By Walter Broeckx
I’m a typing this some 20 minutes after the end of the game. I have spend the last 20 minutes of my life jumping up and down in my entire house. From the top floor to the bottom floor and if I would have a cellar I would have gone there to jump also. I do admit I had to stop a few times. To send a text to Tony to ask if his heart was all right. And a text to one of my friends from the Benelux who just like last year was in the Emirates to see history repeating itself.
But now I have cooled down a bit (if you smell anything it is my sweat but I take a shower after finishing this) and try to write something about this game. And I try to be as unbiased as possible.
Let us start with the start which is always a wise thing to do. And the first goal shout was one that was ruled out for a clear offside. Gallas poking it away but he really was largely offside. Good call (but not a difficult one). But not that long after the tots fan could celebrate. Per stepping up, Kos not and then you are in trouble. Szczesny could stop the first attempt but Adebayor followed up and put it in the net.
The tots fans who thought that Adebayor would win them the game could think otherwise after 20 minutes. Arsenal had restored the parity in the game after a very bright opening from the tots. But when Adebayor lunged himself with an outstretched leg towards the foot of Cazorla half a meter high ref Webb had no option but to send him off. I admit I was happy to see him go as he was looking rather sharp. And from being a level game at that point it turned completely. Thanks Ade.
Walcott with an perfect cross and Per making up for his initial mistake (or was it Kos?) and he headed it in the top corner. No keeper would have saved that. The Big F*cking German acknowledged the perfect cross and a good hug followed. The BFG had a biggest of smiles on his face. So did I.
Arsenal mounted the pressure after that and went in search of taking the lead. And after missed chances from (or well saved by the keeper) Giroud (twice) and the strangest of shots from Cazorla it was waiting for Arsenal to take the lead. It came when Podolski took a shot with his left foot and the ball bouncing from the feet of Galles to his right foot and it crept in past Lloris.
Then came a Webb goal. If I would have been the ref I would have been proud of myself. Webb you can be proud ! I have said hard words on you in the past but this was a really great advantage given to Cazorla. Cazorla regained his feet and gave a low cross and Giroud shot it in at the near post. 3-1 at half time. What a turnaround.
Now I want to pay tribute to Andre Villas-Boas. He could have told his team to dig in deep and just defend and don’t get a higher score line. But Villas-Boas has read Untold Arsenal this week I think and thought: why not go for 3 defenders and get men forward. A move that for a few minutes puzzled Arsenal at the start of the second half. The tots having a man more up field gave us a hard time. And as a result they moved forward more.
But then came the simplest of goals. A goal kick from Szczesny. A header from Giroud to Walcott in a central strikers position. Walcott with the perfect ball for Podolski who ran on the left flank. And a low cross that was buried at the far post by Cazorla. 4-1 after one hour. Game over?
Well we might not like Bale but he thought otherwise. Arsenal getting a bit too sloppy and Bale took the ball in his stride and pulled the trigger from some 20 meters out. The ball went through the legs of Koscielny and Szczesny was beaten. Strange how a ball going through defenders legs is hard to stop for any keeper. But that is for another article.
Suddenly the 4-2 trauma was back upon us. The tots with more belief and Bale had the 4-3 at his feet but he shot wide. Then Arsenal woke up and got a bit more back in control. A chance for Walcott but also one for Defoe. Ramsey came for Jack, Santos came for Podolski and The Ox came for Giroud.
Why not show myself must have been the thought of The Ox when he came on. And wow what a great 8 minutes he played. He was virtually unstoppable for any tots defender. And the reward came in the last minute when he again strolled past some tots defenders and then passed it to Walcott who (as a central striker) fired it in low. 5-2 to the Arsenal and game over.
So how about that for keeping myself under control. I just had enough of it.
WE DID IT!!!!! F****** B****** !!!! ANOTHER 5-2!!!! Take that home to your sh*t f*rt lane.
Ok just going to jump up and down a bit again right now! This was just what we needed!!!!!!
Thank you my Gunners.
PTL
@Gouresh, it’s even more enjoyable because both Manu and Chelsea lost.
Yes let’s get off Ramsey’s back. He is a central midfielder at a club blessed with three others in Arteta, Wilshere and Carzola who are arguably the best in the country. He is not currently at their level and it shows, but he is by no means a bad player. it’s just that with the other three the contrast is highlighted.
