Tottenham Hotspur supporters probably aren't doing a whole lot of relaxing during this November international break, because as is customary, Spurs are heading into the break coming off a poor result, blowing what would have been a comeback win by allowing Matthijs de Ligt to score a wide open header at the back post in a 2-2 draw with Manchester United.
When Spurs come out of the break, they will face a much stronger opponent in the literal best team in the Premier League right now, hated rivals Arsenal. And after how badly a lesser rival in Chelsea embarrassed them in their last derby, Spurs are under immense pressure for their first North London Derby of the mixed Thomas Frank era.
Tottenham may be getting a real boost, though, ahead of the Nov. 23 battle against the Gunners. Arsenal have been tight lipped about the injury status of Martin Odegaard, who is traveling with the Norway national team as moral support this international break but won't be playing.
Tottenham have to prepare for a summer enemy
Well, Norway manager Stale Solbakken just let it slip that Odegaard is still far away from returning from his injury, dropping a major hint that as much as Arsenal are hiding things in an effort to keep Tottenham on their toes, their captain isn't likely to play in the North London Derby. Solbakken said, via Football.London's Ryan Taylor, “It is steady. It is going in a steady direction, but he is some distance away.”
It sounds an awful lot like Tottenham are going to have to prepare for Eberechi Eze, the man who burned them this past summer by flirting with Spurs before choosing childhood club Arsenal at the last second.
Eze is a good player, but he's honestly a fraction of the footballer that Odegaard is in terms of his creativity and ability to find the pass. Both are clutch players, but Odegaard is a different league to Eze, so not having to face him as a player and leader would be massive for Spurs.
Of course, Tottenham are in such bad shape in the middle of the park that they have bigger fish to fry, in some respect, than worrying about who is and who isn't playing on Arsenal. Because at the end of the day, Eze has been playing at a higher level than either Xavi Simons or Rodrigo Bentancur, so Spurs are going to need those guys to step up regardless.