Spurs 5 Arsenal 1
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Jermain Jenas never played like this for Martin Jol !
In the third minute Jenas strolled through the Arsenal defence, who didn’t make a tackle, and scored the first goal. He hit a free-kick and Bendtner got above Dawson and headed an own-goal for 2-0. Jenas then chested a ball through to give Berbatov a one-on-one but he hit the post, then JJ went round Gallas and fired into the side-netting, although that effort was never near going in.
Jenas was everywhere and still going in the 93rd minute when he walked round the feeble Gilberto and rolled the ball to the far post to give Malbranque a tap-in for 5-1.
If Lassana Diarra had been playing, he would have tackled Jenas and prevented the first goal. But selling Diarra was the right call.
In both legs, Spurs had been far better than Arsenal. The first leg could have been a rout, the second leg was a rout. End of story. So let’s own up and say: Well played, Spurs – good luck in the final.
Watching TV games I usually switch off before the pundits and the interviews. But on this occasion I saw what Arsene Wenger said.
“Everything went against us tonight, and sometimes we were naive,” he said. “Big scores like that have not a big meaning.”
By saying that, football’s most gifted spin-doctor invites ridicule.
In truth, an aggregate of 6-2 was about right. But 8-3 would have been about right as well.
At half-time, 2-0 down, it was all about (1) the next goal and (2) whether he would humiliate Walcott by taking him off, or leave him on and let him humiliate himself further.
I didn’t think Walcott or Traore were ready for this game. He left Walcott on and the electric Keane broke away to make it 3-0, Fabianski saved from Malbranque, and when Chimbonda’s crossfield pass missed Lennon, Keane volleyed perfectly into Lennon’s stride and he slotted for 4-0.Then Eduardo found Adebayor, who made a shooting position and slammed in a scorcher from the D for 4-1.
Adebayor then had a verbal disagreement with Bendtner, which was bizarre, and when Adebayor stuck his hand in Lee’s face, ref Howard Webb didn’t give him a second yellow card. You can’t shove your hand into the face of opponents in football and Webb could have sent Adebayor off. But he just told the big man not to do it again. A good referee.
In all conscience, I can’t tell ANR readers that I hate Spurs. I don’t hate them. I had five happy years on the Shelf and 20 happy years scribbling in the press box and talking to Burkinshaw, Shreeves, Venables, Gerry Francis and George Graham, and co-wrote a book about Tottenham’s season in 1998-99.
As I said on Monday, this was a mega game for Spurs.
Arsenal can still win the FA Cup.
Arsenal can win the title if Man United screw up. And United might screw up if Arsenal put enough pressure on them. Or if Chelsea put enough pressure on them.
Arsenal can’t win the so-called Champions League but they can earn a few million quid.
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SPURS (4-4-2): Cerny; Chimbonda, Dawson, King, Lee; Lennon (Huddlestone, 74), Jenas, Tainio, Malbranque; Keane (Boateng, 64), Berbatov (Defoe, 64). Subs not used: Robinson (gk), O’Hara.
ARSENAL (4-4-2): Fabianski; Sagna, Justin Hoyte, Gallas, Traoré, (Eduardo, 65); Hleb, Denilson (Fabregas, 18) Gilberto, Diaby; Walcott (Adebayor, 65), Bendtner. Subs not used: Mannone (gk), Flamini.
Referee: Howard Webb (South Yorkshire).