Friday, March 29, 2024

Report: Sp*rs 1-2 Arsenal (inc. goals)

Arsenal: Ospina, Debuchy, Mertesacker, Chambers, Gibbs, Arteta, Flamini, Ramsey, Campbell, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Giroud

Subs: Macey, Monreal, Walcott, Ozil, Alexis, Bellerin, Iwobi

Mathieu Flamini was Arsenal’s unexpected hero at White Hart Lane as Arsenal beat Tottenham Hotspur 2-1 to secure derby day bragging rights and safe passage to the 4th round of the Capital One Cup.

The French midfielder pounced on a Vorm mistake to put the Gunners ahead in the first half and then hammered home a fine volley with 12 minutes remaining to ensure Calum Chambers own goal on 56 minutes didn’t prove costly.

Pre-game

After defeats to Dinamo Zagreb and Chelsea nobody was really sure who Arsene Wenger would select for our first trip of the season to White Hart Lane. “There are no fringe players [here], there is only a first-team squad,” he’d said earlier in the week. In the end, he again rang the changes.

Youngsters Matt Macey and Alex Iwobi aside, all the faces were familiar even if some had played less regularly than others this season. Per Mertesacker – out for most of a month with a virus – returned to the starting XI alongside Calum Chambers with Mathieu Debuchy and Kieran Gibbs flanking them.

In midfield Mathieu Flamini made his first start of the season with Mikel Arteta and Aaron Ramsey also in the centre of the park. Up front Joel Campbell and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain provided the pace outside Olivier Giroud. As was the case in Croatia Ospina – ensconced in his role as cup keeper – came in for Cech.

First half

It’s fair to say that for a North London derby this was a game that struggled to get going. Indeed, it took a full 12 minutes before anything of note actually happened.

A great ball by Ramsey split the Spurs defence allowing Gibbs space to deliver a ball across the six-yard box towards Giroud. The Frenchman had made the right run across the near post but he couldn’t connect properly and instead saw his mishit shot spin towards Campbell who could only head over.

Players on both sides looked cumbersome and aside from a million throw-ins and Arteta infuriatingly hitting the first man from every set piece naff all happened.

Then, out of nothing we took the lead, Arsenal stole the lead. Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, who up to this point had been anonymous, nicked the ball past Dier 25-yards from goal and decided to have a pop. Vorm saved the fizzing effort but he could only parry it to Flamini, who having pre-empted a fumble, hammered home from a yard out. (1-0)

Going a goal down spurred the home side to life and it was Danny Rose who twice came close. First the left back cut on to his right and squirmed a shot just past Ospina’s near post, then he beat Debuchy to a bouncing ball and honed in on goal before our Colombian keeper took him out. There was a half-hearted call for a penalty but it was waved away by referee Andre Mariner.

The bash brothers – Arteta and Flamini – both picked up bookings, Campbell took a nasty tumble over the advertising hoardings and Chamberlain curled agonisingly wide after a powerful run.

At the other end Rose had Debuchy’s number every time and the Frenchman unsurprisingly ended up in the book for a clumsy tackle on the edge of the box. Nothing came of the resulting free-kick but we were certainly hanging on in the closing stages of the first half as Kane screwed wide on the break.

Second half

Spurs thought they had an equaliser just three minutes into the second period of the only for the linesman to correctly rule Kane’s smart finish offside. The England striker had pounced from close range after Eriksen’s shot had been parried on to the post by Ospina.

As it turned out the home side didn’t have to wait too long for a goal and, not for the first time this season, Arsenal gave a helping hand to their opponent. Debuchy’s positioning was all over the place (as it had been all game) as a pass was floated over the Arsenal defence and when Chadli nipped in off the left his cross was clumsily sliced into his own net by Chambers. (1-1)

If it wasn’t for a Kieran Gibbs headed clearance off the line the Gunners would have been 2-1 down on 65 minutes. Kane’s flying volley from a Townsend corner was destined for the net before out left back got in the way with Ospina stranded.

Campbell’s evening came to an end moments later with Wenger throwing Alexis Sanchez into the fray. After a Ramsey shot, the Chilean came off the right and had a go of his own, then Giroud forced Vorm into a decent save in a spell of pressure that contrasted hugely with the meek ten minutes before.

