Tottenham and Arsenal combined XI as Bukayo Saka and Cristian Romero miss out
Tottenham and Arsenal are set to go head-to-head in the North London Derby this weekend as we take a look at the latest combined XI.
Tottenham Hotspur are back in action this weekend after 12 days of rest and are set to take on north London rivals Arsenal.
The Gunners are pushing for the title, and Tottenham will be hoping to dent their aspirations by taking points off them.
This also marks Igor Tudor’s first game in charge, and he will aim to get off to a strong start against Spurs’ bitter rivals.
We have now put together our combined XI for both sides ahead of the derby game on Sunday. Of course, this XI does not take into account the injured players from both teams.
Tottenham and Arsenal combined XI selection calls
David Raya – In goal, Raya obviously edges this one as he is the more consistent of the two; Guglielmo Vicario has the odd error here and there, struggles with crosses and is not as strong with his feet – areas Raya excels in.
Jurrien Timber – When it comes to full-backs, both sides deploy different setups. Timber has the licence to push up and invert into central areas, while Pedro Porro under Thomas Frank was often deployed as a traditional right-back who had to pick his moments to get forward. Going forward, both players are equal, but it is defensively where Porro falls short, as he often tends to switch off at the back post when dealing with crosses.
Gabriel – Gabriel takes this spot, and there is even an argument to be made that he might be the best centre-back in the league, given how dominant he is in both boxes. He does, however, make the odd mistake, as we have seen at times this season with his passing. Cristian Romero, unfortunately, has been too wayward for Tottenham this season.
Micky van de Ven – Having two goal-scoring centre-backs is no doubt the dream pairing for two sides that are strong from set pieces. Van de Ven just brings some variety, given his pace and ball-carrying ability. He gets in ahead of William Saliba.
Riccardo Calafiori – Again, an Arsenal player makes the cut, and it is no surprise given how strong the Gunners are defensively. Calafiori is a good mix of a proper defender and a strong attacking outlet. It is definitely a close one, as Tottenham’s Djed Spence is equally strong in both facets and can even play in both full-back positions.
Declan Rice – In midfield, Rice has been one of the most consistent players in the Premier League, offering a solid defensive base while also being capable of filling in as a box-to-box midfielder. He also carries a set-piece threat with his deliveries.
Martin Zubimendi – Yet another Arsenal player makes the cut in midfield, and that just shows how poor Spurs have been in the middle of the park. Zubimendi gets in as he brings composure to the centre with his passing.
Xavi Simons – In the number ten role is the in-form Simons, who is finally finding some rhythm in the Premier League. The Dutchman gets in ahead of Martin Odegaard and Eberechi Eze, who have been subpar for most of the season.
Noni Madueke – Out wide, we ironically have a former Spurs academy man, Noni Madueke. His numbers have not been the most impressive, with Madueke managing just two league goals thus far, but some of his performances have been electric. So much so that he keeps Bukayo Saka out of our XI.
Dominic Solanke – When it comes to the overall centre-forward package, Solanke beats both Gabriel Jesus and Viktor Gyokeres. Since the Englishman returned from injury, he has bagged four goals and is currently level on goals with Jesus, despite the latter having missed half of the season.
Leandro Trossard – Spurs do not have any recognised wingers in their setup, and so Trossard makes our combined XI. The Belgian is often Mr Consistent for the Gunners, even if the goals haven’t been flowing this season.
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