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James Maddison believes Tottenham are starting to shed their \u2018Spursy\u2019 tag after they continued a fine start to the new season with a battling 2-2 draw at rivals Arsenal.<\/p>\n
Spurs had lost on their last three visits to the Emirates and not won there in the Premier League since 2010.<\/p>\n
Tottenham\u2019s losing streak to Arsenal could have continued after Cristian Romero\u2019s own goal and Bukayo Saka\u2019s penalty twice put the hosts ahead in the north London derby, but Son Heung-min equalised twice \u2013 both from Maddison assists \u2013 to earn a share of the spoils.<\/p>\n
A lengthy trophy drought coupled with frequent collapses on the biggest of occasions contributed towards the \u2018Spursy\u2019 tag growing during the past few years, but the club\u2019s new number 10 hit back following another strong showing by Ange Postecoglou\u2019s team.<\/p>\n
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\u201cWe\u2019re not in there celebrating a point, I think there was a few little moments at the end especially in the dying minutes where we could have maybe won it from a set-piece,\u201d Maddison told talkSPORT.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think winning late last week and coming back twice (here), when you hear fans and neutrals talk about Tottenham they often say, \u2018soft, weak, they\u2019ll bottle it, Spursy\u2019, all that rubbish. I think the last couple of weeks shows that we might be going in a slightly different direction.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe scored in the 98th and 101st minute against Sheffield United to win late on when it looked like it was going to be one of those days.<\/p>\n
\u201cHere we go behind twice at arguably one of the best teams in the world, we pull it back and we\u2019re still fighting right until the end. Hopefully we can continue that.\u201d<\/p>\n
Maddison was crucial to Tottenham leaving the Emirates with a point after he set up both of Son\u2019s goals to make it four assists in six league matches since his summer switch from Leicester.<\/p>\n
It could have been a different story had Gabriel Jesus made it 2-0 in the 32nd minute when he robbed the ball from Maddison on the edge of Spurs\u2019 penalty area, but the Arsenal forward blazed over.<\/p>\n
Postecoglou continued to encourage his team to play out from the back and that bravery was rewarded with a fine display where Tottenham enjoyed 53 per cent possession, a marked improvement on the 35 per cent they had under Antonio Conte at the Emirates last season in a humbling 3-1 loss.<\/p>\n
I gave the ball away edge of the box, they nearly scored and it is so easy to sink and not carry on playing the way the manager wants us to play, but that’s what bravery is.<\/p>\n
Maddison added: \u201cI was really proud of how courageous the lads were and how brave we were. There were a couple of occasions in the first half, myself included, where we gave the ball away.<\/p>\n
\u201cI gave the ball away edge of the box, they nearly scored and it is so easy to sink and not carry on playing the way the manager wants us to play, but that\u2019s what bravery is.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is having big b**** to take the ball under pressure. I gave it away but the manager makes me feel so good that I can get it again and if I give it away, it\u2019s OK because that\u2019s how he wants us to play.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe won\u2019t be cheering if I keep giving it away on the edge of the box, but it was only once and once was enough to remind me to be a bit quicker because these derby games are a rapid pace.<\/p>\n
\u201cAfter that I thought we passed the ball really well and had spells where we dominated.\u201d<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Maddison was happy to give back some stick post-match to England team-mate Saka, who mimicked Maddison\u2019s own darts celebration for both of Arsenal\u2019s goals, but was turned by the Spurs playmaker for Son\u2019s first goal.<\/p>\n
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Maddison, who was forced off with a slight knee injury, quipped to SpursPlay: \u201cMe and Bukayo had a bit of banter and a bit of trash talking if you like on international duty.<\/p>\n
\u201cI got told he did the dart celebration and he must have still been doing it when I turned him for the first goal.\u201d<\/p>\n