Despite losing Emmanuel Adebayor with a torn hamstring and having the immature Emmanuel Eboué unluckily sent off after only 35 minutes, Arsenal survived. Once again Arsène Wenger produced a tight tactical rearrangement to maximise his nine outfield players.
Most managers faced with this dilemma would leave only one out-and-out front player and often giving unchallenged possession to the opposition's defenders means a backs-to-the-wall battle. Here Arsenal rather than going to 4-4-1 went to 4-3-2, crucially retaining two front players. Wenger's motive was to make sure Tottenham's back four never had a completely free ride and to ensure his players more than one front target.
Robin van Persie grafted hard to help his midfield threesome when Tottenham had possession. Samir Nasri, switched to the right of midfield from wide on the left where he had earlier troubled Vedran Corluka, combined with Alexandre Song, whose game improved dramatically in the second period, and Denilson, on the left, as the trio kept their shape and discipline during a difficult second half.
It was disappointing for Spurs who had started brightly in a fast first period. But this promise faded and, as the game wore on, admirably for an away team in these circumstances, Arsenal's confidence grew as did Tottenham's frustration.
Spurs failed to exploit their first-half ascendancy when Aaron Lennon had patrolled the right touchline and Luka Modric wandered inside from the left to help the impressive Wilson Palacios and Jermaine Jenas. Spurs kept the ball well and looked the more inventive side, with Modric, in particular, inspired – jigging infield, spreading passes and overloading in these areas.
Robbie Keane looked capable of exploiting the space Modric vacated. In high left-sided advanced positions Keane enjoys taking on right-backs with his clever shift of balance and ability to manoeuvre the ball with either foot. But despite the promise and probing Spurs could not manufacture clear chances.
Arsenal's tactics encouraged Spurs to spread the ball wide, with Benoît Assou-Ekotto getting a big share of the ball. But confronted by Arsenal's right midfielder Nasri (see diagram) the ball was ushered infield into Arsenal's area of strength.
Wenger's bold reorganisation made sure Tottenham did not get into advanced wide positions where Lennon's pace had troubled them in the first half. Their spirited resilience and clever team rearrangement ultimately kept Spurs at bay.
