Tottenham faced a tough 4-1 loss to Arsenal.
Tottenham Hotspur struggled once again against Arsenal, as Mikel Arteta’s team secured a dominant victory at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, matching their previous 4-1 win at the Emirates Stadium.
Eberechi Eze and Viktor Gyokeres each scored two goals, helping Arsenal take all three points in the 199th North London derby.
This match marked Igor Tudor’s debut as Tottenham’s coach, but Arsenal’s strong performance overwhelmed a troubled Tottenham side.
Danny Murphy comments on Djed Spence’s performance against Arsenal
Among a lackluster Tottenham display, Djed Spence stood out on the left, consistently defending against Saka. Former Premier League player Danny Murphy expressed sympathy for Spence, noting how Tottenham struggled with the combination of Bukayo Saka and Jurrien Timber, who often cornered Spence in a 2v1 situation.
Murphy explained that Tottenham failed to adjust to this disadvantage, causing Spence to face dilemmas about whether to press or fall back, which Arsenal exploited throughout the match.
While some recognized Spence’s effort, the statistics told a different story: he won only five out of 17 ground duels without making any tackles or interceptions, and he committed four fouls, including a mistake that contributed to an Arsenal goal.
Murphy emphasized that Spence was not solely at fault, pointing to issues with communication, team structure, and a lack of tactical changes that left Tottenham vulnerable.
Speaking on Match of the Day (via BBC), Murphy said:
“It’s fair to say that Spurs were poor at times, but Arsenal were outstanding. This partnership on the right side, which they haven’t had recently, gave Saka his best position, with Timber supporting behind.
“At its best, it’s one of the top partnerships in Europe, and Tottenham couldn’t handle it, especially in the first half. They didn’t resolve the problem, and it persisted throughout the match.
“I really felt for Djed Spence. He was caught between pressing or falling back, constantly facing the two vs one scenario.
“They had difficulty stopping that threat today, unsure of who to mark or when to engage, resulting in poor communication and planning.”
Analysis
Many of these structural issues stem from injuries. The absence of a player like Bergvall could have provided more support on the wing during attacks. These problems can often have a cascading effect.
While Xavi Simons attempted to support Spence, he often seemed like an extra body rather than an effective partner, which didn’t assist Spence’s struggle against Arsenal’s attack.