The push paid off and astonishingly it was Flamini who came to the fore. He’s not exactly known for his goals is the Frenchman, so when the ball drops out of the sky 20-yards from goal you don’t expect him to hammer home a volley with all the grace of Dennis Bergkamp. It was a strike as amazing as it was unexpected on a night the defensive midfielder will never forget. The travelling Gooners went absolutely ballistic, bastardising as many chants as possible in tribute to the 31-year-old. (2-1)

As Spurs chased the game again Arsenal were happy to soak up pressure and hit on the break. Chamberlain and Debuchy hit efforts from range, sub Dele Alli – earlier booked for a foul on the BFG – did similar for the home side. In truth, we looked quite comfortable as a silenced White Hart Lane came to terms with what had just happened. In stoppage time Theo Walcott, on for the Ox, should have added a gloss to the result but with the goal beckoning could only zip a shot wide. Thankfully, it wasn’t to matter.

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Maniac

You can’t zim zam the flim flam.

La Défense

They tried. They failed. Flamster wins.

Gunner From Another Mother

Theo and Alexis would do well to take note. That’s how you bury a rebound from point blank.

And I must say that second goal was much needed after a rough week. Put a nice smile on all of our faces. Well done Flam, and COYG. London, as ever, is Red.

IamaGoober

I f***ing love it when Flamini is on a free!!

Bob's Mexican Cousin

Thoroughly enjoyable celebrations too. Crestbumping and rubbing it in their faces. There’s a true gooner.

IamaGoober

Here’s to you Mathieu Flamini, Arsenal love you more than you will know, woah oh oh.

D

I’m not a betting man, but does anyone know what were the actual odds on Flam scoring a brace last night?

PigeonSuperstition

125 to 1 apparently.

And the bookies took one bet on it from a bloke who put a quid on Flamini scoring 2 goals and arsenal to win.

Sky Bet and PaddyPower tweeted about it.

Imagine if he had bet more than just a quid.

La Défense

Mathieu Flamini, he scores when he wants!

SB

Wasn’t Flamini supposed to be playing …er… DM today!

Thank you Flamster

Coq's 3rd leg

I’m trying to decide if he’s LANS or the world class striker we need or some combination of both …

McArsenal

Next game, I reckon it’ll be FlamÖzil upfront.

Double98

He’s this years coquelin. Giroud and Walcott will be warming his bench this season. Come on the flam jam

Bosscielny

Ozil will be a happy man.

Ferngunner

They should be hitting the town tonight.

La Défense

Flamini now has more goals than Özil this season.

Arsepedant

He had that in the first half.

Jeff

So that’s why we didn’t get a striker. Give Flanimal the number nine shirt!

Gunner From Another Mother

Flanimal…I like it.

TR7 > CR7

All praise and glory be to Mathieu Flamini.

DialSquareGoon

Hahahahahaha! Flamini having some Tater Tots for dinner!!

Mesut

Flamini WCS LANS

enj

Pogba who?

McArsenal

Flamini, all is forgiven, I love you man…

Timo

So let’s recap the last eight days: We’ve lost to Croatia’s finest, suffered the indignity of Mike Dean’s tender loving, had two players ridiculously sent off, one later cleared of all charges and ban rescinded, then Flamini gets a brace to win at WHL.

Oh to be a Gooner.

Jeff's uncle

Plus Arsene Wenger sold Own Goal to Spurs…and he scored for them tonight

Goone's Farm

No silly, he’s still with us. He just scored an own goal 😉

David C

Chambers has 2 OG in 2 games now. Tough luck for the kid who I thought played his part today.

Mert/Gibbs were very comfortable back there as well. The less said about Debuchy the better…

Can’t wait until these Sanchez/Walcott near misses start curling around the good side of the post.

Big win away to Leicester please – keep it going! COYG!

Ferngunner

If he notches a couple more then i will not be worried.
We will have found our new Koscienly.

Who in hindsight rose out of a barrage of own goals to become our best CB.

🙂

TexasGooner

Any player whose name starts with Chamber* seems to have own goal tendencies
Chambers – 2 own goals this season
Ox Chamberlain – 1 this season and a few in previous seasons

Ferngunner

I love you Flamini. So glad i didn’t bash you on the lineups.

SB

Ideally would like an lower division team in the next round, if not I hope it’s the sucking blue cunts

SB

Lucky escape for the wanker Mourinho

Alexisshorts

Our striker problem is solved!

A Yank

Mat-two Flamini.

DialSquareGoon

That header off the line by Gibbo? Ooof!

Gooneron

Reminiscent of that FA Cup final goal line save he made. Very important save.

TexasGooner

SO glad about goal line technology! That was an amazing header off the line that could have been ruled a goal in countries or competitions where there is no goal line technology!

Arseblog-mania

You mean Ox?

WizardofOzil

That was immensely satisfying.

Why are we always so entertaining in our early round domestic cup games?

Chair

Stick him on striker! WHY NOT!?

