At the end of the match, the public announcement said Arsenal fans go right. Spurs fans go left. This after all was a watershed match.
Which is right and which is left? Logic says Spurs are now the more likely to go down the ‘Holy Grail’ road of a Champions League place.
Arsenal have an extremely difficult road, negotiating Villarreal and beating Barcelona or AC Milan, or winning their last three games in a week – two away – and hope that Bolton or West Ham can do them a favour. Thierry Henry edges a little nearer to the exit door, with his current club looking more at the UEFA Cup. But football is unpredictable and throws up surprises.
On another level, Arsenal maintain the moral high ground. Spurs follow immoral pragmatism, a dangerous road where eventually you get everything you deserve.
On 66, Gilberto tried to tackle Carrick and crashed into Eboue and both Arsenal players hit the deck. Carrick hesitated on the left touchline near the dug-out, looked at referee Bennett who appeared to wave play on. Gilberto was getting up and Eboue moved to get up but went down again. Carrick passed to Tainio who set up Davids who sailed down the left touchline and sent in a low cross deflecting off Toure for Keane to fire home. Eboue incidentally was out of position. And Flamini took the wrong decision, not tracking Keane.
Carrick had a decision – to uphold one of the last gentlemen’s agreements in the game. The referee can’t stop play because there wasn’t a foul. Chris Kamara on Goals on Sunday, reveals the truth. Martin Jol is heard saying “play, play, play.” After the match he claims not to have seen anything.
Arsenal make a point of kicking the ball out when opposition players are injured – even to the extent of replaying the Sheffield United Cup game; and against West Brom when Bergkamp was in a threatening position; and several times against Villarreal, notably Ljungberg, and Fabregas when Tacchinardi was writhing. Kicking the ball out cost them a Champions League place one season in the nineties, when Chris Suuton hounded Nigel Winterburn from a ‘given back’ ball, and won a corner from which Flitcroft scored.
Spurs can claim logical justification in their actions. But morality isn’t about rationality. It is about upholding the spirit of the game, not the letter of the law. That’s why Arsenal are Arsenal. And Spurs are Spurs.
Before kick-off, Arsene handed Spurs a surprise – and the initiative with five changes at home. Was not the lesson of Portsmouth learnt? This was not a team to win a fierce local, vital English derby, and to some extent the Arsenal fans deserve better. OK, there is a Champions League game to play on Tuesday. But this was Spurs in the penultimate game at Highbury. On the day, it was conservatism at a destructive level. If Wenger gets through Tuesday, given that Villarreal rested six players – then there will be some justification in hindsight.
Ljungberg, Hleb and Bergkamp were left out. Henry and Fabregas benched when they should really have started. Adebayor and van Persie haven’t had enough games together to form a proper partnership. And van Persie is not the best at holding the ball up like Bergkamp. Diaby is 19, and has no experience of an intense North London derby. Djourou came in for Eboue.
At times Spurs outplayed Arsenal – and at times it was embarrassing. Lehmann and Gilberto kept Arsenal in the game – as Spurs created four good first half chances.
The atmosphere was highly charged. Spurs sang a song about a firm, while Arsenal fans sang: “What ya doing Tuesday night.”
Spurs looked to go in hard into challenges on the brilliant chequerboard pitch in bright April lunchtime sunlight.
They looked fresher than Arsenal – having played a lot less games during the season – and having a couple of extra days to prepare.
Arsenal, like the West Brom game, played as if under one of those Champions League tarpaulins – it was heavy in the atmosphere.
Arsenal, however, had the first chance when Van Persie passed inside Stalteri to Reyes whose cross was put behind.
After early sparring, Spurs gained control. They were very disciplined at keeping their shape.
Adebayor brought it down well and linked up with Pires.
But Spurs were creating chances with alarming ease. A cross by Lee was flicked on by Tainio flicked and saved by Lehmann.
Adebayor won a free-kick by the left touchline and van Persie whipped it in menacingly, but the Togo forward flicked it wide.
Lennon skipped past Senderos alarmingly, a couple of times and first fired across the area. The second time he set up Defoe who angled it straight at Lehmann.
Carrick set up Defoe with a lob, but it hit Lehmann in the nose.
Diaby went on a mazy run – with no end product. Davids was booked for a challenge on Pires in the middle.
Reyes who went to ground a few times – with no free kicks – set up van Persie on 29, with a good run and a low through ball.
But the Dutchman’s first time shot was well saved by Arsenal triallist reject Robinson.
Carrick had the best chance of the half when he ran through four tackles and fired high into the side netting.
Van Persie had a chance from Gilberto run but fired wide.
Senderos fell awkwardly near the touchline – tried to run off the knee injury, but was replaced by Eboue on 55.
Eboue has become a fans favourite in no time – and injected some missing dynamism down the right, shooting over after a fast run – as Djourou partnered Toure in the centre.
Van Persie had a chance running on to a difficult through ball from Gilberto as Robinson advanced he slid it wide.
Lennon hit a cross from Lee wide at the other end.
On 63, Fabregas and Henry came on for van Persie and Diaby – and immediately the game changed with the former’s footballing brain starting different patterns of attack, and the latter finding spaces and threatening runs.
But three minutes later, Spurs ‘scored’. A fight broke out in the West Upper – very rare.
Keane dived and conned Bennett into a free kick.
Henry dinked it in the area, Reyes hit it goalward but Robinson saved.
Henry set up Eboue on the right, but the chance went begging.
Adebeyor who was getting flak for his lack of control and positioning took a ball on the left and ran past Stalteri, releasing a ball into the left channel in the Tottenham area. Henry took it left – a move followed by Robinson but in the same movement flicked it with the outside of his foot past the stranded keeper.
Highbury let out a sigh of collective relief.
Fabregas had a couple of shots blocked. And Arsenal pumped long balls into the Tottenham area, most notably from Flamini – but to no avail as Robinson stood firm.
Davids got a second yellow for a foul on Fabregas on 85.
The streets were full of menace post match, with high shrill sirens competing with overhead helicopter blades.
One Spurs fan walking back on Drayton Park said: ” That’s the second time this season we’ve been on top for 70 minutes against Arsenal and blown it.” Another had the base of an Arsenal seat in his hand.
Arsene Wenger said: “Their goal is a disgrace. Two players were down, Carrick hesitated. It’s disappointing – it’s a shame.”
Martin Jol insisted he hadn’t seen the incident. “One player told me he saw a player standing up and going down when Davids had the ball.”
On being told that Jol claimed not to see the incident, Wenger said: “”Of course they lie.”
Arsenal: Lehmann, Toure, Djourou, Senderos, (Eboue 54) Abou Diaby (Fabregas 62), Flamini, Gilberto, Pires, Reyes, Van Persie, (Henry 62), Adebayor Subs not used: Almunia, Song
Tottenham Hotspur: Robinson, Gardner, Stalteri, Dawson, Lee, Carrick, Davids, Lennon, Tainio, Defoe, Keane
Subs not used: Cerny, Naybet, Kelly, Murphy, Barnard