Photograph: David Price/Arsenal FC via Getty Images
Right, that’s it. Thanks for your company and emails, even though I didn’t really get chance to look at them once it all kicked off in the second half. Bye!
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Arsene Wenger’s thoughts: “I am proud of the spirit the players have shown. We have big regrets because we were completely in control when we went down to 10 men. We told him at half-time because he was on a yellow card. I think Dier deserves a second yellow as well.”
The draw is a fair result at the end of an endearingly ramshackle match: a derby in both name and nature. Both teams will have a mixture of regret and relief at the final score. Both should have won; both could have lost. Arsenal responded extremely well to the shock of losing a man and two goals in a mad eight-minute period, and will feel the slate has been wiped clean after a miserable week.
Spurs should have won from the position they were in with 20 minutes to go, but they are still three points ahead of Arsenal and Harry Kane’s goal is the kind that reinforces a sense of destiny. Only an eejit would predict anything this season, but we can say with certainty that Spurs are capable of winning the title. So are Arsenal, Leicester – and Manchester City, who despite their best efforts could still end up winning the title.
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Spurs had a chance with the last kick of the game. Somebody – no idea who, or why – slashed a snapshot wide from 15 yards.
FULL TIME: Tottenham Hotspur 2-2 Arsenal
That’s it.
90+3 min The BT Sport picture returns just as Mason (I think) makes a wonderful sliding challenge to deny Ramsey a winning goal. That’s a lifesaver for Spurs, and for some unnamed celebrity.
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90+3 min Somebody’s getting a P45 for that!
90+2 min BT Sport has gone down!
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90+1 min There will be four moments of added misery for both sets of fans.
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90 min Alderweireld’s clearing header hits his team-mate Mason, prompting a big shout of handball from the Arsenal fans behind the goal. They had a much better view than Michael Oliver, actually, but then he is one up on them when it comes to impartiality. We haven’t seen a replay so I haven’t a clue.
89 min Arsenal’s final substitution: Campbell on, Ozil off.
88 min Bellerin should have been sent off as well, after deliberately pulling back Alli on the left wing. He’s already been booked. Moments later, Gabriel shanks an attempted clearance onto the roof of his own net! That was so close to becoming a staple of banter-based Christmas DVDs for the next 50 years.
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87 min Sanchez curls his free-kick towards the near post, where Lloris punches it away spectacularly. It was a fairly comfortable save.
Photograph: IKIMAGES/AFP/Getty Images
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86 min Wimmer stops the roaming Gibbs with a handball 25 yards from goal. This is a chance, with the free-kick just right of centre.
85 min A fierce long-range shot from Eriksen is touched acrobatically over the bar by Ospina. It was a bit of a showy save, although Eriksen hit it beautifully.
84 min Arsenal could still nick this. Welbeck plays a good ball into Sanchez on the edge of the area, who faffs and eventually tries a return pass that is intercepted. That’s Welbeck’s last touch – he has been replaced by Mathieu Flamini. Welbeck was terrific.
83 min Mason’s long-range curler is deflected behind for a corner to Spurs.
82 min Spurs make their final substitution, with Dembele replaced by Son.
81 min I’m trying to work out Arsenal’s formation. It’s a kind of 4-2-3, with Ozil playing in central midfield with Ramsey.
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80 min Ospina makes a relatively comfortable diving save from Alli’s low 20-yard shot.
79 min Dier should have been sent off there. Giroud got away from him on the halfway line, and was trying to drill a long pass when Dier dragged him back by the shirt. I have no idea why Dier wasn’t given a second yellow card.
78 min The excellent Danny Rose is replaced by Ben Davies.
As Spurs tried to retreat after originally pushing out, Bellerin slid a lovely angled pass towards Sanchez on the edge of the area. Sanchez got to it first and clipped a low first-time shot across goal and into the far corner. It seemed to go into the goal in slow motion, and many will feel Lloris should have done better.
