Sometimes it is hard to turn one's thoughts and emotions into words, and today's game has overwhelmed me in this manner. The media had written us off, some sections of our own support had done the same, Tottenham were many peoples' favourites and the general media love in was becoming quite sickening. One certain journalists, Henry Winter, had dared to suggest that only one Arsenal player would get in a combined North London XI.
We learnt today that the hype over Tottenham is just hype, the reality of their team and players does not match the hot air. We also learnt that we are not nearly as bad as some sections of our own support would have us believe. In fact the convincing nature of this stirring comeback to victory has firmly rammed a lot of things back down certain peoples' throats in a rather enjoyable manner, it was majestic.
So many players stood up to be counted today, Rosicky and Benayoun being two prime examples of players who worked their socks off and played Tottenham off the park in the midfield for large portions of the game. Even though we looked a bit dodgy defensively early on in the first half, we grew into the game and Tottenham continued to lose the midfield battle after about the first ten minutes.
Our movement and passing was excellent, there was plenty of give and go, lots of one twos, lots of hassling and pressing the opposition when we didn't have the ball. Song and Arteta were the defensive midfield engine room, Benayoun and Rosicky were the bustling attacking midfield force, while RVP brilliance up front was summed up with his ridiculously perfect equalising goal, Theo had a poor first half, but became a threat as the space appeared, and his finishing was top notch for his brace.
Tottenham were dangerous early on, mainly down to some rather cavalier defending, Saha's movement was useful and Bale's pacey running is tough to defend against. It cannot be denied that Bale cheated to win Tottenham's dodgy first half penalty, no contact whatsoever from Szczesny but he threw himself down and Dean obliged. Parker showed he is only good enough to polish Song's boots, while the lack of Lennon was a pleasant surprise for many of us I suspect.
5-2 and so thoroughly deserved, and how sweet given the amount of hype that has surrounded this Tottenham side. The team had proper full backs, it had eleven players all fighting hard for the cause, and these two things have not always been there this season. It is games and results like these that one has to savour as a football fan, it does not get any better for me. 5-2. Just keep saying it, 5-2, 5-2.......
