Tottenham 2-0 Arsenal Match Analysis: Kane and Son sink toothless Gunners

Harry Kane and Heung-Min Son welcomed Tottenham fans back to the stadium with two stunning strikes to take Spurs to the top of the Premier League table.

This premier league weekend had a special vibe with fans allowed back to few stadiums in some capacity. The blockbuster tie of the week was the 188th North London Derby between Tottenham and Arsenal. 

Jose Mourinho's men had the prospect of going top of the table if they won their match against the Gunners. 

Tottenham vs Arsenal: First Half

Jose Mourinho had a clear plan in place from the get-go and his team didn't let him down on the pitch. The special one set his team to hit Arsenal on the counter and Spurs broke through in the 13th minute when Heung-Min Son was unleashed after some brilliant hold up play like Harry Kane. 

What was about to follow was something special from the South Korean. Son reminded Tottenham fans what they missed during the pandemic with a world-class curling effort that flew past Arsenal goalkeeper, Bernd Leno. 

Minus points for Arsenal defenders for backing off to Son's run, especially Rob Holding and Hector Bellerin who could have closed in on the South Korean not allowing him space to shoot. 

The second goal was what Jose Mourinho had set up his team for, and that is hitting Arsenal on the break when they are loose on possession of the ball. Giovanni Lo Selso was left unmarked with acres of space in the midfield which allowed him to run at the Gunner's defense. 

Lo Selso passed it to Son who returned the favor to Harry Kane by reversing the ball to Kane. The Spurs captain unleashed a thunderous left-footed shot past Bernd Leno to make it 2-0 just before the stroke of half-time. 

Couldn't have been a better time to score the second goal from a strategic point of view, just before the half-time whistle. A perfect end to the half for Tottenham and Jose Mourinho.

Tottenham vs Arsenal: Second Half

Arsenal had to come out stronger in the second half if they wanted to salvage something out of the game. There was much more urgency in the Gunners built up play. 

Most of the attacking threat came from the left-wing for Arsenal with Kieran Tierney and Bukayo Saka threading some inviting crossing for Alexandre Lacazette and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang. 

However, the Gunners didn't do enough to trouble Hugo Lloris in goal for Spurs. For Tottenham, the second half was all about game management and seeing the match out with the damage already done in the first half.

If the first half was all about the flair players for Spurs like Son and Kane, the second half highlighted the importance of the unsung heroes for Tottenham which includes Hojbjerg, Mousa Sissoko, Steven Bergwijn. 

Bergwijn is the reason why Gareth Bale is not able to get a starting position in the Tottenham line up. It is his perilous tracking back and defensive qualities of the Dutchman that gets him the nod over the Welshman.

Arsenal were toothless in their attack and mentality. How long can they ignore the fact that they have a World Cup winner in Mesut Ozil in their squad who can solve many problems for the Gunners in the attacking department? 

It hardly matters who the manager is for Arsenal, it's the same old story we have been witnessing for years now in the Premier League. One would not able to distinguish whether today's Arsenal performance was under Mikel Arteta, Unai Emery, or Arsene Wenger. 

Surely, Mikel Arteta's honeymoon period is over and he needs to find a balance between his attack and defense before it's too late. Arsenal languishes in 15th position after this defeat.

For Tottenham Hotspur, the possibilities are endless as they march on to the summit of the premier league table with their fans believing that this could be their year!

Featured Image Credits - Twitter@SpursOfficial