Despite protests by some of the Tottenham players, referee specialist Peter Walton explained on BT Sport why a red card was handed to the full-back.

Walton said: “I don’t think Tottenham or Emerson Royal will have any complaints about this tackle at all. The challenge completely out of context, the actual challenge itself going down the side of the shin - with force - and that’s the main thing.

"Force equals a sending-off offence. It was serious foul play, Anthony Taylor took his time because I don’t think he realised what happened straight in front of him, he’s looked at it and it’s a red card offence."

BT Sport commentator Jermaine Jenas followed up on Walton's comments by predicting Emerson’s red-card as a likely outcome. He said: “That was the concern for me at the start of the game, when the line-ups went up, what do I see? I saw Martinelli against Emerson Royal it struck fear into me if I’m honest.

"I knew Martinelli would get the better of Emerson Royal, all I can think of is pent up frustration from Emerson Royal, there’s no other reason to do that unless in your mind he’s been taking the mick out of him all game.”

Thought we were at home…. Three home games in a week….no?

We are at home. Really want to see us win against Liverpool or City this season, for far too long we've barely been able to put up a fight against them. We were excellent against City at home last year but didn't get any points, it's about time we had both a performance and a win against either of them, just to give the team the belief that they can do it.

Saw some quotes from Conte that he isn’t up to speed on his ‘tactics’. Seeing as he was exemplary in a Brighton team that played progressive possession based football, one can only surmise being a midfielder in Conte’s system is *%^@*** miserable.

Thursday I’ve got
Turner
Soares Tomiyasu Holding Tierney
Sambi Vieira
Nelson Nketiah Marquinhos

One short

So either a first teamer or youngster
(Liverpools mid week game is Tuesday so
more time for them to recover)

So, he was not ready for the PL and while on loan improved enough where he's among if not the best CB in the PL? Hmm....ok. Not directed at you Rich, but I just find it hard to believe he was that bad before he went on loan.

After the game at the end of last season Arteta complained about the penalty and red card we received.
Conte said
“He has to focus more on his team. He has to focus more on his work. He has to continue to work because he’s a very good [coach]. To hear someone complain all the time is not so good.”

Cut to today and Conte goes on a long rant about the state of refereeing and the red card for Emerson.

Every single manager complains and moans. I think it’s churlish to tell other managers to stop complaining because every single one does it.

I’m sure Conte also said something like in the immediate moments after the red when we then scored the 3d that his team were so offensive, meaning he lost a defender and they didn’t have enough defensive players on the pitch to manage the game properly before he could make a sub. Ridiculous. The most basic rudimentary coach will know that as soon as a defender gets sent off you tell one of your other plays to fill that gap, or spurs could have just switched to a back 4 until he made the sun. If he thinks they were wide open for those 4 minutes then that’s on him.

Conte was absolutely schooled by Arteta today, but for a few isolated moments in the first half Arteta had his foot on his throat. We were so clearly the dominant side and it is the right at to win these games.

By the way, not hugely different from the Man U game. Play both that game and this one another 10 times and we won both far more often than not. That Man U game was the kind of result that can happen for counter attacking teams but don’t happen all the time if you as the dominant team are playing consistently well.

So glad we won because I was getting constantly frustrated with spurs playing poorly and winning. Plenty of their fans are saying it as well, they don’t really like the style and don’t think they’ve played well but for a late burst v Leicester.
Today they should have matched up with a 3 in midfield, sacrificed Richarlison and played a 5-3-2. Arsenals midfield 3 of Partey/Xhaka/Ødegaard was always going to overwhelm Bentancur and Holjberg even more so when you have Zinchenko and White operating like wider defensive mids as well.

I’m desperate for City to thump Man U tomorrow. Forget about any title challengers talk, our aim still has to be top 4 and we’ve made a great start for that. If we’re still top by the time the World Cup is happening and we get a clean bill of health after it then I might start thinking about a title challenge.
But Man U are still a top 4 threat, but they are not a good side yet. I think ten Hag has the best chance of any recent manager to do it but they need putting back in their place just as we did to Spurs today.

Liverpool are stuttering, we’ve got a great chance to go 14 points clear of them next weekend. Chelsea are also not impressing anyone.

