Tottenham defender Pedro Porro fires Arsenal warning after set-piece admission (original) (raw)

TOTTENHAM vs ARSENAL: Pedro Porro claims Spurs are out to avenge April's devastating 3-2 defeat at the hands of the Gunners after Ange Postecoglou's side lost grip on Champions League qualification last season

Pedro Porro is targeting revenge in the north London derby vs Arsenal

Pedro Porro has struggled to shake the shame that plagued April's agonising north London derby defeat to Arsenal.

But Tottenham's all-action, powerhouse right-back insists Spurs are itching to finally exorcise those lingering demons today - by proving they're now a better team.

When reflecting upon the bitter 3-2 setback in which the Gunners raced into a remarkable three-goal half-time lead, Porro, who is yet to earn a taste of the bragging rights since sealing his £40million switch from Sporting, muttered two words unpromptedly: "Set-pieces."

That's because two of Arsenal's gift-wrapped goals came from corners and the Spaniard is determined to ensure there is no repeat of that horror show, stating: "We know the importance of the match on Sunday. We are different this year.

"Sometimes things happen in football that you don’t expect and that was one of those occasions. But in the second half we could have turned that match around if things had run our way.

"We're a different team now. I think you can see that in the first three matches of the season, even if results don’t always go the way they should in football. You can see that we are a stronger team this year and we hope that the result will be different this time around."

Tottenham, who splashed out £125.4million on four new summer signings, have flattered to deceive in their first three Premier League matches, collecting just four points.

However, there is arguably no better time to trade blows with their arch-rivals - without the suspended Declan Rice and injured captain Martin Odegaard - as Spurs bid to kick-start their campaign and ignite the fire within their empty bellies. Standard-setter Porro is a self-confessed warrior, who previously claimed upon arrival at Spurs: “Let me loose in a prison and I'll end up owning the place."

His infectious commitment, character, industry and desire has become a fundamental driving force behind Tottenham's quest for success under Ange Postecoglou but his admirable rise to prominence has not come without setbacks.

Arsenal ran riot at Tottenham last season before shipping two second-half goals (

Image:

Stuart MacFarlane/Arsenal FC)

The 24-year-old was a surprise omission from Spain's 26-man Euro 2024-winning squad and he never spoke to Pep Guardiola, let alone trained with Manchester City, during two-and-a-half years with the club.

From an early age, Porro's mantra has been about proving people wrong and that is precisely why in many ways, he's considered the perfect fit for Tottenham. He added: "Since I was small, I've had to fight for everything. You had to be tough in my house. Often there wasn’t any food. I know others have that situation, too, but that is how it was.

"If you want something in life, you have to fight for it. The phrase about being boss of the prison was something my grandfather taught me, and that’s why I say it. It’s not necessarily a bad thing, this spirit. It’s a winning spirit, as well.

"My grandfather always had three sayings: Vista larga [long view, big picture], pasa corto [short steps to get there] and mala leche [bad milk]," - the belief that bad character could be passed down to a baby through their mother.

Porro considers these three commandments non-negotiable and if his Tottenham team-mates are willing to follow suit, there is hope they will be drinking from the bottle come the end of the season.

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