Yes, I’m a Spurs fan. Yes, this is totally irrational. And Yes, North London is ours.
Now we have established that I am completely biased and have my Ange Postecoglou tinted blinkers on, let me get to the point, mate.
Below are five reasons – in my not so esteemed opinion – why classless Arsenal deserve to lose the North London derby.
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1. Breaking Tradition
What is football without tradition? I don’t have the answer but I’ve written it now so it stays.
If you have not heard, Arsenal will be wearing their black away strip for the game on Sunday, instead of their usual red.
(Image: Getty Images)
Has the world gone mad, I hear you ask? It turns out the gunners put too much white on their home strip, the silly reds.
The rulers of our beautiful game have therefore decided that the North London Derby will no longer be white vs red. Shameful.
Arsenal made a similar balls-up when they lined their kit with gold last year, despite the players claiming no gold medals at the end of the season. And yes, I get the irony, you don’t have to point it out…
So, that is perfectly reasonable example one. If it wasn’t enough for Woolwich Arsenal to barge their way into North London uninvited, now they are disrespecting the fixture further by wearing different colours. Give Spurs the points now.
2. Martin Odegaard
The headline is admittedly misleading. I like Odegaard a lot, I would love for him to do a Sol Campbell, and I even predicted him to be the player of the year in the Daily Star’s Premier League predictions.
(Image: Getty Images)
So with that said, I genuinely took no pleasure in him getting hurt.
However, and hear me out, the whinging from Arsenal fans on social media since his injury playing for Norway has been laughable.
Their injury record has been impeccable in recent years and I don’t want to hear about Gabriel Jesus, a man who could not lace the boots of Dominic Solanke.
It was unfortunate timing for Arsenal fans who were already crying about Declan Rice being suspended, despite nobody forcing him to break the rules against Brighton. Yellow card all day…
Arsenal supporters seem to think they are the only ones who get bad referee decisions and injuries, so with that in mind, a nice drubbing against Spurs would be my way of justice.
3. Covid-19
You all might have put the pandemic to the back of your mind, but not us Spurs fans.
(Image: Getty Images)
The last time Arsenal had so many players missing before a North London Derby they got the match suspended – and blamed Covid. Classless.
It was an absolute farce and made a mockery of the Premier League. God, football clichés are overused, don’t you think?
Funnily enough, when the fixture was eventually played, Spurs hammered them 3-0, before beating them to a Champions League spot.
So assuming Mike Arteta is unable to get Sunday’s match moved to get his best players back, it would be wonderful for them to leave White Hart Lane empty handed.
4. Retrospective Punishment
All the focus in recent times has been about whether Manchester City should be punished – with a hearing finally about to take place.
But what about Arsenal? Let me explain if you have somehow made it this far in.
(Image: Liam McInerney)
Football was suspended in World War 1 and once play resumed, Arsenal were magically promoted to the First Division, at the expense of Tottenham Hotspur.
They had finished sixth in the Second Division the year before but were somehow voted to the big league thanks to their chairman, Sir Henry Norris, being a former well connected MP.
They have stayed in the best league ever since, despite not having to earn their way to the top table like everyone else. Who knows where they would be now without that vote? Still in the division below is my guess.
I mean, with that logic, why not just vote in Plymouth Argyle to the Premier League now for the laugh?
Anyway, this is undoubtedly the most irrational point of all, but I think Arsenal should be demoted to the Championship and made to fight for promotion on the field. After they lose to Spurs on Sunday that is…
5. Sol Campbell
(Image: Getty Images)
Enough said. Knighthood? You must be joking.