Tuesday, March 19, 2024

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

Result: Arsenal 2-1 Sp*rs
Competition: Premier League
Date: 14 March 2021
Venue: Emirates Stadium

Arsenal: Leno, Cedric, Luiz, Gabriel, Tierney, Xhaka, Partey, Smith Rowe, Odegaard, Saka, Lacazette

Subs: Ryan, Bellerin, Chambers, Holding, Elneny, Ceballos, Willian, Pepe, Aubameyang


Alex Lacazette’s second half penalty sealed a vital North London derby win for Arsenal as Mikel Arteta’s side came from behind to win 2-1 at the Emirates.

The Gunners had fallen behind to Erik Lamela’s stylish strike but were rewarded for a dominant performance when Martin Odegaard equalised just before half time.

The home side’s job should have been made easier when Lamela was sent off 12 minutes after Lacazette’s spot-kick but Sp*rs twice came close to an equaliser with Kane having a goal ruled out for offside and hitting the post from a free-kick.

The win sees the Gunners close the gap on our neighbours to five points. Once again, north London is red.

Pre-game

24 hours before the game, the Arsenal medical team confirmed the entire squad had a clean bill of health. It was therefore very surprising to see our captain and top scorer Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang on the bench when the team was announced. It later transpired that the decision had been taken for disciplinary reasons. Alex Lacazette led the line in his absence. There were two other changes from the side that started against Olympiacos in midweek, Emile Smith Rowe came in for Willian and Cedric replaced Bellerin.

First Half

The Gunners looked sharp in the opening stages. We had most of the ball and worked the visitors across the pitch with our quick, precise passing. Mourinho’s men seemed happy to sit deep.

Arsenal’s preferred outlet was Tierney who three times in the opening 10 minutes darted into promising positions on the left flank. A low drive from the Scot flashed across the Spurs box but nobody was there to pounce.

We started to crank up the pressure, adding attempts at goal to our possession. Xhaka flashed over on 15 minutes and a minute later Smith Rowe rattled the crossbar with a cracking effort from 25-yards.

The first time the visitors pushed forward, Son went chasing after a long ball and pulled up holding his hamstring. He was immediately replaced by Erik Lamela.

We continued to dominate. Smith Rowe eased past Hojbjerg, cutback to Lacazette who opened his body and struck way wide. The Frenchman should have done better.

Bit by bit, Spurs edged back into the game and with their first effort on goal took the lead. Lamela, who’d spent most of his time kicking the ankles of Arsenal players, pulled off rabona effort that skidded through a crowded box past an unsighted Leno. (0-1)

Back came the Gunners. Lacazette left a cutback from Smith Rowe and as the ball rolled to the edge of the area, Cedric lashed at goal. Lloris just stood there watching as the full-back’s shot smashed off his left post. Unbelievable.

We kept plugging away and a minute before the break, we finally got the goal we deserved. Yet another really good attack down the left saw Tierney escape Doherty and this time his cross was met by Odegaard whose first time left foot effort found the net thanks to a small deflection. A second goal in four days for the Norwegian who enjoyed a very eye-catching 45 minutes. (1-1)

Second Half

Arteta introduced Nicolas Pepe for Saka at the break giving the Ivorian a chance to take on the booked Reguilon. We continued to play on the front foot and certainly looked the more likely to score. Partey fed Lacazette who spun his man and fired straight at the keeper. The Ghanaian then fired an effort of his own past Lloris’ post. 

We kept plugging away and were eventually rewarded just past the hour mark. A brilliant pass by Pepe picked out Lacazette in the box and Sanchez cleared out the Frenchman even though he’d completely fluffed his attempt to fire at goal. Referee Michael Oliver pointed to the spot and VAR confirmed the decision. It was a hilarious slice of luck. Lacazette put the ball on the spot and found the net. (2-1) 

Needing a goal, Spurs started to push forward. A dangerous cross by Kane, who’d been completely anonymous, nearly found substitute Alli. Lamela, who finally went in the book for a foul on Partey, did get his head on a Hojbjerg cross but Leno claimed. 

