EPL Match: Tottenham vs Arsenal
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Match : Tottenham Hotspur vs Arsenal Football Club
Date: Saturday, 21 April 2007
Venue : White Hart Lane, London
Predictions on this match
http://arsenal.sgforums.com/?action=thread_display&thread_id=248780 -
north london derby next... maybe a 2-2 draw...
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Let us beat this spuds. But the presence of berbatov just make me worry. I hope a 1-0 win will do.Originally posted by BrUtUs:north london derby next... maybe a 2-2 draw... -
David Dein's abrupt departure from Arsenal provides the backdrop for the 154th North London derby, as The Gunners travel to White Hart Lane looking to make it 15 Premiership games unbeaten against their great rivals Tottenham.
However, Spurs will not let power struggles at their local rivals distract them from the task at hand, with Martin Jol's side now aiming to secure a Uefa Cup place in their final five games of the season.
Fifth-placed Everton are only five points away and, with a game in hand, a first win over Arsenal since 1999 would leave Spurs in an enviable position in the race for Europe.
The Gunners meanwhile, can be confident of claiming a UEFA Champions League place as they require a maximum of five points from their final four games to do so, and a victory at White Hart Lane would see them displace Liverpool in third place.
However, PFA Player of the Year nominee Cesc Fabregas is rated as doubtful after suffering from a virus, meaning he could miss his first league game of a consistently excellent campaign.
Arsenal's attacking options remain restricted with Thierry Henry (stomach and groin), Robin van Persie (metatarsal) and Theo Walcott (shoulder) all ruled out, and stand-in Emmanuel Adebayor has failed to score in his last nine games.
Support may not come in the shape of Freddie Ljungberg as the Swede is doubtful due to a hamstring injury, whilst Abou Diaby also sustained a head injury and was substituted as he played in an advanced role in the 3-1 win over Manchester City.
A string of injuries could pave the way for Julio Baptista to claim a starting role after his goal against City, and the Brazilian will no doubt be glad to be playing in London after expressing his distaste for Northern sides and English football in general during the week.
The on-loan Real Madrid forward scored three of the goals in a 2-2 draw between the sides in the League Cup semi-final, first leg on 24th January, with Arsenal winning both of the other two North London clashes on home turf this season.
As Jol looks to end a lengthy winless streak against The Gunners, his plans have been disrupted by a number of injury concerns including a knee problem which is likely to rule Robbie Keane out of Saturday's game.
Mido is fit, but Jermain Defoe is likely to be given the nod to play alongside the excellent Dimitar Berbatov in attack.
Ledley King is ready to play his first Premiership game since December after recovering from a foot injury, but Spurs' defence is weakened by the absence of Lee Young-pyo (knee) for the remainder of the season.
With Benoit Assou-Ekotto still short of fitness and Paul Stalteri rated as 50-50, Jol has clear problems at full-back so youngster Philip Ifil could be handed the chance to impress.
Tom Huddlestone has been passed fit to play, but Anthony Gardner is still short of fitness despite returning to training following a fracture. -
current score
spurs 1 - 0 gunners -
DAMN that jenas. Arsenal should have closed down and baptista should have the scored the 3rd goal. but anyway,i think its a good result. we could have also trash them if not for the woodwork!
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what is arsenal doing? cant even beat spurs.
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does arsenal want that third spot?
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Damn..
Tottenham 2
Robbie Keane 30'
J. Jenas 95'
Arsenal 2
Kolo Toure 64'
Emmanuel Adebayor 78'
Disappointing draw again... -
Jenas pro sia...last kick of e game n equal e game..GJ spurs
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Originally posted by turbo_drift:
just have to hope bolton and everton drop points again and pool to lose to wigan(which is UNLIKELY gonna happen) then the third spot is still reachable. but we played well esp in the 2nd half right? Arsenal are abit unlucky at times.
Damn..
[b]Tottenham 2
Robbie Keane 30'
J. Jenas 95'
[size=large]Arsenal 2[size]
Kolo Toure 64'
Emmanuel Adebayor 78'
Disappointing draw...[/b] -
Yup.. Indeed we've played well in the second half.. But we just lack of support for Adebayor...Originally posted by felirox:just have to hope bolton and everton drop points again and pool to lose to wigan(which is UNLIKELY gonna happen) then the third spot is still reachable. but we played well esp in the 2nd half right? Arsenal are abit unlucky at times. -
Jenas backstab nia... Last minute scored from a long range..Originally posted by a-Lost-9uY:Jenas pro sia...last kick of e game n equal e game..GJ spurs -
but Lehmann wasnt really in the right position right? i thought cech or VDS could have save that. or even AlmuniaOriginally posted by turbo_drift:Jenas backstab nia... Last minute scored from a long range.. -
He WAS in the right position.. Just that Lehmann couldn't reach it..Originally posted by felirox:but Lehmann wasnt really in the right position right? i thought cech or VDS could have save that. or even Almunia -
Fulham is next. against a small club. i hope arsenal wun toot this one up. when are we gonna face chelski?
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I just wonder, against Tottenham, the Gunners struggled to win.. But against Chelski, the Gunners manage to stop Chelski from winning...Originally posted by felirox:Fulham is next. against a small club. i hope arsenal wun toot this one up. when are we gonna face chelski?
But let's hope the Gunners can win against Fulham..
