Stunning.
Talk was pretty tense before the game in the bars and pubs around the stadium. Most of the focus on the game didn’t centre around form, it was more focused on the ‘who knows’ factor we all love about the North London Derby.
Inside the stadium, the atmosphere was buzzing, people were singing and we’d all agreed today was not for sitting down and top management at the club had obviously cleared that with the stewards.
The game kicked off with no one really dominating posssseion, but within 4 minutes, Adebayor had split our defence with a ball to Saha, he moved into the box unchallenged, struck his shot which ricocheted of our centre backs ankle, over the keeper, into the net.
You had to be kidding me? The goal was ridiculous. As was the ease Spurs played us through the middle. The fans were defiant though.
Things seemed to get worse, panic had set in all over the pitch, the keeper was hesitant from crosses, the midfield had no shape and nothing was sticking up top.
We did however start to eek out some chances. Robin had a double attempt on goal that ended fruitless, a few minutes later he picked the ball up from a throw in, shot hard and low but Friedel matched it with a good save. The resultant corner was nearly turned in by Rosicky, his header tipped over in spectacular fashion.
Down the other end, Adebayor was found in acres of space, he again held off our challenges, passed when through in goal, luckily Walker fired wide.
Spurs extended their lead through a penalty. Gareth Bale was played through the middle by Modric, Gibbs bounced off him when making the challenge, Chesney came flying out to rescue the day, Bale rounded him, dived over the top of him and the ref blew for a penalty kick. The linesman closest to the incident was asked his opinion and he agreed. Terrible officiating.
Ade stepped up for the kick, slotted past Chesney, celebrated purposefully near the Arsenal fans… then when the refs back was turned he did a pathetic little dance. What a piece of work, I hoped he’d pay for that.
The atmosphere turned negative for a bit. The passing had been shoddy out there. Song in particular was guilty of some very poor decisions, he was matched by Koscielny and Vermaelen at the back and Theo Walcott who was having an absolute disaster outwide. The main drivers in that team were Rosicky and Benayoun, Yossi in particular was having a terrific afternoon.
The team did react positively, something we haven’t seen too often. Robin was played into the box. His shot across goal hit the post, it was picked up by Arteta who zipped a cross into Sagna who buried a fantastic header past the keeper. He followed it in, picked it up and rallied the team. The crowd went wild!
Robin wasn’t going to give the spot light to a team mate though, he found himself on the edge of the box after picking up a poor Ekkotu clearance, he jinked in and out, found some space and unleashed a curled pile driver past Friedel from 20 yards! Magic! It felt like a while since we’d seen one of those!
We went into half time with a win on our minds…
We opened with a bang. Yossi was played into space in the box, his snap shot was turned round post.
The next chance came when Rosicky found himself on the counter attack, he drove forward, passed outwide to Sagna, the Frenchman crossed the ball back to Rosicky who nipped in between 3 Spurs players to clip the ball into the empty net! Fantastic! The stadium was alive with noise! His first in 50 Premier League games!
The Spurs players look dejected. All the energy and desire of the first half had disappeared. The tactical decision from Harry to make 2 half time subs had bombed. The Arsenal players sensed this and sharpened up all over the pitch. Song hardly moved past the half way line in the second half and Theo started to cause problems, his first attempt at goal flew just wide, at least he was having an attempt I thought.
His next chance came when Robin picked out his run and played him in, his first touch was heavy and away from him, he used his pace and chipped sublimely over Friedel into the next. Was it time for 2-0 and you fucked it up? Maybe not…
We had to wait for Theo’s second for that. He was played in again, he looked up, smashed his shot low and hard past Friedel like a £90k a week player should! The players all bundled him in the corner… we all broke out into a chorus of the earlier song I mentioned… Oh, and ‘Harry for England!’… which was a laugh.
Theo bundled
Things got better, we were toying with Spurs in the end playing keep ball in their half whilst cheering every pass. The final bit of magic came when Scott Parker was red carded for a nasty challenge. Looks like he’ll be out for the United game!
We’re now 7 points off them, not uncatchable by a long shot!
This game did raise some big questions. Why can’t we play like that every week would be the first one? We showed belief and passion by the bucket load in the second half. The players knew they were going to turn that game around. The crowd knew they were going to turn that game around and sure enough, we passed and shot our way to victory in stunning fashion.
