MONDAY 18TH DECEMBER, 2000 FA CARLING PREMIERSHIP
Rebrov, 31
Vieira,
90
Attendance:- 36,062
Referee:- J. Winter
Spurs (3-5-2):- Sullivan; Perry, Campbell, Thelwell; Carr, Anderton, Sherwood, King, Clemence; Rebrov (sub Armstrong, 81), Ferdinand
Subs not used:- Walker; Freund; Doherty, Leonhardsen
Booked:- Ferdinand (dissent); Sherwood (foul)
Arsenal (4-4-2):- Manninger; Dixon, Keown, Adams, Silvinho; Ljungberg, Parlour, Grimandi (sub Bergkamp, 62), Pires (sub Vieira, 62); Kanu (sub Wiltord, 71), Henry
Subs not used:- Lukic; Luzhny
Booked:- Pires (foul)
Another 89th
minute equalizer!!!!! aaaaaaaaaaaagh - Jammy gits, but we have
Sully to thank for a brilliant string of saves.
The 127th
League encounter was played in driving rain on a mild night at
White Hart Lane. Spurs welcomed back Anderton for Freund after
suspension and Rebrov for Armo after recovering from injury. The
Goons had Viera on the bench and started with a modest line up
which included Manninger, Dixon, Grimandi and Parlour. There was
nothing to be afraid of in the Arse line up and this was
definitely a game we could win The crowd were treated video clips
of great derby matches in the past to the really loud tune of the
Omen/Old Spice advert (Il Fortuna) before the Inspurations kicked
in.
The game had its
usual frenetic opening with both side creating half chances. In
the first minute a long Arsenal free kick is comfortably cleared
by the Spurs defence. While at the other end Rebrov had a fierce
long-range shot deflected wide for a corner which Arsenal clear.
After seven
minutes as the game settled down, Pires fired a low cross to Ray
"gypo" Parlour on the edge of the Spurs box. Parlour
lays off to Kanu whose shot was saved by Neil Sullivan - the
first of many.
The rejuvenated
Ferdinand is everywhere contesting everything, although the
timing of his leaps could be improved upon, and he forced
Manninger in the Arsenal goal to quickly kick the ball out of
play as closes down another Arsenal back-pass.
The five man Spurs
midfield was coping well with the dubious quality of Parlour and
Grimandi in the Arse midfield and Carr and Anderton we playing
Pires and Silvinho especially well. After about 10 minutes, the
ever dangerous Henry sent a 25-yard dipping shot wide, and soon
after sends another shot wide after Kanu had won the ball from
Perry on the right-hand edge of the box as Arsenal attack the
Paxton end.
After about 20
minutes Anderton burst through the middle of the Arsenal midfield
and chose to smash a long range low skidding shot that Manninger
did well to gather rather than play the ball wide to the left
where Clemence had taken up an excellent position in acres of
space.
Soon after Spurs
were awarded a free kick 30 yards out and Anderton attempted hit
a powerful dipping shot that was just too high. A Ljungberg cross
was only half-cleared by an under pressure Carr but fortunately
it only fell to Parlour who blasted his shot high into the Paxton
with appropriate derision. In a good spell for the Goons Perry
has to be alert to head to safety from a Henry cross on a counter
attack.
Spurs responded
with Anderton having his third long range attempt on the Arsenal
goal within 10 minutes, forcing Manninger into another save.
Despite the game being quite open, I got the feeling that, as
many other Derby matches, this could be decided by the only goal.,
so I was delighted when we took the lead a minute later.
A good interchange
of passes between Rebrov and Carr sent the latter to the right by-line
in front of the Arsenal fans in the corner of the Park Lane. Carr
managed to get his deep cross in under pressure from Silvinho.
The ball reached Clemence who cushioned headed it back out to
Anderton on the edge of the box. The ball would n't come down
quickly enough for Shaggy but he managed to get a powerful shot
in that Manninger beat away only for Rebrov to come flying in to
head home from about 12 yards. The Lane went wild.
Some Goons
protested that Ferdinand and Sherwood were in an offside position
when Anderton took his shot, but it’s arguable whether they
were interfering with play - and anyway the ref gave it and that's
all that matters!! 1-0 to the Tottenham sang the crowd as Spurs
enjoyed their best period of the match to halftime. Ferdinand got
booked for complaining too much about the persistent fouling by
the Donkey and Monkey face
No changes at half
time, but the Goons came out very purposefully with Henry setting
up Grimandi with a left sided cross, but this was the easiest of
many saves for Sullivan in the second half. Soon after much more
was asked of Sullivan as he produced an excellent low save to his
right to deny Henry from a close range.
