On a night when even the most renowned dictionary will struggle to find words to describe the night at White Hart Lane. Breathtaking, scintillating, mind-boggling, bizarre are just some, though I prefer to leave to the others to come up for the superlatives.
To watch the game alone, I felt gifted, imagine those who were involved and especially the players, though I would imagine that Arsene Wenger would have went home sulking after the result, also judging by his so-called 'refusal' to shake hands with Harry Redknapp after the final whistle. Redknapp's reaction to that was vintage, the sort of grin that words cannot describe.
The line-ups were not surprising from either manager. Arsene made two changes with Sagna and Song coming in for Eboue and Wilshere. Spurs, meanwhile, started with the old 4-4-2 with Crouch and Pavlyuchenko paired upfront. Bale was on the left with Dutchman Van Der Vaart on the opposite flank. Modric and Huddlestone completed the midfield for the Lillywhites.
The game produced one of the best, if not the best attacking displays this season, from both sides. The first ten minutes itself was breathtaking, with Arsenal taking the lead courtesy of a crisp finish from Theo Walcott. Barely three minutes later, Spurs were level when Van Der Vaart raced onto a through ball from Vedran Corluka to produce a cool finish into the bottom right-hand corner past the ailing Szczesny. Arsenal managed to regain the lead after the referee played a great advantage for a foul on Nasri, and the Frenchman managed to play a one-two with Diaby and shot from outside the box, can you believe, beating Gomes. Arsenal were on the up, and managed to make the pressure pay, by doubling their lead through Van Persie. Sagna crossed into the box, and it was dealt badly with by Arsenal old-boy William Gallas and Walcott raced onto the ball to dink the ball into the six-yard box. Van Persie managed to produced a scrambling save from Gomes after his header, but the Dutchman pounced to rifle the ball into the top corner of the net.
At 3-1, I, personally, was as nervous as I have ever been. With Arsenal having a history of squandering leads, I really hoped that I would be proved wrong. But I wasn't. Just before half-time, Spurs got a goal back. A cross from Assou-Ekotto was partially dealt with by Fabregas who sliced the ball out of the box, and Tom Huddlestone was on hand to produce a piledriver of a shot, which zoomed into the bottom corner. What a time to equalise for Spurs. It managed to stay that way until the referee blew for first half.
At the beginning of the second half, Spurs were already forced into a double-change, with the duo of Corluka, and Bale forced to come off earlier. Lennon and Kaboul were brought on by Redknapp, and the game was under-way. For the first fifteen minutes of the second half, Arsenal had countless opportunities to put Tottenham to bed, but failed miserably and left their neighbours in the game. Then, Lennon was sent through on the left via a through ball, and the winger's pace proved to be a couple of nots to much for Arsenal keeper Szczesny. The Pole brought Lennon down, and the referee signaled for a penalty. Van der Vaart dispatched it with ease, sending the Arsenal No.1 the wrong way. In the last fifteen minutes or so of the game, Spurs grew in confidence while Arsenal sort of faded. There were more chances for Spurs but that was how it would finish.
In the end, it was more of 2 points dropped for the Gunners rather than a point gained. With Chelsea beating Birmingham at the Bridge, I think we can safely say the Gunners are definitely out of the title race, and the Blues moving into second place in the process. The gap is now six points, and United would have to lose two of the last five to leave any doubt, and Manchester United just don't like giving away presents. Final score from White Hart Lane, Spurs 3, Arsenal 3.
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