The Argentine’s continuous attempts to injure our players finally cost him on 75 minutes. In possession of the ball, he opted to ward off Tierney with an arm in the Scot’s face and referee Oliver went straight to his pocket to produce a second yellow card. On the touchline, Mourinho was seething with his player’s stupidity. You love to see it. 

In the lead and with a man advantage, it should have been a case of game management – just keep the ball and don’t do anything stupid. Easier said than done. Partey twice ceded possession and Xhaka then got himself booked. From the free-kick, Kane rose at the back post to head home. The flag went up immediately to rule it out. It was a warning. 

Obviously worried by the way the game was opening up, Arteta sent on Mo Elneny for Lacazette. The change didn’t have the impact he wanted and he was less than impressed when Partey gave away a stupid free-kick just outside the box. Kane stepped up and hit a low shot that crashed off the post. The ball rebounded to Sanchez whose first-time effort was heading in before Gabriel made a desperate headed clearance. It was a real hearts in mouths moment. 

Five minutes of stoppage time was not what we wanted to see. Again we gave away a stupid free-kick, this time Gabriel taking out Lucas Moura. Kane stood over the ball. He weighed up his options, went for power and the ball fizzed over Leno’s bar. And that was that. 

After five games without a win against Sp*rs this was a sweet and thoroughly deserved victory. Well done, boys.

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Maniac

An incredibly nervy last 15 minutes, but we manage to come away with an absolutely massive 3 points. Huge win – well done lads! Also nothing makes me happier than seeing that tw*t Mourinho with a frown on his face. ‘Tis like a sweet nectar upon my tongue. Ahhhhh, delicious.

Bleeding gums murphy

Odegarrd man of match for me. Partey great until last 15, could be fitness. Gabriel getting back to his best. Leno is to often a liability

Theodoro

“Leno is to often a liability”

Nonsense.

Aaron

Brilliant victory. Two talking points and I hate the narrative. 1. The penalty, as clear as it can be. Doesn’t matter when the foul happens, before he takes a shot or not, if it’s a foul there should be no fuckin arguments. We won’t be mouthing if it’s a red card offense when players are sent off after a striker has taken a shot. 2. The ridiculous challenge Cunt Kane gets away time and again, this time barging into Gabriel well after the ball is played. God knows when they will catch that ass red-handed. May not happen as long… Read more »

gillian fleming

I call him the Kane Toad

JeremyDG

Key takeaways for me: We are really, really good with Emile SR and Odegaard on the pitch together Partey and Xhaka work really well although Thomas got noticeably tired towards the end (understandable) Lacazette must be a pain in the arse to defend again Luiz – when he is good he is incredible Tierney is brilliant We were excellent, but the little voice came back at the end We completely lose our shape when Willian comes on. I don’t think the other players trust him. Lamela is a smug little rat and I detest his face. Excellent win, awesome performance,… Read more »

Bleeding gums murphy

Willian was very poor when he came on

Dusko

Willian came in so we are 10 each again

Twatsloch

No doubt we were the better team today.

myrtle

Victory for good over evil

gooner

Totally in control then they get a red card and suddenly we are down to 4 men and them 20.

Gabriel nervously kicks it out, Partey twice, KT nervously kicks it short to them and we start giving away needless corner kicks and free kicks. This is so us in 2021

JB1

If I’m Martinelli, I’d be furious Willian starting ahead of me. Everyone on here is correct — we looked like 10 men with him on.

WHY THE FUCK DIDNT HE RUN IT INTO THE CORNER FLAG ?????

For an “experienced player” he’s fuckin abhorrent. Being kind with that one too.

Other than that – everyone was phenomenal.

Theodoro

Yes, lets focus on the negative stuff as always.

