Arsenal did not regain their rhythm of play for another fifteen minutes after the goal, which showed Hleb ducking out of the way and Almunia's near post vulnerable, but they still pressed the play, maintaining control over the middle in a game with little possession. But one fluid attack, that saw Fabregas thread a signature ball through for Adebayor whose back-heel found a curling Hleb square in front of goal with a run-up, and then clockwork.
Hleb was too conservative with the chance and England number one Paul Robinson added a fourth sound save of the day. But another ten threatening minutes later full of half chances, and Hleb danced through and played Diaby overlapping near the corner of the six. An open chance at a small target. Diaby took the ball well trying to shape it in with the inside of his righ, but he rattled the shot off the crossbar. It was a massive chance. A message.
Credit to Tottenham, particularly Jenas and Huddleston in the middle, for taking their lead and their claim on the game into the locker room with them at half time. Which led to all sorts of redactions to the story of the game during the interim. For a moment the story was, yet again, an elegant Arsenal with no teeth losing to a gutty, professional performance from a talented, struggling Tottenham. And the whisper was this the win would save Jol's job, redeem the goal-dry Berbatov, redeem the lately-jailed Chimbonda, and hail Gareth Bale as Britain's new boy.
The second half began, though, as it had to. Tottenham defended well for the first five minutes and nearly turned the game when Berbatov was played through and Almunia left stranded at the top of his eighteen when the Bulgarian got buy him. But Kolo Toure made a saving tackle and harm was avoided. It was the second time Almunia looked shaky, worse than the first, and also the second time Arsenal's center backs had been missing. In the 52nd minute, though, Sagna took the ball all the way to the Tottenham end line and slotted Adebayor, who blasted over the goal from very close.
From that point, Arsenal continued thumping Tottenham into a more malleable shape with really high defensive pressure and near-perfect passing through the midfield. Fabregas has looked like one of the world's best players so far, gliding through games almost without mistakes, having scored already more this year than his last. Adebayor has been prominent physically and tactically, but has been goalless. He was open for the ball nearly every minute he was on the field. Flamini is partnering Fabregas beautifully. The two of them create an infinity of angles for the rest of their teammates. While Clichy is tearing up the left, the new kid, Frenchman Bacary Sagna of the peroxided braids, is turning into an incredible player on the right. Which reminded me of that first half he played with Eboue on the same side against Fulham. Only V. Persie , who has seemed out of synch so far this season, and Gilberto, who looked jet-lagged and cranky, did not play well.
In the 55th minute, Tomas Rosicky came in for Abou Diaby wide on the left to pair with Clichy and give the team a more forward tilt. The first effect seemed to be that Tottenham was winning more balls and Arsenal started to press a bit. But ten minutes later there was a proud little tussle between Almunia and Huddlestone after the Spurs midfielder missed an open volley. The next play of the game Sagna clattered Huddlestone and got a yellow card. On the next play Gareth Bale clattered into Fabregas and conceded a free kick, which Fabregas put on Adebayor's skying head for the game-tying goal. 1-1
The game had heated up and gotten tough. Huddlestone nailed Hleb who moaned. Then Keane nailed Toure. Game on boys! This is the derby!
In the 68th Robbie Keane had a chance to put Spurs ahead when Arsenal miscued in the back and he ran onto the ball from off-sides position. Almunia made a great save but Robbie Keane won't remember that play well.
The spaces on the field grew as Spurs tired and Arsenal took possession of the ball and put together consecutive attacks. Gilberto was still having a nightmare in the center at the back. He is never really comfortable there. The rumor is that he is pouting now, at not being named captain. It's no secret to anyone that Arsenal are weak in the back of the middle, next to Toure, where Gilberto, Galas, and Senderos have shared folly, and Tottenham again almost won the game when a Robbie Keane corner fell to Berbatov's feet. He volleyed the ball solidly off Gael Clichy's chest on the goal line. The game was still at that point in the 79th, up for grabs. But this year is not last year. Cesc Fabregas took initiative on a counter-attack up the middle and struck one beautifully from 30 yds. It took a slight whiffle and then powered through Robinson's outstretched hand into the upper left corner of the goal for 2-1.
