Arsenal vs Tottenham: Some chances are just too good to miss

Arsenal can make a statement with a win against Tottenham, and the results from Saturday only bolster the magnitude of that statement.

Last year, Arsenal were one point fro finishing in the top four. They were two points from finishing third. It was a massively frustrating missed opportunity that saw them through some awful results, all of which, with a little more determination, or a little more focus, could have seen us into the Champions League.

This year, they have started with two wins and a loss. Not anything special. But yet, going into the first North London Derby of the year, they have a massive opportunity on their hands to leave the few rivals that beat them out last year in a turned-table position.

With a win against Spurs, the Gunners will go to nine points, five points clear of Tottenham and four clear of both Manchester United and Chelsea.

It was Spurs and Chelsea that beat us out to the Champions League last year, and we can have a multiple-result lead over them in points just four matches into the season.

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We were helped out yesterday. Chelsea only managed to get a point at home against Sheffield United and Manchester United only scraped a point from Southampton. This coming just a week after United couldn’t handle Crystal Palace at Old Trafford, losing 2-1, and Tottenham couldn’t handle Newcastle at the toilet bowl.

Not to mention Chelsea just scraping by against Norwich.

This is a long season, but these are the kinds of points that the Gunners lost late last year. They’re the kind of misses that they can now take advantage of and put some early breathing room between them and the other teams that want to finish in that top four.

Of course Liverpool was a hiccup, but the fact that the loss was nowhere near as ugly as the media was making it out to be should also be a breath of fresh air. We are getting better, and it looks like all those around us aren’t. We have to take advantage of that while it lasts, because it could be over in a week, two, who knows. But if you capitalize now, you turn the tables on what they did to us at the end of last year.

And it all starts with a win against Spurs. I think we’re in pretty good shape, if you don’t mind my saying it.