Arsenal’s tactical blueprint to beating Tottenham in the derby

Saka and Martinelli High and Wide vs Spurs

Establishing a foundation at the back, one that is flexible and allows Arsenal to fluctuate between a back three, four and five as they did against Chelsea, means that their attacking players can exploit Spurs’ weaknesses.

Some will be calling for an all-out defensive/soak pressure and strike on the counter-attack approach. Beat Tottenham at their own game, as it were. Winning would be more glorious than it has in years, but equally, not losing still keeps Arsenal in a very strong position.

However, while Spurs’ strengths have to be looked into, so to do their weaknesses.

With the defensive setup and two central midfielders to match up with Hojbjerg and Bentancur, keeping Bukayo Saka (if he’s fit) and Gabriel Martinelli high and wide will pin Tottenham back and lay siege on the areas where their shape can be unpicked.

Emile Smith Rowe started in the win over Chelsea, but with Tomiyasu at left-back instead of the marauding Nuno, it means Arsenal can hold the width now and Martinelli is stronger on the touchline. His performances against West Ham and Leeds were chalk and cheese. The difference? The man who played left-back.

Getting in behind Spurs’ wing-back pairing of Sessegnon and Emerson will be key. It’s likely that Conte will aim to protect Emerson on their right, a position he is actively trying to upgrade in and even brought the much-maligned Matt Doherty out from the cold to play instead of prior to his injury. Martinelli’s devastating pace and trickery, the like which was front and centre of the win over Leeds, will force Romero to compensate and this will open the spaces for Nketiah to split the back three open.

The tactical battle will be fascinating to behold. Well, that’s if the entire 95 minutes won’t be spent watching through one’s fingers seeing the clock magically tick backwards…which it will.

Arteta and Conte have never come up against each other before, and this Premier League derby has yet to be played at the Toilet Bowl in front of a capacity crowd. Across the fixture it is inevitable that both teams will bend and break shapes and plans at an almost constant rate; it’s as much a battle for bragging rights for the teams as it is for the managers, even if the collective is all that matters.

But, of the potential approaches that Arsenal could adopt, this one feels like the one.