At a glance:
- Viktor Gyokeres lauds Harry Kane and Dimitar Berbatov
- He built his ultimate striker
- Arsenal striker under criticism
Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur have been on completely different trajectories in the last few seasons.
The Gunners have finished second in the Premier League three seasons in a row. They are competing for the title this season again and are also in the UEFA Champions League semi-finals.
Meanwhile, Tottenham did manage to win the UEFA Europa League last season.
However, they finished 17th in the Premier League last season and are in the relegation zone this time around.
High praise for Harry Kane and Dimitar Berbatov
No matter the situation, the rivalry between Arsenal and Tottenham remains fierce. The fanbases hate each other, and they don’t appreciate their players getting close to the opponents either.
Amidst this, Viktor Gyokeres was recently asked to build his ultimate striker on TNT Sports. He was asked to pick one striker for one trait. He picked Tottenham icons Harry Kane and Dimitar Berbatov for finishing and first touch, respectively.
Kane, who was once at Arsenal’s academy, came through Tottenham’s academy. He is their all-time top scorer with 280 goals and 63 assists in 435 games. He is widely regarded as one of Spurs’ greatest players of all time, despite never winning a trophy.
Meanwhile, Berbatov was with the north London side from 2006 to 2008, before joining Manchester United. He scored 46 goals and provided 29 assists in 102 games for Spurs. He was known for his elegant first touches and immaculate striking.
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Gyokeres, on the other hand, has faced a lot of criticism for his first touches and general playing style this season. He joined Arsenal from Sporting CP last summer and has scored 12 goals in 31 Premier League appearances.
Tottenham have missed players like Kane and Berbatov
Most Tottenham fans knew the importance of Kane, both on and off the pitch, when he was at the club.
However, since his move to Bayern Munich in 2023, that feeling has skyrocketed. With the club doing so poorly, especially in attack, it’s clear that he was holding the team together for a long time.
The likes of Dominic Solanke, Richarlison, and Mohammed Kudus are good players, but they aren’t Kane or Berbatov.
They could take the ball and impact the game out of nowhere. They were excellent at keeping the ball under pressure and bringing their team together in attack.
Not just Kane and Berbatov, even the likes of Jermain Defoe, Peter Crouch, and Robbie Keane would walk into the current Spurs squad. They are comfortably better than what the north London side currently have, despite spending more money exponentially.
Also Read: Arsenal plotting ‘Sol Campbell 2.0’ to rub salt into Tottenham wounds with £50m signing
Meanwhile, this season, Tottenham have scored just 42 goals in 33 Premier League games. This certainly has to do with Thomas Frank’s poor defensive setup for the majority of the season.
However, Spurs certainly need skilled, impactful, and prolific attackers in their squad.