Given without injuries to the others this he isn’t going to be first choice in his true position, and it could be worse if Diaby gets back again. He’s filled in on wide positions and done hs best but is clearly not equipped with the pace of a Walcott or Ox.
Right now he’s not first choice in any position, but his flexibility is an asset to Wenger. The squad as a whole would be weaker without him.
All you Gooners getting over excited about our Demolition Derby against 5pur2, may I remind you that this is the team who lost against Norwich FFS! And Fergie would never allow that would he?
I had the feeling that after the missed chance from Lennong (I think) that could have made it 0-2 the game turned. I felt we took over after that and pressed the tots back and that resulted in Adebayor being sent off because they felt the game balance was shifting already. But don’t worry I will gladly take the time to see the game again to confirm this or not.
@Mandy
I note the Manuers failed to score, perhaps they need to buy a new striker. (But it was nice to see them lose!)
Fantastic game, even if they went down to 10. I don’t actually agree that the spuds dominated before Ade got sent off as we dominated for parts too (if you can call domination in the first 10 minutes). We did look to be slipping up a bit but that ALWAYS happens in this fixture.
The only certainty before the game was that there would be lots of goals.
I have seen someone mentioning that in the 5 mins before Adebayor got send off we had around 75-80% possession….
certainly was BJT, some great results all round yesterday!
@Walter
A lot has been made about Adebayor being sent off, mostly by Spurs fans and also by some disgruntled AAAs, but my impression was that Sandro was fortunate not to get two yellows. In fact Sandro seemed to commit some bad fouls quite early, Webb let them go; my thought was that if Webb had carded Sandro early would that have calmed down not just Sandro but Adebayor also?
Its results business we are told.Sorry i forgot.Its only when we play well and loose.Great win.I do think Giroud is doing the business.He will score goals in the box.I see Redknapp is up to his tricks again.The spuds have a far better squard than us and will finish 4th.Nice one Harry.It will put massive pressure on AVB when they finish 6th and make Redknapp look good.Tosser.It did spoil M.O.T.D programme as Redknapp had nothing to say!
Is anybody else getting fed up with Burt & Ernie(Alan & Arry) on MotD. It’s an insult to the intelligence of all football supporters.
I think we finally found Fox in the Box.
This win is very Arsenal, 5 goals from 5 different players.
found this gem from the bbc
warning note i haven’t checked the quote is accurate source is gloryglory (yes i was reading a spurs forum its sunday i’m hungover and was looking for something to laugh at)
BBC Radio 5 live pundit and former Chelsea defender Graeme Le Saux from Emirates Stadium:
On Adebayor’s red card: “He is genuinely going for the ball. In the heat of this game, I think it was a yellow card not a red card.
“To his credit, referee Howard Webb has given himself a lot of time to think about it. It was a tough decision.
“Both players have gone for the ball, seeing that at first glance I was wondering whether he was going to get a yellow card or not.”
No doubt that it was a deserved red card, but I would have expected Mr. Webb to show a yellow at most, especially in view of the level of tolerance which he was already showing to Sandro, who had committed at least three bookable fouls at that stage, without even receiving a warning. Viewed in that context, the yellow given to Podolski in the second half was outrageous.
Agree on the Sandro fouls, but at least Webb did the right thing eventually. But even that was not …in my opinion…as bad as RVPs challenge on Sagna…which was incredibly let go. Wonder why.
Also agree on the comments about MOTD – but good to see.. no less than Vincent Kompany break up the usual Spurs love in by telling viewers Arsenal have been the best team City have faced in the league so far. Arry did not look impressed. Lots of comment about this on several blogs today, a lot of consensus that the likes of Neville on Sky do a much better job.
have to agree Sandro was treated with kid gloves with regard to yellows.
however isn’t it the responsabilty of both players and the ref to try to ensure the saftey of players on both sides?
SAnti could easily be hurt by a challange like that maybe the fact he is quite slight possibly contributed to him not getting hurt badly.
What i have seen of AVB teams is that they tend to keep thier feet in to let the oppisition know they are there maybe that goes back to Mourhino or maybe spurs are just a dirty team. draw your own conclusions.