I don’t want to moan about the home support, becasue I understand the frustrations. However, we do seem to slip into negativity a little too quickly these days and it has become all too easy to bemoan players during the game. Theo Walcott was absolutely dreadful in the first half. He was falling over the ball, over hitting crosses and generally not playing like a top flight pro. That said, we shouldn’t be lambasting players during a match.
That said, for all the nonsense we’re getting in the press this morning, I thought the crowd were great. We sang all game. Even at 2-0 down, we had a think, punched our chairs… then got on with our job. A big thanks to whoever said we could stand all game, it made a huge difference!
We’ve been here before though. We’ve turned in victories only for the predicted sequence to be cut short next game. We can’t allow that to happen this time. This is do or die. Liverpool need to be dealt with. We need to make sure we win 80% of our remaining games and we need to make sure that belief if bottled up and fed back to the players after the international break.
I want to dish out some praise. Firstly to the manager. The line up yesterday didn’t inspire confidence in anyone. I don’t mind seeing Yossi in the side if Rosicky isn’t there. I feared we’d lack pace and mobility. Turns out I was totally wrong. Rosicky was at his best. He was making things tick over in midfield, he was tracking back and tackling and he was forceful going forward. For me, the star of yesterday was Yossi. He was fantastic. I thought he led by example. He showed so much desire it was inspiring to watch. He wanted to be on the end of every header, he was ambitious moving into the box and he was aggressive when Spurs were in posession. A superb game from him.
Theo Walcott gave us a mixed bag. In the first half and part way into the second half, he gave us the worst side of himself. He was indecisive, he was poor in possession and his final ball was garbage. The second half showed a different side. He was getting in behind Spurs defence, he was clinical and he was unplayable at times. If he showed half of what he did in the second half more regularly, no one would complain about him being dished out a superstar contract. Fair play to him as well, it would have been easy to curl up and die. He did what any professional athlete should do when being criticised… work harder and perform.
Arsenal have to use this game as a springboard for the next 12 games. No one cares how we get to 4th (or third), as long as we get there. We’ve got a great opportunity to dismantle a poor looking Liverpool side and from then on in, we should be looking to pick up maximum points. City will be tough, but I don’t see why we can’t nick the game at home.
Finally, enjoy today. Ring around every Spurs fan you know, don’t be put off by the voicemail. Eek every last drop of gloat-tastic glory out of yesterday and thank the good lord you are an Arsenal fan.
Yesterday was a magical day that will live in the memory for a long, long time. The question is, will this side make the most out of it? Will the season review look back on this as a defining moment in our season? Was this the turning point?
P.S. Marvellous victory prediction from Geoff… not far off with his team as well!
Thomas
Agreed. In terms of extrapolating out the wages using the interim report i always just double the increase and its never been inaccurate so i would put money on the fact it will be £140m (+/-£2m).
Perhaps gambon, but don’t you think you’re overhyping him just a little bit?
He’ll almost definitely take a couple seasons ala Nasri for us to see anything close to his best.
Those bastards thought they’d come pick 3 points at the grove..but we showed them eh!!
Sagna said we just couldn’t lose to the enemy at home, so the good guys won!!!
I’m having a laugh…
Rohan
No i dont. Its very rare that i get hugely excited by a player, Hazard will be a world beater.
Take what you have now, put him alongside a team full of internationals, with RVP inside, in a more attacking league, and add the natural improvement a 21 year old with such talent has, and you will have a 23 year old that scores and assists 15 each in the PL in 2013/14.
Nasri had a good first season with us, its not like he was a spastic until last season. He was poor in his second season apart from the home game vs Porto, but he broke his leg in pre season and never really found his form.
He has the ability to be a better version of David Silva.
Gazidis has made it clear today that there is going to be a wholesale clear out of playing and support staff this summer including the manager with a new blue print for the club structure planned
Expect a core of around 8 first teamers to remain in place with loses cut on ineffective fringe players and a high profile European technical manager appointed
This is common knowledge at the club although wenger’s medium term future is still subject of conjecture….
BTW message to the webmasters:
This Gambon character is an irritant and pedant who must be peeing off large numbers of the site’s readers
Perhaps you could put him out to grass for a while to give us all a break?
Ice that’s a bit mean, Gambon talks a lot of sense in my humble opinion.
Arsenal have been taking the fans for a ride for far too long with mediocrity.
Wenger is tight with our money but isn’t when it comes to himself or his average kids.