I was concerned
that by defending deep we were encouraging Arsenal on to us, as
we had done at Bradford with such disastrous consequences, but
this time it did seem the most effective way to deal with the
threat of Henry's pace on the greasy surface. Wenger rose from
the dugout to deliver more tactical changes and the crowd sang
"go and sit down if you're a paedophile" and gave a
great cheer when he returned to the bench.
Spurs best chance
at the start of the second half came when Anderton was released
on the right hand side of the penalty area, and he delivered
another of his excellent low crosses which Sherwood is first of
the on rushing players to reach, but unfortunately he could not
turn his sliding shot inside the post.
Near tragedy at
the other end as Sully next great save is from a strange back
header from Perry who was under no immediate pressure. Sully gave
him "the stare" after this. Soon after Henry had yet
another attempt, but shot straight at Sully with the defence
doing the rest of the clearing.
Pires got the
welcome to White Hart Lane he deserved when a fan in the lower
shelf threw the ball at him really hard and after an altercation
with the supporters and a bit of winding up by Sherwood, Pires
managed to get himself booked for a crude challenge on the latter.
I thought another
goal now would have sealed it for Tottenham and it was the
excellent Carr who nearly delivered this after dazzling the Goons
on one of his buccaneering runs he shot badly over the bar -
probably the first time he has not scored or gone close from that
position. He had a similar position later in the match and chose
to cross, probably as a reaction to his poor shot.
Wenger brought on
Vieira and Bergkamp on the hour mark for the agitated Pires and
the useless Grimandi. This substitution changed the balance of
the match as Bergkamp was very creative in his behind the front
two role and Viera added to extra drive to the midfield.
Sullivan came into
his own in this period of play as he first saved Henry's diagonal
shot from just outside the corner of the area and then again from
the same player after he'd latched on to a Bergkamp through ball
and out-paced the Spurs defence. On the 70 minute mark the ball
fell for Bergkamp on the right side of the area - my mind flashed
to the goal he scored for Holland against Argentina in the 98
World Cup, but Sullivan saved brilliantly and Henry could not
control the rebound as the open goal beckoned and Spurs got away
with a goal kick.
With Arsenal in
the ascendancy, Wenger introduced Wiltord for the increasingly
marginalized Kanu, but while Wenger had used all of his options,
Graham chose not to bring on Freund to counter the greater
attacking threat of Arsenal - a major blunder in my opinion.
A dubious free
kick against Sherwood was blasted straight at the Spurs wall from
20 yards out by Henry. Ferdinand received lengthy treatment for a
head injury - which seems to be a regular occurrence for Les and
prompts Graham to try and substitute him, but as Les walked
dejectedly off, Graham realised Les was still up for it and
cancelled the introduction of Armo.
Another close
shave followed as a Ljungberg 25-yard left-foot shot grazed the
side netting much to everyone's relief.. Armo is eventually
brought on - this time for Rebrov who received a standing ovation
from the Spurs crowd.
Campbell managed a
great saving tackle as a Goon was through on goal in the last 10
minutes , but the pressure from Arsenal seemed to have died down
as full time approached. In the 89th minute Arsenal won a corner
after Sullivan had to be alert to save from Adams at the back
post. Viera pushed Ferdinand out of the way and rose unchallenged
to finally beat Sully. Our hearts sank - a battling performance
robbed of victory at the last by the lucky old Arsenal.
Four minutes of injury time were given by Arsenal seemed content to hang on for their point and one of the better derby matches was drawn
Sullivan 10/10 - a faultless display of outstanding saves from all the goons and even a back header from Perry! - one of the best goalkeeping performances from a Spurs keeper for years
Thelwell - 7/10 - again rose to the occasion with another battling display. Campbell - 8/10 - brilliant at the back, with a great saving tackle in the second half Perry - 6/10 - struggles against the better teams but put in some important tackles and was generally solid
Carr - 7/10 - Kept Silvinho quiet and had a decent match Anderton 6/10 - Could never dominate the midfield but played some good passes and one of his first half shots led to the goal King - 7/10 - another fine display from Ledley - winning tackles and good passes - who must be one of the first names on the team sheet Sherwood - 6/10 - a decent match from Sherwood, but you wonder if he's currently in Rebrov's best position Clemence - 6/10 - Not the same impact as his brilliant game against the goons last season but did his bit on the left
Rebrov 6/10 - took his goal well, and one brilliant flick in the first half, but failed to get in the game enough Ferdinand - 7/10 - another good display from Les who was a handful for Monkey face and Donkey Adams