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GOAL! Tottenham 2-2 Arsenal (Sanchez 76)
Arsenal are level! Where did that come from?!
75 min Olivier Giroud comes on for Arsenal, replacing Elneny. He had a good game. Arsenal started with two natural holding players; now they have none.
What a goal from @HKane . Amazing.
— David Villa (@Guaje7Villa) March 5, 2016
74 min Dier is booked for a deliberate tug on Welbeck. It’s pouring down now, which, as BT’s Darren Fletcher says, adds to the primal mood of the match.
73 min “You failed to mention that the corner which led to the equaliser was needlessly conceded by Ospina,” says Matt Richman. “I have never known a team to have its aim trained so accurately at its own foot. Whatever cliches we heard all week - Arsenal lack “character,” “confidence,” “je ne sais quoi” - it is tough to argue with them now.”
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72 min Kane almost scores another fine goal. He played the ball wide to Walker, received the return pass 15 yards out and wriggled away from Elneny before dragging an angled shot just wide of the far post. Lovely play.
71 min Rose, who has been extremely good today, drills a low cross shot a few yards wide of the far post.
70 min After being pummelled for 10 minutes, Arsenal are having a bit of the ball again. Sanchez shoots miles wide from 25 yards. He has been poor today.
68 min Yes, Dele Alli was onside for the goal. As you were, never trust a word you read in the Guardian, etc.
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67 min Lamela actually pushed Sanchez first, albeit pretty softly. I suppose you could argue he should have had a second yellow card, but I wouldn’t. Lamela’s was a push, Sanchez’s was a firm shove. But Mauricio Pochettino is taking no chances; he replaces Lamela with Ryan Mason.
66 min “Replay shows Alli was onside!!” says Robin Griller. I haven’t seen it again but will take your word for it. A goal like that is better without an asterisk.
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65 min Dier’s shot is fumbled by Ospina, and Spurs get another corner. Gabriel heads clear. With the ball dead, a frustrated Sanchez shoves Lamela off the pitch. It’s a yellow card, no more. Lamela did well not to respond because he’s already been booked.
64 min You can’t score from there. Not at that moment, in this game, in this season. That goal has gone straight into Spurs folklore.
What an outrageous goal by Harry Kane! He was on the left wing, just outside the area when he received Alli’s back heel, and he sidefooted a wonderful, pacy curler around Gabriel and into the far corner. That is the most glorious goal.
But, and there’s always a but, I’m pretty sure Alli was offside when he was backheeled the ball to Kane.
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WHAT A GOAL!!!!!! Tottenham 2-1 Arsenal (Kane 62)
This is sensational!
61 min “I expected that Tragically Stupid Red Card against Man U last week, but no, they saved it for an even bigger match,” says Hubert O’Hearn. “It’s Arsenal’s favourite party trick - a sending off in the biggest possible match. One does have to admire how they stick to tradition.”
That is a definite contender for the Joy of Six: Moronic Red Cards.
The corner was swung in from the left towards Lamela on the six-yard line. His shot was blocked by Gabriel and the ball deflected to Alderweireld, who thrashed an excellent half-volley into the net from the left of the six-yard box.
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GOAL! Tottenham 1-1 Arsenal (Alderweireld 60)
Another corner for Spurs, who have been given an intravenous injection of purpose by that Coqulin red card. And they’ve scored!
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58 min Ospina gives Arsenal a breather by kicking the ball out of play and then falling over. He might be injured in fairness, I’ve no idea.
57 min It’s all happening now. Alli’s smart chest and volley is deflected over the bar. From the corner, Ospina blocks Kane’s close-range shot. Kane thought it was a goal – Ospina was behind the line when he saved it – but the technology showed otherwise. Ospina was in such a strange position, and the replay showed that about seven-eighths of the ball was behind the line.
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54 min: COQUELIN SENT OFF!
Arsenal are down to ten men. Coquelin, booked in the first half, makes a needless, witless tackle on Kane down the Spurs left and is given a second yellow card. That was on the moronic side of unfathomable, a clear booking in modern football.
