As Tottenham ran out winners in a pulsating North London Derby and as a result, pulled seven points clear of arch-rivals Arsenal, you can’t help but feel that the balance of power in London has shifted, at least for now.
I appreciate that there’s still plenty of time left in the season and that Arsene Wenger has never finished behind Spurs on the table, but it looks like very long odds that we’ll be seeing Arsenal fans celebrate Saint Totteringham’s Day this year, for the first time in a very long time.
If Gareth Bale isn’t the best player in world football right now, you’d have to be putting forward a pretty strong argument to the contrary.
Suarez and Messi are the only two guys that you could throw in the argument at this point in time.
I didn’t think it could keep going after last week’s virtuoso showing against West Ham – this sort of form is absolutely ridiculous, reminiscent of Ronaldo at the absolute peak of his powers for Manchester United.
It’s baffling; this is a guy that three seasons ago was the subject of ridiculous articles like this where he was called a ‘flop’ and a ‘waste of money’. Then there was ‘The Curse of Gareth Bale’ and well – you get the idea.
That first article is incredibly short-sighted and the second is more amusing than anything. I don’t think anyone doubted his potential at any point. Certainly, the Football Manager gurus amongst us didn’t.
Even now he’s just 23. Hell, I’m 23. I only scored two goals last year in park football. He has more than this week (and one of my two was a penalty. Sigh).
The thing that impresses me most about Bale is that he appears to have made significant mental strides over the last couple of years. No longer is he holding on to the ball too long, or shooting when he should pass.
One thing that particularly stood out was during stoppage time, there were two separate occaisions where he passed up an attacking opportunity to take the ball to the corner flag – exactly what he didn’t do in an F.A Cup tie against Leeds back in 2010.
But enough gushing over one player. The game itself was really a microcosm of the season that both of these teams are enduring.
One, a former giant’s decline into mediocrity which is painful from a neutral’s perspective. The other a fast, young and exciting team managed by one of the most polarising figures in football. The Fernando Torres of management, if you will.
Then there was the superhero efforts of Dawson and Vertonghen at the back, and the blistering pace of Lennon and Walker down the right is unplayable when they’re both on form.
If recent rumours of an Arab takeover of Arsenal are to be believed then perhaps the status quo will return. But then again, the third London giant is the richest of all and is a total basket case at the moment.
Its best player is a 34 year old who despite being beloved by every Chelsea fan on the planet, is being treated very shoddily by upper management. This whole Lampard saga comes in the wake of Manchester United signing 40 year old Ryan Giggs for another season.
Arsenal’s problem is exactly the opposite. Yes, Arsene Wenger has made some tactical decisions in recent times that have baffled fans.
Today’s example was the removal of Carl Jenkinson for Tomas Rosicky and shifting Aaron Ramsey to right back (you know, to mark the bloke who is playing better than anyone on earth right now?). It certainly didn’t work.
But despite the fact I’ve been on the ‘Sack Arsene’ bandwagon since before it was cool, the huge financial shackles which he is imprisoned by can’t be ignored.
I don’t need to rattle through the list of players that have moved on from The Emirates in recent times, but we all need to remember that it doesn’t begin and end with Robin van Persie. Whomever is chosen to take over Arsene’s post will certainly have their work cut out for them.
Or if there is indeed a takeover, hopefully the Arab consortium would give him at least a season to prove his worth. He’s the greatest manager in the club’s history – they owe him that much!
But the 2012-13 will certainly not be his year. Or Chelsea’s. It should, in all likelihood, belong to the long-suffering fans at White Hart Lane. And as someone who enjoys watching Spurs more than just about any other team, I couldn’t be happier for them.
The rise of Tottenham seems very similar to the change of fortunes that Borussia Dortmund have seen in Germany in the last couple of seasons if we start from say, 2005 – because Dortmund used to be really, really good.
The prospect of seeing these two teams go at each other in next season’s Champions League is an incredibly tantalising prospect.
And who knows? They might be the only London team there. That fourth place spot is no guarantee of a group spot anymore…
@TheMattBungard
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