Capítulo 41: The Showdown at White Hart Lane
"Will he start?"
At Tottenham Hotspur's training base, head coach Villas-Boas had just finished reading the newspaper reports about Arsenal and turned to his assistant, Tim Sherwood.
The upcoming North London derby was naturally taken very seriously by Boas. This season, the team had made a strong move to keep Gareth Bale, aiming for a strong performance.
Tottenham had a formidable squad capable of threatening Arsenal's position, especially their front line. With Welsh super winger Gareth Bale and the speedy Aaron Lennon, they had the fastest wing combination in the Premier League.
At the center forward position, there was Emmanuel Adebayor, the "traitor" most hated by Arsenal fans. After making a name for himself at Arsenal, Adebayor moved to Manchester City in 2009 and famously celebrated provocatively after scoring against his former club. This action made him a pariah among Arsenal supporters. His subsequent move to Tottenham only added to the animosity. However, Adebayor's strength on the field couldn't be denied. At his peak at Arsenal, he was a center forward who scored 30 goals in a single season.
Tottenham also had England star Jermain Defoe in their forward lineup. With Bale and Lennon on the wings, Adebayor and Defoe at center, and Mourinho's disciple Villas-Boas at the helm, Tottenham were set for a defensive counter-attacking style of play.
The "him" Villas-Boas referred to was Arsenal's recently popular No. 19.
"I don't think we need to pay too much attention to him," Sherwood said. "He's basically been figured out. An opportunist, maybe he will be very good in the future, but now he is too young."
"Cazorla is injured, and now Wilshere must be his replacement. I think we should focus on Wilshere, Theo Walcott, or Giroud, Podolski and others," Sherwood added.
"Let's take a look first," Boas replied, signaling someone to open the edited video showing how Louis was restricted by defenses in recent games against West Ham United, Schalke 04, and Stoke City.
In these three games, Arsenal lost all three, and Louis was neutralized. The defenses retreated deep, squeezing the space and leaving him with no room to operate. Whenever he got the ball, he faced physical confrontation and even fouls. His weaknesses were magnified, and his strengths couldn't shine.
"This is indeed a very good defensive strategy," Boas said. The template for defending against Louis was set. Tottenham only needed minor modifications. Defensive counterattacks were their forte, and with Bale and Lennon's speed, they were ready.
At the pre-match press conference, Villas-Boas and Gareth Bale faced the media. Bale, valued at over £60 million, spoke confidently, aware of what Spurs fans wanted to hear. "We will defend our home ground and make White Hart Lane a nightmare for Arsenal," he said.
When asked about Louis, Bale replied, "He's a good player, but I don't care about him. We will bring victory to our fans."
Click click click. Flashbulbs rang out. Bale had become more like an international superstar.
Boas didn't have to guess anymore. At Arsenal's pre-match press conference, Wenger firmly stated, "Of course he will start! He is our top scorer. Why wouldn't he start?"
"But Arsenal have lost three games in a row," a reporter pointed out.
"Counterattack starts from this one!" Wenger responded firmly.
The tension between the two North London teams was palpable. The derby result would determine the bragging rights for fans and players alike until the next encounter.
In October, London's weather added to the atmosphere, with light rain and cold humidity. The Arsenal bus entered White Hart Lane's parking lot amidst curses and jeers from Spurs fans. Players stepped off wrapped in coats and hoodies, with raindrops occasionally falling on their necks.
Louis, experiencing the wet and rainy conditions for the first time in a competitive match, was undeterred. He had trained in such conditions many times and was prepared.
As expected, Louis was the center of media attention. "You haven't scored in four games. How do you feel about your scoring drought?" a reporter asked.
"Goal drought?" Louis didn't even look back. "What is a goal drought?"
The stage was set for an intense North London derby.
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