Three hot spots in the Arsenal - Tottenham battle

The explosion of the duo Martin Odegaard, Bukayo Saka or the one-on-one confrontation between Declan Rice and James Maddison could decide the Arsenal - Tottenham match in round six of the Premier League today.

Saka - Odegaard duo . Captain Martin Odegaard and academy product Bukayo Saka are combining well on the right wing and are the most important attacking direction in coach Mikel Arteta's system.

When attacking, Saka often moves wide, standing close to the touchline to help Arsenal stretch the opposition defence. Odegaard often drops deep to develop the ball and then attacks the space created by Saka's movement.

The situation against Everton shows Odegaard occupying the space created by the opposition defender being drawn towards Saka. Screenshot

When receiving the ball on the right flank, Saka is a threat with his versatility in continuing his attacks. The Englishman can cut inside and shoot with his left foot, continue his run, cross with his right foot and has developed both his ball retention and passing range.

Tottenham's attacking style under new manager Ange Postecoglou - dubbed 'Angeball' - is unlikely to change against Arsenal, meaning the north London derby will be an open affair, which could be an advantage for Arsenal.

The combination of Saka and Odegaard then becomes even more important. The Norwegian midfielder often moves into the space on the right flank when the opposing full-back has to come out to mark Saka. The Englishman can drop the ball down the touchline to Odegaard or combine with teammates in midfield.

Saka (right) celebrates Odegaard scoring in the Premier League. They are forming a formidable attacking pair on Arsenal's right flank. Photo: Reuters

Tottenham will be facing such an attacking system for the first time this season. If nothing changes, Micky van de Ven will play as a left-sided centre-back and Destiny Udogie at left-back. The two players will spend 90 minutes struggling to fend off Arsenal's wing attacks, and will need support from their defensive midfielders - likely to be the duo of Yves Bissouma and Pape Matar Sarr.

The Rice - Maddison confrontation could decide the outcome of the match between two midfielders from the same country and both new players in their new colors. Rice is the most expensive contract in Arsenal's history with a fee of 133 million USD from West Ham, while James Maddison is considered a bargain when leaving Leicester - a club that has been relegated - to join Tottenham for 51 million USD.

Harry Kane's move to Bayern has left Tottenham without their main striker and also their most creative and consistent player. Maddison has taken on the role of conductor in the No. 10 position, receiving the ball in space in front of the box, finishing himself or distributing the ball to the strikers.

Maddison started further back than Son, but was ready to rush forward to help in the 2-1 win over Sheffield on September 16. Screenshot

Through the first five games of the season, Rice has been Arsenal’s only defensive midfielder, but has often pushed forward, even getting close to the opposition’s penalty area to support attacks. But with compatriot Maddison constantly looking to get into dangerous spaces, Rice may have to adjust and prioritise defence.

If Tottenham sit deep with Maddison deep in midfield, the England midfielder will be less effective. On the other hand, if Rice continues to be the orchestrator of Arsenal's play and pushes forward, Maddison will have space to exploit. One of the two managers - Arteta and Postecoglou - will have to make a change and that could have a significant impact on the game.

Tottenham's defensive midfield duo

At Tottenham, Postecoglou used a 4-2-3-1 formation, pushing Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg to the bench to use the holding midfield duo Yves Bissouma - Pape Matar Sarr. These two players did not compete for an official position last season, but became important cogs helping Tottenham have the best start in the English top flight in 57 years.

Over the first five games, the duo have shown solidity in defence and astute positioning and timing in their attacks. Often only one man pushes forward to support the attack, with the other remaining in position to provide balance and help Tottenham progress the ball from the back. Bissouma and Sarr’s positioning, movement and ball control have been crucial in giving Tottenham the platform to attack.

Bissouma in the moment of pulling back to help Tottenham develop the ball from home. Screenshot

Since Arsenal will almost certainly play a 4-3-3, Tottenham's 4-2-3-1 system will be different, with the two midfielders deployed differently. The key to the midfield battle will be Bissouma and Sarr's ability to escape pressure. If they maintain their form and good ball possession as in previous matches, Arsenal will have a hard time imposing their style of play.

Hong Duy

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