Arsenal Vs Tottenham Hotspur Betting – Saturday 31st October

 

Arsenal Vs Tottenham Hotspur

 

Kick-off: Saturday 31st October – 12:45 GMT

Venue: The Emirates

TV Coverage: Sky Sports 1

 

 

 

Arsenal

 

League Position: 3rd

Recent Form: WWWWD

 

Arsenal are rapidly cranking up the gears as they go from strength to strength in whatever competition they end up in. Their position in the Champions looks rosy, on the verge of qualifying actually, they booked their spot in the quarter-finals of the Carling Cup on Wednesday while, more importantly, they are building up ahead of steam in the Premiership. In our honest opinion, The Gunners are the team to beat at present despite Arsene Wenger’s side not occupying the top spot in the league table.

  

Arsenal have built up a bit of momentum after going on a five match unbeaten run. That run could have been a winning one were it not for Arsenal throwing away a 2-0 lead against West Ham last Sunday. The Gunners made a bright start in that game and deservedly led at the break. However, Arsenal did look rattled in the second half and Arsene Wenger won’t have been happy about the final result, especially as Alex Song gave away a needless and cheap penalty which did lead to lost points. Nevertheless, Arsenal do boast strong form, winning four of their last five games and, even though they have lost twice this season, their defeats have both come against the Manchester outfits of which Arsenal were mighty unluckily to lose in both.

  

It’s vital that Arsene Wenger does guide his troops back to winning ways as victory over their North London rivals would see them close the gap on Chelsea to a single point. The Gunners would also have a game in hand once Chelsea play their fixture away at Bolton at 15:00 so there is plenty to be positive about Arsenal right now. One thing to highlight about their play is their vigour and swagger in the attacking third. The Gunners have found scoring a breeze this season already notching up 29 league goals. That’s phenomenal, the highest goal tally in the league, and the main area where Arsenal look extremely dangerous this year. Their defence could still do with a little more strengthening, perhaps not with new faces but more with organisation and cohesion, two characteristics which will come in time with plenty of practice.

  

West Ham, one of several London competitors in the Premiership, may have halted the Arsenal express but we feel that is only a temporary jerk. Arsenal will be fired up for this encounter and they arrive in a buoyant mood after claiming the scalp of Liverpool in the Carling Cup in midweek, winning 2-1. The kids came through for Arsene Wenger and, although Arsene will make changes from the side that started against Liverpool, the momentum Arsenal have built up should still be under their sails.

 

 

Tottenham Hotspur

 

League Position: 4th

Recent Form: LWDWL

 

Tottenham will have mixed emotions this week after progressing in the Carling Cup but succumbing to an embarrassing defeat at home to Stoke last Saturday. We’re pretty sure that Harry Redknapp would have swapped his Carling Cup success for the three points against Stoke but at least his players showed some character in battling on in the Cup after their surprising defeat to Stoke City. His players could of hid and cowered away in the corner but they didn’t, they came out fighting on Tuesday against a very good side in Everton and, come the end, won very easily.

  

The victory on Tuesday in the Carling Cup won’t have completely banished the weekend nightmares of Stoke City but it’s a start and the Spurs players will be eager to make amends on Saturday. It wasn’t as if Tottenham played bad on Saturday as they certainly didn’t. They dominated for large periods of the game, creating chance after chance, but it was just one of those days were try all you like they just weren’t going to find the net. Nevertheless, at least Harry can take some positives from the game, albeit the result setting them back in their charge to break into the top four.

  

However, what a game to re announce yourself as a serious ‘Top Four’ contender then a clash with your closest of rivals and one of the so called ‘Top Four’ in Arsenal. There is no loved lost between the Tottenham and Arsenal fans and a win over their arch rivals would definitely put their weekend woes to bed. They are in a similar position to what Liverpool were last weekend. The disappointment of their previous result will be hanging over them but a win over Arsenal would see that defeat to Stoke all but forgotten here.

  

Can Tottenham beat Arsenal and go one better then their 4-4 draw last season. Well, if they can relocate their early form and momentum then we can’t see why not. They can certainly match Arsenal in the attacking department but it’s their defence which has me grimacing about the prospect of a potential bet on Spurs as they do still remain very vulnerable at back and they’ve been exposed by the remaining three top four already this season. They did well tor restrict Liverpool to just the one goal on the opening day of the season but both Man Utd and Chelsea both scored three against Tottenham, with United scoring their treble at White Hart Lane. To make matters worse, Johnathan Woodgate is a doubt although Ledley King should be fit but he is hardly the reliable type. Aaron Lennon limped off with a whimper on Saturday and he is another big player in doubt for the trip to Arsenal. Their defence still lacks any cohesion and, until their defensive issues are resolved, we can’t be backing Tottenham when it comes to competing against the best teams in the country.

 

 

 

Head-to-Head:

 

Arsenal W: 5 Tottenham Hotspur W: 0 Draws: 5

 

Although Tottenham haven’t had much luck in recent encounters with their bitter rivals they have still been a pain in the backside as far as Arsene Wenger and Arsenal are concerned. Last season, Spurs held the Gunners to two draws. Arsenal had to settle for a point at The Emirates in a a thrilling 4-4 draw which seen Tottenham come from behind on more than one occasion, while Arsenal had to grind out a 0-0 draw at White Hart Lane in the reverse fixture. However, as you can, Tottenham haven’t won any of the previous ten meetings, losing on three of their previous five visits to Arsenal.

 

 

 

Key Player:- Heurelho Gomes

 

We think it’s safe to say that they Tottenham goalmouth can expect a lot of action at The Emirates and it will be down to one man to keep the Gunners at arms length. The Brazilian goalkeeper has had his critics in the past but he’s kept hold of the number 1 shirt with Harry Redknapp keeping the faith it would seem. He does tend to try and do a little too much at times but a big performance is needed from the Brazilian from the Spurs camp as he will kept on toes throughout the course of the game. Tottenham have yet to keep a single clean sheet on the road this season and it’s very unlikely that the Spurs goal won’t be breached at least once in this match.

 

 

 

Match Verdict:- Arsenal to WIN – 1.62 Boylesports

 

The Gunners have looked superb this season, even in defeat. The 2-2 draw with West Ham will have been disappointed but that draw could be a double edged sword as the players should be hungry to avenge that slip up and come good against Arsenal most hated rivals. Arsenal have won four out of four at home this season and we can’t see Spurs, despite impressing many in the early part of the season, halting Arsenal home surge.

 

 

 

Match Odds:

 

Arsenal – 1.62 Boylepsorts

 

Draw – 4.0 Bet365

 

Tottenham Hotspur – 6.3 Expekt

 

 

 

 

SoccerBetting Value Tip:Andrey Arshavin to Score Anytime – 3.00 Expekt

 

 

 Update: The result of Arsenal vs Tottenham was 3-0 (goals by van Persie (2) and Fabregas)