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54 min The collective Spurs subconscious right now (part 2).
53 min The collective Spurs subconscious right now.
52 min Another chance for Arsenal! I have no idea what happened because BT Sport were showing a replay, but they cut back to the action just as Sanchez – who was through on goal – lost the ball to Walker.
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51 min Anyone out there?
50 min Walker runs for goal from the halfway line. Lamela makes a run on the outside, and Walker uses him by not using him before drilling a low, swirling shot from the edge of the box that is saved awkwardly by Ospina. It looked like a fumble at first but actually the ball was doing a fair bit.
50 min “Yes!”
49 min Walker takes his time over a cross from the right, carefully, lovingly lining it up – and then curling it straight out of play on the other side of the pitch.
48 min Eriksen, whose crossing thus far has been unusually wretched, woofs another one straight out of play. He has swapped positions with Alli, who is now playing on the left.
47 min Have any celebrities died in the last half hour? Just wondering.
46 min Arsenal begin the second half, kicking from right to left.
“Dearest Rob,” writes my lover, Angus Chisholm. “I am doing a sacrificial counter-jinxing non-watch of this match in Australia. It is my hope that, by doing so, Arsenal will remember that they are good at doing football again. Going by the last five minutes, it may be working.”
“Surely the difference for Arsenal has been moving Ramsey to the right, allowing Elneny & Coquelin to control the area in front of the back four better,” says Stephen. “Ramsey’ll hate this but he plays well out right - he was there when the gunners were doing well in the league before Christmas. A smart move by Wenger.”
Yes it was a good and uncharacteristic move for this particular game. Spurs have been the better side but Arsenal have restricted them to one chance. And after an excellent first 15 minutes, Alli hasn’t been in the game.
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“Mertesacker sounds ok in Manic as well,” says Niall Mullen.
“Morning!” chirps Adam Hirst. “This is now the perfect chance to see if this is New Spurs or just a slightly modified version of the old one. Arsenal we already know about from the last week.”
Half time: Tottenham Hotspur 0-1 Arsenal
Spurs will wonder how they are behind, having dominated most of the half. But they only created one clear chance and were hit by Aaron Ramsey’s excellent goal. See you in 10 minutes!
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42 min Suddenly Arsenal look dangerous with every attack. Ozil and Sanchez combine well before Sanchez’s cut back drifts all the way across the area. And moments later Welbeck heads straight at Lloris from seven yards! Arsenal could have scored four in the last four minutes.
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41 min Almost another one for Arsenal! Welbeck is put beyond the defence by a pass from Ramsey, but his first touch is poor and that allows Walker to get back and clear just inside the box.
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There was plenty to admire about this goal. The excellent Welbeck had a bit of room in the area on the left. Instead of shooting in the selfish style he sidefooted a quick pass all the way across the box to the onrushing Bellerin. He shaped to shoot first time, realised there was a defender in the way and instead played a cool angled pass back across the box to Ramsey. He was eight yards out and flicked the ball behind his standing leg into the net. That was a really clever finish.
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GOAL! Tottenham 0-1 Arsenal (Ramsey 39)
A brilliant goal from Aaron Ramsey gives Arsenal the lead, and celebrities everywhere are saying their prayers.
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37 min Gabriel administers a rollocking to a few of his team-mates, asking for more intensity. Spurs have certainly looked sharper.
“Two footballers that are even better in Scouse - Gerardo Torrado and Jerzy Dudek,” says Shaun Wilkinson.
Can anyone think of a better name to say in Scouse than Per Mertesacker?
— Nick Miller (@NickMiller79) March 5, 2016
Sid Waddell would have said it beautifully too, based on how he described Phil Taylor’s understackers.
35 min Welbeck, who has been beyond reproach so far, wins Arsenal’s first corner with a run down the left. It’s a poor one by Sanchez, who hasn’t been beyond reproach.