However i shall end my comment with 5 2 oh and i forgot 5 2 and a last respect to Kompany put rosie’s owner in his place on MOTD.
oh and PS 3 points
Doh Mandy got there before me about Kompany on motd
@Walter & bjt gooner
I thought about waiting for the ref review, but seeing bjt’s comment means I can’t wait for it.
The Webbmeister was up to his usual tricks. The totts, early on, were making spiteful “tackles”. They were meant to hurt, and dear Howard (as usual) let the team he doesn’t like – get away with them, and I believe that most teams understand that they can get away with multiple fouls on Arsenal players. The lack of a whistle for these fouls simply means Arsenal’s opponents are confident to commit soft or hard infringements knowing they’ll get away with it.
Thus, Adebay got carried away, as did many of his team mates, and kicked away as they pleased. (No caution needed, or indeed given).
On the other hand, any “light tap” (and sometimes, no tap), “committed” by an Arsenal player, especially in their final third (i.e. a position from which a ball can be hoiked into the box) will be given to the opposition “willy nilly” (as they say).
When Santi was fouled, stumbled, and continued towards the edge of the penalty box, I presume Howard would’ve stopped the game if he could’ve foreseen the magnificent assist and goal that followed. However, even if the free kick had been given, the offender would not have been carded, I reckon.
It’s amazing how the “infringement template” has been set – when it comes to dealing with Arsenal. Sure, other teams experience this, but not at the rate Arsenal do. Check the ref reviews and summary’s if you doubt this.
And please don’t forget that most players truly understand these ref shenanigans, and that’s part of the reason some of our players leave. Imagine knowing before you enter the pitch, that you’re going to get screwed by the ref because of past experiences with him, or due to his friendliness with Arsenal’s opponents in the tunnel, not to mention all the various, constant, negative media-talk about Arsenal.
It could be that RvP is in Manchester because he sees how they can win stuff despite their oft-blatant “craptitude”. What did the man (or little boy) think when he joined Arsenal and saw what happened at Old Toilet in 2004? What has he thought about the refs in the Premiership since that year? (How might he have felt when bundled into the net against Norwich in the 3-3 at the end of the game at the Emirates? No penalty given). What did he think about the match in Nou Camp where he got sent off, having previously had opponents hands around his throat? Has this guy (or little guy inside him) been committing nastier and more frequent fouls since his arrival at OT?
I think we should be told, Untold.
Well done Arsenal. And please people: Stop slagging off our players, even if they’re not perfect. That is not “Supporting”, it’s closer to “Bollocks”.
Arrgh, Mandy – you beat me again. I’ll still post this.
Oh yeah, and ‘Arry was gonna buy everyone! This is probably true (that he’d have tried). Look at his dealings when managing West Ham. Mancini can’t compete with Redknapp if the latter had the same budget, although if it were simply ‘numbers of players traded’ – ‘budget’ would have nowt to do with it.
Did you see on MOTD, how they tried to coerce Vincent: ‘Yes, but who will come out on top Totts or Ars’.
I loved VC’s calm demeanour and considered answers.
As for ‘Arry – and his comments on everything……
Hangeland recieved a straight red for a forward two footed lunge on Catermole a little while ago, won the ball minimum contact but still dangerous and uncontrolled. The pundits said “it was against Catermole do you think Hangeland was going to pull out considering who it was against.
Reputations apparently matter when applying the laws of the game to those who have the ears of the nation.
The ref did the right thing the pundits reckon it was a yellow, I reckon they would be calling for a life time ban if it was an Arsenal player who lunged in like that.
great article in the Mail on Sunday by Patrick Collins.He said that AW deserves his dinner last night.He went on to say this must be the only weekend that nobody can insult his ability or screamed for his head.Instead he should be treated like a man who knows his business.One other thing i did hear on the radio from Cascarino,ex Chelsea.Walcott will end up at Barcelona in January!.Where do they get these people from.
To finish with there is a interview on Absolute Radio between Ian Wright and Hoddle after the match yesterday.Ian bloody Wright did not have a good word to say about AW.
The funniest thing on Match of the Day was when Vincent Kompany was asked which team were better, Spurs or Arsenal. He said, ‘Well, we beat Spurs’. Then he said Arsenal were the best team he had played so far this season and he was sure they would end up higher than they are now.