Ice… are you ever right with anything?
Roses are red, Violets are blue, Arsenal 5, Tottenham 2.
Lol, Ice the liar vs Gambon the prophet.
Ice is the guy that said he was swanking it up in the Bellagio when he was in Milton Keynes.
He has also claimed to have inside info that Van Basten was coming in, only for Van Basten to go to Heerenveen.
Pedro I will reply to your email soon, but not tonight as im a bit tied up.
As for blog hits… I can assure you, he’s had no negative impact.
Laters people….
Just remember……bigger than jesus!
Ice, do you not have anything better to do with your life?
Everything you have said is bullshit!
Do you get some sort of pride by acting the person “in the know” or something?
There really are some strange people in the world…
Rosicky is getting little media credit for his outstanding performance. He has been getting better and better over the past few games. He is always trying to up the tempo and make us play more direct. That is when we play our best. Crab-possession football does not suit us and leaves us open to counter-attacks. I hope the team realizes this and puts Liverpool to the sword the same way!
Pedro that’s good because you run a fine web page here…..
Always entertaining stuff….
Thanks Ice… you were right on one major thing that you posted that I couldn’t talk about.
Not much talk about the blatant dive by Mr G Bale yesterday. If it had of been one of our player’s they would have been hung,drawn and quartered by now.
Agreed for Bale. I watched the teplay several times: it was a dive.
* replay
I want AW out but between us, he has more footballing knowledge than Gazidis.
We have cash reserves of 115M!!
Get in!!
Josip,
and where would Gazidis get this footy knowledge from?
from being a pen pusher (a top one, but a pen pusher nevertheless) in the MLS?
I loved the argument that he will be great for transfer dealings, because he had the experience from his time there, whereas all he did was rubber-stamping the deals done by someone else, probably not even checking their compliance with the rules!
and of course it was a dive!
The speedo’s gave it away
My Tottenham friend texts during the match to me read as follows (I was there)
1. “Hows it feel to be losing 2-0 at home to your local rivals, bet the Arsenal fans are crying”.
2. “Make the 2-1 then”
3. “Now we have got a game on our hands”
4. (At 3-2) “PRICK”
He wisely chose to stop texting after that point.
I am actually disappointed that we won. We were just building momentum against Wenger and his ridiculous transfer policies and then this happens. Back to square zero. Expect more of the same bullshit for another 5 years.
on injuries to Rosicky and Vermaelen…
“Unfortunately we had some bad news for Rosicky today, and Vermaelen as well. Vermaelen has an ankle problem, and Rosicky a back problem. I don’t think they will be available for Wednesday, whether they are available for Saturday is a big doubt.”
Are you effing kidding me???
vb
If we keep winning like we did on Sunday I’d gladly put up with the same bullshit. Are the player’s up for the challenge though?
@kwik fit,
There lies the problem. Fans quickly forget all the misery after a fantastic victory like this. You and all the others start believing again, only for your hopes to shatter come next February by another string of inept performances.
vB,
I am a bit on the DooMish side, but anyone who does not want us to win every game against Sp*ds is not an Arsenal fan plain and simple…
if Wenger can get the team firing, he can stay here for life for all I care…
vb
Don’t worry I’m not that gullible . Yesterday’s performance was top notch but can it last?
hello, grovers.
by the posts i have read, one would be convinced arsenal lost to spuds.
Pedro, great job, u dont just recount the match, u bring the atmosphere and flavor. I know rosicky has talent, but he has never been nearly so agressive and energetic. I have been praising yossi here for his energy, im glad he got a shot to show it again. I still want to sell theo, maybe he is worth a lil more after this match. If we pick up one or two wingers, they will be better than theo. And i prefer ox gerv or whomever already. Destroy liverpool. They act like they won the champs league yesterday.
From this week’s Tim Vickery blog………
‘As businesses go, football is unorthodox. Success is measured in trophies, not profits, and the relationship between the clubs is more like partners than true competitors. Clubs need each other and without enough opponents to sustain a season-long calendar there is no professional football.’
There have been two highlights this season.
1. Chelsea 3 Arsenal 5
2. Arsenal 5 Spurs 2
I think I went slightly madder watching the Chelsea win but yesterday was sweet.
You are right though, the main thing I came away from the game thinking is WHY?
