Ian Wright says that Arsenal have enough players who know what the North London derby means to ensure that the Gunners put in a performance against the old enemy at the Emirates tomorrow.
Some see Sp*rs as favourites for the game, a sea change from the last 20 years when they were almost always the underdogs, and it’s 2014 since Arsene Wenger led his side to victory in the derby – a Tomas Rosicky goal securing a 1-0 win at White Hart Lane.
The club’s former record goalscorer admits times are different from when he was playing, but insists there are enough players in the team who understand just how important the derby is.
Speaking on this week’s Arsecast, he said, “It’s down to people like Jack, Aaron Ramsey, people like that who know now.
“Koscielny, he’s ingrained in it. Bellerin’s been there long enough, we’ve got players who have been at the club long enough to know what this means.
“It’s a whole different time from when we played, and I’m not going to try and compare how we were in the dressing room to how these guys are, because when you’re talking about someone like Tony Adams … he was frightening!
“Five, ten minutes before you went out. Merson, Rocastle, Thomas, Davis, all those people who came up through the ranks playing against Tottenham, hating Tottenham, knowing what it means to the fans not to lose.”
And on a possible win reigniting what has been a disappointing season to date, he continued, “It’s not going to be an easy game, but it might give us a little something.
“You know, a chink of light, and you see if the guys can use it to kick on, because I just feel that it could be something.
“Just let us know we can beat one of those teams, beat them well, and get confidence from it.
“I just want us to win this game, and we can deal with everything else afterwards.”
CMON THE BOYS..nothing else matters right now other than beating them wankers down the road. Pumped for this game! Really wish I was good at football haha
Beat them and we are one point behind the best Sp*rs team in decades. Whilst this is one of our worst, many say.
That’s a depressing statement, we’re 11 games into the season and we’re in a must win situation otherwise we’ll be left adrift of the top 4 by potentially 6 points already. And note that’s not first but the team in fourth, we could be 15 points off City.
You gotta luv Ian Wright.
but not his choice of spectacles
When you do what Ian Wright did for us….you can wear what ever the hell you want…
He does love the “university professor meets oliver twist” fashion style. But in my mind he is one of the greatest pure finishers to ever live (not just Arsenal) so he can do what he wants.
Can’t believe that’s getting down thumbed. Love his passion combined with sense and the fact he genuinely cares. seems like a great chap. Great coup getting him on, Blogs!
I just assume that those 3 dislikes are from people who aren’t Arsenal fans.
Cliff Bastin fans, maybe
Thickness. People that are either thick or have thick thumbs and missed the thumbs up button.
Think it was from the same people who give a shit about his spectacles. So refreshing to here wrighty. Wish he could speak that truthful on match of the day.
Thick thumbs. Hear. Wright is a legion
A legion, 3,000-6,000 Ian wrights. I’d love to see that
Wrighty is probably the most truthful pundit on TV, it must kill him to say Tottenham are a top side, but he says it how he sees it, and you can just see the passion he has for arsenal and football in general. I’m not old enough to have watched him play live but he is by far my favourite arsenal legend.
Defeating Spurs tomorrow is a morale booster to the players and we the fans. go on boys and prove your worth!
If even one man goes hiding tomorrow we’re going to struggle. If we aren’t coherent we’re going to struggle. Hopefully Ozil won’t be anonymous. Hopefully Sanchez won’t try and take on the world on his own.
Neither started in the 0-0 draw at Chelsea – one of, if not our best performances this season.
Just sayin, like.
Hopefully granit won’t give the ref a sniff of an opportunity to delve into his pocket. We know it’ll only take a sniff. I can see them getting a dodgy penalty or something like that so we need to be 100% concentrated. I love and hate this game in equal measure. Fucking pumped for the atmosphere and I hope we give them a lesson and take them down a peg or two because their fans are really starting to PISS ME OFF!
I don’t think it would even take a sniff for the ref to ruin the game, we have Tottenham supporting Mike Dean as our ref for the game!
@Isaiah Rankin As much as I agree, that yes, everyone has to be bang up for it because it is derby day. But Spurs aren’t actually as good as everyone is making them out to be. Like the media are literally making them out to be the greatest team in the land because they beat Real Madrid in the group stages of the Champions League…Wow, cool, well done to them. A great achievement. Celtic beat Barcelona in the group stages in 2012 too – and unsurprisingly Bayern Munich were lifting the winners trophy come May in 2013 – not Celtic.… Read more »
The ESPN “analyst” pointed out how many Spurs Southgate chose for England, without taking any Arsenal players, as a sign of how the “balance” has changed. As I told my friends, Southgate picked no one from Barca, Real Madrid, PSG, or Bayern either. Yet Didier Deschamps and Jorgi Low seem to think Arsenal still have a decent player or two.
And the german coach Low played Ozil twice and from start to finish. And he didnt do that badly either….despite what that dick bellamy had to say
Bellamy and other ex-Arsenal players including Wright! So Wright is a dick too. That’s why i downvote.
Agreed Goober, although my comment was probably more to do with our performance in derbies and big games in recent seasons than the fanfare them lot are receiving after a couple of 2nd place league finishes. Just to agree with you further: I’ve read no end of articles talking up the shift in the balance of power and they’re all bollocks. Until they actually win something (which we were mocked for not doing for nine years), I’m not going to be even approaching the pretence of giving a fuck. A Sp*rs-supporting relative of mine actually tried to tell me I… Read more »
Well. We did smash the life out of them.
I hope they go and hide into their dark and creepy cave and live miserable ever after with their tossers based fans
Great comment Goober. All that matters today is that we beat them. Not interested in a draw. This is the fixture of the season…Up the gunners and fuck spurs.
Agreed, everyone must perform, especially our two best players. If any one of them starts sulking or walking around, I don’t care how talented they are, I would bench them.
Ozil and Sanchez will be leaving the club but while they are still wearing the Arsenal shirt, they should play this game as a worldcup final. If they don’t, they should start warming the bench.
Stop focusing on them!! The media do, show you’re more clever than them.
I’d take a lucky of the backside 1-0 and be well happy. Coyg
Some see sp*rs as favourites? Sorry but who on earth sees us as favourites?!
I have my beef with some of Ian wrights histrionics but I have to say he knows the pride on the badge. I think back to Sagna who hauled us back from humiliation when we beat them 5-2 going two goals down (to Adebayor’s gloating) just before one of the best Rbacks to don our shirt decided to take matters into his own dreads. I think Alexis and jack will be up for a scrap any day. Our French players tend to be our steel in Koscielny, Coquelin, Giroud. Mustafi if fit may also relish a battle. Monreal could be… Read more »
It’s not since 2014. I recall Flamini scoring twice in 2015 win…
I think blogs means in the league. It’s gonna be an interesting match, our home form is pretty good, 10 match winning streak I think? If we were playing away I would be a bit more worried about what the result could be, but being at home and having a point to prove against the media I’m thinking (quietly) we could get a good result out of this. That’s a shame long as mike dean doesn’t balls it up for us, which he inevitably will.
Why do English players continue to perpetuate this myth that there is some unique quality to their derby matches that is hard to understand? In every country in the world there are big rivalries between the biggest clubs in the same city. They want to beat each other and the fans take it more personally than other matches. It’s not that complicated. I think the new players can work it out without the English players explaining this deep mystery to them.