One in the eye for ‘Arry, Lineker and Hansen!
@rantetta
I thought Sandro was lucky to still be on the field at half time, Lennon also got away with a nasty foul. Bale seemed to make some sort of gesture to Wilshere just as Adeybayor was leaving the field – not sure if he was trying to provoke Wilshere into a reaction that would have got him sent off. So while Adeybayor was rightly sent off, the level of indiscipline overall in the Spurs team is unacceptable.
But, what a happy result!
On MOTD lovable Harry made a fool of himself by claiming Spurs would finish above Arsenal because of their stronger squad and then completely contradicting himself by saying that Spurs were suffering because of injuries at the moment. What a plank!
Last season we won this 5-2 and scraped abocve spurs, winning nothing in the process. This season we beat 10 man spurs 5-2, after they’d been battering us and should have gone 2 up. The last two games we’ve won we’ve beaten 10 men. Match finished with about 6 players playing out of position. Fine, see that as a great weekend if you want, but I feel nothing about this match at all. People who criticise fans for not cheering up need to realise that again we’ll win nothing at the end of the season, and THEY’LL be moaning too.
If the point of the season was to whack Spurs, then we’re champions. It’s not and we won’t be until this regime is gone.
@barrys
If you cannot sit back and enjoy a win over the Spuds I would doubt your claim to be an Arsenal fan – are you sure you are not a Spud, or at best one of the AAA? Either way not a fan.
Oh – 6 players out of position – where these Arsenal players – are you sure – did you check the battery in your calculator?
If you say “THEY’LL be moaning too” that means you know that you are a moaner!
barry’s is this your own personal comment? Because last night I saw the same comment from another person who used a false email address and different names to get his posts posted?
But the other one was a bit stupid because he not only tried to post this comment from another site on here but also included the name (you?) that was used on what ever other side it was typed first…
It even included the same typo… LOL…..
Like this one Walter?
Comment by Glen Gould about 65 or 6 posts down the page
http://www.onlinegooner.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=35616&start=330
Or even this one by Steven
http://worldofarsenal.co.uk/2012/11/16/arsenal-vs-sprs-the-2012-north-london-derby/
Definite case of multiple personality disorder there
@Stuart
Well spotted.
So that is Glenngould, steven, barrys and one other name that escapes me for the moment.
Just try to find a cure please, whoever you really are….
@ Barrys
Sorry. There is no way you’re an Arsenal supporter if you say you feel nothing about this match at all.
The most important thing was we won the game. We got three points. We made up ground on the teams above. The fact that we beat the Spuds in the proccess is a bonus.
The “they should’ve gone two up”
Should’ve, Could’ve, Didn’t happen. Unless you want to re write history?
Shock horror you want “this regime gone”
You should get yourself off to the BSM or Le Grove. You can all sit there holding hands together plotting your next move to over throw the “Regime”
Me I’m going to enjoy this weekend and look forward to Montpelier on Wednesday.
In case you’re not aware we play them in the Champions League.
I’m sure you’ve heard of it?
Haha, now we have a little interesting game: spotting those tiny amount of AAAs and their army of clones. Very funny and eye-opening. Such a big relief to know (for sure) they are only a tiny amount of twats
Adebayor should also have been booked when he scored the goal and went across the advertising boards to celebrate.
I didn’t think Webb’s performance was bad though. He did give Sandro a lot of leeway, too much in fact, but overall he did a fair job.
@barrys
So you feel nothing at all. How does that work then? Presumably you didn’t actually attend the game or you would at least have felt some mild satisfaction at not losing after paying for your seat. Did you watch on Sky (as I did)? Doubt it as it might have justified your subscription. Watched those sad fucks on MOTD? That’ll be it. Complete football anaesthesia.
@ bjtgooner:
You’re spot-on. And yes, it’s a wonderful feeling – winning a game like that.
@ Stuart/Walter/Mick/Shard, in fact ‘All supporters’:
Thanks for your vigilance – I like the outing of the “personality disordered”.
Ahahah multiple pesronalities!
To be fair to him he probably is an Arsenal supporter, but the other people living inside his head are clearly not Arsenal fans at all. He probably read the comment and thought ‘who the fuck wrote that, what a wanker’ then slowly realized it was one of his personas!
Poor man/women/beast!