WHY can we not play like this 9 out of 10 weeks, and by that I mean with passion and purpose. What has gone on for 75% of this season has been nothing short of a disgrace. No one minds a defeat is they know the boys gave their all.
Wake up Arsenal, more of the same please.
vb
Cunt.
Nice post Pedro….very well said.
I still think the difference this season with failure and winning is Ramsey. He should not be started in the hole…AT ALL!
Rosicky was the clear difference yesterday. Yossi was good, but Rosicky did the magic in the middle.
Also, Koscielny grows in stature every game, he takes the aggressiveness needed and hounds continously, Vermaelen looks like he has dropped off a bit. I think we should move him to compete with Song and bring on Vertonghen to partner Koscielny.
Beating those scum was too awesome, I could careless about the negative being said. We can now catch up with them realistically.
I think Wenger is really seating on a hot seat, he is using his cranium, a little.
Oh..shit, mu post came in late…..Verm and Rosicky out already….fuck!
vB, with all due respect, you are no Arsenal fan……lose against those scum? Are you kidding me? get your head around being Arsenal and stop the obsession with Wenger.
At 2-1 my friends Facebook read ‘oh look, we might as well give Arsenal a consolation goal’……what a Facebook curse that was!
Fans should stand up and be counted like that every game – the players responded and we we unplayable!
I seem to remember an air of excitement, and a tendency to let bygones be bygones after thrashing another certain chavski russian owned London club, not so long ago…We went on a little run after that, but then all the old problems re-surfaced. What we need is some REAL mental strength and a squad full of players who are willing to run thier socks off for the shirt. Have we got that now? I don’t think so…Elated with the win, but big changes still need to be made. Dont get delusional fellow goons.
For those that don’t understand
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gBzgx0DtGA4&feature=youtu.be
Bale learning to dive from an early age with his family
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9fPZFHOK3VU&feature=youtube_gdata_player
You just get the feeling that we can win the pl with a new dm and rw. Good ones.
Exquisite attitude by the boys. Sweet win. Today feels like the old days.
Dale
I think you’re right about Ramsey. We lose our fluency when he plays if he isnt running down blind alleys and he and Arteta shouldn’t be playing together.
He’s a hard worker but I couldn’t help thinking in the CC final that Ramsey wouldn’t look out of place in that Cardiff team. He’s a good Championship player nothing more.
Wenger will keep playing Ramsey regardless though like he did with Denilson so I expect him to get more time than Rosicky.
Can someone explain to me why: 1) if the Bale dive *was* a penalty; then 2) why Chesney wasn’t sent off?
Pedro
Yep, another big pat on the back for the Bear with his pre match post.
speaking of Ramsey, surprised we didn’t see him behind the scenes yesterday?
was he at Wembley for the cup final? Just last year we berated Cesc for neglecting support, Ramsey is a face I’d expect to see loitering in support at a NLD if I’m honest.
Despite Frimpong irritating the shit out me with his dench business it was great to see him 3 rows back in full fist pumping support.
Woman goes into a record shop and says, ‘ Do you have Jingle Bells on 7 inch?’
Young lad says, ‘No but I’ve got Dangly balls on a 9 inch!’?
Woman says, ‘ That’s not a record is it?’
Lad says, ‘its not fuckin bad for a 16 yr old!’
lurch-
another face missing…the toupee.
really pleased with his support of his premier side.
what, was GTWY not there?
jeez, yesterday reminded me of the osrt of performances Rosicky used to put in 07/08. Still remember that Chelsea game where he stood out and made the entire Chelsea midfield look like mugs
Ffs, if you would be happier if we lost how the fuck can you call yourself a fan? That’s no better than akb’s, you both think more about wenger than the club.
Great post by the way.
SUG
Joke Friday come early? Why not
I was looking around the airport and a guy came up to me and said
“lost something mate?”
I said “yes my wife”
he said “Me too”
I said “What does she look like?”
He said “Blonde long tanned legs, wearing a mini skirt, no knickers, no bra, big tits, see through top. What’s yours look like?”
I said “Who gives a fuck lets look for yours”
sug-
a new acronym? but, sadly, no.
Nice to see Jenks brought on as well. Must have been some moment for him. Lad’s a bigger gooner than most
http://www.flickr.com/photos/27453474@N02/6886843393/
He’s sporting a pretty dodgy haircut though.
not a new one, it stands for Gash Toupee Wearing Yank
Got one of them Anti-Bullying wristbands yesterday. Got it off a little fat ginger cunt with glasses .
no offence Dale!
hope he cried when you kicked him.
