How did it get to this, eh?
It feels like a decade’s passed since Arsenal supporters were celebrating a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Leeds United to maintain their stranglehold on fourth spot in the Premier League.
That win will be just two weeks old when Everton make the trip to north London for the last outing of the season on Sunday afternoon, in what many projected to be a day of celebration for Mikel Arteta’s young Gunners.
But back-to-back defeats in the space of four perilous days has flipped the narrative surrounding Arsenal’s 2021/22 campaign. Ecstasy has rapidly evolved into agony, and resentment towards Tottenham is rife once more.
Antonio Conte is poised to lead Spurs into the Champions League at Arsenal’s expense. They need merely a point away at the already relegated Norwich to secure a berth in Europe’s premier club competition next season, while Arsenal must beat a safe Everton on the final day to have any hope of usurping their bitter rivals.
The chances of even Spurs messing this one up is incredibly slim, but there, if you search long and hard enough, lies a chance for Arsenal. Norwich are the Premier League’s worst outfit who have won five times all season while scoring just 23 times in 37 games. They must beat a buoyant Lilywhites on Sunday, and here’s how they could do it.
3 keys to a Norwich victory against Spurs which could help Arsenal into the Champions League
Here are three keys to a Norwich victory over Tottenham which could help Arsenal back into the Champions League.
1. Limit the space for Son Heung-min in behind
Son Heung-min is chasing Mo Salah in the Golden Boot race. (Photo by James Williamson – AMA/Getty Images)
An antagonistic Son Heung-min manifested in the recent North London Derby as he escaped punishment for a subtle elbow on Rob Holding before he suckered the Arsenal defender into committing 1802 fouls in 33 minutes.
We all know how that mini-series culminated.
The South Korean then compounded Arsenal’s misery at the start of the second half to give Spurs a 3-0 lead. It was his 21st strike of the Premier League season, and he has his sights on his very first Golden Boot. Mo Salah currently leads the race with 22 strikes.
The statistics, however, will tell you that Son shouldn’t be anywhere near Salah in the scoring charts. The Tottenham hitman has scored 21 times from an xG of just 14.5. This difference between goals and expected goals (+6.5) can only be topped by Kevin De Bruyne (+9.1) in the Premier League this season.
In short, Son excels when attacking space. He combines speed, ruthless efficiency and ambipedality to devastating effect. Any side that surrenders space in behind is at risk of feeling the South Korean’s wrath – hence why Son has performed so well against the Premier League’s best this season.
However, the 29-year-old does struggle somewhat against deep-lying defences. He doesn’t boast the subtlety to excel in tight spaces, nor is he an elite isolationist. While he remains a threat in the box from cut-backs, there’s no denying that Son is a shadow of his usual self against low blocks. Thus, Norwich, if they are to do Arsenal a favour, would be wise to deepen their defensive line and limit the space for Son to attack in behind.
Fail to do so, and we could see the Canaries fall to a similar mauling as Hull City did when Spurs last took on an already relegated side on the final day. Harry Kane netted a hat-trick on that occasion to win the 2016/17 Golden Boot. Speaking of whom…
Continues on the next slide…
Everton make the trip to north London</a> for the last outing of the season on Sunday afternoon, in what many projected to be a day of celebration for Mikel Arteta’s young Gunners.</p>
<p>But back-to-back defeats in the space of four perilous days has flipped the narrative surrounding Arsenal’s 2021/22 campaign. Ecstasy has rapidly evolved into agony, and resentment towards Tottenham is rife once more.</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Our final game of the season awaits…<a href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2022/05/20/how-norwich-can-beat-spurs-help-arsenal-champions-league/"https://twitter.com/hashtag/NCFC?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%22>#NCFC</a> | <a href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2022/05/20/how-norwich-can-beat-spurs-help-arsenal-champions-league/"https://twitter.com/hashtag/NORTOT?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%22>#NORTOT</a> <a href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2022/05/20/how-norwich-can-beat-spurs-help-arsenal-champions-league/"https://t.co/bK5VNRLhyM">pic.twitter.com/bK5VNRLhyM
<p>— Norwich City FC (@NorwichCityFC) <a href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2022/05/20/how-norwich-can-beat-spurs-help-arsenal-champions-league/"https://twitter.com/NorwichCityFC/status/1526517899078168577?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%22>May 17, 2022</a></p></blockquote>
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<p>Antonio Conte is poised to lead Spurs into the Champions League at Arsenal’s expense. They need merely a point away at the already relegated Norwich to secure a berth in Europe’s premier club competition next season, while Arsenal must beat a <a href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2022/05/20/how-norwich-can-beat-spurs-help-arsenal-champions-league/"https://paininthearsenal.com/2022/05/20/arsenal-handed-final-day-boost-everton-secure-survival/">safe Everton</a> on the final day to have any hope of usurping their bitter rivals.</p>
<p>The chances of even Spurs messing this one up is incredibly slim, but there, if you search long and hard enough, lies a chance for Arsenal. Norwich are the Premier League’s worst outfit who have won five times all season while scoring just 23 times in 37 games. They must beat a buoyant Lilywhites on Sunday, and here’s how they could do it.</p>