C.B.

Good result!

C.B.

Who needs Auba?!

Mayor McCheese

Yeah, I don’t think that was the takeaway.

DPK

Hate to state the bleeding obvious but Arsenal do.

gooner

We do

GraeB

Annoying discussion Sky to say no penalty. If that challenge had been in midfield after ball played, foul and yellow card, so why any different?

gooner

It’s actually nice for sky and all those chaps to feel bad and take the bitter loss alongside their favourite team

Bryan!

Or look at Ronaldo today for Juve — skies the chip but the keeper takes him out; NOBODY complains about the penalty bc when the keeper takes a man out after the ball is gone, all of a sudden a defender can run riot?

SirL

Exactly anywhere else on the pitch and it’s a foul. Definite pen

Timorous Me

They seriously said that? It wasn’t even up for debate on NBC (and I don’t just mean Lee Dixon!), studio guys included.

juicej

Totally annoying, I watched and listened and I was at pains to hear Ian Wright (seeing he’s a gunner I expected better) on Supersport actually claiming that wasn’t a penalty, if a player misses the ball and gets the man isn’t that a free kick? that was a penalty and seeing that it went for us this time its brilliant, that dimwit Moanarinho’s post-game interview bemoaning the loss and claiming historic records against us to defend himself was hilarious.

Tierney’s Tescopoints

It only got worse on MOTD. Jenas was at his biased worst. Even claiming Lamela shouldn’t have been sent off. He’d been taking lumps out of our guys all through the match prior to that second yellow.

Gunner08

Can’t believe the Lamela card is even questionable stiff arms ESR in the face. That’s the wrong type of football

Blahblah

And thus the fair elvish folks of the realm of Highbury drove the spawn of Isengard to whence they came from (albeit not without turning us mortals into patients of the Heart)

Adrian Drum

Oliver is the best referee 😊. We played well plus we were lucky as well. Lamela is cunt. You like to see those faces of Mourinho and Kane.

Biggles

You need luck and we certainly haven’t had it on occasion this season. You also need the result to match the (good) performance otherwise there’s little or nothing to show for it – and that’s not always been the case either.

A Different George

You know, Oliver actually is the best English referee. He makes mistakes like everyone, sometimes big ones, but always in a good position to see (no, you can’t see Kane doing something behind the play, that’s up to his assistants), and unimpressed by reputations and unafraid. Let’s a lot of physical contact go, like Atkinson, but harder to con than Atkinson. It’s pretty clear the players respect him too.

SB Still

Mourinho’s anti-football lost. Soon he’ll lose his shit.

Anonymarse

Just an up market Sam Allardyce

juicej

Exactly, Moanarinho is Sam Allardyce at a team with a bit more money.

Scott P

He’s only lost to Arsenal once before, and considering how much he hates us I wouldn’t be surprised if he blows a gasket over this one. Loving every second of it!!!!

Thierry Bergkamp (non negotiable)

Mourinho still thinks it’s 2006. Football has come a long way since then, while Mourinho has stood still

Fezec

That’s the second time he’s played against us with negative anti football tactics hoping to catch us on the break.

This time we put the snivelling troll back under his bridge with 0 points.

And to think some people wanted his brand of toxic sludge at arsenal. Yes Ian Stone, I’m looking at you.

Twatsloch

Have THAT you Spud cunts!

Give youth a chance

You can’t say Arteta doesn’t believe in sportsmanship.

Spu*s reduced to 10 men, so he brings on Willian to even things up

Dave

It was such sportmanship than that sub made us 10 vs 10 and almost level the score as well.

Outside of it, amazing result, nervy af but 3 points in the bag against that lot and against mounrinho is always welcomed

Adrian Drum

I understand our fanbase dont like him but what was his fault today? We were shite in last 10 mins but that was more due to how everyone was conceding silly fouls.

davorsuker

Willian’s got nothing to do with this. It’s on the management and MA, of course. But still… If there were fans allowed in the stadium again I hardly believe the Brazilian would get any chance at all.

