Tottenham are the current top form club in England after a torrid run of class, and a little luck, in February. Arsenal face a tough challenge in traveling to their bitter rival's famed home ground, White Hart Lane, this afternoon of Mar. 3, 2013.
That was a thought echoed by the Gunner's leading Spanish midfielder, Santi Cazorla in a recent interview, who knows that a loss to Tottenham would create a seven-point gap between the two of them and make chasing them down for a top four finish near impossible in the final ten games of the season that would be to follow:
This is a very important match for us with regard to the Champions League. If we lose it would be a difference of seven points, too big a gap.
It's true we've been inconsistent. We didn't make it through in the Capital One Cup or the FA Cup but our aim is to be in the Champions League and hopefully we'll improve through the rest of the season.
A win at Tottenham would invigorate the whole team. We're two points away from Chelsea but if we win this we will be one away from Tottenham.
Cazorla's admittance of inconsistency almost does not apply to the club's current English Premier League form where they have taken 13 points out of their last five matches, a feat only equaled by current league leaders Manchester United.
However, the defensive frailty of the Gunners coupled with the start studded form of Tottenham's Gareth Bale and Spurs' attacking force will be a tough storm to weather as the Lily-Whites are expected to be smelling blood in their rematch of this season's 5-2 defeat at the hands of Arsenal.
Cazorla however, continued his discussion in regards to why he feels he has been a more successful goal scorer since moving to England than he was during his career in Spain:
Compared to Spain, the football here is less tactical, but more fun to watch and play. There's too much technique in Spain and they are held back by it. This makes the match more boring. There's a better pace in England.
There's also more space, especially for footballers like me, and more time to think. Teams always want to attack and score goals in England. In Spain they are locked down by tactics. And the atmosphere here is just amazing.
Cazorla was responsible for the club's late match heroics against Aston Villa in their previous English Premier League match, and he has been the man of the hour several times for Arsenal this season. Can he be the difference maker at White Hart Lane, we will have to watch the action and see.
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