<h2>3 keys to a Norwich victory against Spurs which could help Arsenal into the Champions League</h2>
<p>Here are three keys to a Norwich victory over Tottenham which could help Arsenal back into the Champions League.</p>
<h2>1. Limit the space for Son Heung-min in behind</h2>
<div id="attachment_126117" class="wp-caption alignnone">
<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-126117" src=https://paininthearsenal.com/2022/05/20/how-norwich-can-beat-spurs-help-arsenal-champions-league/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_2133,w_3200/https%3A%2F%2Fpaininthearsenal.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2017%2F07%2F1240626566.jpeg" alt="" width="3200" height="2133" srcset="https://paininthearsenal.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2017/07/1240626566.jpeg 3200w, https://paininthearsenal.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2017/07/1240626566-768x512.jpeg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 3200px) 100vw, 3200px"><p class="wp-caption-text">Son Heung-min is chasing Mo Salah in the Golden Boot race. (Photo by James Williamson – AMA/Getty Images)</p>
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<p>An antagonistic Son Heung-min manifested in the recent North London Derby as he escaped punishment for a subtle elbow on Rob Holding before he suckered the Arsenal defender into committing 1802 fouls in 33 minutes.</p>
<p>We all know how that mini-series culminated.</p>
<p>The South Korean then compounded Arsenal’s misery at the start of the second half to give Spurs a 3-0 lead. It was his 21st strike of the Premier League season, and he has his sights on his very first Golden Boot. Mo Salah currently leads the race with 22 strikes.</p>
<p>The statistics, however, will tell you that Son shouldn’t be anywhere near Salah in the scoring charts. The Tottenham hitman has scored 21 times from an <a href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2022/05/20/how-norwich-can-beat-spurs-help-arsenal-champions-league/"https://fbref.com/en/comps/9/shooting/Premier-League-Stats" target="_blank" rel="noopener">xG of just 14.5</a>. This difference between goals and expected goals (+6.5) can only be topped by Kevin De Bruyne (+9.1) in the Premier League this season.</p>
<p>In short, Son excels when attacking space. He combines speed, ruthless efficiency and ambipedality to devastating effect. Any side that surrenders space in behind is at risk of feeling the South Korean’s wrath – hence why Son has performed so well against the Premier League’s best this season.</p>
<p>However, the 29-year-old does struggle somewhat against deep-lying defences. He doesn’t boast the subtlety to excel in tight spaces, nor is he an elite isolationist. While he remains a threat in the box from cut-backs, there’s no denying that Son is a shadow of his usual self against low blocks. Thus, Norwich, if they are to do Arsenal a favour, would be wise to deepen their defensive line and limit the space for Son to attack in behind.</p>
<p>Fail to do so, and we could see the Canaries fall to a similar mauling as Hull City did when Spurs last took on an already relegated side on the final day. Harry Kane netted a hat-trick on that occasion to win the 2016/17 Golden Boot. Speaking of whom…</p>
<p><em>Continues on the next slide…</em></p>
<div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background: #c01f2f" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2022/05/20/how-norwich-can-beat-spurs-help-arsenal-champions-league/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> #2 key to a Norwich win over Spurs </a>
</div><!—pageview_candidate—><hr id="pagebreak"><h2>2. Contain Harry Kane (somehow, someway)</h2>
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<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-126118" src=https://paininthearsenal.com/2022/05/20/how-norwich-can-beat-spurs-help-arsenal-champions-league/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_2134,w_3200/https%3A%2F%2Fpaininthearsenal.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2017%2F07%2F1240692182.jpeg" alt="" width="3200" height="2134" srcset="https://paininthearsenal.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2017/07/1240692182.jpeg 3200w, https://paininthearsenal.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2017/07/1240692182-768x512.jpeg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 3200px) 100vw, 3200px"><p class="wp-caption-text">Harry Kane will be hoping to aid Son’s Golden Boot pursuit on Sunday. (Photo by James Williamson – AMA/Getty Images)</p>
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<p>As tough as it might be for some to admit, Harry Kane is a remarkable footballer.</p>
<p>Despite spending the first half of the season rueing his failed move to Manchester City while Nuno Espirito Santo rigorously rubbed his [excellent] beard, the England skipper has scored 16 times and added eight assists a season after he topped both charts.</p>
<p>To deny Conte’s Spurs, first, you’ve got to get to Kane. He’s the heartbeat of the Lilywhites. Nullifying him, though, as both Fabinho and Rodri have discovered this season, is no easy feat.</p>
<p>Arsenal and Mohamed Elneny, in particular, had done an admirable job in the opening stages of the recent derby before their plan went AWOL, while Burnley’s low block frustrated Kane last weekend. However, the Spurs superstar proved at Anfield that he requires a mere moment to have a huge say on the outcome of a match.</p>
<p>While he isn’t the most athletic, man-marking Kane is a tough job due to his guile and physicality. And by making a concerted effort to slow one man down, as significant as he is, you’re then putting yourself at the mercy of Conte’s meticulous automatisms. Spurs’ January arrivals combined with the Italian’s coaching mean they’re as complete a team as they’ve been since Mauricio Pochettino’s pomp.</p>
