Arsenal demolished Tottenham Hotspur 5–2 in the English Premier League season’s first North London derby in front of 60,111 fans at the Emirates Stadium on Saturday, with goals from a veritable European Union of Per Mertesacker, Lukas Podolski, Olivier Giroud, Santi Cazorla, and Theo Walcott. Spurs striker Emmanuel Adebayor had put the visitors ahead and then got himself sent off for a stupid foul igniting the Arsenal comeback.
It was exactly the same score as the corresponding fixture last season, although the circumstances were quite different. On this occasion the crucial factor was Adebayor’s dismissal, which condemned his teammates to struggle through three-quarters of the match a man short.
“It was crucial for us,” Mertesacker said about the sending off of Adebayor. “We came back very well after his sending off.”
Both teams hadn’t exactly made the starts they wanted to for this season’s campaign. Indeed this had been Arsenal’s worst beginning in the Arsene Wenger era. The two sides both seem prone to giving up leads, so scoring first would not necessarily be an indication of the eventual winner.
Wenger and Andre Villas-Boas both still had key players on the injured list, but rumors that Walcott and Mikel Arteta would be unavailable for Arsenal, and that Jermain Defoe was a doubtful starter for Spurs, proved to be unfounded.
Defoe partnered Adebayor in a two-pronged Tottenham strike force that many fans have been waiting to see since the season began. Central defender Steven Caulker picked up a knock during England’s international friendly in Sweden, so Jan Vertonghen was moved inside with Kyle Naughton coming in at left back.
Jack Wilshere returned to the Arsenal midfield having served his suspension for the red card received against Manchester United.
Both managers opted for a change between the posts with Villas-Boas giving Hugo Lloris the nod over American veteran Brad Friedel; Wojciech Szczesny returned to duty for Arsenal following his injury layoff.
Bright Start Again From Spurs
Tottenham started well, as has often been the case in recent weeks, and the home side was on the back foot for the first quarter of an hour. With only nine minutes gone, former Arsenal man William Gallas had the ball in the back of his old club’s net to the usual deafening chorus of boos, but his effort was ruled offside.
Just a minute later Szczesny spread himself well, but could only palm Defoe’s attempt into the path of Adebayor who hustled the ball past the prostrate Pole to silence the home supporters.
However, before Tottenham could capitalize on their period of dominance, Adebayor suffered an inexplicable lack of judgment and launched himself at Cazorla with both feet off the ground and studs aimed at his quarry, who was caught painfully on the ankle and sent flying.
Referee Howard Webb really had no alternative but to produce a red card. The Arsenal supporters were naturally ecstatic, but it was a huge disappointment, not only for the Spurs fans, but all the neutrals as well, as the chances of seeing a genuine contest now appeared slim.
