Arsenal: Arsene Wenger may have no fear, but he should

Arsene Wenger has stated that he and his Arsenal players have no fear ahead of Saturday’s North London derby. But he should. Spurs are very, very good, and they have had the better of the Gunners in recent years.

Arsene Wenger’s tactics in the big games have been found somewhat wanting. They lack the nuance and the detail of a Pep Guardiola, the discipline and pragmatism of a Jose Mourinho, or the energy and the intensity of a Jurgen Klopp. They are passive and inactive. They do not demand a particular style or strategy. They are the same, predictable, naive. And Arsenal have suffered a poor record against the best teams as a result.

Related Story: Arsenal Vs Spurs: Predicted starting XI

So there is some trepidation ahead of Saturday’s North London derby, the first of the season, in which Arsenal welcome a blossoming Spurs side to the Emirates.

More from Pain in the Arsenal

• 3 standout players from 1-0 victory over Everton
• 3 positives & negatives from Goodison Park victory
• Arsenal vs PSV preview: Prediction, team news & lineups
• 3 talking points from Arsenal’s victory at Goodison Park
• Mikel Arteta provides Gabriel Martinelli injury update after Everton win

The prominent debate leading up to the fixture is how Wenger will approach the match. Playing at home, there is a degree of attacking expectation. Additionally, Wenger is an attacking coach. Contrastingly, Spurs are the better team. Arsenal would be leaving themselves vulnerable in defensive areas against a vicious and clinical attack. So, when posed that very question, Wenger stated, boldly, ‘we have no fear’:

"“The derby is one of the fixtures that is very important in the season but one that we also want to win to make ground up in the table with the top teams. At home, we have been strong, and our home strengths will be vital in deciding where we finish at the end of the season. We have no fear, we are focused on nullifying their strengths and expressing ours. Tottenham are a good side but we have the quality to win the game.”"

Now, it is always nice to hear a manager proclaim his confidence in his players. He, after all, signed them, coached them, and picked them. But there is an element of realism that is needed here. Because Wenger should be afraid.

In the past two full Premier League seasons, no team has amassed more points than Spurs, no team had scored more goals, and no team had conceded fewer goals. In fact, in the 2015/16 season, Spurs scored more goals than any other team and conceded fewer goals than any other team. And in 2016/17, they repeated the feat.

Spurs may not have won a trophy under Mauricio Pochettino yet, but they have been the best team in the country for the past two seasons. And this year, they are beginning to make themselves known on the European stage also, with wins against Borussia Dortmund and Real Madrid.

Next: Arsenal Vs Spurs: Combined starting XI

Wenger may profess to have no fear. But he should. He should be very wary of the threat that Spurs carry. And he should be willing to set his team up accordingly, even if it challenges his philosophies, even at the Emirates. This is a scary, scary fixture.