What a day for Arsenal it was yesterday. It was a game that showed just how good Arsenal can be at times, even against "good" teams like Tottenham, as Martin Jol watched his team get outpassed and outclassed by Wenger's latest table topping team.
In a fantastic footballing derby of the highest quality, Arsenal showed their mettle to come back from a goal down and several horrendous misses, to finally overcome Tottenham by three goals to one, adding more strength to the rumour that Arsenal may just become shock title challengers this season after all.
Arsenal started well enough, keeping posession in a pretty franctic opening quarter of an hour. However, it was Spurs, who were on the back foot for the majority of the game, who scored first. Gilberto was playing in a very uncomfortable centre back position, and showed his discomfort at playing there with an uncharacteristic rash challenge on Berbatov. From the free kick that followed, Arsenal supporter Gareth Bale stepped up and placed the ball into the near corner with aplomb. However, the Arsenal wall and Almunia's better organisation of the wall could have prevented the goal quite easily. But it really was pretty one-way traffic from that point on. Yes, Spurs had chances, but when you create as much as this Arsenal side does, then you're going to score more than the opposition in 9 out of 10 occasions anyway, or so it seems. Not long after Bale's opener, Fabregas and Adebayor set up Hleb to bring a good save from Robinson. Another chance wasted then.
The closest that Arsenal were to come to equalising in the first half was when Hleb, who was generally quiet on the right side of midfield, cut in and skillfully passed a couple of defenders before putting Diaby clear in the box. But with only Paul Robinson to beat, Diaby lost his cool and slammed the ball against the top of the bar when scoring looked easier.
And it was end to end stuff after half time, with Berbatov so close to doubling Spurs lead as he beat Almunia to the ball but couldn't take it around the brilliant Kolo Toure as the Ivorian made a brilliant sliding challenge to win the ball with the goal gaping behind him. Next it was Adebayor's turn to miss a sitter, recieving the ball after a brilliant Sagna run to the by-line, but managing to blast over the bar from 6 yards out. And Adebayor also thought he should have had a penalty not long after, running on to yet another superb Fabregas pass before the sprawling Robinson dived at the strikers feet to prevent a goal.
But finally Arsenal and Adebayor broke through the Tottenham defences, rising ahead of Robinson to nod the ball in from a well delivered Fabregas free-kick. It was a simple goal, but well deserved after all of Arsenal's efforts. And they didn't stop trying there either, Adebayor setting up van Persie to shoot straight at Robinson, before Fabregas hit the ball just wide of the goal from outside the box. But the ball was straight up the other end as Clichy got in the way of a Berbatov volley from point blank range to deny the Bulgarian on the line.
Spurs were still holding on, but that was to change very quickly. Good Arsenal play picked up Fabregas in space 25 yards out, and the young Spaniard let fly with a shot that rocketed into the top corner to give Arsenal the lead they deserved. It was a spectacular goal for a spectacular game, but the North London teams weren't finished yet. £16.5m striker Darren Bent was put through following terrible positioning from Gilberto - the Englishman was clean through but produced a woeful finish to scuff wide.
And they were made to pay just moments later, Denilson being played through only for Robinson to block well, but the ball found it's way to Fabregas, who fed Adebayor who teed himself up, turned and rifled a fantastic volley into the top corner of Robinson's goal to end the match. It was a brilliant goal that rivals even Fabregas' attempt earlier on.
Match Ratings:
Almunia - 6.5 - Couple of good saves, but should have organised the wall better for the Spurs goal.
Sagna - 7.5 - Comfortable game, did well defensively and did well going forward. Good solid game.
Clichy - 8 - Very good as always it seems, caught out once or twice defensively though. Toure - 8.5 - The perfect partner for Gilberto - for every mistake Gilberto made, Kolo made up for it. brilliant saving tackle on Berbatov.
Gilberto - 6 - A pretty poor centre back imo, positioning could have cost us goals on a couple of occasions.
Hleb - 7 - Didn't do very much, had a couple of good dribbles and linked up well with Sagna.
Fabregas - 8.5 - Brilliant game in my opinion. Rarely gave the ball away, always working the defenders with some great through balls, a wonderful goal and two assists. Not too much else he could have done to affect the game really.
Flamini - 7 - Works so hard for the team, tireless in midfield although his passing needs improving.
Diaby - 6.5 - Not too bad, some good moments, some ok moments and some bad moments. A typical Diaby game really.
van Persie - 6 - Didn't really see him, well marked but poor performance tbh.
Adebayor - 8 - Missed chances, but great work rate, a wonder goal and a header as well. Loves playing against Tottenham, he has the passion for derbies imo, understands what it means to the fans.
Subs:
Denilson - 5
Rosicky - 6.5
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