North London derby: Tottenham outgun Arsenal 2-3
Arsenal had a chance to put their name at the top of Premier League by beating Spurs in the north London derby. Arsene Wenger couldn't have written a better script in the first half as goals from Samir Nasri and Marouane Chamakh gave Arsenal a comfortable
lead in the highly charged derby. But, it was completely opposite in the second half as Arsenal tumbled to their third home defeat of the season.
Van der Vaart was instrumental in all three goals that Tottenham scored during the second half to win an incredible match and record only their first win away to Gunners in 17 long years.
Jack Wilshere was left out of Arsenal starting 11, while Laurent Koscielny returned to the defence after suspension. William Gallas was Spur's captain on his return to the Emirates. Jermain Defoe was back on the bench for Tottenham after two months out with
ankle trouble.
It was an action-packed game right from the start with an array of attacking players on display from both teams. Arsenal drew first blood when Cesc Fabregas struck a fabulous ball in behind the Spurs centre-backs, who were caught out of position and that
left a huge gap for Nasri to run into and towards goal. Gomes should have stopped him by coming out of goal but Nasri got round the keeper’s despair lung to clip in from the acute of angles.
Cesc Fabregas was pulling all the strings in the Arsenal midfield, they were well on top at this point in match, controlling midfield and frustrating away team to odd attempts on the counter-attack. The second goal came in 27th minute courtesy of numerous
neat passes between Arsenal players. Andrey Arshavin crossed for Marouane Chamakh, who got a yard ahead of Younes Kaboul and tapped home. What a goal! Arsenal were in dreamland.
Spurs went into half time dead and buried, their fans couldn’t imagine in their wildest of dreams that they can get something out of this game. What happened in second half is a total fantasy.
Redknapp made a change and brought Jermain Defoe for Lennon in a 4-4-2 formation. Gareth Bale was fairly anonymous in the match but got Tottenham right back in it. Jermain Defoe's flick-on was played through by Rafael van der Vaart and Bale, whose first
touch was sublime, guided into the corner on the run.
Tottenham looked a different proposition in the second half and Jermain Defoe was unsettling Laurent Koscielny and Sebastien Squillaci at the heart of Arsenal defence. Gunners were still full of threat on the counter, though.
Fabregas inexplicably raised his arm to punch a Rafael van der Vaart free-kick away inside the area, and Phil Dowd had no choice but to award the spot-kick. Van der Vaart converts well and Spurs were back from the dead. Incredible turnaround! Arsenal fans
were stunned!
Arsenal immediately made substitution; they brought on Robin van Persie for Chamakh and had the ball in the net in the 72nd minute — only for provider Fabregas and scorer Squillaci to both be rightly flagged offside.
Tottenham brought on Peter Crouch for Pavlyuchenko before the home side threw on Theo Walcott and Tomas Rosicky for Arshavin and Nasri.
Arsenal had a couple of glorious opportunities to take the lead again. First, Cesc Fabregas curled from the edge of the area and was tipped wide on the stretch by Heurelho Gomes. Moments later, Laurent Koscielny headed over from close range with the goal
gaping. Two cracking chances for Arsenal, wasted.
Then came the moment Spur fans were waiting for. Rafael van der Vaart swung a delicious free-kick into the box from deep, Younes Kaboul flicked it into the corner with his head and Tottenham came from behind to lead with four minutes remaining. Unbelievable!
Arsenal piled forward in search of an equaliser and Walcott blazed over in the final minutes. Rosicky sent a stoppage-time shot straight at Gomes but Tottenham's defence held firm.
Arsenal: Fabianski, Sagna, Squillaci, Koscielny, Clichy, Song, Denilson, Nasri (Rosicky 77), Fabregas, Arshavin (Walcott 77), Chamakh (van Persie 68).
Subs not used: Szczesny, Wilshere, Djourou, Eboue.
Booked: Sagna, Denilson, Koscielny.
Goals: Nasri 9, Chamakh 27.
Tottenham: Gomes, Hutton, Gallas, Kaboul, Assou-Ekotto, Lennon (Defoe 46), Jenas, Modric, Bale, Van der Vaart (Palacios 87), Pavlyuchenko (Crouch 73).
Subs not used: Cudicini, Bentley, Bassong, Corluka.
Booked: Van der Vaart.
Goals: Bale 50, Van der Vaart 67 pen, Kaboul 85.
Attendence: 60,102
Ref: Phil Dowd (Staffordshire)
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