the grapevine.
He phoned Carrick and apologised at length when Vieira stayed in summer 2004.
He had to choose between Defoe and Reyes and chose Reyes because Reyes could play in more than one position.
He passed on Reid and Dawson because they lack exceptional pace. Both joined Spurs from Forest for £8 million the pair.
I sometimes wonder whether Michael Dawson might be another Jackie Charlton.
Arsenal is a big game for a 21-year old centreback, especially if Henry is playing.
IF SPURS SCORE FIRST, they might win. If Arsenal score first, they won’t lose,
Basically, we know what Arsenal can do.
So this preview should really be about what Spurs can do.
How good are they now?
Well, I don’t think Spurs are that strong in attack.
OK, Mido can head the ball, Defoe can shoot, Aaron Lennon can dribble, Andy Reid can pass and cross
Spurs will be fired up and confident. It’s a good opportunity for them to consolidate third place.
The strength of Spurs, really, is the defence.
Martin Jol’s team work hard. and don’t give much away. They’ve only conceded 6 goals in 10 games.
It’s an odd stat : Arsenal and Spurs have both scored 12 goals and conceded 6.
But Arsenal have only played 9 games against 10 played by Spurs
Spurs are hard to beat these days.
It’s a new team, lots of new players, but it’s gelling quite well.
It’s a beginning for Martin Jol, a coach I have liked from day one.
He is honest, realistic, talks a lot of sense, doesn’t moan.
His teams always played good football in Holland.
Is Jol their best manager since Keith Burkinshaw?
It looks that way. I like him and wish he was managing England.
Robinson can be a matchwinner, Ledley King always has time, right back Stalteri is solid and the Korean Lee is quick and nimble at left back.
Centreback Dawson is tall and hard and a good footballing defender. He can play.
Dawson, like Jenas, is a product of the Paul Hart youth team at Nottingham Forest
Yes, Spurs will miss Davids, since he is their second best player after King.
However, Jenas has started to score goals again.
Jenas emerged as an all-round footballer at Forest and Bobby Robson took him to Newcastle
He had everything. He had pace, could shoot, head, tackle, pass and run box-to-box. I thought Arsene might sign him.
But Jenas has been rubbish for two years.
Now, at last, he’s starting to look a class act again.
FOR ARSENAL, this is a chance to change a bad away record into a good away record.If they can win at the Lane, they can build belief and improve on the road.
They need three points to build on last week’s win over Man City and the bonus of Man United’s 1-1 draw against Spurs.
AS YOU KNOW, WHITE HART LANE has played a huge role in Arsenal’s history, even before they won the title there on the last game of the season in 1971.
In the George Graham era the game that stands out was the Littlewoods semi-final replay when Rocastle scored.
George was buzzing that night. I never saw him more excited than he was that night. That win meant his first season was successful : Arsenal were at Wembley, playing Liverpool and it was a win-win game.
If he lost to Liverpool they would be losing to the best team in England and people would say George did well to get them to Wembley.
If he beat Liverpool he would be a hero.
Charlie Nicholas scored two goals and they beat Liverpool.
THE GAME that stands out in the Wenger era is the 3-1 win when Anelka, Overmars and Bergkamp ripped Spurs to shreds.
It was a night game in May 1999.
George, who was managing Spurs at the time, got it all wrong by pressing and playing a high line.
Arsenal sliced through them at phenomenal speed. It was amazing football, very powerful, athletic and thrilling, and Arsenal might have scored five or six.
Petit scored the first goal after a burst forward onto Bergkamp’s pass, lifting it over Ian Walker.
It was a game that had everything, including some things that nobody wants to see, like Tim Sherwood’s boot stamping into Vieira’s groin when he was on the floor.
Shocking as that was, it was not the worst foul I’ve ever seen at the Lane.
The worst, by far, was Clive Allen ramming his studs into Paul Davis’s groin five yards in front of the low-level press box.
It was an X-certificate assault and I was furious, as Paul Davis was one of my favourite players.
“Sit down, remember you’re a journalist!” said Bob Harris, who was next to me.
I didn’t even realise I was on my feet.
THIS GAME will be close.
Arsenal have been struggling to score in open play. They have to get past King, Dawson and Robinson. That may be difficult.
For the first time in years, every team thinks they have a chance against Arsenal.
I hope it’s not a 1-1 draw.
If Spurs have really improved, they are Arenal’s rivals again.
And that’s fine. Rivalry is good. Rivalry makes you stronger.
28th October 2005.