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North London is Ours! (The Diary of a Travelling Gooner Part 5)

North London is ours!
North London is ours!
F**k off to Stratford!
North London is ours!

Please pardon my French!

My feet still hurt from all the running I had to do yesterday to make the game yesterday. In fear that I would jinx the team again, I was repeatedly told by friends to stay away from the Emirates and burn my ticket. Instead, I decided to go to Church to intercede for my beloved Arsenal. At 12:32 I was just leaving Wembley Central Station and could only look in envy at the Cardiff and Liverpool fans who were headed up to Wembley Stadium for the Carling Cup final. Memories of last year came back and I quickly brushed them aside with the thoughts of a mouth-watering North London Derby ahead of me. However, there was one problem. The game started in less than an hour and not only was I overdressed for a football game, I had left the match tickets back at our lodgings in Paddington. Yes, Boogie was with me to and it was to be her first game at the Emirates. We had less than an hour to change, get our tickets and head to the stadium.

Severe delays on the Circle Line contrived to ensure that by the time we got to our seats, we were already a goal down and were looking increasingly uncomfortable on a very tense afternoon in North London.

We were soon two goals down via an Adebayor penalty which came about by another dive from Gareth Bale. Former top referee Graham Poll is of the opinion that the FA should introduce retrospective punishment for diving. He says;

If it was a foul it should have been a red card for the keeper and perhaps Dean had doubts over the accuracy of his decision and left him on the pitch. Replays showed that Bale had not been fouled but I would not blame Dean for being fooled; rather look at the conduct of Bale and plead that the FA introduce retrospective punishment for diving. This would not need a change to laws of the game, nor permission from the IFAB or FIFA as it is up to each governing body to determine their own disciplinary code.

I quite agree with him as if one team gains an unfair advantage by a player diving, it is only fair that the guilty party should get punished for it retrospectively if it can be proven. However you look at the famous witch hunt of Eduardo by UEFA and Celtic a few years ago and wonder where the line will be drawn as regards video evidence and retrospective punishment.

Unlike in many other home games I have attended where we have fallen behind, Adebayor’s goal seemed to inspire the home fans and the chanting, singing and cheering seemed to be taken to another level. Bacary Sagna had earlier spoken about how the game held special meaning for him.

The first game was a nightmare for me because I got injured and was four months out. This match is a good opportunity to show that I am back and to be decisive even. I would like to win the game because it would be special to me. Every game is important but the derby is the killer one. This is one of the biggest games of the season and we know we have to win it. It will give us even more power to move forward.

His brilliant header in the 40th minute sparked an amazing comeback for Arsenal. A moment of sustained pressure saw Van Persie hit a shot against the far post, the rebound was picked up by Arteta who sent a sweeping cross back into the centre for Sagna to head powerfully into the far post. He picked up the ball and the crowed picked up their cheers.

Failed clearances by Kaboul and Assou-Ekotto saw Robin Van Persie pick up the ball just outside the penalty area. He twisted and turned through two Tottenham players to skilfully place the ball on his favourite left foot, he’d already picked his spot and simply curled the ball into the far post beating veteran Brad Friedel to level the scores at 2-2 going into the break. I thought the ball might have taken a deflection on the way in but after watching the replays, I had no doubt that his 29th goal of the season – deftly taken was truly one of exceptional quality. Arsenal would go into the break with scores level but with the upper hand.

I think we all have to admit that this game was won by both the tactical masterstroke of Arsene Wenger, as well as the determination of the players to come from two goals down. His decision to start both Rosicky and Benayoun paid off as their experience came to the fore especially in the middle of the park where Tottenham were totally outplayed. So much so that Harry Redknapp kept moaning about it in the post match interviews. He said

We went 2-0 up but even then I could not say I felt over-comfortable. They were playing through us, outnumbering us and we had problems. At 2-2, we changed it and tried to thicken up in midfield but didn’t. We didn’t defend well all over the park and it was a big problem. We let people run and that’s not like us.

: Tactical Genius?

And then Harry Redknapp lost it, he took off Saha and Kranjcar and introduced Sandro and Van der Vaart in a bid to toughen up the Spurs midfield. That just didn’t happen. They seemed unable to get the ball off Arsenal and unaware as to what to do to stemm the Arsenal offensive. Meanwhile, Adebayor kept running down blind alleys!

Usually Arsenal play through the wings with Walcott and Gervinho and this flaw was exposed against Milan last week. However I was impressed to see how well we held up the play in the middle of the park. Rosicky’s amazing contribution showed why if fit, he should be starting over Ramsey every week in the absence of Jack Wilshere. I never cease to be amazed at his ability to start a counter attack from the most innocuous of positions. At 32 for a player with his injury record, his build up play is exceptional. In a moment of brilliance, he broke free in another counterattacking move and fed Sagna just inside the box. The frenchman quickly returned the favour with Rosicky poking the ball beyond the approaching Friedel to put Arsenal in the lead for the first time in the match. It was too good a chance to miss. If he had missed it, Walcott was right behind him to pounce. The pendulum had now fully swung with Arsenal in the ascendancy.

By this time, the stadium was absolutely rocking and all the Spurs fan who had been screaming their lungs out with delight less than half an hour ago were silent. You can trust that the Clockenders were good enough to respond in song.

You’re not singing; You’re not singing
You’re not singing anymore!
You’re not singing anymore!

Fifteen minutes later Walcott pounced with a brilliant double. First van Persie left two Tottenham defenders sprawling on the edge of the area before finding Walcott whose first touch took the ball wide giving Friedel some time to react. Unfortunately the Englishman recovered in time to dink it over him to score his first league goal at the Emirates in 14 months.

In his earlier years, he seemed to always score braces and he replicated that form only three minutes later after some good work from Alex Song.The Camerounian completed a stylish dribble in the Arsenal half before sending a long ball into the Tottenham half. This time, the control from Walcott was brilliant as while the Tottenham defenders raised their hands to claim offside, Theo calmly picked his spot and then unleashed a shot into the far post. The comeback had been completed and we had put five goals past them. At this point, the celebrations were in full swing

There’s only one team in London
There’s only one team in London
One team in London
There’s only one team in London

The rest they say is history. We proved our point that we still are a better team and we moved back into third place now only 7 points behind Spurs. To be fair, it’s been a poor season and I really don’t care if Tottenham finish ahead of Arsenal this year. It’s been by far their best season in 50 years and our worst in under Arsene Wenger and if that gap is only 7 points, then they do have a long way before they can prove their worth as the better London team. What matters most is that we finish in the Champions’ league places for another year…the 16th on the trot.

What is important is that this Arsenal team push on from this against Liverpool at the weekend and salvage whatever remains of the Champions’ League tie against Milan. Even if it looks like we are on our way out, lets bow out in style and with pride.

Lest I forget…