Derek

Lvg would probably do just that

assistantref

LVG would say he didn’t sign a striker because he knew Flamini could play ST. Then he’d have him play at LB for the next three games before spinning a roulette and signing for 30 million pounds someone who wears whichever number came up – even though we’re not in the window. Then he’d play THAT person as a striker.

Ajinkya

THAT person is right now scoring goals for fun.

Andy Mack

You can win on roulette occasionally.

leroy

this just in: arsenal are reporting that Flamini shirts have just sold out at the Armoury!

Quick

Yep they were both bought just after the final whistle.

Goonerestgooner

By a Herr M. Özil

Lima

He scores when he wants, he scores when he waaanntttsss. Mathieu Flamini, he scores when he wants.

Ferngunner

Chamberlain.

Cha cha cha…nutmeg…..cha cha cha…overhit pass

assistantref

He is so infuriating sometimes. You always get the feeling he’d be crazily good if he just didn’t screw up the totally simple things so often.

goon

Flamboyant Flamster flaming tonight ! COYG

Javanese Gooner

Flamscore !!!!! COYG

Boilermaker Gunner

Flamini for the striker. He is the internal solution
And Gibbs – what a block ( credit to Kane for the shot)!!!. He should always stand on the line!
Not impressed with debuchy and Campbell.
Gave the ball away often.
Chambers had a good game – unfortunate for the own goal although some communication could’ve sortrd it out.
Why is it that 2nd half at white hart lane we fade off? Perplexed

Timo

Not the first time Gibbs has saved our arses with a header off the line!

Maddy

In case you were wondering why people were red arrowing your reasonably reasonable comment, it’s probably because you gave Kane credit

HBK

the day of the flamini !!!!!!

My name is Jeff

Don’t know what it says about our season when Flamini is tied with Giroud and Owen Goale in scoring, but I will take it!

not deluded

It say’s that the season has only just started.

Glocken

I really enjoyed that. Anyone who thought that this game wasn’t important was very very wrong. I love it when we beat them shit cunts, especially when we beat them shit cunts in their own back yard. It’s their cup final and they lost. Keeping singing those songs about Arsene or you’re pathetic ‘when the Spurs come marching in’, you are a nothing club forever in our shadow. Well played lads, especially after the last two games, I asked for the players to grow a pair and they did. Flamini – You are a crazy bastard and I love you.… Read more »

Goonersmurf

Ok that’s was funny. Funny at how Spurs actually they could win

Jaywon

I hope we get a home tie and a weaker team in d 4th round

Ferngunner

So no one else nearly passed out when Debuchy Arteta and Flamster were all on yellows and its only 39 minutes? OK.

paul

I nearly did! Especially as Flam was defending HIS lead!

dholio

Might just about deserve a contract extension for another year if he’s able to capture the spirit of Pires like that!

A̶R̶i̶d̶d̶l̶i̶n̶g̶N̶a̶m̶e̶ Ceched Out

WHAT DO WE THINK OF TOTTENHAM?

Arsepedant

WHAT DO WE THINK OF SHIT?

MarinP

TOTTENHAM!!!

bournegooner

Thank You !!!

goonergreg

That’s alright!

Goonerestgooner

Thank You

Ferngunner

Iove you all

SHIT SHIT SHIT!!!… and the you know who can come fine me if they want!

PauloDiGunnio

There was a young chap named Flaminius
Not famed for his technical genius.
Then one fateful night
with all of his might,
Forced Spuddies to suck on his brace.

Goonerestgooner

That was brilliant mate….I’m definitely nicking that

paul

Flam is a brilliant player when he’s going to be on offer to somewhere else!
Well played mate love ya!

Holic

Flamini you sly devil.. Love ya

shokim

An important win to boost our confidence woo-hoo!

Flamster showing the younger lads he still has it in him yet! COYG!

Man Manny

My take on the game:
Flamini and Mert were the stand-out players.
Bellerin has no competition anymore. Debuchy has regressed.
Walcott should be our main striker; alternate him with Welbeck when he comes back. Giroud is now 3rd for me.
Good win in all.

Man Manny

…also, Campbell has no future in Arsenal; not even in the ladies’ team.

Hajdúk

What was that chant after full time? New one? Couldn’t hear over the telly.

badaab

We could have played with inanimate carbon rod at rb tonight… Debuchy picked up where he left off against Zagreb.
Even though Flamini was fantastic tonight with 2 goals, Gibbs has to be my motm. He was our best defender all night and tried to make things happen going forward.