Shaping up to be a very exciting season

Reading some reviews of the match and saw one that hits the nail on the head for me with the differing styles and approaches of the two teams. Arsenal’s approach gives us multiple ways of breaking them down and scoring a goal, spurs basically only have one method of scoring in these big games.

Hi Andy. Judging by the side we put out against Zurich I expect Arteta to go a little stronger - wouldn't be surprised to see Xhaka starting. But I'd start with the team you're suggesting with a bit of insurance on the bench. Maybe the 15 year old will get a few more minutes.

I think this was illustrated quite nicely by how they reacted to our third goal. Conte made four defensive subs, basically conceding the game with 25 minutes to go, because once their counter attacking threat went out the window they had no plan B.

They are built to play this way, and they do it very well. I do agree with you that it's not sustainable though, at least not if you want to get to the very top. If you generally dominate games, have the majority of the possession and create more chances than your opponents, you're going to get more points in the long run than if you rely on mistakes and moments of individual magic from a select few players. The old saying that it doesn't matter how you get points as long as you get them is mostly an empty cliche when you look at the bigger picture and analyze teams over an entire season, or even several seasons.

He’s gone massively under the radar maybe because of the brilliance of Saliba but Ben White at Right-Back has been exemplary this season.

Superb win but a mental day with the Train strikes. There was demonstrations and all sorts and getting out of London was a *%^@*** nightmare.

Anyway great win. Saliba my man of the match followed by Jesus and Martinelli who had the spurs back line running scared. Rambo also had a great game and the nonsense about him “tailing off” seems to have stopped

Martin Keown was sat with the fans in our block, bet he enjoyed it to. Amazing atmosphere

It’s coming together for Arteta. Seems a lifetime ago when people on here wanted him sacked for next to nothing

William Saliba vs. Tottenham:

100% aerial duels won
100% take-ons completed
96% pass accuracy
79 touches
71 passes
11 ball recoveries
6 passes into final ⅓
5 duels won
3 tackles made
3 clearances
0x dribbled past

He’s done very well but I’m not sure Bens that effective in the final third. To be honest I wouldn’t mind seeing more of Tommy

All of a sudden we have have strength and options though. Tomiyasu and Tierney on the bench

Vieira and Nketiah

The manager has options we look far better

How long ago was it people were saying Arteta has no idea how to set up an attacking team?

Yup. Weekly bingo

We have no recognised style of play

Arteta needs to stop shouting so much during games

He’s tactics are too rigid

Hello Brom you could be right ….a decisive win ….6 from 6….and we should go through from the group….but I do really like the way our first eleven are playing (and going about their business) that I want to wrap them up in cotton wool !
Starting Thursday it gets a bit hectic

October

6 Bodo
9 Liverpool
13 Bodo
16 Leeds
20 PSV
23 Southampton
27PSV
30 Forest

November

3 Zurich
6 Chelsea
9 Carabao
12 Wolves

You forgot "He shouldn't play Xhaka"?

Oh, we are home in this game. All the better

Wow! Didn't think a former Tottenham player would agree.

Martinelli is a problem. The difficulty for teams is that both him and Saka are very difficult for one defender alone to handle. Stretches the back line too far trying to make sure both are covered.

I've been a fan of his from the first game he's played for his. Also, surprising to see an English CB (now FB) play well with the ball at his feet.

With Xhaka playing a more advanced role at times, I'd like to see him take the kind of shot that Partey took. He's got a rocket of a shot.

Even the bookies are taking us seriously now. 2nd favourites for the league and odds on for top four. The punters have far more confidence than I do that we are not going to have some season de-railing injury crisis at some point. We need to wrap Jesus, Partey, and Xhaka in cotton wool and trust the squadies to get us through in the cups

I'd love to see our current first 11 play Liverpool and City.

Well they shouldn’t have. Not like the way the way they were

An absolute liability for 3 years

Ironically, this is exactly what I am thinking about the Bodo/Glimt game.

Although to be fair at the time we didn't really have an alternative.

Strange that the Jesus penalty shout at 2-1 hasn’t been given more attention, no definitive replay one way or the other and a very quick var check. Doer doesn’t appear to get the ball, maybe Jesus goes down easily but doesn’t everyone?
Has anyone seen the incident from the angle looking face on at Jesus running in to the box?

