Had FourFourTwo opted for a negative headline here, it’s hard to imagine Thomas Frank heading to the club printer to produce a copy of this article to stick on the wall at the Emirates Stadium this Sunday.
But that is precisely how defender Ledley King, who played for Spurs between 1999 and 2012, says some of his sides prepared to face Arsenal during his playing days.
Ledley King reveals why facing Arsenal wasn’t his favourite
“The build-up during the week is just different to any other game, it’s unique,” King told BetMGM. “It’s talked about in the papers, and often you'd get someone who had said something, and it kind of got taken in the wrong way, and we’d use that as motivation.
“There were times where we would stick a cutting from a newspaper up in the changing room where there was maybe a bit of criticism of us. We’d use it as a tool to motivate us.”
The atmosphere around the stadium before these fixtures is palpable, a feeling King describes as “electric”, but they are not always the glamour ties they’re cracked up to be from the stands.
“There are some matches where the team talk almost goes out of the window and you almost just play on pure emotion,” the former centre-back admitted.
“It gets very hectic and, as a defender, they’re probably not my favourite games because you can get some crazy scorelines.
“When you win, it’s the best feeling in the world knowing that the fans go home happy, and they've got the bragging rights until you play them again.
“I scored twice against Arsenal and the first one holds great memories because it was quite early on in my career – it’s a picture I see quite a lot. It’s a memory that stands out and always reminds me of a good moment.”
King is hopeful that the current iteration of Spurs can create their own good moment when they meet Mikel Arteta’s side this weekend, following a “really encouraging” start to the season.
Despite winning the Europa League, the Lilywhites finished 17th in the league, leading to Ange Postecoglou being replaced by Frank.
“Thomas Frank did a great job at Brentford,” King said. “He's come in, stabilised the team and made them much more solid defensively.
“I suppose the thing they’re missing at the moment, a little bit, is that fluidity going forward, but I think that's going to come with time.”
The Gunners are favourites to win the league this year, and sit four points clear at the top, but given last season’s showing, the Lilywhites’ fifth-placed berth also deserves recognition.
“They’re within touching distance of exactly where they want to be,” King continued.
“I think most fans will probably take getting back into Europe this season but, at the moment, probably looking at the way the season's gone so far, you start to think, ‘Is there maybe a chance of you going into the top-four?’”
A result against high-flying Arsenal on their home patch would certainly serve to solidify that sentiment.
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