When I saw the line-ups for this game, I was baffled. The manager promised the strongest side possible and instead we saw Mertesacker, Ozil and Podolski benched, while Gnabry and Fabianski got their first start in 4 and 9 months respectively. Vermaelen also returned to the side (at the expense of Mertesacker) which, I feared, could come back to haunt us, since Spurs got an advantage in the air. What happened over the ninety minutes that followed showed me once again, that the manager often possesses the information we don't.
The first chance of the game fell to the visitors. Eriksen stormed into the box after a lucky rebound, but was denied by Fabianski at the near post.
Arsenal responded with a flurry of chances, Walcott being our star performer as a lone striker. He first fired a shot from outside the penalty box which Lloris got down to well and then curled another effort just wide. Gnabry also had a great moment, but his shot flew inches over the bar.
Eriksen had another pop at goal, this time from a freekick, but by then Arsenal seemed in control of the situation. Cazorla swirled his effort just wide, before Walcott failed to convert his chance from a one-on-one.
We have finally broken that deadlock in the 32nd minute. Gnabry received the ball on the flank, drove forward, gathered two defenders around him and then laid the ball off for Cazorla. Cazorla, completely alone, smashed home his first-time effort with his left.
We had another moment in the dying seconds of the first half, following a freekick, but Sagna could get a proper foot to the ball.
During the break, Mertesacker replaced Vermaelen. At the time I thought the manager didn't want to take any chances with the Belgian, as he was on one yellow already. It turned out, the substitute was a forced one, as our skipper sustained a knee injury.
Tottenham piled men forward, but failed to make it pay. Or, rather, Arsenal didn't let Spurs do anything dangerous. The only moment they had was when Adebayor (who was whistled at by the home fans constantly) miskicked the ball in the box with Mertesacker stranded.
By the 60th minute Arsenal was done playing cat-and-mouse with Spurs. The warning signs were there for Tottenham, when Gnabry fed Walcott, who rounded off Lloris, but missed from a very tight angle.
Two minutes later the goal came. Rosicky robbed Rose of possession on the halfway line, ran half the pitch with the ball under his complete control, and just when it seemed that either Lloris or Walker would take the ball away, Rosicky dinked his effort over the goalkeeper. It was one of these moments when a high line of pressure paid off and I'm glad Rosicky was the one ripping the benefits.
Again, Tottenham needed to conjure up a response, but were as ineffective as earlier. Arsene took off Wilshere and Arteta to give them some rest and put Ozil and Flamini on. We nearly scored a third shortly afterwards, but Walcott's curled effort went just wide. He probably could have passed the ball on (to Cazorla, I think), but the Englishman was desperate to get a goal he thoroughly deserved.
He wasn't meant to, however. With seven minutes to go, Theo was stretched off the pitch, having caught his studs in the turf and sustaining a knee injury as a result. He left the pitch with fans chanting his name and throwing scarves to him. It was quite funny to watch him piss off Spurs fans in the process. Hope he gets well soon.
As Arsene had used up all of his substitutes by then, we were down to ten men. Spurs, hilariously, conjured up nothing with Arsenal fans singing "We only have ten men" all over the stadium and Ozil nearly stole a third in stoppage time, but his low effort was well saved.
Afterwards, Arsene said:
"The game was played at a good pace and I think we controlled quite well both sides of it: the defensive and the offensive. We always looked to have a good discipline and to be tight at the back. Every time, when our game is based on movement and quick, sharp passing, we looked dangerous".
And on Gnabry:
"I'm a strong believer in Serge, because I integrated him at the start of last season, but let's not make superstars with one game. The top level is about consistency but I believe the ingredients are there. He has to show he can turn up with these performances in every game".
All in all, it was a very good game. A lot of changes were introduced, but they didn't disrupt the fluency, while some of them were just brilliant and people will be wondering, why Gnabry wasn't involved more during the season. Something, I hope, the manager will rectify.
Now we play Aston Villa away, but it won't be until 13th January. We can now have a bit of R&R we deserve.
Until later
The first chance of the game fell to the visitors. Eriksen stormed into the box after a lucky rebound, but was denied by Fabianski at the near post.
Arsenal responded with a flurry of chances, Walcott being our star performer as a lone striker. He first fired a shot from outside the penalty box which Lloris got down to well and then curled another effort just wide. Gnabry also had a great moment, but his shot flew inches over the bar.
Eriksen had another pop at goal, this time from a freekick, but by then Arsenal seemed in control of the situation. Cazorla swirled his effort just wide, before Walcott failed to convert his chance from a one-on-one.
We have finally broken that deadlock in the 32nd minute. Gnabry received the ball on the flank, drove forward, gathered two defenders around him and then laid the ball off for Cazorla. Cazorla, completely alone, smashed home his first-time effort with his left.
We had another moment in the dying seconds of the first half, following a freekick, but Sagna could get a proper foot to the ball.
During the break, Mertesacker replaced Vermaelen. At the time I thought the manager didn't want to take any chances with the Belgian, as he was on one yellow already. It turned out, the substitute was a forced one, as our skipper sustained a knee injury.
Tottenham piled men forward, but failed to make it pay. Or, rather, Arsenal didn't let Spurs do anything dangerous. The only moment they had was when Adebayor (who was whistled at by the home fans constantly) miskicked the ball in the box with Mertesacker stranded.
By the 60th minute Arsenal was done playing cat-and-mouse with Spurs. The warning signs were there for Tottenham, when Gnabry fed Walcott, who rounded off Lloris, but missed from a very tight angle.
Two minutes later the goal came. Rosicky robbed Rose of possession on the halfway line, ran half the pitch with the ball under his complete control, and just when it seemed that either Lloris or Walker would take the ball away, Rosicky dinked his effort over the goalkeeper. It was one of these moments when a high line of pressure paid off and I'm glad Rosicky was the one ripping the benefits.
Again, Tottenham needed to conjure up a response, but were as ineffective as earlier. Arsene took off Wilshere and Arteta to give them some rest and put Ozil and Flamini on. We nearly scored a third shortly afterwards, but Walcott's curled effort went just wide. He probably could have passed the ball on (to Cazorla, I think), but the Englishman was desperate to get a goal he thoroughly deserved.
He wasn't meant to, however. With seven minutes to go, Theo was stretched off the pitch, having caught his studs in the turf and sustaining a knee injury as a result. He left the pitch with fans chanting his name and throwing scarves to him. It was quite funny to watch him piss off Spurs fans in the process. Hope he gets well soon.
As Arsene had used up all of his substitutes by then, we were down to ten men. Spurs, hilariously, conjured up nothing with Arsenal fans singing "We only have ten men" all over the stadium and Ozil nearly stole a third in stoppage time, but his low effort was well saved.
Afterwards, Arsene said:
"The game was played at a good pace and I think we controlled quite well both sides of it: the defensive and the offensive. We always looked to have a good discipline and to be tight at the back. Every time, when our game is based on movement and quick, sharp passing, we looked dangerous".
And on Gnabry:
"I'm a strong believer in Serge, because I integrated him at the start of last season, but let's not make superstars with one game. The top level is about consistency but I believe the ingredients are there. He has to show he can turn up with these performances in every game".
All in all, it was a very good game. A lot of changes were introduced, but they didn't disrupt the fluency, while some of them were just brilliant and people will be wondering, why Gnabry wasn't involved more during the season. Something, I hope, the manager will rectify.
Now we play Aston Villa away, but it won't be until 13th January. We can now have a bit of R&R we deserve.
Until later