No foot Norbert

Probably just as well then, any arsenal fan should want him to do well. Let’s hope he continues to improve

Fezec

We were all dire after the sending off.

I’m not a fan of Willian but the constant bashing needs to end. Poisonous.

Atom

Lamela sent off. Kane can’t believe he’s unlucky for the first time in his life. Jose losing to us. Doesn’t get any better

NMArsenal

Maybe he would have some luck leftover if he didn’t get away bashing Gabriel’s head. I can’t believe the stuff he gets away with

Gunner Thesaurus

Tierney, ESR and Ødegaard are so so good!

Twatsloch

ESR hitting the cross bar would have been such a goal had it gone in.

NMArsenal

ESR was the low key first half MOTM for me. He found space multiple times, produced very good chances and also helped with defense.

TheG

LONDON IS RED!

Jack

Help my blood pressure! Only Arsenal could be in front with the opposition going down to 10 men and then suddenly look like they’ve all forgotten how to kick a ball

Maniac

That Partey pass straight out for a corner summed it all up. Looked incredibly nervous from the 80th minute onwards. We definitely need to work on controlling the game when we have the lead, because we almost always look like conceding from a mistake at some point.

Yanto Santo

Hopefully with some more good performances and results we’ll grow in confidence and not be so nervous at the end of games. We’re getting there slowly. Just hope we can have a strong finish to the season to have something to build on next year. I’m glad Auba had a kick up the arse, too. The squad have to see that the rules are the same for everyone. Well played lads.

Nobody important

I was looking for this comment, I was so surprised when I saw that shit happening. Like how? Until then they were really sharp, and then they do stuff like that. 5 times in 5 minutes. I swear we have some curse on us or something

yen

I should be happy but here I am counting how many years I lost in those last 15 minutes.

Maniac

I think my hairline receded about 2 inches in those last 15 minutes.

Old Bloke.

Well deserved win despite a nervy last ten minutes conceding too many free kicks. This team really should be higher than 10th place and hopefully soon will be.

Fezec

I understand you make your own luck and we have been the architects of our own downfall this season.

But surely next year we can’t continue to be so harshly punished for every fucking misstep we take??

I back us for top 4 if we can just add a couple of players (please let us get Odegaard)

Sagebrush

Now north London is as red as Lamela’s card

ElGunnerLoco

He got shown the colour of North London right to his ugly ass face, just so there’s perfect clarity about it.

Sam

St Totteringham’s Day is gonna happen this year!!!
We are just leaving it late so it happens after lockdown and we can have a proper party!

Alex

Yes – beating Mourinho and Spurs in one day – the gift that gives twice!

We do need a bit of confidence still, but as Wenger used to say – you go up by the stairs and we’re getting there.

Thoroughly deserved.

OdalGooner

I would celebrate. This is excellent rum in the company of good friends. But celebrating beating that lot at home is like celebrating the rising of the sun. It’s no doubt glorious, but also inevitable.

Perhaps finally, things are returning to normal. Any excessive celebrating might indicate that we somehow didn’t already know we were superior to that lot. We knew. And the way of all things are slowly returning.

Thank you lads, Thank you Mikel.

Mayor McCheese

Nah, I’m celebrating anyway!

stillred

Sp*rs did nothing to get anything of the game. We could have won by a lot more. But. no complaints since we won. Great game and it wouldn’t be Arsenal without a nervy ending at the end.

Truther

Lamela: the most one-footed player I’ve ever seen.

Vonnie

One of the most cunty footballers I’ve ever seen, that red card made me so happy!

Swifty

Ruddy, ruddy ace!

On the right path?

We struggled at the … but only because they all emptied their tanks… GET IN THERE!!!!!!!!

pound4pound

Smith-Rowe, Odegaard, and Tierney are absolute gems, and I hope we can find a way to keep MO long-term.

