On The Ball
Plenty of optimism in North London with Arsenal, Tottenham showing signs of progress
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Tottenham's new captain Son Heung-min is now Spurs' main attacking threat with the departure of Harry Kane.
PHOTO: REUTERS
LONDON – To recall a time when both Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal were riding high is a voyage down the decades. Both teams may have been in the running for the 2015-16 English Premier League title, but Leicester City’s shock triumph that season left North London’s teams eating dust. Neither club were able to push on from there.
The Premier League era has seen Arsenal as the dominant force for most of the duration of Arsene Wenger’s time, give or take Mauricio Pochettino’s tenure at Spurs. Before that, the 1986-87 season – when the clubs fought out an epic League Cup semi-final over three matches, with Arsenal winning out to eventually lift the trophy – was the last time both were on an upward, progressive trajectory.