Epitome of Arsenal's Power in North London

To Spurs, Arsenal reiterated the familiar words on the London subway, "watch the gaps".

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Arsenal winger, Gabriel Martinelli, tackled Tottenham Hotspur defender, Micky van de Ven, in an English Premier League match between Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, London, England, on Sunday (28/4/2024). Arsenal won against Spurs, 3-2.

LONDON, SUNDAY — Two fatal Arsenal mistakes after halftime were not enough to change Tottenham Hotspur's bad luck in North London derby. Through three quick goals in the first half, Arsenal succeeded in establishing their dominance as rulers of the city. They left the neighboring teams further and further behind.

A derby game wouldn't be complete without drama. The uncertain situation unfolded at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Sunday (28/4/2024) night WIB. The visiting team Arsenal was already leading by three goals at halftime, but they almost lost their footing due to a response of two goals from the Spurs in the second half.

Perhaps in the previous season, we would have ended the match with a draw in a situation like earlier. However, no, we showed that we are experienced.

It all started from Arsenal's goalkeeper, David Raya's blunder in the 64th minute. He made a mistake in passing the ball in his own defense which resulted in a goal by defender Cristian Romero. The home supporters who were previously silent suddenly became alive. Arsenal, who had dominated the game after halftime, also began to panic.

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The situation got even more out of control three minutes before normal time ended when Arsenal midfielder, Declan Rice, accidentally kicked defender Ben Davies in the penalty box. Spurs captain, Son Heung-min, executed the penalty perfectly. Luckily, the visiting team survived with a "bus parking" strategy at the end of the match.

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Arsenal winger, Bukayo Saka, controls the ball in the English Premier League match between Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, London, on Sunday (28/4/2024).

Bukayo Saka, Arsenal's winger who contributed one goal, said the derby was always full of surprises. ”We know this is a big derby. They definitely don't want to lose 3-0 at home. "The momentum turned back to them, but I'm proud of the kids because they were able to keep the three points," he said.

"We showed (that we have learned from last season) today. Perhaps last season we would have ended the match in a draw in a situation like that just now. But no, we showed that we are experienced. The last 20 minutes were not great, but it was all worth it," added Saka.

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For the first time since 1988, Arsenal has managed to record two consecutive away victories in the North London derby. As context, "The Gunners" have only won twice in their last 17 away games against Spurs. The rest were six draws and nine losses. This shows how valuable the victory is.

Arsenal fans immediately celebrated St Totteringham's Day, the time when the Cannons were certain to finish above Spurs at the end of the league season. The team coached by Manager Mikel Arteta is still firmly at the top of the standings with 80 points from 35 matches. Mathematically, Spurs can no longer catch up (60 points from 33 matches).

AP/KIN CHEUNG

Arsenal striker Kai Havertz scored the third goal in the English Premier League match between Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, London, on Sunday (28/4/2024).

At the same time, Saka and his colleagues continue to maintain their chances of becoming champions in the remaining three matches. Instead of tripping up their rivals, Spurs faced bitter reality. Arsenal is competing for the title as they struggle to enter the top four. The result of the derby becomes an epitome of Arsenal's greatness, the most successful team in North London.

"Disappointing. Disappointing day. This is a big game for the club and the fans. We lost on the small details, the things that can make your team a title contender. Arsenal, they're already there. They are a team that works on details very well. We haven't," explained Spurs manager Ange Postecoglou.

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Asked about those small details, Postecoglou answered that there are thousands of things to consider. "I can't explain each and every one. But those small details are about how you can't give the opponent players space and time. You can't lose focus easily during transitions, you have to be more sensitive to the dangers," he said.

Postecoglou referred to Arsenal's second goal, which was scored by Saka through a lightning counter-attack scheme. Spurs players lost concentration after an incident in Arsenal's penalty box. They hoped to be awarded a penalty. However, just a few seconds later, the ball had already nestled in goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario's net.

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Tottenham Hotspur striker, Son Heung-min, scored the second goal through a penalty kick in the English Premier League match between Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, London, on Sunday (28/4/2024).

Difference from dead ball

The small details can also be seen in dead ball situations. Arsenal have been dubbed the set-piece kings this season, and for good reason. They have already scored 16 goals from corner kicks, including a pair of goals during the derby. According to OptaJoe, this is the highest number in a single season since West Bromwich Albion in 2016-2017 (16 goals).

Arsenal exploited a weakness in Spurs' defensive system in a corner kick. Arsenal wing-back, Ben White, was tasked with disrupting Vicario on the goal line. The other Spurs players just watched. Vicario's unpreparedness led to two Arsenal goals, from striker Kai Havertz and Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg's suicide.

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Two corner kicks from the away team in the first half resulted in a pair of goals. Postecoglou only anticipated this issue after half-time. The home team's substitute player, Pape Sarr, was assigned to guard White during corner kicks. The Spurs' defense significantly improved with just that minor change.

According to Arteta, the victory in the derby is about mentality. "First, how much do you want it? Then, how much more do they want it? At this level, the margin is very small. Everything doesn't always go in your favor. So, it's all about courage," he said.

AFP/BEN STANSALL

Arsenal defender, Gabriel Magalhaes, and his teammates celebrated their team's victory after the English Premier League match between Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London on Sunday (28/4/2024).

Meanwhile, Arsenal was able to maintain a positive record when facing the "big six" teams. They have not once lost in nine matches (5 wins, 4 draws). In the remainder of the season, The Gunners only have one more match against a big six team, which is Manchester United.

On the other hand, Arteta still praised Raya's performance even though he made a blunder that almost ended in disaster. ”That (mistake) Is part of football. But what I liked about David was that he was sensational for the last 20 or 25 minutes, after that incident. "That's what I like about our players," he concluded. (AP/REUTERS)