Rampant Arsenal get over the line after Spurs comeback

 

Tottenham 2 Arsenal 3   
Premier League   
Sunday 28th April 2024  2pm    

It all looked so comfortable at half-time. Three goals up at Spurs and the home crowd silent. With Arsenal needing to win every one of their last six Premier League matches after the home loss to Villa, this was the third in the series, and arguably the most challenging. Of course, form goes out of the window in derby matches, as Everton v Liverpool proved in midweek, but Gooners attending at what started as a very grey Sunday afternoon at the Lane had good reason for optimism.

 

It was justified in a first half that saw them take what looked like an unassailable lead, as Arteta started the same eleven that faced Chelsea the Tuesday before. Spurs hadn’t played for two weeks, whilst their visitors had played four times. There was no sign of fatigue from Arsenal though, and they had to draw on all their reserves in the concluding minutes.

 

Their finishing was excellent, although the opening goal was courtesy of Spurs’ Hojbjerg heading into his own net from a corner. At this stage, Arsenal saw a bit of fortune. Romero came close twice with headers from corners, one of them hitting the post of David Raya’s goal. Not long after his centre back partner Van de Ven had the ball in the net after Arsenal struggled to clear a corner. The home support celebrated loudly as the linesman said there was no offside. VAR intervened after a few seconds and it was the visiting section that made all the noise. It was a matter of centimetres though. On such moments can titles be decided. 

 

Arsenal capitalised with two goals courtesy of Saka on the counter attack and Havertz, from another corner. It was all too easy.

 

Early in the second half, Saka had a gilt-edged chance to make it 4-0 but his effort was saved by the Spurs’ keeper. After that the game turned, initiated by a terrible pass by Raya straight to Romero on the edge of the area, who sent it back past him to give the home crowd some encouragement with a quarter of the game left. It was awful, and might have proved more costly. 

As it was, it led to a nail-biting finished after a penalty was awarded after VAR intervention when Declan Rice’s attempt to clear the ball ended up with him booting a Spurs player. Son converted and Arsenal had to withstand almost ten minutes of pressure before the full-time whistle meant the players could celebrate with the relieved and ecstatic visiting supporters. By this time, the sun was symbolically out.

 

It was a case of good Arsenal, not so good Arsenal and ultimately resilient Arsenal. Having established a position of sheer dominance, they let their opponents back into the game, but at least saw it out with some determined defending. Credit is due to the players given that Spurs were surely fresher after not playing for two weeks. 

 

With Raya’s blooper, which seems to have become a semi-regular occurrence these days, they got away with one. To think, part of the reason Ramsdale was dispensed with was the giving away of a similar goal around this time last season, at home to Southampton. That game ended 3-3. At least Arsenal won yesterday, and ultimately, the points were all that mattered, but a few fingernails were bitten in the process. 

 

So, some wonderful football, some loss of control initiated by a keeper error and then enough tenacity to see the game out. I can’t blame Rice for the concession of the spot kick as there was no intent, he just couldn’t have seen Davies coming. 

Forest might have got more against Manchester City, but failed to convert good chances, so it’s as you were with the holders a point behind having played a game less. We wait to see whether or not Spurs will have something to play for when they entertain Manchester City. If no chance of fourth place will they play with as much conviction as Arsenal may need them to? 

Of course, the Gunners have to win their two matches before that against Bournemouth and Old Trafford. Their fate isn’t in their own hands and they can only keep the pressure on. How ironic would it be if a good Spurs result made it possible for them to win the title? 

 

Now, at least they have only weekend matches, so can rest and prepare between their remaining games. Had they qualified for the Champions League semi-final against Real Madrid, it would have been quite a schedule. Arsenal beat Spurs 3-2 at the Lane in the 1988-89 season, which went down to the wire as the then League Championship was decided on goal difference. If that’s an omen for another title, I’ll take it. 

 

As for Spurs, job done, and the whole gamut of emotions experienced. No disputing it was dramatic, and thank the Lord for the happy ending.

 

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