Match report – Player ratings – Video
Now that’s the way you win a North London derby. You play the opposition off the park, in some way your goalkeeper is the person of the match regardless of their total and fairly apparent inferiority, and ultimately their followers have misplaced their minds to such an extent that one in every of them assaults mentioned keeper.
“No person needs to see scenes like that,” besides, you realize, I kinda do. Clearly I don’t need Aaron Ramsdale to be damage, however I need their followers to be livid and depressing, demented by despair. That fan will rightly obtain punishment, and I believe Richarlison should be checked out very intently for his half in these final minute antics, however that was the end result of an Arsenal efficiency which completely warranted all three factors.
The staff was as anticipated. No surprises from Mikel Arteta. The preliminary couple of minutes had been a bit cagey, as with every huge recreation, however we acquired on prime shortly and stayed there. There was a nervousness about Spurs and their vastly skilled goalkeeper which was obvious within the first huge probability of the sport, this time Lloris saved properly from Eddie after making a mistake. A much bigger clanger was to come back although. Thomas Partey launched Bukayo Saka down the best, he ambled into the field with Sessegnon completely happy to indicate him onto his proper foot, not pondering his keeper would fumble a cross into his personal web, however that’s precisely what he did. And I laughed.
I did point out Ramsdale being man of the match, which doesn’t essentially tally with my impression of the sport as an entire, however he was so vital for us yesterday. Spurs are actually only a moments staff due to their high quality up entrance, and so they had some. Son’s good motion introduced him with an excellent sight of objective however Ramsdale saved together with his legs. It wouldn’t be the final time he thwarted them. Thwart is such an excellent phrase. He noticed, he noticed, he thwarted absolutely the shit out of them.
We nearly had one of many biggest North London derby objectives of all time when Partey’s sensational volley cannoned again off the publish, nevertheless it wasn’t lengthy earlier than the lead was doubled. Lloris booted it, Saliba monstered Kane within the air (he did that each one day), Saka took it on, performed it inside to Odegaard to fired into the underside nook. It’s a type of that appears nearly unsaveable in actual time, however on the replay you marvel if the keeper ought to have finished higher. Possibly a greater keeper would have finished higher, like when Ramsdale saved from Kane proper on the finish of the primary half. Simply earlier than Hojberg threw himself to the ground to try to cheat a penalty out of the ref who, to be honest, was having none of it regardless of the commentators placing the shits up us for a number of seconds. Silly Tyler, silly Neville.
If you’re 2-0 down at residence in a derby, you count on the gamers will get a little bit of a rocket within the dressing room, and there was extra about Spurs within the second half. Extra is relative although. If you set the bar that low within the first half, marginal enchancment seems to be huge. Ramsdale was the person once more although. Kane tried, Ramsdale saved. Sessegnon had an ideal probability and I believe this was the decide of the saves from our keeper. Watch the replays once more as Ben White literally screams at the Spurs player to try to put him off. It’s very humorous.
Ramsdale wasn’t nearly saves although. There was an assurance to his recreation, secure palms if you’ll. The nervousness that unfold from their goalkeeper to their staff was apparent; on the different finish he gave us a measure of calm from set-pieces and crosses that was so vital. To not point out the truth that this again 4, in comparison with the one which began in Might, is an actual unit. The centre-halves, oof. White excellent once more (with 8 clearances to his title), and whereas Zinchenko has these odd moments in video games that somebody of his technical potential ought to keep away from, he’s simply such an unimaginable footballer. I swear he had spring-heeled boots for a few of the aerial duels with the a lot taller Kulusevski, and on the ball he’s simply so good.
Eddie, who labored actually onerous all day, had an ideal probability to make it 3-0 from a Xhaka go however the first contact was only a bit off. I don’t suppose that ought to outline his efficiency although. He contributed loads to our dominance of the sport, held it up properly when wanted, gained us some good free kicks from their clumsy defenders, however he’ll have had that one going round in his thoughts as he went to sleep final evening, no query. He’ll simply have to attain a pair towards United subsequent weekend.
There was a little bit of Spurs strain, some head tennis within the field, a Richarlison shot which was as tame as his powerful man nonsense on the finish. Tomiyasu got here on however the gig was up. Spurs knew it. Arsenal knew it. Simply keep away from any nonsense and it was gained. The nonsense got here on the finish when Ramsdale was set to take the ultimate kick of the sport, laughing at Richarlison who can’t take that. He’s all the time been skinny skinned, however while you mix that with being a Spurs participant, he’s like a strolling Durex with a crap haircut (and no objectives within the Premier League all season!).
I discussed the fan who kicked him, and look, clearly that form of factor is totally out of order, however soccer followers are delicate. They spent the entire recreation baiting Ramsdale, and once they acquired a tiny bit again on the finish of a recreation once they had been deservedly overwhelmed, they couldn’t take it. Let the related authorities cope with it. The footage of Mikel Arteta on the pitch, clocking Granit Xhaka going again in the direction of a possible melee was fairly hilarious although. The boss was by no means the quickest participant in his day, however there was a Walcottian flip of tempo as he went again to verify it didn’t kick off any additional.
The Arsenal gamers took it all the way down to the opposite finish, celebrating with the travelling followers who had been in nice voice all recreation. And why not? After what occurred right here final season, it laid a ghost or two to relaxation, to not point out the truth that after the consequence within the Manchester derby, the win put us eight factors clear on the prime of the desk. Don’t suppose for one second that the supervisor will permit them to relaxation on their laurels or get complacent. The one recreation at a time mantra will likely be reiterated, however there are some performances and a few outcomes that advantage a bit further and this was completely one in every of them.
Afterwards, Arteta mentioned of our first win at White Hart Lane since 2014:
I’m very completely happy for 2 causes. One, as a result of I noticed a staff with loads of braveness, dedication and high quality, and that basically wished it in the present day, to come back right here and win the sport. And the opposite one, as a result of now we have a job the place we’re actually privileged that we will make lots of people completely happy and when you might have this chance, you must attempt to do it.
So the enjoyment of sharing the victory with the followers was an ideal feeling after which every part that we do, all of the struggling, the hours of labor, it makes loads of sense when you might have moments like this.
Our league place and what stays of this month is actually one thing that warrants deeper dialogue, however not in the present day. Typically you have to simply bask a bit. I’ve mentioned this earlier than about this season: I’m decided to take pleasure in it because it’s taking place. There’s loads invested within the potential closing end result after all, however no matter every part else, the easiest factor we might have finished this weekend was win this recreation of soccer … and we did.
What Arteta has finished with this staff is phenomenal. Sure, we will have some worries about sure issues, that’s fully regular, however don’t let that preclude the enjoyment of an announcement North London derby win. It was three factors, nevertheless it felt like one thing extra. Luxuriate it in for in the present day, or nevertheless lengthy you need. I’m not right here to police anybody’s celebrations, in contrast to some.
That was sensible. Vital. And an entire lot of enjoyable.
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Proper, let’s go away it there for now. James and I are recording the Arsecast Further for you afterward this morning. Preserve an eye fixed out for the decision for questions on Twitter @gunnerblog and @arseblog on Twitter with the hashtag #arsecastextra – or for those who’re on Arseblog Member on Patreon, go away your query within the #arsecast-extra-questions channel on our Discord server.
We must always have the podcast for you round lunchtime. Till then.