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JENAS STRIKE STUNS GUNNERS
A stunning last-gasp strike from Jermaine Jenas saw Tottenham Hotspur snatch a point from the jaws of defeat as they somehow rescued a 2-2 draw at home to Arsenal in the 154th North London derby.
The Gunners looked to have put a difficult week behind them with a victory at the home of their great rivals after a dominant second half display, but Jenas popped up in the final seconds to drive a superb shot past Jens Lehmann and give Spurs a valuable point in their bid for Uefa Cup football.
Having had to contend with headlines predicting doom and gloom, and a possible managerial exit, after David Dein's departure this week, Arsenal overcame Robbie Keane's opener with a stirring comeback thanks to goals from Kolo Toure and Emmanuel Adebayor.
However, Jenas' late intervention ensured they could not move ahead of Liverpool into third, even if the draw extended their unbeaten run over Spurs to 15 games.
A high-octane opening at White Hart Lane saw Spurs make a confident start, with danger man Dimitar Berbatov only just failing to flick the ball over Jens Lehmann as the keeper came out to challenge.
Didier Zokora also dragged a shot wide as Spurs took the game to their bitter rivals, with The Gunners struggling to implement their usual passing game in the face of an energetic display from Jol's side.
However, the red half of North London thought they had taken the lead on 14 minutes when Adebayor rifled home, but Freddie Ljungberg had been adjudged offside when producing a clever backheel to steer the ball to the Togolese striker.
The two combined again when Adebayor laid the ball off to Ljungberg in the box, but the Swedish international's first-time shot was wild and flew high over the bar.
The Gunners continued to look ill at ease despite threatening on two occasions, and Berbatov continued to cause problems when, from a corner, his awkward presence caused both Abou Diaby and the Spurs man to be booked for tangling - with Lehmann also receiving a remarkable eighth caution of the season for his input in the incident.
When the set-piece was finally taken, Dawson rose highest to head the ball down and Keane - having peeled away from Gael Clichy - reacted quickly to nod the ball past Lehmann and send the White Hart Lane crowd into raptures.
Didier Zokora also went into the referee's book for a foul on Tomas Rosicky, and the Ivorian midfielder looked to make amends when he collected an intelligent ball from Berbatov and curled a dangerous effort just off target.
Arsenal's inclusion of Ljungberg from the start had been somewhat surprising given the Swede had been struggling with a hamstring problem, and after the injury flared up again Cesc Fabregas was introduced for his 150th appearance for the club.
The Spanish schemer almost made an immediate impact when his clever reverse pass played Emmanuel Eboue in, but after the defender's shot hit the post Adebayor could only sky the rebound over from eight yards out.
Keane and Rosicky both threatened further, before the half ended with Spurs in the ascendancy and enjoying a one-goal advantage over their bitter rivals.
Arsenal begun the second period with renewed vigour though, and after working the ball nicely across the pitch only a finish from Gilberto was lacking on 47 minutes.
The Gunners were inches away from drawing level when Kolo Toure leapt to meet a Fabregas corner and saw his fine header cannon off the post, whilst Rosicky's impromptu follow-up effort was also claimed easily by Paul Robinson.
Fabregas attempted to make it three goals in three games when he skewed a volley wide, and as the pressure continued to mount Adebayor produced a looping header that bounced agonisingly off the bar.
Tottenham's goal was certainly living a charmed life having seen the woodwork hit on three separate occasions, but Jol's luck ran out on 64 minutes when Toure levelled matters as he stole away from Pascal Chimbonda at the far post and tapped home Fabregas' deep free-kick.
The Gunners refused to rest on their laurels and sent on Julio Baptista for Rosicky as they poured forward in search of a winner, and 'The Beast' was in the midst of it immediately as his shot from the edge of the box was blocked by Michael Dawson.
Spurs were struggling to resist the red tide, and on 78 minutes their weakness from set pieces came back to haunt them as Fabregas produced another fine delivery from wide.
Jermaine Jenas mistimed his jump and Adebayor was free to direct a fine header past Robinson for his third goal against Spurs in three games this season.
Baptista could have added a third in the dying minutes to seal the victory, but the Brazilian showed the lack of prowess that has so frustrated Gunners fans when he directed an easy header well wide of the post after good work from Adebayor.
Arsenal certainly paid for the miss when, with just seconds to go, Jenas hammered home a quite beautiful strike to take Spurs into seventh place. -
Cant be that sad cos i read forums posted by spurs fan,some were suggesting Jol to get fired...some were disappointed by the draw cos they have not beaten Arsenal for years.so we must take the positive out of this match.
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expected draw... at least they didnt lose...
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An unexpected equalise by Jermain Jenas...Originally posted by BrUtUs:expected draw... at least they didnt lose... -
too bad didnt get the win... duno y always sub senderos in will sure concede... last time also sub senderos for helb then also like tat...Originally posted by turbo_drift:An unexpected equalise by Jermain Jenas... -
Actually i think they should put Senderos in the line up and not on the subs... Alexander Hleb is so important to our attacking formation...Originally posted by BrUtUs:too bad didnt get the win... duno y always sub senderos in will sure concede... last time also sub senderos for helb then also like tat... -
Arsenal defence always so leaky.If we take a look every match,they either let in goal at first half injury time,ie,46th min,or second half injury time,90+1 min.If striker cant score and defender cant defence,si liao!