Adebayor what’s the score? Adebayor what’s the score?

Arsenal 5-2 Tottenham

Watching Emmanuel Adebayor walking off the pitch at full time, head down, as the Emirates crowd asked “Adebayor what’s the score?” “Adebayor what’s the score?” you didn’t have to look at the scoreboard to know that the Gunners faithful had witnessed a wonderful performance from their team. The man who had danced in front of the home stand, having sent Tottenham 2-0 up, now had the chants of “5-2, we beat the scum 5-2” ringing in his ears.

It had all started so well for the self-proclaimed best footballing side in England, as Louis Saha scored after only four minutes. Coming into the game on the back of two horrendous results in Milan and Sunderland, Arsenal began the match rather nervously with the home defence allowing the Frenchman far too much time and space in the area. In the end Saha’s shot took a wicked deflection off Vermaelen to leave Szczesny stranded as the ball sailed over his head and into the back of the net. In a strange way however, this goal seemed to relieve the pressure from the shoulders of the Arsenal players and they began to dominate possession and move the ball freely amongst themselves. Most importantly, the sideways, cumbersome passing we have witnessed of late was replaced with direct and incisive balls. As a result it was the team labelled underdogs by the media, Arsenal, who were the superior side as Tottenham just sat back in the hope of catching the Gunners on the counter attack. Funny how a team supposedly destined to win the league employed the tactics of a relegation threatened side. With only ten minutes on the clock, they were even wasting time, with Friedel taking an age over every goal kick. Wonderful stuff from the team managed by the next England manager.

Arsenal fashioned chance after chance but just could not find the equaliser as Van Persie twice shot narrowly wide and Rosicky had a wonderful header well saved by Friedel.  It seemed only a matter of time before Arsenal would restore parity, however in the 34^th minute disaster struck. Modric sent Bale through on goal and as the Welshman seemed to lose control of the ball, Bale did what he does best and took a dive over Szczesny’s outstretched hand. The linesman, who had a perfect view of the incident, indicated the ball had gone out for a corner. However the hopeless referee, Mike Dean, disagreed, even though he had a far worse view and gave a penalty. Up stepped Adebayor to send his penalty right into the corner and give Tottenham a completely undeserved 2-0 lead. The former Arsenal player did not celebrate at first but then showed just what a despicable, disgusting human being he is by twice dancing in front of the home end. Never mind Ade, as they say, he who laughs last laughs loudest!

The Gunners fans were clearly extremely frustrated at this point, not with their team, but with the situation at hand. How could we possibly be loosing this game having completely dominated it? The players however continued to play their game and simply refused to give in. With five minutes left before half time, it was vital to score at least one goal to get ourselves back in the game. However, they didn’t just get one, they got two! First Van Persie saw his effort agonisingly hit the post and travel wide towards the left touchline, where the ball was fed to Arteta on the edge of the box. His cross was then met by a powerful headed effort from Sagna, sending the ball past Friedel to give Arsenal hope of a comeback. The determination and hunger shown by the French right back in powering into the box and winning that header set the tone for the rest of the match. Arsenal just wanted it more and Tottenham could not deal with anything the Gunners threw at them.

Bacary Sagna heads Arsenal back into the game

Three minutes later and the game was all square. Alex Song’s lofted forward ball could only be cleared to Van Persie, who turned and swivelled, creating space for himself to unleash a wonderful curling effort past the desperate dive of Friedel. The Emirates erupted as the Gunners faithful, who have endured such a torrid season, smelt blood. Unfortunately their search for a third goal was halted by the half time whistle. Having gained such fantastic momentum, I was worried that half time would allow Tottenham to regroup and get back into the game. The future England manager was forced to make two substitutions at the start of the second half, such was Arsenal’s complete dominance in the first. However rather than try to win the game, Harry actually attempted to hold onto a draw, bringing on Sandro and Van Der Vaart as extra bodies in a midfield battle that Arsenal had comprehensively won in the first half.

Van Persie celebrates his wonderful equiliser

However the tactical genius of Fabio Capello’s future successor was nowhere to be seen yesterday, with his substitutions having absolutely no effect on the game whatsoever. Arsenal’s second half performance was simply outstanding. They pressed Tottenham high up the pitch, swarmed all over them and suffocated them as they rushed and harried their opponents, fighting and battling for every single ball. Song, Arteta, Benayoun and Rosicky were fantastic in the middle of the pitch; their work rate was simply phenomenal. Benayoun saw an early second half effort well saved by Friedel but Arsenal would not be denied, not today.  In the 51^st minute Rosicky fed the ball wide to Sagna, whose low cross was met by the Czech captain, who had continued his run into the box, to flick the ball into the back of the net and send the Emirates into sheer ecstasy. 2-0 down, 3-2 up and Arsenal were not finished yet.

Rosicky enjoys giving Arsenal the lead

Waclott, who had been poor in the first half, suddenly sprang into life, first seeing a low shot fly just wide of the far post. Then in the 65^th minute Van Persie slid the ball square to the Englishman whose first touch was not the best, but still he managed to chip the ball over the onrushing Friedel and give the Gunners a two goal advantage. Arsenal fans were now delirious, but there was still more to come from their side. Three minutes later, Song’s wonderful chipped through ball sent Walcott through on goal to score Arsenal’s fifth and send us all into dreamland. With each goal Arsenal scored, Redknapp's face had become redder and redder! The closing minutes of the match saw the boys in red and white stroke the ball effortlessly amongst themselves to the sounds of Olè from the crowd. On one occasion Van Persie was surrounded by Tottenham players, he swivelled and turned and still they could not take the ball off him. Arsenal did not only beat their supposedly superior neighbours, they had well and truly humiliated them.  



Theo Walcott makes it 4-2



At the final whistle while Adebayor walked off the pitch to the jeers of the home crowd, Arsenal’s players gathered together to enjoy the adulation from their fans. This was exactly the performance we had all wanted from our players. The departure of the lazy Arshavin may well have had a positive effect in the dressingroom as  the desire, hunger and passion displayed by the Arsenal players yesterday was absolutely fantastic. It would be impossible to pick out a man of the match as each and every one of them stood up and were counted when it really mattered. They gave their all for the fans yesterday and we can’t ask for much more than that. Arsenal need to display this will to win every time they step onto the field, they have shown that they can do it against all the odds; now they must build on this and go on a run from now until the end of the season.    

The Arsenal players celebrate at the final whistle