It would hard to find an attacking pair anywhere that takes such obvious pleasure in their own rampant chemistry. Kane and Son have made Tottenham title contendersTrue love will find you in the end. Is there an attacking pair anywhere that takes such obvious pleasure in their own rampant chemistry as Harry Kane and Son Heung-min?On a chilly night in north London, Tottenham Hotspur went to the top of the Premier League table with a pared-back 2-0 defeat of a possession-heavy Arsenal; a victory that raised the tantalising possibility this Spurs team could become the first to play the full 38-game season engaged in an expertly managed relegation battle, only to look up and notice they’ve won the league. Related:...
The Arsenal manager’s troubles run deeper than a chronic shortage of goals but the derby could offer some respiteAn evening in the life of Mikel Arteta usually involves a stress-relieving walk with his dog, Arnie. Arteta revealed as much this past week and it was a relatively rare insight into the extracurricular pursuits of a manager who, during his first year in the job, has proved adept at answering questions with a smile while giving little away.If only the same could be said for his team. Arsenal have been both hangdog and porous in recent Premier League outings, losing their past three home games and somehow surviving a pounding at Leeds. Related: Arteta angry at Pépé over 'unacceptable' red card...
Gobbling up possession from a holding role is what the Chelsea midfielder does best, as he showed against TottenhamA run of just two goals conceded in nine games is some riposte to the doubts about Chelsea’s defending. Some doubts remain, but given how exposed Frank Lampard’s side were to the break last season, when they had the worst defensive record of any Chelsea team in 23 years, stifling Tottenham, the kings of the counterattack, is not an achievement to be underplayed. Related: Tottenham return to top of table after José Mourinho frustrates Chelsea Related: Diego Maradona's personal doctor denies responsibility for death Continue reading...
This season of two-a-week fixtures suits the Spurs manager’s attritional style and is why he seems to be enjoying himself Ah, José, it’s good to have you back. It’s been too long since we saw this version of José Mourinho, and in that decade or so it had become increasingly hard to remember exactly what we ever saw in him. How had this sourpuss with the ideological aversion to possession ever charmed us? What on earth was it about this grouch who kept demanding “respect” and his almost unwatchable teams that had made his arrival in the Premier League in 2004 seem such a vital event in the history of football in England? Related: José Mourinho is the right man...
Tottenham can challenge for the title, Arsenal’s search for goals goes on and Timo Werner hits his stride for ChelseaPerhaps we ought to ask the question differently. How are Tottenham going to mess this up? A tear in Harry Kane’s ankle? A dodgy lasagne? A global pandemic halting the league? Because in the heat of this moment, in which the world is upside down and anything can happen, the biggest reason why Spurs cannot win the title is that they are Spurs. Apart from the loss to Everton on the opening weekend, they have been better than everybody they have faced – and that has included both Manchester clubs, most recently City on Saturday. After an excellent transfer window, they...