34 min Lloris sweeper-keeps effectively, running out of his box to beat Welbeck to the ball and clear with a diving header.
33 min Spurs are incessant in their attacking. They have so much energy. In fact it’s reminiscent of Arsenal in the early days under Arsene Wenger, when they had more energy than their opponents by virtue of the fact they weren’t having steak and pints for lunch and dinner every day.
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32 min Glenn Hoddle, one of the BT commentators, reckons Lamela is a red-card candidate. Just passing it on.
29 min Three in three minutes! Yellow cards, that is, with Coquelin being booked for a deliberate handball. Michael Oliver has had an outstanding game so far.
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27 min Bellerin is booked for a foul on Rose. It’s a free-kick in a good position on the left, and Eriksen wastes it again by hammering it straight into Ospina’s hands. Lamela is then booked for stopping an Arsenal counter-attack by putting his arms around Welbeck.
26 min Brilliant save by Ospina! Gabriel made a good tackle on Kane in the box, diverting the ball out to the right. Walker smashed it first time back into the box towards Lamela, who adjusted his feet quickly to shin the ball towards goal from 10 yards. Ospina reacted superbly, plunging to his right to push it away.
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24 min This game doesn’t yet need a goal, but it could at least do with a chance.
23 min Welbeck is the Arsenal player who has most obviously matched Spurs’ work rate and intensity. But that’s a mixed blessing because much of that work has been defensive, and he’s Arsenal’s sole striker.
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21 min It’s a slightly odd game so far, in that Spurs have been miles better yet they haven’t created a clear chance, or even an unclear one.
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20 min Rose’s low pass/cross from inside the area is just too far in front of Lamela, and Gabriel hoofs it clear on the six-yard line.
19 min Arsenal’s first prolonged attack of the match ends when Bellerin loses the ball to Lamela on the wing.
18 min After Welbeck almost dispossesses the keeper Lloris, Dembele roars past two players in midfield to launch a Spurs break. Nothing comes of it but it was a lovely run from Dembele.
17 min Arsenal have given away a few free-kicks in dangerous positions on the wing. Here’s another, to be swung in from the left by Eriksen. It’s a poor effort, far too close to Ospina.
14 min Arsenal are really struggling to keep the ball. Spurs have been excellent so far, albeit without creating any real chances.
13 min Alli makes space on the edge of the area and hits a shot that is blocked by Mertesacker. He is getting into some dangerous positions “between the lines”.
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11 min “One thing this makes me wonder about is whether it counts in an way as an enjoyable experience,” says Charles Antaki. “The answer, of course, is not, for anyone; and only becomes so for half the spectators (in the wider world) once they’re, say, 3 goals up. Mind you, for the Arsenal supporters that wouldn’t be quite enough. Five, maybe. So a long afternoon of misery lies ahead.”
Yes, Nick Hornby wrote a lovely bit about the addictive misery of football in Fever Pitch.
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10 min Spurs will be much happier with their start, although Arsenal will be content that Ospina hasn’t had any difficult saves to make. Coquelin is penalised for a sliding foul on Kane. A lesser ref might have booked him; Michael Oliver gave him a last warning.
It’s early, but there’s already a sense that if – if – Spurs score early they could overwhelm Arsenal.
8 min “Afternoon Rob, afternoon everyone,” says Richard Williams. “Clearly if these two teams has any self respect and weren’t enemies of football they’d battle out an entertaining yet ultimately frustrating 3-3 draw that leaves the path clear for Leicester to extend their lead. I can only assume Louis Van Gaal has been secretly doing the honourable thing this season too because I’m struggling to find any other reason to explain Manchester Utd this season.”
7 min Kane’s 20-yard shot deflects over the bar for a corner. Spurs are overwhelming Arsenal at the moment, and Eriksen’s excellent corner is nutted behind for another by Mertesacker.
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6 min Eriksen plays the ball to Kane on the left. He comes infield, running at Mertesacker, before whipping a curler towards goal from the left edge of the box. It’s straight at Ospina, who pats it down a touch unconvincingly but claims it at the second attempt. Spurs have started superbly.