<p>Nevertheless, shutting down Kane is the absolute key for Norwich on Sunday. I’m not expecting a persistent low block, which means that the hosts’ pivot and centre-back pairing must be in constant communication throughout. They can’t give Kane an inch. Rough him up early doors.</p>
<p><em>Continues on the next slide…</em></p>
<div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background: #c01f2f" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2022/05/20/how-norwich-can-beat-spurs-help-arsenal-champions-league/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> #3 key to a Norwich win over Spurs </a>
</div><!—pageview_candidate—><hr id="pagebreak"><h2>3. Low block & ride your luck</h2>
<div id="attachment_126119" class="wp-caption alignnone">
<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-126119" src=https://paininthearsenal.com/2022/05/20/how-norwich-can-beat-spurs-help-arsenal-champions-league/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_2134,w_3200/https%3A%2F%2Fpaininthearsenal.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2017%2F07%2F1240683603.jpeg" alt="" width="3200" height="2134" srcset="https://paininthearsenal.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2017/07/1240683603.jpeg 3200w, https://paininthearsenal.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2017/07/1240683603-768x512.jpeg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 3200px) 100vw, 3200px"><p class="wp-caption-text">Norwich have won just one Premier League game since the start of February. (Photo by GEOFF CADDICK/AFP via Getty Images)</p>
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<p>Contrary to the view of some, Conte’s Spurs are not counter-attacking merchants. While they do excel against sides that afford them space in transition, they’ve evolved into a side that can retain possession in the face of pressure and defend their territory for large swathes without ever losing their intensity or focus.</p>
<p>In short, they look like your typical Antonio Conte side.</p>
<p>They’re far from perfect, however, and their struggles against opponents that match Conte’s 3-4-3 were on full display in April as they fell to a home defeat against Brighton before drawing away at Brentford.</p>
<p>Their two games against Burnley in 2022, meanwhile, manifested their relative woes against deeper defensive blocks. Although, they were still able to muster an <a href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2022/05/20/how-norwich-can-beat-spurs-help-arsenal-champions-league/"https://fbref.com/en/squads/361ca564/Tottenham-Hotspur-Stats" target="_blank" rel="noopener">xG of 2.0</a> last Sunday, depicting some improvement in this regard. Dejan Kulusevski has added greater ambiguity in the final third, while Conte’s use of Emerson Royal in a narrower wing-back function has immediately paid off.</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">What's your favourite Pukki moment from this season? 🐐<a href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2022/05/20/how-norwich-can-beat-spurs-help-arsenal-champions-league/"https://twitter.com/hashtag/NCFC?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%22>#NCFC</a> <a href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2022/05/20/how-norwich-can-beat-spurs-help-arsenal-champions-league/"https://t.co/l8Y8kC4cod">pic.twitter.com/l8Y8kC4cod
<p>— Norwich City FC (@NorwichCityFC) <a href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2022/05/20/how-norwich-can-beat-spurs-help-arsenal-champions-league/"https://twitter.com/NorwichCityFC/status/1526955772705484800?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%22>May 18, 2022</a></p></blockquote>
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<p>Nevertheless, if Norwich are to miraculously prevail on Sunday, they have to limit the number of high-quality chances they surrender. By sitting deeper, they’re giving themselves a greater chance of frustrating the away side. Still, Burnley were as well-organised as they could’ve been last Sunday and they were still reliant on some Nick Pope heroics to keep the score down.</p>
<p>Norwich will need similar brilliance from Angus Gunn (although I’d recommend starting Tim Krul considering his history with the Lilywhites) in this one.</p>
<p>However, even if the Canaries shut the away side out, a 0-0 stalemate won’t be enough for the Gunners. They need the hosts to score! That in itself is borderline miraculous.</p>
<p>Norwich have mustered a <a href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2022/05/20/how-norwich-can-beat-spurs-help-arsenal-champions-league/"https://dataviz.theanalyst.com/season-reviews/2021/?competition_id=8&season_id=2021%22>league-low 20.7 open play xG this season</a>, and are facing a defence on Sunday that has conceded just five goals in their last ten outings. To breach Hugo Lloris in this one, Norwich will be reliant on top scorer Teemu Pukki and a rare lapse in the Spurs backline. The visitors will hand the Canaries some control given their tendency to defend vigorously in a mid-block, and there is scope for Norwich to sustain some pressure on the Tottenham defence.</p>
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<p>Overall, their moments in the final third will be limited, and they’ll need plenty of luck if they’re to score and win on Sunday. Arsenal fans will be hoping that Conte hasn’t taken the <em>Spursy</em> out of Tottenham just yet but a capitulation from his side seems highly unlikely. Dean Smith’s Canaries are Conte’s wet dream from a stylistic perspective.</p>
<p>But hey, this is football and we’ve certainly seen stranger things happen.</p><!—pageview_candidate—>">
