10 Reasons To Look Forward To The North London Derby

Football is a sport that is widely regarded as the best sport in the world for more reasons than one. It’s a game that unifies all diversities for a common cause.

Many people on Earth watch the game for the love of it while others familiarize themselves with a specific team and stick to them through thick and thin. In the various leagues of the world, there are specific games that are regarded above others because there’s some spice added to it.

England has been touted as the home of football and there are many football clubs in the country. My focus is on the match between two football juggernauts in the Northern part of London, Arsenal and Tottenham.

Down the years, the matches between Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur have produced moments of quality and individual brilliance from footballers that have placed their names in the folklore of their clubs. Moments like Thierry Henry’s magnificent solo run in the 3-0 victory, Emmanuel Adebayor’s goal of the season in the 3-1 victory or David Bentley’s unbelievable long range projectile missile in the 4-4 draw could only be produced in a match of this caliber.

Arsenal, Tottenham and football fans alike love watching the North London derby and here’s my take of the top ten reasons to watch the game on Sunday.

Rivalry: Facing the old enemy

There’s nothing sweeter than facing a familiar foe in a battle that will last for a long while. In football terms, Arsenal and Tottenham always look forward to facing each other because of the rivalry involved with both sides.

Bragging rights

In recent times, Arsenal always had bragging rights over their neighbors until Juande Ramos ended it in grand style in that 5-1 demolition in the Carling Cup semis of 2008. That game also unveiled a little feud between Emmanuel Adebayor and Nicklas Bendtner.

Arsenal saw off the threat of Tottenham in subsequent years till that 2-1 defeat in White Hart Lane that unveiled Danny Rose to the world. Tottenham added further misery in the 3-2 reverse last season in November. Both teams will want to use Sunday’s game to tip the scale to the winning team’s side.

Past records

Arsenal and Tottenham have produced games that have been updated to record books from time to time and I’m pretty sure that Sunday’s clash will be no different.

Epic encounters

5-4, 4-4, 3-3….the list goes on. Games between Arsenal and Tottenham provide enthralling encounters for even the neutrals to enjoy. No one expected an unlikely comeback in Harry Redknapp’s first game in charge of Tottenham when they were two goals down with only five minutes to spare. Nobody also expected a Tottenham comeback when they were two goals down at halftime in the Emirates after they were outplayed by their illustrious neighbors but the second half was a different ball game.

With the way both teams are playing, every football lover will be expecting another epic encounter.

Stars on the spotlight

Down the years, stars like Thierry Henry, Robert Pires, Patrick Vieira and Robbie Keane were in the spotlight for all the right reasons when Arsenal played Tottenham but in recent times Rafael van der Vaart has joined the party to be a scourge to the Gunners with his performances in the North London derby last season.

On Sunday, the likes of Gareth Bale and Robin van Persie will want to play well enough to see their names in the front pages on the Monday sports news headlines.

Derby debuts for new signings

Harry Redknapp and Arsene Wenger got their bags and their wallets open to visit football Walmarts and eBays to acquire players for the forthcoming campaign.

From a Tottenham perspective, Scott Parker and Brad Friedel despite being Premier League veterans will get their first dose of the drug called the North London derby. Per Mertesacker, Gervinho, Mikel Arteta and Andre Santos will face Arsenal’s foes for the first time in a game that a lot will be expected of them.

Arsenal and Tottenham’s resurgence

The league started on a poor note for Wenger and his men but three successive wins on the trot in all competitions played will be an added incentive from an Arsenal point of view.

Tottenham started the season with sound bashing from the clubs from Manchester but three successive league wins have brought smiles back to the faces of the White half of North London so Sunday’s encounter is going to be a lot sweeter because it’s fair to say that both teams are on form.

Positions in the Premier League table

In all my years as an Arsenal fan, I’ve never seen the Gunners finish below the Spurs. I’ve also been very confident with this assessment to the stage that I was in the opinion that if Arsenal ever ends up in 17^th place, Tottenham will get relegated but the trend hasn’t been followed because those in the White half of North London wave at the Red half from above in Mount Premiership.

Super Sunday

The Premier League has a knack for setting up these sorts of fixtures on Sunday evenings and this match is no different. Sunday matches are always the most comfortable to watch especially after a great Sunday service at church.

Emmanuel Adebayor

I had to put Mr. Greedybayor as the final reason to look forward to the North London derby. He was Tottenham’s personal terrorist in his Arsenal days as he pumped goals past the likes of Paul Robinson, Carlo Cudincini and probably Heurelho Gomes.

Adebayor was shipped out to the oil moneybags of Manchester City after a disappointing last season with Arsenal and he has struggled to challenge for a place in Mancini’s squad. During his pretty decent loan spell at Real Madrid, he still managed to score against Tottenham but it’s really awkward to know that the Tottenham fans that rained boos on him in his Arsenal days created a song for him when he decimated Liverpool.

Well that’s football for you.

Sayonara.

Submitted by Gooner Daily