Spurs 5 Arsenal Reserves (with 3 first team starters) 1
Some Arsenal fans – maybe the majority will question Arsene Wenger’s policy of playing the majority of his reserve side in the Carling Cup.
This had echoes of the Stepanov’s thrashing at Manchester, or the humiliations by Swindon Town and Luton.
It opens up the prospect of Spurs winning a cup; another possible trophy-less season; a potential negative effect on the Arsenal team in other competitions; the elevation of Ramos [although he did raise a question whether Spurs could match HIS ambition on a La Liga programme, last night] and harder games against Spurs next season.
On the other hand it could be the motivational catalyst Arsenal need. The fans deserve a trophy after this.
It is easy to understand Wenger’s policy – after picking up injuries against Blackburn in the FA Cup last season and then exiting to PSV in the Champions League soon after. But as Paul Merson says, fans need trophies, and so do the players. And fans have to suffer the results. It is hard to argue against the fact that one or two more experienced players need to be bought, after last night.
Yes, the performances against Blackburn and Newcastle were good. But this is Spurs. And the writing was on the wall from two weeks previously.
The match sequences, as Wenger says, were unlucky for Arsenal – Spurs scoring with the first shot; own goal; third goal straight after half-time; hitting the bar and then chasing the game leaving the weak defence open to counter attack.
But that was a result of better, slicker team and individual play by Spurs. It had been coming since the 2-1 league win at Ashburton Grove.
Although Arsenal started with possession football, Jenas walked through five or six Arsenal players – took it wide to change the angle and slotted past the poor Fabianski.
Arsenal’s first real chance was when Hleb cut it back to Bendtner [again exhibiting some classy touches] who shot narrowly over.
Keane turned Gallas in the area with alarming ease but Sagna cleared.
Jenas put a curling free kick in the area. Bendtner rose with Dawson and it hit the Dane’s head for a spectacular own goal –empahasing what an aerial threat Bendtner could be. Chimbonda would have got to it but for the forward’s intervention.
Cerny sent a long ball past the half-way line, Jenas chested it to Berbatov setting him free against Fabianski and he hit the post.
Sagna headed goalward from a Fabregas corner. Cerny tipped it over.
Diaby cut inside onto his favoured right and shot over.
The ball broke down too much in midfield, and Spurs scored most of the goals from Arsenal giving it away.
From one of these interceptions, Lennon planted a great ball which split the defence and Keane sent a twisting shot which Fabianski should have read, for Spurs third.
A move between Walcott and Bendtner, saw the Dane unluckily, hit underside of the bar.
Again an Arsenal move breaking down saw an interchange between Chimbonda – Keane – Lennon who shot through Fabianski’s legs.
Eduardo, on for Traore, sent it to Adebayor, on for Walcott, adjusted it on the D and fired in a good goal.
Adebayor and Bendtner squared up prior to an Arsenal corner, with the Dane, ending up with a cut nose, and complaining to Gallas. Howard Webb called the warring parties together and told them to calm down.
The Togolese striker, already booked, was lucky he didn’t see red for ‘raised arms’ against Lee.
But while he was on, he had to be restrained by Arsenal players both on the field, and in the tunnel. It showed passion and aggression – traits needed by forwards. Let’s hope it can be sorted out and used to the team’s advantage, rather than divisively.
Spurs fifth in injury time saw Jenas beat a tired and inept Gilberto so easily to be embarassing and fired across to Malbranque who didn’t miss from such close range.
Wenger said: “I feel defeat is painful, it doesn’t matter who.” [it does to the fans]
“Everything was against us and we were a bit naive. The first shot went in, then the own goal, the goal after half-time, hitting the bar… then it was game over.”
“The score does not reflect the difference between the two teams.
“They were better than us. They won the game. We take some distance from the result. Everything went against us. I feel sorry for the players who gave everything.
Asked whether they learn more by defeat, Wenger said: “No. We were here to win. Big scores don’t have a big meaning. It is important not to let us down too much and focus on next one.
Asked how hard it would be to pick the team up, Wenger said: “You never know. The competitions that matter are the Championship, Champions League and the other competitions.”
On any regrets about the selections, Wenger said: “We go for the policy at the start no matter who or where we play.”
Tottenham: Radek Cerny, Pascal Chimbonda, Young-Pyo Lee, Michael Dawson, Ledley King, Teemu Tainio, Jermaine Jenas, Steed Malbranque, Aaron Lennon (Tom Huddlestone 73) Dimitar Berbatov (Jermaine Defoe 63) Robbie Keane (Kevin-Prince Boateng 63) Subs not used: Paul Robinson, Jamie O’Hara
Arsenal: Lukasz Fabianski, Bacary Sagna, Justin Hoyte, Armand Traore (Eduardo 65), William Gallas, Denilson (Cesc Fabregas 19) Abou Diaby, Gilberto, Alexander Hleb, Theo Walcott (Emmanuel Adebayor 65) Nicklas Bendtner Subs not used: Vito Mannone Mathieu Flamini
Referee: Howard Webb