I was telling a girl in the pub about my uncanny ability to guess what day a woman was born on just by feeling their breasts.
“Really?” she said, “Go on then…try.”
After about 30 seconds of fondling she began to lose patience.
“Come on,” she demanded, “What day was I born?”.
I said “Yesterday?”
Frenchie,
Recon he’s not long term after that show of confidence, that or as a certain mr Ice suggests it going to get savage in the off season and he doesn’t want to be associated with us until after that.
yeah I hate conspiracy theorists as well.
he sure did, bleeding all over his favourite Sp*d shirt
i had no idea dale wore a gash toupee. it all becomes clearer…
lurch-
back and to the right. back and to the right.
A teacher asks a Scouse girl to use “Handsome” in a sentence.
She says, “When I’m sucking dick, and my jaw gets sore I use my handsome times.”
Your Comment Here
Gooby
you beat me to it, but nevermind
VB
Cunt
lurch-
payton twatted that he gave the toupee’s assistant a copy of a book by a certain blogger with the designs on instructing the toupee of what it means to be arsenal.
that profit margin must look very comforting with designs on moving one team to la and purchasing another.
but conspiracy theorists…
haha Like the sound of that Frenchie.
AKA zapruder manifesto.
been otherwise occupied, appreciate the intelligence reports.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wXMEfspf1eU
diaby was seen in his spurs shirt. fact
https://twimg0-a.akamaihd.net/profile_images/1855611918/IMG_7646-Edit.jpg
jeez
frenchie stop fibbing
Little scouse Jonny’s teacher asks him to use the word ‘contagious’ in a sentence..
Ok dere lah, me Ma sais Dads paintin the living room but its takin the contagious..
Where was Diaby yesterday?
Just a thought: worst Arsenal team ever beat best cunts team ever!
5pur2
Spud cunt http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2011/06/10/article-2001928-0C7F7DBA00000578-170_306x423.jpg
http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story/_/id/1028189/fa-to-draw-up-shortlist-for-england-as-harry-redknapp-back-up?cc=5901
FA draws up a list of Redknapp alternatives. Interesting time to come out, this story. Sure they’re just backups, sure. Hahaha.
Cesc, Fab and Nasri 65 million (plus a bunch of other players off the books in loans etc)
We brought in Arteta, Mertesacker, Santos, Chamberlain, Gervinho, Jenkinson, Park (plus Benny on loan). That’s about 55 million plus. Add to that contract extensions, and our net spend on players was pretty balanced.
The only reason it shows as a large profit is due to the amortization.
The real question is whether Arsenal should operate at a loss in order to compete more effectively. I have mixed feelings about that. What I do know is that I’m glad I support a club that can buy 4 players for a combined 18 million rather than support the billionaires toy of a club that bought those same 4 players from us for about 75 million. Of those 4 players, not one of them has lived up to (at time of writing) their transfer fee. I do think Arsene allowed his affection for Fabregas to cloud his judgement on the sale to Barcelona, but at the same time Cesc’s demeanour was horrendous last year. I personally would have made him stay but given the captaincy to RVP due to the mixed messages he was sending.
OY – Anfield without…
Vermie
Mert
Santos
Rosicky (?)
Rambo (?)
Jack – despite hopes for late Feb return
RVP – Yellow card accumulation – yes?
Isn’t that 75% of a good back 4, a near entire midfield plus about 65% of our goal scoring ability?
Ahhhhh.
Can someone explain this stat:
Arsenal Injury List: 10 players
Manchester United Injury List: 10 players
Manchester City Injury List: 0 players
Sometimes, luck just might play a little role in things.
Imagine Man City with no Kompany and Lescott (Vermaelen and Mert) Silva (Wilshere) Kolarov (Santos). Are other injured players are true back-ups when everyone’s fit (Coquelin, Squill, Rosicky, Ramsey, Diaby) and one who technically is a Wolves injury (Frimpong).
At the same time, Man U have had just as bad injury news but have a lot more depth than we do.
Bacaryisgod
If Man City had 10 injuries it wouldnt help us would it, we are shit.
Gambon
Don’t you ever forget, we have Eisfeld, Man $ity don’t
Lol @ comparing Wilshere & Silva.
NEW POST!
Gerv is fast becoming the Chamakh of 2011