So, the “Death to the Pixies” t-shirt I happened to be wearing on Wednesday night appeared to be a rather fitting epitaph to our chances of landing the 14th league title in our illustrious history. It’s been quite instructive reading the various reactions to what- in the cold light of day- was a collapse from a 3-1 winning position to yet another draw. I think that that is quite a harsh reading of the events that took place at the Lane, because it gives absolutely no credit to what was, when all is said and done, a magnificent fightback from our neighbours. It’s difficult to give them credit, I know, but in total contrast with November’s match at the Grove where they scored three goals without doing too much to earn them, such was the quality of their fightback, and their goals, they could easily have come away with 3 points.
For all that, it shouldn’t be forgotten that had the linesman not flagged, apparently incorrectly, for a Robin van Persie offside we would probably be talking today about a goalkeeping howler on the same level as Almunia’s in the same fixture last season- and doing so with three points in the bag. I don’t want to talk about decisions made by match officials particularly, particularly because I thought that- apart from only brandishing yellow cards in the direction of our boys- Martin Atkinson had an excellent game, refusing to buy into the cheating of the newly crowned PFA Footballer of the Year, Gareth Bale. Only an association so au fait with cheaters could have voted this boy their player of the year really. Anyway, that’s not the point I’m making. The point is that a linesman’s flag has incorrectly denied us four points in the last couple of months. Four points that would have us sitting two points Manchester United with a home game to come. Not that I hold out too much hope for us in that home game, I should say. I’ll get to why in a bit.
The thing for me about Wednesday is that, led by the magnificent Fabregas- the Fabregas I backed to show up on Wednesday- is that Arsenal showed up at the home of their local rivals and, for forty five minutes, played with such heart and skill that they could have had five before half-time. As far as I am concerned, they gave everything- even in the second half where Spurs came at them with pace and power and that is all I wanted to see. As with Eboue’s penalty concession on Sunday, Spurs recovery is not why we won’t be winning the league title. It’s the games, the home games, before that, Blackburn and Liverpool definitely, Sunderland maybe, West Brom, Newcastle and that one away- where we didn’t give everything and therefore had our pants pulled down that have cost. Not to mention the home Spurs debacle. I make that seventeen points dropped from games that we should definitely have won, but didn’t because the attitude was wrong. Moreso than us, I think, Arsène Wenger will look back on this season with huge amounts of regret if, as seems all too likely, we finish this season potless once more.
That home record, by the way, is the reason why I don’t hold out much hope for next week’s United collision. Even though their away form is even worse than our home form, only they know how to win games they shouldn’t. We don’t. The only thing that gives me a glimmer of hope is the fact that I believe Ray Wilkins was onto something (I know, I know) when he talked about the unbelievable nervous tension spilling out of the bowl we call home in the week. I’m not saying that there won’t be the same level of nervous tension next Sunday, there clearly will be, but I think that unlike our recent home matches, the visit of the league leaders may galvanise out support in a way that the visit of the “best team in the world- ever!” and Chelsea did earlier this season. Here’s hoping anyway.
Back to Wednesday and though I would agree with Craddock, that the latest effort to go straight to #1 in Spurs goal of the season, Tom Huddlestone’s clean as a whistle strike into the bottom corner of the goal changed the complexion of the second half before it began, there were two other factors for me too. First off, Alex Song’s booking almost immediately as the second half began clearly restricted his ability to make tackles. And then, whoever thought this would be the case, but the loss of Abou Diaby resulted in a total loss of shape for about twenty minutes. No sooner had we recovered it and begun to threaten again then Assou-Ekotto hit what must have been the pass of the season for Lennon to run onto and be upended by Szczesny for the equalising penalty.
A word about Szczesny too. Rash he may have been in coming for that ball, but for me, I’d rather a goalkeeper comes and deals with the situation (however it turns out), than stays on his line waiting for someone else to bail him out, not looking at anyone in particular… Then we have the saves he made from Van der Vaaart and Modric- the Modric one coming just moments after the penalty and a chance that looked a goal all the way. People have pointed to the wink, after he cleaned Bale out for a second time and just before Spurs second goal, as a sign of arrogance. For me, it was a good thing. It showed he was enjoying himself, it showed confidence in his own ability and, unlike Bendtner, he backs that confidence up on the pitch. Could you ever imagine Manuel Almunia, staggering around in goal like a survivor of the nuclear fire rained down by Skynet in the Terminator films, ever enjoying himself enough to wink in the heat of a north London derby? And for all that we take football deadly seriously, it should be remembered that it is a game, there to be enjoyed too. I do believe we have someone in goal now who should stay there, for as long as we can keep him.
What was best to see on Wednesday, though, was the way confidence and fluency was restored to our attacking game- with Fabregas instrumental. Fabregas it was who so cleverly sent Theo Walcott away for his beautifully taken opening goal, Fabregas it was who came so close to winning the game in the last minutes of the match- denied by a great Gomes save. In between that, Samir Nasri was afforded the freedom of the Lane to decided he might as well have shot and belted the ball into the middle of the goal from 25 yards. I can only think Gomes didn’t move because he didn’t realise Nasri had shot. Walcott was sent clear again and denied only by the undetected fingertips of Gomes and then we had, what might have been in any other circumstances, the winning goal, William Gallas giving us all a moment to savour and failing completely to deal with a Sagna cross, Walcott standing the ball up for van Persie to head against the hand of Gomes, but reacting quickest to lash the ball into the corner for his 19th goal in 20 games.
And still people say we should sell him. Really?
At the end of this, long, blog, let me leave you with this. Some of you will know that my former boss, Rand, is a Spurs season ticket holder. I spoke to him last night and he said that- again- the home supporters had celebrated a draw as if they’d won the World Cup. I don’t think any of us felt like that, did we? So, you tell me, who are the big boys of north London?
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