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ARSENAL 3 TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR 0
THE Spurs fans left the Emirates early again. But this year, unlike that comic book finale to this fixture last year, there was no amazing comeback for the loyal few who stayed to the end.
Arsenal fans left early as well, an indication that smashing the old enemy in the north London derby has become too familiar to hang around and applaud their team off. The streets do heave when Arsenal play at home but the early exodus from the Emirates, especially from an early kick off, must irritate the players.
After all, Arsenal did a professional job here, closing out Spurs by limiting them to a hardly a shot or a Peter Crouch header on goal.
At the other end, when the chances eventually came Robin Van Persie, twice, and Cesc Fabregas proved lethal.
Surprisingly, the two Spurs players on the pitch that I admired most, Ledley King and Wilson Palacios, two combative but skilled footballers, were most at fault. Fabregas's goal, the second, scored only eleven seconds after Van Persie had put the Gunners ahead will live long in the memory, his slalom run from the halfway line and fine finish effectively won the derby.
After the 4-4 here last year, you might have expected Tottenham to have come storming back from a 2-0 half-time deficit but maybe Spurs players had been taunting the red and white side of north London too much in the run-up. Robbie Keane's now famous claim that Spurs have greater strength in depth than Arsenal simply was not true. They were missing arguably their three best players: Aaron Lennon and Luka Modric through injury, Jermain Defoe through suspension.
Yet, if Tottenham really did have the better reserves to pull from the bench, they would have been able to fill these holes to some extent. In the end, having sweated through a midweek Carling Cup match with first team players, they looked beaten from the moment they fell behind.
You have to go back to 1993 to recall the last time Spurs last won away at Arsenal – and even then the Gunners fielded a team of reserve players as they were preparing for an FA Cup final against Sheffield Wednesday. Such a long time, maybe that's why Arsenal fans leave what used to be a showpiece fixture early. |
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Your comments:
Arsenal were too good 4 spures.
A. Dadze
IT drives me insane to see people leaving the ground early, and it must be a real insult for the players. most people use the excuse that they need to get away because it takes forever to get through the police controls. i can understand this a little on an evening KO, when you need to get a train etc. but this game finished at 3.00, how much time do people
need to get home?? I think if you don't want to stay then don't come, give your ticket to a real fan. The Carling Cup games have been full of people who would love a season ticket, they wouldn't clear off early in during the biggest game of the season.
I. Clarke
Harry will never admit Arsenal woz to good for them.
R. Lindsell
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