Saturday, January 4, 2014

Arsenal Dispose of Spurs in Dominating Fashion While Theo Walcott Earned His Place as an Arsenal Legend

Saturday, January 4, 2013 12:15PM Arsenal vs. Tottenham FA Cup Third Round

(Photo by Clive Rose/Getty Images)
Pre-Match

 As always seems to be the case with Arsenal, whenever there's a tournament draw they are almost certain to get the most difficult matches. That was the case yet again when the draw was made for the FA Cup Third Round. While other top clubs drew minnows such as  Bristol City or Rochdale, Arsenal got stuck with yet another meeting with the Spuds. On the positive side, the game will be played at the Emirates.

Two weeks ago the media was declaring a crisis at White Hart Lane as Spuds weren't scoring goals, were dropping points and eventually dropped the much maligned AVB.

Since then, Spuds have picked up ten points in four matches and  most recently defeated Manure at Old Trafford. Now the fickle media are declaring that this is a tough time to have to face Tottenham (??????)
As Theo Walcott said in an interview, "I think it’s going to be a bad time for them to play us as well".
(Photo by Clive Rose/Getty Images)
Yes, it seems the media have conveniently ignored the fact that Arsenal have also picked up ten points in their past four matches, sit atop the EPL table, (8 points above the North London pretenders) and have a far superior goal differential. In fact, Tottenham currently have a -1 goal differential which does not bode well for a team aiming to win titles. Additionally, when the two clubs met back in September, it was Arsenal that came away with the points.




Wow, that was one of the best Arsenal performances of the season. It was right up there with the team's performance against Napoli earlier this season. Arsenal bossed the game from start to finish and put on a defensive performance unlike one we've seen from this curren t Arsenal team. Every time a Spuds player was on the ball, there was an Arsenal player winning the ball back, blocking a pass or simply just causing havoc.

Lots of fans on Twitter were voicing their concern pre-match when they saw that Vermaelen, Monreal, Gnabry and Fabianski were starting over some of the regular first team members. Each of these guys did very well...especially Gnabry who set up the first goal and showed great pace and decision making.

The first goal came in the 31st minute as Gnabry made a great run and then layed the ball of to Santi Cazorla who fired home the shot. His celebration and the noise from the crowd were incredible.

Arsenal could have scored several more times but went in to the half up 1-0. Of course a one goal lead can make the fans nervous wrecks, but there was something in the swagger of the Arsenal players that made me confident that they would not concede and would add to their tally.

Then it happened. In the 62nd minute Tomas Rosicky (who was everywhere) caught Spuds defender Danny Rose napping, nicked the ball and was off to the races. His finish was terrific and he lifted the ball over the head of the Spuds keeper. Rosicky celebrated and the crowd went nuts.

Perhaps the highlight of the game occurred not during play, but when Theo Walcott was stretchered off in the last minutes of the match. While being pelted with coins and other items, Walcott smiled and held up his fingers to show the Tottenham fans the score 2-0 to the Arsenal.

(Photo by Clive Rose/Getty Images)




(Photo by Clive Rose/Getty Images)
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