Report: Arsenal 5-2 Sp*rs (inc goal clips)

Arsenal got back to winning ways with a 5-2 spanking of Sp*rs at the Emirates today.

The game started cautiously but Sp*rs quickly exploited some of Arsenal’s weaknesses. William Gallas had a 9th minute goal rightly ruled out for offside but a minute later they were ahead.

A ball over the top left Mertesacker floundering, Defoe ran on, took a shot which Szczesny saved (and probably could have done better with) and Adebayor was there to stab home the rebound from close range.

It might have been 0-2 a couple of moments later when Aaron Lennon fired a shot between Vermaelen’s legs and just wide of the far post.

It looked like it was going to be difficult for Arsenal to get back into it until Emmanuel Adebayor got himself stupidly sent off in the 18th minute. His studs up challenge on Cazorla is the kind of thing more refs should deal with like this, so fair play to Howard Webb for spotting it.

And that reinvigorated Arsenal who made the most of the extra man, particularly down the right hand side with Sagna and Walcott.

It was the latter who provided Arsenal’s first. Good work down the right ended in a looped cross, and Per Mertesacker made up for his earlier error, getting good power on a looping header which went into the top corner. 1-1.

Hugo Lloris was then forced into a brilliant save after a Giroud header and Santi Cazorla’s 30 yard shot dipped and swerved but went just over the bar. Lloris made another good save from Giroud before Arsenal went ahead in the 42nd minute.

With Arsenal pressing the ball came into Podolski in the area, he shot, it clipped off the heel of the penis of William Gallas, wrongfooted Lloris and bobbled in. 2-1.

It was 3-1 in first half injury time, when the effervescent Cazorla picked up a defensive header, ran at goal, was fouled, picked himself up and slid a great ball across the six yard box for Olivier Giroud to sweep home.

Sp*rs went to three at the back in the second half and had a bit too much of the ball early on, but never really threatened. Arsenal went further ahead on the hour mark with a sweeping move started at the back.

It began with a ong kick from Szczesny, Giroud won the flick on, it came to Walcott, he played Podolski down the left hand channel who then fired a ball all the way across goal and Cazorla finished with aplomb at the back post. 4-1.

“Adebayor, what’s the score?” sang the Arsenal fans who were clearly enjoying themselves. Right until the 70th minute when Gareth Bale pulled one back for Sp*rs, at which point every Arsenal fan on the planet had visions of another 4-4.

But after a bit of nervousness, and a wasteful Bale who could have provided Defoe with a tap in, Arsenal controlled the game again. Sensible football, sensible passing and they could have scored more.

Theo Walcott had two good chances, but couldn’t quite make his mind up either time, but late on he made it 5-2 to Arsenal after being set up by Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain.

Ok, there are always some things you can nitpick on, but a day when you’ve stuck five past the scummers is not it.

Three points, three lovely, delicious, making Chas and Dave cry points. Arsenal 5-2 Sp*rs.

Enjoy it!

70 – Bale goal