Well, this is depressing. Just want to confirm that I rule myself out of the Harry Kane love-in throughout the year. I know many are attending, but it’s just not my scene. Further congratulations to the mighty Tottenham Hotspur and their jaw-dropping success and life achievement of moving one whole point ahead of rivals Arsenal. To appreciate the magnitude of this achievement, we have to go all the way back to the Moon landings – and we all know they were fake. It’s a cruel joke from the red and white to give their neighbours false hope, but then anything else would be boring. Arsenal don’t know how to do boring. We’re simply too good for television. Without Arsenal, Sky Sports and Match of the Day go bankrupt.
Seriously, don’t fret. This happens every season; only difference is we don’t usually lose to those cheating hillbillies. It’ll fade away soon enough, just like old sport Harry Kane. He’ll burst onto the England scene, just like Towns…oh.
Onto the game, which we’d all like to put in our cupboard of humiliation and then burn said cupboard. We didn’t play well at all, not in the second half. First went okay, even as expected. Player’s didn’t really set pulses raising too much either, not in the good sense. We set up the same as we did away to City, Welbeck for Sanchez the only difference – a huge difference, although, I did think Welbeck was one of the better performers; and his inclusion did make sense on the defensive side of things. Unfortunately, it didn’t really work. Having said that, Danny Welbeck is still my player of the week.
His inclusion was somewhat of a surprise given how well the team has clicked and played over the last few weeks. Walcott would have been the pick of many, and maybe he should have started, or maybe Rosicky for that matter – and it was Tomas’ little inclusion towards the end that gave us needed urgency, albeit too late. Still, Welbeck played his part in a lacklustre affair from the red-side of things. We couldn’t match Tottenham’s intensity, which is worrying and slightly embarrassing given how well we handled Manchester City only weeks ago. Wenger included Welbeck to act as a defensive, offensive forward, and provide extra cover for Bellerin, yet it was his lightening dash that made the goal, and large credit has to be given for that. He breezed up the pitch, knocking the ball down the line and chasing, before finding Giroud who fluffed his lines, giving Ozil the (difficult) chance of smashing home – and he did it superbly; it was great finish from the German. Ozil has something like 3 in 3 now since his return. He’s looking good. Welbeck continued to provide an outlet, and continued to test their fullbacks with direct runs. He holds on to the ball well, and I thought he did a better job than Giroud in terms of defending from the front. As I said, there’s not much to go for in terms of individual displays. That was all that happened in the first half, and in the second, Welbeck and the team had even less chances to shine – a result of Tottenham’s hard pressing. They had us on for the ropes for 90 minutes. We never had control and deserved to lose. But that doesn’t excuse some quite obvious dishonest play and utterly atrocious refereeing – it’s these little things that add up and contribute to the outcomes of big games. Early yellows can be significantly hampering.
Coquelin had another solid game, if you can call it that – but better than most. I’m still slightly dizzy over his transformation and heroic return.
There’s also been a lot of backlash following Ospina’s display. I’m not comfortable with this. It was his first derby; nerves would be natural and intense. He wasn’t good for the first goal, but until that point and in the games prior he made some crucial saves. We can’t right him off already.
Overall, it’s a day to forget, but not to panic over. We have lots to play for. This can still be a big season. And one that players like Danny Welbeck, and other fringe players will no doubt be a huge part of. Welbeck allows us to play in a different way, and Wenger knew that and tried to implement it using his hardworking strengths. It backfired. These things happen.