We are fit, rested players, motivated players, individuals in good form and a very strong bench. We could lose of course because we have clear faults, but we could just as easily win. A draw is a better result for us than them given only a few days ago we were 10 points behind. We are a dangerous side going forward and if they play their high-line against PEA he will have a field day with Mhiky and Ozil finding him in space.

Trying to look at this dispassionately (difficult) and can't help coming to the conclusion that 11/10 for a Spuds win on the exchange is a great price.

We've just won two games we ought to have done against teams that are particularly poor away from home. They've lost away to Chelsea (as did we) and Burnley, which is a very difficult ground to go to. Our away form is patchy and we have had some terrible away performances this season and we still have THAT defence we're all so worried about (haven't managed to keep a clean sheet away from home in the league). Plus, I can't help thinking back to the Carabao Cup, when they won fairly comfortably. I know it was 'just' the Carabao Cup, but we know that there is never a meaningless fixture where the derby is concerned and we both put out fairly strong teams.

We have to match the performance of the 4-2 win at home earlier in the season when we were very good indeed. Team selection will be key. He's now managed to get a tune out of Oz, albeit against more limited opposition. I'd personally rather attack and try and get into them than try anything clever tactically, as I don't think that's our game at all.

I have a few friends who are Spuds supporters (yes, really), and they are certainly more nervous than they would have been a couple of weeks ago. Having said that, they are more sanguine than many on The Spurs Files on here and realise that Poch is doing a good job with all the resources, and some of the restrictions, he's having to manage.

I agree that Spurs are ahead of us Blackrock, but the area that puts distance between the two side is defence. We have outscored them in attack, but our defence is so porous and badly organised that we are going into away games having to score a minimum of 2 in order to win.

I would argue that our bench is very much stronger than them of late. it could easily look like :
Czech, Kosc, Kol, Ram, PEA, Guen, Suar and Elneny - this is not a weak bench at all. Our defending is the issue for me not the players we have available.

ARSENAL TEAM NEWS

Starting XI: Leno, Sokratis, Mustafi, Koscielny, Monreal, Guendouzi, Xhaka, Ramsey, Mkhitaryan, Iwobi, Lacazette.

emery has dropped ozil, that speaks volumes, obviously doesnt rate him and hes not part of his plans going forward

I agree with you enpassant. He'll be a genius if it works. He'll be Manuel from Fawlty Towers if it doesn't. My initial reaction was: "Oh Dear".

High energy and physicality it what he says he's gone for, with a big bench. Fair enough but he will get so much stick if it doesn't come off but he has got a lot right this season so he get's the benefit of the doubt from me at this point.

So far Emery so good. We now have a BIG BENCH that can go attacking or defending depending what the situation requires. Torr and PEA looking like they are getting ready to come on!

Good result and good to take 4 points off them. More idiot 'defending', this time from Mustafi, cost us more than the pen miss. Lost count of the goals we've given away through basic defensive errors this season.

Thought we defended pretty well otherwise and looked fairly well organised at the back for once. Averaging 2 goals conceded per away game and no clean sheets away from home so to get a draw scoring one is the best we'd have hoped for pre-match.

A game high on incident but low on quality. Head tennis for long periods.

A few debatable ones, but I thought Torreira's red card was a poor decision - Rose's reaction probably made the ref's mind up for him, which was disappointing to see.

I was convinced we'd lose, so happy with a point. Important for Manuel to get something out of the game given he'd made a couple of big calls beforehand. Don't think I've seen as bad a player wear the shirt as Mustafa for some time. Surprised they didn't target him more.

We should have won, but a bit same old Arsenal: missed some sitters, final ball not good enough, unusually defended well as a unit but an individual error from one of the usual suspects cost us dearly. #Xhakas'sturnto****upnextweek.

Spuds extremely lucky to get an undeserved point. Sooo frustrating!

Extremely disappointed. Nasty taste in the mouth. One point more than I feared we would get but when you have a target you must plunged the knife in.

Kane and FOUR OTHERS were offside !

Going to be an interesting run-in.

Given that we are the only team in the league that always concedes an away goal, I don't share the optimism about our 'easier' run-in. Burnley are very in and out (beat Spuds, lost to Palace), but we have to play the current 7th, 8th, 10th and 11th.

One additional positive yesterday was that we appeared to finish the stronger. Good to see them having to park the bus in the last 10 minutes.

who the fcek is the player they just brought on at right back? twinkling feet!

Cech, Sokratis, Koscielny, Monreal, Mustafi, Mkhitaryan, Ozil, Torreira, Iwobi, Xhaka, Aubameyang

The market doesn't really fancy your chances of a top 4 finish though. Arsenal- 3.0, Chelsea- 1.92, Spurs- 1.42, Man U- 2.2.