Luiz was a lion today. Gabriel too.

Partey was really bad, and I’m not sure what’s going on with him.

We’re legitimately playing like one of the top 6 clubs in the PL right now. I don’t know if we have enough time to make up for the disaster that was Nov / Dec, but I hope so!

JeremyDG

Partey was excellent in the first half. He just changes the way we play. Fitness was the issue in the second half.

On the right path?

Actually I thought partey was pretty good today (overall)… his reading of the play is world class

Meinby

Partey was OUTSTANDING right up untill The end when he shit himself.
Ffs, almost MOTM.

Bleeding gums murphy

Partey wasn’t really bad. He played very well until last 15 when he got sloppy. I’m hoping that was fatigue. Up till then he dominated midfield with Xhaka

Jean Ralphio

That we didn’t concede in the last 15 minutes is huge mentally. We dominated the game and deserved the win despite not playing at our best at times. ESR deserved a goal and really impressed with Odegaard and Gabriel. Good team performance though!!

COYG!!!!!!

TheG

No bad words today. We beat a Jose Mourinho fueled Sp*rs, which is like beating them twice.

Shitbird

All good, etc., but you wouldn’t have thought Arsenal had a man advantage at the end there. What the actual _ _ _ _ was that?

Vonnie

Tired legs and minds, but nice to see the determination.

Guns Up

They did absolutely nothing until going down a man. Still having trouble understanding that part, but really don’t care too much, considering the result. That’s now 8-3-3 since Xmas, and should be 10-2-2 without two horrible refereeing decisions – who among us would be dissatisfied with that? Love the direction things are heading in at the moment!

Public Elneny

Great performance up to 75 mins. Outshot them 15-2 or something ridiculous. So unlucky to concede that goal and for us not to have 1 or 2 more. But what a complete farce it was after Lamela went off. And those subs – replacing ESR energy and quality with walking pace Willian, taking off Laca for Elneny giving us absolutely no outlet to keep the ball in their half. Even if they didn’t cost us directly, manufactured pressure on ourselves when there was next to none previously, and sent an awful message through to the team. Does Arteta really have… Read more »

Indiegooner

Blogs, a slight correction – unfortunately we have not moved up to 9th. Villa are still ahead on goal difference.

Raghib

Also we’re 4 points behind that lot, not 5.

EastLondonGooner1

True

Des

North London is Fucking RED.

Good game from the Gunners, we roasted the chickens well.

Glad to see Spuds concede a penalty and red card. Even better that it’s against us. I’m sure we’ll see Auba back soon, media is blowing it out of proportion.

Ipal Taka

Huge win, huge game.. absolutely dominated for 75 minutes, so 100 % deserved

Ipal Taka

As a bonus, I can now smile whenever I will see that great lamela goal 😀

Dave

What an amazing moment of brilliance that was. With that said, thanks to bergkamp that Lamela is a c.nt who can’t keep a level head so he got that red.

Simone

I’m happy with the win especially for the performance in the first half however the last 20 minutes are simply unacceptable and i think that the weak mentality of Arsenal players came out. We have to improve a lot from this point of view

Safe Hands

Deserved on the basis of how well we played for 75 mins. I couldn’t believe that last 15 minutes. I was literally screaming at them via the TV. I swear to God Willian is more infectious than covid. I mean the guy didn’t do anything wrong but literally the moment he came on, Gabriel immediately makes a mistake, 1 minute later Tierney miss kicks and then it’s a pure shit show from then on until the final whistle. It was especially infuriating given they had ten men. However……..We won the derby! Played pretty well on the whole, Smith-Rowe, Odegaard and… Read more »

Biggles

Well done all. A game we really had to win. Shaky towards the end as others have commented, but we survived to get a deserved three points and put a dent into Sp*rs recent run.