Imagine watching that game and thinking Spurs had any kind of chance of winning. These charts are extreme for this game but this is the same guff that Conte’s spurs have been serving up all season. Why aren’t commentators asking Conte what his plan B is? His football is absolutely dire to watch and he’s getting paid £400k a week to serve that up. Big Sam could do the same for far less!

Still buzzing about yesterday.

When we are on it we can give anyone a game. The only thing missing is more cover and competition in some areas and I would say more genuine firepower up front too. Jesus is terrific but his style of play is energetic and strikes me we need more of a plan b than Nketiah

Opposition see Martinelli and Saka as such huge threats now that they are being double upped on which leaves more space for others.

Jesus is better than I thought he was, he’s relishing being the main man.

October is a crucial month for us, 8 more games, we need lots of rotation for Europa League and it will be hard to keep up the intensity which is needed for our game to be top notch

It would be so much better to have a fit Emile Smith Rowe and Elneny.

Hi Rich,

Yes, it was very noticeable how Saka and Martinelli were doubled up on and how it gave space to the likes of Ødegaard, Partey, Xhaka and Ben White.

NLD are only great when you win them and boy did yesterday's result feel good, especially playing an exciting expansive brand of football. Our pace and intensity was frightening.

If I have one gripe its that we were a little bit too open at the back and Tottenham had several situations in the first half where a better final ball from the likes of Son and Richarlison and Spuds were in on goal. Some of the final balls that went astray were not even difficult and on another day they could easily have gone in at halftime leading against the run of play. Our instinct is to throw men forward but maybe a little tweak is needed against some teams just to close down that vulnerability to a quick counter-attack.

I thought we seemed a bit too easy to counter against as well. The one thing that City does and Liverpool has been doing failing of late because the play such an advanced role for so many players is if they lose ball everyone plays team defense and fights to kill any counter at the root. The guy who lost the ball especially seems to work the hardest to get it back in the City team.

Barcelona does that as well.

I don't see us as a title threat yet. If Liverpool continue to drop points, I think we are a good shout for runner up. Liverpool won't catch City but I think they can fairly easily get to runner up. It seems the Klopp sides have a season after a few years of success where nothing goes right. My guess is he has them so wound up, they need a season to re-charge.

They are missing Sane a lot, more than anyone thought. Still, they are a collection of massive talent. Man Utd and Tottenham are winning but not looking convincing about it. We do. Chelsea is inbetween, a purgatory of sorts, but more on the side of looking like they can drop points at any time in a game you'd think they would win fairly convincingly.

So, with all that said, we are looking the more likely side to get runner up and I'd put Liverpool as next because they are too friggin' talented, and have been there before. They know what it takes to win.

We failed the test at Man Utd. They caught us at the perfect time for them. They were starting to win, confidence growing and were at home. We'll see today just how much. If we can draw at Liverpool or City, I'd be more convinced. We've split tough games and the one we won we beat the same side last year.

Sidenote: I'd still be curious to see how Ben White does at center mid. He's already doing very well in his current position so no need to change but if needed due to injuries, etc, elsewhere, I'm curious to see how quickly he'd adapt.

Morning Soc,

This video although fairly long (9mins) is good, giving a take on what our plan was to counter the counter. Basically by squeezing up on purpose and smothering the ball if it goes loose, meaning they can’t play those balls. Problem is there so much space a first time lumped clearance - very hard to stop - basically can become a killer ball over the top.

Saliba being the deepest player seems to be our insurance as he has pace strength and composure. Ramsdale on the sweeper would be the other but he didn’t seem to venture outside his box very often.

I agree the balance didn’t seem quite right, but it worked and I think they snatched at those passes because they had so few of them.

[YouTube][/YouTube]This video - “counter counter” from about 1:30mins

And most of all they are very quick with the tactical foul without a yellow card. We haven’t reached that level of skullduggery quite yet. We’re more than capable of an obvious foul to stop a counter but we take yellows for them. More subtlety required

I agree I’d love to see us completely smother the game and not offer them a sniff but they do the same v Liverpool and City with decent effect. I think our method is that we have to accept in the odd game everything will go right for them and those tactics might beat us - just as various teams do to City every season, but play our style of football consistently enough and you win far more of these types of games than you don’t…..and that wins titles rather than relying on such an extreme set of factors to happen for you to win the game