Kevin Whitcher
On paper, it looked as if Arsenal would have too much for Spurs, with a far more experienced line up for last night’s 3rd round League Cup tie at White Hart Lane. Although the home side’s front four looked strong, behind them, you got the feeling that Mario Pocchetino was far from obsessed about winning this tie, and given the club’s Europa League schedule, you could see the logic in that. Heaven knows, Arsene Wenger has thrown enough domestic cup ties with his selections, even in finals and semi-finals. Certainly, the Tottenham backline looked very raw.
A nothingy opening 25 minutes without a shot on target at either end was mercifully broken by a good piece of following up by Mathieu Flamini, pouncing on the rebound from Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain’s shot. It is good to see Arsenal players chancing their arm from distance, and the Ox had a few pops over the course of the match. Spurs responded well, forcing three yellow cards for the Gunners in quick succession. Ospina was playing well, reminding observers of how his desire to dominate his area was such a marked contrast from Szczesny, although we’ll pass over the ball he dropped in the second half.
After the interval, the home side levelled. Debuchy did not do well enough to cut out a low cross from Chadli, and Calum Chambers got his clearance all wrong and beat his own keeper. Spurs were on the up, but the hope was that experience would weather the storm. Only Chambers and Joel Campbell could be called inexperienced players in the Arsenal side, and the latter has played in plenty of high profile matches abroad.
A key moment was Gibbs' goal-line headed clearance from Harry Kane’s shot, before Spurs sent on their new South Korean signing. Would he be better than Arsenal’s Park Chu-Young? What was that all about? Having said that, his only Gunners goal came in a League Cup tie from memory. But there was something very fishy about that transfer, and one suspects that maybe there were other reasons behind it than football. Did someone, somewhere, made some money from his fleeting non-sensical appearances in Champions League and Premier League matches?
I digress. Alexis entered the fray for Joel Campbell, who did little to make a case for more regular first team football and Arsenal looked more threatening, the sub himself having clear sight of goal, but failing to beat the keeper. No matter, Mathieu Flamini wasn’t done yet, and a corking first time volley put his side into the lead. The Flamster has, at times, raised his game when Spurs have been the opposition, and last night was no exception. Theo came on late for the Ox and in typical fashion missed a good chance to make the game completely safe in injury time.
It was a much needed win. No matter this was largely a different set of players from that which will travel to Leicester and lost at Chelsea. The club needed the boost of a derby victory after recent reverses. Ultimately, with their team selection, Tottenham made it easier than it should have been, but it also demonstrated that, by paying almost double the wage bill that Spurs do, Arsenal’s back up men are of higher quality and experience. Given the starting line ups, frankly it would have been disappointing not to have won this game.
Leicester are unbeaten in the Premier League so far this season. They will be a tougher proposition on Saturday, but the Gunners will have their first team out. It’s a game that Wenger’s men need to win to get their title challenge back on track. As for the players that turned out last night, another chance awaits them in Sheffield at the end of October. A good run in this competition would be no bad thing, even if Spurs were not really too bothered about achieving the same.
I am now on Twitter@KevinWhitcher01.
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