That’s part two of a key three game “series”. We go into the second leg of the Olympiacos tie with a healthy lead and, hopefully, we’re building up confidence now that will take us forward in the closing stages of the PL and EL.

Cyprus The Immortal Gooner

I need a drink…

John

Only Arsenal can make 11 v 10 look for all the world like 10 v 11 and make me have to check my pacemaker’s warranty.

But one nil down, two one up in the NLD!! Come on you Gunners!

Adam Hall

Today is my birthday, and marks precisely a year since I last saw my parents.

I am so f*cking happy guys.

Happy sunday to you all.

Harryshambles

Happy you haven’t seen your parents? Or with the result?? Just kidding, hbd fella enjoy basking in the glory!

MojoWillneny

This team is at the early stages of gelling into something we can be proud of. We dominated Sp*rs today. And, to be honest, we’ve been better than every team we’ve played since Boxing Day. When we lose it’s because we cause ourselves to lose, not because the other team is better. Excellent performance today. Only two blemishes are the Saka injury and Auba’s indiscipline. Is he really captain material…? Give it to Tierney, Partey vice captain.

Biggles

We certainly had the better of the 95mins. Not sure you could really say that for the last 10-15 minutes which were shaky, but overall yes.

Good Ebening

The last 10 minutes were nerve wrecking.
Huge huge win for us!

Luiz was superb today.. He gave us some very nice moments going forward too..
Laca was poor, but since we won no complaints!
COYG! 3 massive & must win games next.

SirL

You can start looking down now Jose. We’re comin’ for you ya prick!

Pastor Simon

Great game….

London is forever Red

rob

Awesome match. I think the best moment was that Pepe pass to Laca for the penalty. Wondering if he came on because Saka was hurt or if Blogs was right and Pepe could just as well have started. He was probably more effective than Saka. Great to see the competition.

Fatgooner

A thoroughly deserved win – but we made it hard for ourselves. Shitty negative Spuds we awful and showed absolutely no ambition in the first half. We dominated and were unlucky to go behind. The equaliser before HT was well deserved. Nailed on pen in the second half gave us the win we deserved. But then we got negative. Why take off Laca when they’re down to 10 men? Why bring on Willian? It felt like Arteta wanted to level the numbers up after Lamella was sent off. Willian did nothing again. We should have gone hard for the 3rd… Read more »

Biggles

Yes, we deserved to win and yes we made it more difficult for ourselves later on in the game. But the bottom line is always the result – and we got that, although it could have been less “tricky”.

Billy bob

Spurs really are scummy and deserve Maureenio!! They deserve each other!!!

Sunmolar

1 hit post another hits bar. But mourinho feel the hit.

bob

What a win, dominant most of the game until the nervy end. Arteta completely shafted Maureen tactically. Made him look like an amateur the way we made Kane and Bale irrelavent, as well as their midfield, and continually exploited weaknesses down the flanks.

Loved seeing players tell each other to not be twats and focus after we started making some loose balls.

Moreso loved seeing that twat Lamella rightly sent off. And the fact that we score two bog standard goals to cancel out their worldie? Delightful. Fuck them and their tears.

Murphy was an Arsenal Fan

Today, if a one-legged warty man had come and played for us, I wouldn’t have cared so long as Arsenal won. We did, so everyone was fuckin’ excellent (Freddie Ljungberg’s words, not mine). 11/10

K9ine

That was fun. Can we play like this till the end of the season? Last 10 minutes aside

EddieRitchie

Brilliant win.
Our game management needs some work though.
Last 10 minutes were unnecessarily nervy. Pfff

Brins

Borinho watched Auba videos and is prepared to tackle the left hand side. Auba and arteta creates a scene and throws Laca in. Auba is rested for the big game, we win, kane draws a blank and the rabonist gets a red. We deserved luck and finally got it. Grab 10 pints and doze off on a high mates.. Reserve your willian xhaka hatred for some other day.. COYG

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