Tottenham Hotspur held Arsenal to a 2-2 draw in the North London derby on Sunday, and something James Maddison said after the game has sparked a reaction from Ian Wright.
The Gunners went into the game as the absolute favourites, but they looked nothing like their usual self. They hadn’t played that badly since they were battered 3-0 by Brighton last season, and that’s not acceptable at all in a derby.
Maddison was full of praise for his teammates after the match
Ian Wright reacts to what James Maddison said after Arsenal 2-2 Tottenham
Tottenham deserve a lot of praise for the way they played against Arsenal on Sunday.
Yes, the Gunners weren’t at their best, but Spurs could only deal with what was in front of them and they did very well.
After the draw at the Emirates, Maddison, 26, was delighted. He attacked those calling his team ‘Spursy’ and claimed Tottenham’s performances over the past two weeks showed they were now going in a different direction (Guardian).
Wright has had his say on the matter and as an Arsenal fan he hopes Maddison will have to go back on his word in the coming weeks and months.
He said on Premier League Productions (September 25, 2023, 02:
10 pm):
“It’s too early for him to say that. Hopefully he will have to digest these words at some point.
“But you have to look at how they started and how the players reacted to Ange Postecoglou and how they reacted to him. I think Arsenal could have won this game in the first half and we could have lost in the second half. “Tottenham is never offside. There is a chance that Jesus can make it 2-0. It will be interesting to see how Spurs react if he scores that chance. But for the most part, they continued to play behind, even though they should have been punished but weren’t.
“Sometimes they went long, then went passing it out from the back – if they can carry on like that, then of course, they won’t be ‘Spursy’ anymore. I am sure that’s something they are trying to lose.”
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Tottenham have had a great start to the season.
Ange Postecoglou has completely transformed the club, and it really does look like they are heading in the right direction after a disastrous few years under managers who just weren’t right for them.
However, Tottenham have had great starts to the season before and they ended up capitulating. So, Wright is right, it’s too early to say anything about them.
It’s Liverpool next for Postecoglou’s side, and that will be another huge test. It will be interesting to see how they fare in that game.
