Tim Sherwood has named four Tottenham Hotspur players in his combined North London eleven, admitting that another two just narrowly missed out.
With the big derby now drawing closer, there has understandably been a lot of debate over the last 48 hours regarding how many players from each side would get into a combined.
Both Emanuel Petit and Darren Bent have suggested that when everyone is fully fit, Son Heung-min is the only player who would get into Arsenal’s side (talkSPORT).
However, Sherwood believes that apart from the South Korean, Micky van de Ven, Destiny Udogie and James Maddison would all play in a combined eleven.
The former Spurs midfielder told OLBG (as relayed by DAZN): “I’d have Raya in goal. There was a big circus around him and Aaron Ramsdale and he took that debate away with his performances. He’s proved to be an excellent goalkeeper. [Guglielmo] Vicario has been excellent but there were some concerns over set-pieces and he’s still a young man.
“At left-back is Destiny Udogie, he has pace and power, goes forward at the right time and he suits their style perfectly so he edges out Jurrien Timber.
“Then I’d go for Ben White, if it was a wing-back I’d go for Pedro Porro because he isn’t a right-back in the traditional sense, the manager does play to his strengths. For his all-round game, I’d have to go for White, he works so well with Buyako Saka and does his job.
“In the middle, I’d go for Micky van de Ven on the left side and William Saliba on the right. Van de Ven has been brilliant. The fastest player in the Premier League last season, he can handle the ball. He drives forward if there’s space in front of him.
“For me, one of the best centre-halves we’ve seen in the last two years is Saliba, he’s been absolutely outstanding for Arsenal. Growing in stature, this boy is like a real leader of the team, so he has to be in there.
“In the middle, I’d go for Declan Rice behind Martin Odegaard and James Maddison. Rice will do a job, he’s reliable and is a manager’s dream. Odegaard serves the forwards and has an eye for goal, while Maddison on his day is as good as anyone.”
“Then it’s Heung-Min Son and Saka, you can’t look beyond them. Son with the experience and the numbers he posts, he is a dream for his team-mates and the fans.
“Saka, he is so durable. People say he needs a break but he keeps going and doesn’t seem to pick up injuries. He is such a threat and Tottenham have to keep him quiet if they are going to win.
“Dominic Solanke hasn’t been at Tottenham long enough to get the nod so I’d go for Kai Havertz in a false nine. He has guile and is a clever player, he scores goals. I was quite critical of him in the past and I wasn’t alone, but Mikel Arteta has seen the full picture and he can drop in like Harry Kane as well as get himself in goal-scoring positions like Kane.”
Despite picking seven Arsenal players in his combined eleven, Sherwood backed his former side to emerge with all three points this weekend.
The 55-year-old suggested that the absence of Declan Rice and Martin Odegaard severely weakens the visitors, thus handing the home side the advantage.
He added: “Declan Rice was already a huge miss for Arsenal and then they had the massive blow regarding Martin Odegaard, he is a fantastic player that controls the tempo of the game which they will need against Tottenham.
“Tottenham will want to play like they always play. It’s a clear identity. They go on the front foot and they play at a thousand miles an hour and you need players who can hold the ball and you need players who can break up that counter first and foremost.
“That’s Rice and Odegaard. They’re going to miss them two guys and that’s why I think Tottenham will get all three points.”
Spurs Web Opinion
Irrespective of who will get into a combined eleven, I do not think many Spurs fans would be willing to swap Porro for White or Vicario for Raya.
Postecoglou has some selection dilemmas in midfield and upfront and it will be quite interesting to see where Kulusevski plays and whether Odebert and Solanke start.
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