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Arsenal + Tottenham face a similar test
Written by Sawyer | 27th August 2006 | 1 Comment(s)
All good things have to come to an end at some time and Tottenham's White Hart Lane jinx over Everton stretching back 21 years along with Arsenal's 15 year domination of any fixture with Manchester City has left both North London clubs floundering in the early part of the season.
One crumb of comfort for Spurs on the back of the weekend's results could come home to roost when Martin Jol's side face Chelsea in November, and look to break a similar run to the two that have just passed.
Chelsea themselves were able to reverse their own trend against Arsenal last term, but their Indian sign over Tottenham has now reached comical proportions.
That of course is further in the future and will be of no consequence during Spurs' next two matches, which will see Martin Jol's side under pressure to achieve some sort of success at Manchester United and in Europe at Slavia Prague.
The now notorious mix-up in the postal system between Holland and England that resulted in Wayne Rooney and Paul Scholes missing the Tottenham game should provide Spurs with a chance to test United's scampering start.
Fulham, Charlton and Watford have all been unceremoniously despatched, but all would have been in most people's minds as relegation candidates, so we shall see how easy it is for Man United to deal with a Tottenham side in need of points.
The following week Arsenal will take their turn to strut their stuff at Old Trafford, and although Arsene Wenger could probably take heart from some of the nice football his team has displayed already this season finding the back of the net is a problem he will need solving sooner rather than later.
With Middlesbrough at home and Hamburg away to face before that meeting with Sir Alex Ferguson, Arsenal will have two matches that could go a long way to shaping their season.
Wenger of course will stick to his principles of how he likes to see football played, which will require further patience from Arsenal's faithful, who could on occasions be sympathised with as their players continue with pass number twenty-something in favour of a shot.
With the transfer deadline fast approaching this week both clubs are entwined in speculation, with Spurs chasing Middlesbrough winger Stuart Downing, while Arsenal may be about to steal Javier Mascherano from under Man United's noses.
Whether anything happens on both fronts time will tell, but it is quite likely that the game of cat and mouse being played between Arsenal and Chelsea over Ashley Cole could be about to reach its conclusion.
Jose Mourinho clearly didn't wish to let Wenger have the funds from Cole's transfer in his hands until as late as possible, and likewise the Arsenal boss would have been reluctant to let his left-back leave for less money and settle in nice and early at Chelsea, and Mourinho would probably feel likewise with concern to William Gallas.
Quite what the outcome will eventually be concerning Gallas is still open to question, but it would be a surprise if Cole was to remain an Arsenal player for the International weekend that will disrupt the season's beginning.
The same could be said for Jose Antonio Reyes, but seeing as he is tied to a long contract his Spanish suitors will have to put-up or shut-up having successfully unsettled the player through his agent.
Obviously the season is only two or three games old so there is no need to panic quite yet, but both clubs will require a better September in order to kick-start their campaigns.
It could be said that the international break may have come at a good time for Wenger and Jol as they can both draw a line under their respective misfortunes and hope to begin again with more success next month.
However, Man United away is a fixture that will test both clubs' ambitions whether or not new faces arrive during the week ahead.
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It would be about time if Tottenham beat Chelsea, but the way they played on Saturday it would be very unlikely.