Arsenal Vs Spurs: 5 things we learned

LONDON, ENGLAND – DECEMBER 19: Alex Iwobi of Arsenal battles for possession with Kieran Trippier of Tottenham Hotspur during the Carabao Cup Quarter Final match between Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur at Emirates Stadium on December 19, 2018 in London, United Kingdom. (Photo by Alex Morton/Getty Images)

4. Sharpness in possession

It improved greatly in the second half, but for there was a clear disparity in the relative sharpness of each team’s attacking play. Both had to deal with high-pressing defences, looking to force mistakes through extremely tight marking and tackling, but it was Spurs that were able to play with the great accuracy and artistry, especially in the final third.

In the first half alone, Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Alex Iwobi totalled 10 dispossessions and had pass completion rates below 85%. They were not the only culprits. After 20 minutes, Aubameyang had just three touches of the ball, such was the sloppiness and inaccuracy of Arsenal’s service into him.

Meanwhile, the interplay of Christian Eriksen and Dele Alli and Heung-Min Son was excellent, with their combination passes carving open space and passing lanes to piece the high defensive line that Arsenal implemented. That only intensified when Harry Kane was introduced in the second half, almost instantaneously teeing up Dele Alli for the second goal. There was just an added sharpness to Spurs’ play that Arsenal couldn’t quite match.