Arsenal vs Spurs | Ange's preview: "What's important is how much of us I can see against a top opponent"
Sat 23 September 2023, 10:45|Tottenham Hotspur
Performance is key for Ange Postecoglou as he leads us into his first north London derby at the Emirates on Sunday (2pm).
For the first time since 1991, and only the third time ever, both teams are unbeaten going into the fixure with matching starts in the Premier League - five games, four wins, one draw.
It goes without saying that the result means everything to everyone involved, but Ange is also looking beyond that, knowing this is the biggest test so far of where the team is in the very early days of his leadership.
How much of our football can I see in a big game like this? How much of us can I see against a top opponent?
Asked in his pre-match press conference if he felt the players had the collective personality to step up at the Emirates, Ange replied: "We’ll learn that. We’re five games in. I understand that for many people, they will see this as our first real test and I get that.
"It is pretty easy, you could almost write two stories now. If we are successful, great, we’re on the right track. If we’re not, we’ve still got a long way to go. For me, what is going to be more important is how much of our football I see in a big game like this. How much of us can I see against a top opponent?
"That will give me the biggest indicator of where we’re at but, ultimately, we’ll still be six games into a new cycle, a new group of players, a very young group of players. Either way, irrespective of the outcome, I’d say the performance will be my biggest measure, but knowing we still have a long way to go."