Bukayo Saka has turn out to be inevitable for Arsenal as Tottenham’s naivety exhibits – Premier League hits and misses | Soccer Information

Like Robben, Saka has turn out to be inevitable

“I feel sorry for Ben Davies, in a way, but you know Saka is coming back on his left,” mentioned Paul Merson of Arsenal’s second aim of their thrilling 3-2 win over Tottenham. “You cannot let him do that.”

You can’t let him. However, more and more, you can’t cease him both.

The 22-year-old has turn out to be inevitable. Like the previous Chelsea, Bayern Munich and Actual Madrid winger Arjen Robben, precisely what’s coming subsequent. You simply do not know how one can cease it.

Davies is just not the primary defender to seek out this out. It’s what Saka does.

His newest aim was his fifteenth within the Premier League this season and the overwhelming majority of them have come from nearly precisely the identical place; many in nearly precisely the identical fashion. That curling end into the far nook, having minimize in from the best, is changing into his end.

Thierry Henry perfected one thing comparable from the alternative facet of the field, after all. Nevertheless it was one other Arsenal legend whose scoring feats got here to thoughts on this event. Saka is the primary English participant to succeed in 15 Premier League objectives for the membership since Ian Wright. It isn’t dangerous firm to maintain.

His function within the victory went past that aim, although. Saka labored tirelessly off the ball and likewise arrange the opener, his inswinging nook flying into the online off the top of Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg.

He simply retains getting higher. Final season, he produced 26 objectives and assists mixed, his highest whole. This time period, with 19 objectives and 14 assists in all competitions, he’s already as much as 33.

Additional enchancment feels as inevitable as his newest aim.
Nick Wright

Spurs’ naivety prices them when it issues

“They are a team that deals with the details well and we aren’t.” Ange Postecoglou’s evaluation neatly encapsulated the distinction between Tottenham and Arsenal in Sunday’s north London derby.

Had you not been paying shut consideration, you’ll have been perplexed to see the facet in pink main 3-0 at half-time, however the satan was within the element for Mikel Arteta’s title challengers.

Two set-piece objectives and a swift counter had been all they wanted. It acquired tense on the finish however proved to be sufficient to take all three factors in one in all their greatest video games of the season.

Spurs’ set-piece vulnerability will come below extra intense scrutiny now, however Postecoglou insists their points run far deeper than that. “If I thought fixing defensive set-pieces was the answer to us bridging the gap then I’d put all my time and effort into that,” he mentioned.

“Our defensive set-pieces for those first two goals were very poor,” he added. “But there is a lot more than that to fix.”

Arteta has had almost 5 years to work on these particulars, whereas Postecoglou remains to be early in his journey with Spurs. Taking that subsequent step and addressing these shortcomings will outline how his tenure is judged.

Spurs’ naivety was laid naked by a facet which have needed to be taught the laborious approach. Ache is inevitable on the journey with Postecoglou – Sunday’s failure to cease Arsenal being a working example – however essential if Spurs are to ever bridge the hole.
Zinny Boswell

Metropolis present nerves of metal in pursuit of glory

Manchester Metropolis is not going to cease till they’ve reeled Premier League leaders Arsenal absolutely in.

They could have to attend till the ultimate days of the season to take action, within the yard of their fiercest rivals, however Pep Guardiola continues to seek out the solutions. Even when the pitch is as dry as a bone.

As Liverpool have faltered, Metropolis have been described as juggernauts. A well-oiled machine. It is time they had been outlined in footballing phrases, as a bunch of remarkable gamers who proceed to manage below stress. Make no mistake, this was a take a look at. Forest gave them an almighty scare, however couldn’t convert a number of golden probabilities.

Not like Liverpool, Metropolis sustain with Arsenal. They’ve acquired on with it. There have been wild claims. There was sickness, with Phil Foden absent on the Metropolis Floor.

Right here, the ‘League Two striker’ moved clear because the Premier League’s prime goalscorer. They discover all types of how to win, from a easy nook or via the outdated one-two – Kevin De Bruyne to Erling Haaland.

Arsenal will probably be buoyed by a north London derby win however these celebrations can have been tempered by the occasions that unfolded 128 miles away.

This win ensured Guardiola’s three hundredth Premier League match in command of Metropolis resulted in success. It’s now 19 league video games unbeaten as they carry out their perennial trick of coming good simply when it issues probably the most and so they know they are going to be champions for a fourth successive yr in the event that they win their remaining 4 video games.
Ben Grounds

Brighton’s hopes of a European return all however over

Regardless of the added rigours of enjoying in European competitors for the primary time, Brighton at all times seemed in with a shout of qualifying for a second time – for the primary half of the season, at the very least.

However this has been a real season of two halves, and, with 4 video games left to play, these hopes are hanging by a thread.

Because the flip of the yr, they’ve received solely two of their 15 video games and picked up 14 of the 45 factors on provide. What’s extra, they’ve solely scored 4 objectives of their final 9 video games and located themselves no match for Manchester Metropolis and Brighton this week.

Even when they do handle to string collectively 4 straight wins, they may solely attain 56 factors; fifth-placed Tottenham are already on 60, Manchester United have 54 and Newcastle have 53.

Talking in his press convention after the defeat on the Vitality Stadium, Roberto De Zerbi steered the Seagulls are too removed from the European positions and shouldn’t have a transparent goal anymore, so are struggling with motivation in consequence.

It is laborious to argue in opposition to that, however this powerful interval will doubtless form what Brighton do subsequent season to keep away from a repeat – albeit with out enjoying in a fourth competitors.
Dan Lengthy