Tottenham Hotspur can't go into the November international break thinking their last showing against Manchester United, a 2-2 draw, was a positive one. These are games Spurs should be winning if they want to start pushing into Premier League title contention, and their inability to play a complete game or have week to week consistency remains alarming.
That being said, Spurs did have some key silver linings to take away from the draw with Manchester United, particularly the game changing substitutions of Mathys Tel and Wilson Odobert. Tel scored and Odobert directly caused the second, as both young men showed their quality and ability to help elevate the team against quality opposition.
So when the Premier League returns after the November international break and Tottenham have to go up against hated North London rivals Arsenal, who are clearly the best team in the Premier League right now with a historically strong defense, Thomas Frank knows who he has to turn to.
Randal Kolo Muani injured his jaw against Man United and is out. Richarlison is beyond awful. Brennan Johnson is pretty much just as bad as Richarlison. Mohammed Kudus is the guaranteed starter on the right wing and will be back. Xavi Simons is still the solution at the No. 10.
A young man with real quality up top
The left wing and striker positions are the ones up for grabs, or, at least, they were. Because right now, especially with Kolo Muani and Dominic Solanke injured, the jobs are clearly for Odobert and Tel to seal.
If Tottenham want to have even a prayer at beating Arsenal, then they have to start Tel at striker and Odobert on the wing. Have to. Odobert has been a bright spot on the wings despite getting little mainstream fanfare, and he's showing Spurs fans that he has the tools to be the star they envisioned when they signed him from Burnley last year
Meanwhile, Tel has shown real quality as a No. 9, again, despite not getting much national praise. His goal against Manchester United was full of individual class, between the touch and the finish. Tel and Odobert offer a different level of technical quality and athleticism to their competition, and Tel, in particular, has had some real fine moments in front of goal when trusted as a striker, between the win over Leeds and the draw with the Red Devils.
Arsenal will be favored, but Tottenham can surprise them. Key to their ability to get an upset win will be trusting these two young players, who just showed Frank that they are the best men for the job right now.