It was a lightning strike for Spurs, who saw the clouds of gloom darkening the edges of the sky on a previously glorious fall afternoon. White Hart Lane began to whisper derision at its own white shirts. Arsenal tasted blood. Incredibly, enough though, Spurs had more chances. Jol put on Darren Bent up front for Robbie Keane. Fabregas made an uncharacteristic give-away and Gilberto got stranded badly for the fourth time as the ball came in from Huddleston to Bent alone on Almunia. He "tore the neck" off the chance according to Sky Sports commentator and former QPR general Gary Richards, shanking a topped ball that went nowhere near the goal. Bent's speed was menacing for our center backs, that message was clear, but there weren't any chances left.
Arsenal killed the game in injury time. After Denilson missed a break-away Adebayor took a ball at the top of the box, a great first touch from a pacey bouncing ball and a quick side volley for a crackerjack goal. 3-1. Victory!
That was last Saturday. Yesterday, Arsenal opened their Champions League Final schedule with their first group match against Sevilla at Emirates. Sevilla sits second in the Spanish Table and won the UEFA Cup last season. They play slick passing football like us and have some extremely dangerous players in Dani Alves, Kanoute, Jesus Navas, and Luis Fabiano. Their coach, Juande Ramos, is coincidentally rumored to be first in line for Martin Jol's doomed job, and Ramos apparently took a break from the visit to speak with Spurs officials.
Emirates was packed to the gills, 70,000 in full dress and song for the sunny kick-off. They were in for a real show. Our line up was the same as the one that beat Tottenham with Senderos in for Gilberto, Rosicky for Diaby. Sevilla was never hard enough in the midfield and Fabregas, Rosicky, and Hleb totally dictated the flow of play.
Arsenal took the upper hand in the 27th minute when Fabregas ripped a first time shot off a sqare layoff from Hleb. The ball was clearly heading wide of goal but it was hit so hard that defender Nicolas Escude couldn't escape its path. He deflected it into the goal past a stunned keeper. It was the last thing Sevilla needed. Kanoute and Dani Alves menaced Arsenal a few times, and Navas is a very skillful player. But Arsenal had such a strange hold on the middle of the field that the game did not feel pressed. Sevilla has its own passing rhythm and there were long stretches of possession from both sides. Some very fluid moving football. Arsenal took the game by the throat after half time when V. Persie scored off of a Fabregas free kick that came off Sagna's near-post header. 2-1.
Sagna was magic in this game, tackling perfectly, running tirelessly, passing economically, and getting all the way to the line when he had to. Fabregas was dominant, and you felt like Adebayor and V. Persie did not make the most of what they were provided with.
But it was the defensive pressure and control over possession that won the game, and that was nearly flawless from the start. Eduardo got a goal off a generous pass from Fabregas, who knew well enough to prime the young striker for more competitive matches. 3-0.
This week, with five players hurt, we invite lowly Derby County to Emirates for a contest. Must be daunting for them. News elsewhere in the league is glum for the other biggies, which is doubly satisfying. Liverpool were dreadful in their 0-0 tie with Portsmouth and have Alonso and Aggers, two of their best, out with injury. Man United had a gutty week, beating Everton 1-0 off a header from Vidic and then stealing a game from Porto on a header from C. Ronaldo. Chelsea is the big story, saching Jose Mourinho today in a dramatic end to his reign as Chelsea warlord. In the end, Emperor Abramovich would back his pricey darlings Ballack and Sheva, against his fork-tongued Portuguese manager.
England has lost its villain. The Special One, still hot under the collar, will walk out of town uttering maledictions and look to ply his trade elsewhere. Who would have thought Mourinho would be out before Jol!
Come on Gooners!
An absolutely smashing week at the Arsenal Football Club, the sort of week that lures a Gooner out of his emotional shell to grasp at, for another year, dreams of high fortune and their attenuating gloomy risks. For now though, the talk is of glory for Arsenal. Spurs had them down a punch in the north London derby with Wales international Gareth Bale's 14th minute free kick strike. The goal threatened to take the air from Arsenal's high-flying sails and give Tottenham the stark reversal of fortuned they needed to save Martin Jol's job. Arsenal have not lost yet this season, nor have they faced stiff competition in a high pressure match yet...