Die Hard Gooner

debuchy and giroud were horrible. debuchy cant position himself to save his life. Giroud missed a sitter and didnt win one areal duel. ox and ramsey were our bright sparks. But my god what a volley by flamini. I am not the only one who thinks he is horrible at his job but tonight he is a hero. This will stay with us forever. #thenightflaminismashedthespuds. on another note destroying white hart lane isnt classy, that isnt arsenal.

paul

Dubuchy grew into the game imo he has quality…

Goone's Farm

Also Giroud was denied by a top reflex save from Vorm just before the Flam wonderstrike. He was denied another goal or two by Ramsey’s insistence on keeping the ball instead of laying it off to him twice near the end of the game. Debuchy and Giroud, along with Arteta were obviously the less impressive players tonight, but they were far from bad. Alright maybe Debuchy a little.

assistantref

Debuchy had a shocking 60 minutes. He pulled it together at the end but you can’t afford to have a shocker for 2/3s of a game. Against a team that wasn’t so useless we’d have lost that game because of him.

bims lay

I agree…lets give the guy a break…..he was off for a very long time and he is still trying to play himself back to form. I personally believe he will get there.

Brandon

A Flamini in the last year of a contract is a very dangerous thing indeed.

As for the rest, it was easy to see why they were not first choice. But in the end it is a pretty good thing when our second team can beat their first team.

Arseblood

To the tune of ‘The Sweeny’….
Flamini, Flaminiiiii….duh,duh,duh, duh,duuuuh, duh, duh, duh, duh….
STOP SHOUTING!!!
“I CARRRRNT!!”

GunneRonie

Flamini !! Take a bow son!

Ozilseyedoctor

Sure i am going to get hate but i am seriously worried about Alexis. He didnt do any step overs or turns etc we saw from him last season. He just doesnt seem as sharp or determined as before. He wouldve buried that chance last year. I want my Alexis back

Pearson

Our team got a lot more cohesion the instant he came on. Before he came one we were hoofing balls to them. After he came on we were in possession around their box and he was involved in thegoal

little gretel

Once again Wenger finds an internal solution – this time for our striker problem!

Petit's Handbag

31!!? Thought he was much older! Great showing from the man who first played for us 11 years ago.
He has got the odd belter in him though, Newcastle at home 07/08. Youtube it if you’re not old enough to remember.

TexasGooner

A Flamini brace? I did not see this coming – but I welcome it!

Not our best game, but the lads got the job done. We lacked fluidity and consistency on the attack. Flamini and Arteta provided a fairly solid foundation on midfield but we lacked creativity – that was the sacrifice of playing with two DMs. However, Flamini did find joy when he did go forward twice to sniff out opportunities and scored!

Tonight also proved that it takes two players (Arteta+Flamini) to replace our Coq…

Arsepedant

Flamini obviously MOTM, but Gibbs also had a great game. Debuchy was ghastly. Arteta pretty much controlled the space in front of the back line. Oxlade-Chamberlain is infuriating, he does something brilliant one minute then gives it away the next. Giroud was okay but didn’t really do enough to surpass Walcott as first choice striker. Campbell should have been sold in the summer, he’s hopeless.

All in all, though, a highly satisfying result. Always great to put one over on the Tiny Tots in their own home. Spurms, forever in our shadow!

Pearson

Amazing mazy run by the Ox, leaving six Spuds trailing in his wake then a random pointless kick over the touch line .
If he had scored it would have been a contender for goal of the season

Norwegian Gooner

Flam the Ham putting in a shift showing what it means to give it your all when you`re finally given the nod. Getting stuck in there, and above all topping it with the sexiest of strikes for the winner! Well done! On the other hand, though a win over the sp*rs should only be gloated and enjoyed, the recent performances by Debuchy has got me (if nobody else) quite concerned. It`s been some games now, and in this moment in time my take is this is his last season with us and either splash the cash on a ready, steady… Read more »

Emperornovio

Play Flamini at CF, Gbam! Striker problem solved!

David

Is too late to convert Flamini into a Striker?

Dan D

Chuffed for Flamini, giggled when the 2nd hit the back of the net.

Lovely result but being completely honest it took the introduction of Sanchez for us to string 2 passes together, prior to that we were woeful.

But we grew into the game, especially last 20 against a pretty poor Spurs team.

Onwards and upwards!

I AM ARSENAL

Flamini>Ozil, Sanchez, Ox, Ramsey, Cazorla etc

I AM ARSENAL

Tottenham played extremely well while we were ok yet we are still clearly superior to them in every conceivable way…Even had to score for them..
Chambers was pretty good sans the Og as was Merts and Gibbs..
I don’t think i need to mentIon Debuchys performance.

Still poor and erratic going forward though…Not helped by a limited and shorn of confidence Giroud.

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