Gary Neville: This really is Spurs' chance to make Arsenal suffer. It's a big moment for Andre Villas-Boas
Andre Villas-Boas has not had much love in his 18 months in England all round. Sacked by Chelsea, where he fell out with key players, he had a relatively slow start with Tottenham. It has taken some time for people over here to appreciate his talents.
But during what was clearly a very important win for Tottenham last Monday night against West Ham, there was a moment I thought summed up the level of acceptance there is for him among his players.
It came when Gareth Bale scored that dramatic late winner and then ran to embrace his manager. I noticed it at the time but only later did I realise the significance of the current star player hugging his manager.
Double act: Gareth Bale hugs Andre Villas-Boas following victory at West Ham (left), before the duo collected Barclays Player and Manager of the Month awards for FebruaryI know Tottenham fans have been warming to Villas-Boas as they accumulate points this season, but seeing the outstanding performer of the moment embracing their manager is probably the biggest public demonstration you could have of the fact that this man is respected and accepted in the dressing room.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m not a romantic. I know football is a cold-blooded game. But sometimes you need a break in the game. And Monday night might have been that for Villas-Boas and Tottenham.
The big job Villas-Boas has now, as he takes on Arsenal at White Hart Lane, is to build on the euphoria of Monday night while maintaining the club’s focus and pointing out what happened last season. It’s fine that they were celebrating on the pitch on Monday night at the end of the game because that’s what any team would do in such an important match which they had won late on.
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We’re getting to that stage of the season that I’d traditionally regard as ‘Tottenham time’. By that I mean the point at which they begin to fall away. Tottenham have always stuttered at this point in the past.
At this exact moment last season, with 27 games played, Tottenham were four points clear of Arsenal, just as they are now. Last season, in their 28th game, Tottenham lost at Everton and Arsenal won in the last minute against Newcastle on the Monday and closed to within one point. From there Arsenal ended up in third and Tottenham were fourth. And even though there was an element of bad luck in missing out on Champions League qualification by the quirk of sixth-placed Chelsea winning the trophy, they had known they might face that scenario for some time. In reality, the real race last year was to make the top three.
Of course, it is also significant that it was this time last year, but after 25 games played, that Tottenham played Arsenal in a derby at the Emirates. Tottenham were 10 points clear going into that game and 2-0 up. Arsenal coming back to win 5-2 is seen as the turning point of the two clubs’ respective seasons. But if Tottenham can drive through Arsenal, and cut them apart, as they have done to other teams, you would believe they can go on to finish above Arsenal for the first time since Arsene Wenger took over the Gunners in 1996.
You would have to say that since Harry Redknapp took over, there has definitely been more mental toughness displayed at the club. In the past three seasons they have finished fourth, fifth and fourth and they’ll be in the top five — at least — again this season. That demonstrates a degree of durability and consistency that’s been missing in the past.
Revenge mission: Arsenal have beaten Spurs 5-2 in the last two meetings between the clubsFor Tottenham have always had individual star performers, from Paul Gascoigne to Jurgen Klinsmann, David Ginola to Dimitar Berbatov, which is why they have had success in the cups. What they have lacked is the strength of will to see a whole season through to the end.
That mental fragility has definitely lessened. Even if Redknapp’s team faltered at the end of last season, they did finish fourth and were desperately unlucky not to make the Champions League. Villas-Boas has capitalised on an already good squad, and added to it well with Mousa Dembele, Jan Vertonghen, Gylfi Sigurdsson, Hugo Lloris and Lewis Holtby.
All white: Spurs have strengthened their squad wisely over the yearsThroughout Wenger’s time in England, Arsenal have probably been quite comfortable that ultimately Tottenham will conform to type and fail. But now you feel Arsenal must be more uncomfortable than ever before. In the past, Arsenal have always been far superior to Tottenham and, although on occasions Tottenham came close to them — notably in 2005-06 — you never felt they had the class to finish above them.
A measure of how times are changing is that Tottenham should be disappointed if they don’t finish above Arsenal this season. This really is Tottenham’s opportunity to make Arsenal suffer and for Villas-Boas to achieve something no Tottenham manager has done for 18 years.
The key areas for SpursThe Bale Factor
Arsene Wenger says he will not change his tactics for Gareth Bale but the Welshman is in the kind of form that requires special attention. Manchester United dealt with him at White Hart Lane by putting Phil Jones in right midfield to shut him down. When he makes those runs in central areas, it’s usually a midfielder who confronts him first. But who will take responsibility? Santi Cazorla, Jack Wilshere and Mikel Arteta all have attacking instincts. Probably Abou Diaby, who is rated 50-50 to be fit, would be best but does he have the discipline?
Unenviable task: Should he play, Abou Diaby looks likely to be the one tasked with stopping BaleAdebayor’s discipline
Can he cope with playing against his former club in such an important derby? At the Emirates last November, he was too emotionally involved even before the game, hugging everyone, including the mascot. Spurs started well but he was sent off after 18 minutes. Even last Monday at West Ham he would have come in for criticism for his miss on the hour had it not been for Bale’s winner.
Losing his head: Emmanuel Adebayor saw red at the Emirates in November for a high lunge on Santi Cazorla with Spurs a goal to the goodWho plays at left-back?
Tottenham like to push up with a defensive line so high it would make me nervous if I were playing. With Walcott’s pace and the passing ability of Cazorla, Wilshere and Arteta, Arsenal have a big chance down that inside-right channel. Kyle Naughton struggled there at the Emirates and Jan Vertonghen played left-back on Monday, but you wonder whether this is a game for the pace of Benoit Assou-Ekotto.
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