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5 min Kane tries a speculative snapshot from 25 yards, mishitting it straight through to Ospina. “It’s pretty open for a derby,” says Glenn Hoddle.
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5 min “While I may be a Spurs fan that’s as much predisposed to egg-shaped or red-leather balls than this lot, I can’t remember a derby this big in my lifetime, and I’m just the wrong side of the big 4-0,” writes Guy Hornsby. “And despite the midweek result, and our team being markedly better in skill, defence and form than the Gooners, I just can’t be that confident. How can we be? Arsenal have an in-built ability to ruin everything for us, so a win today is bigger than enormous, it’s an opportunity to turn the tables in our direction for the first time in 15 years. I’m bricking it.”
4 min A quick long throw from Kane finds Alli in the box. He controls the ball with his chest as it bounces up but can’t get a shot in under pressure from Mertesacker. That was superb from Kane.
3 min It’s been a frantic start, as you’d hope. Alderweireld loses the ball in his own area, but Wimmer does him a solid by lumping the ball into Row M.
2 min “Watching here in Canada where we get the US feed,” says John Pitre. “‘Friendly boos as Arsenal take the field.’ They may not understand this derby at all.”
1 min Spurs kick off from right to left. They are in white, Arsenal and in red.
BT Sport have four commentators.
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There’s a wonderful atmosphere at White Hart Lane, with Spurs fans using the popular practice of singing and chanting to distract themselves from how terrified they are.
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.@reuterspictures photos from outside White Hart Lane pic.twitter.com/SJ0EziwbOK
— James Dart (@James_Dart) March 5, 2016
Shameless plug for my book
“Remember when is the lowest form of conversation.” So said Tony Soprano, but then he wasn’t a soccer fan.
“I was once bitten by a goose for having the temerity to take a hungover constitutional at 6 am while she and her comrades were abathing,” says Paul Ewart. “So, you can say boo to as many geese as you like: they’re a bunch of hissy-fitting gits. Happened on the same morning as I walked past Jimmy Case and his teammates warming up in the park in Sheffield. Effin’ ‘ell it’s Jimmy Case, said I, to which he responded with an impish grin and a wink. Made my day that did. Before the goose ruined it again. Oh to young and free again. On second thoughts...”
Arsene Wenger has just sent me a Snapchat with his thoughts on the game: “I can’t remember a more significant north London derby. We won the title here once. My comments about our confidence have been exaggerated; we know what you can still play well even if your belief is a little bit jaded.
Monreal has a slight calf injury #afc
— David Hytner (@DaveHytner) March 5, 2016
“Best title race since 2002 maybe,” sniffs Chris Dale. “But nothing will ever surpass 99-00. Winning the league with over 100 goals and by 18 points.”
That doesn’t sound like much of a title race, but actually it was really close until United won at Leeds in February and ran away with it. They didn’t score 100 goals though; I think it was 97. They were even more dominant the following season, but they fell asleep after clinching the title in February.
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“Given that this is virgin territory for Leicester fans like me, what result should we be backing here?” writes The Pope James Calder. “There something to say for all three, though I’ve got a personal preference for Arsenal getting humped as it would almost certainly knock them out of the race and inflate Spurs’ self-confidence to levels they won’t be able to control, leading to a title run-in meltdown, probably. But then again, if Arsenal win and we beat Watford, we’re six points clear! It’s all so confusing. Any advice?”
I’m a Manchester United fan, what would I know about title races? Back the draw. Always. And a mass brawl that leads to multiple suspensions.
A bit of YouTube to get you in the mood
The teams
Tottenham (4-2-3-1) Lloris; Walker, Alderweireld, Wimmer, Rose; Dier, Dembélé; Lamela, Alli, Eriksen; Kane.
Subs: Vorm, Davies, Trippier, Carroll, Chadli, Mason, Son.
Arsenal (4-2-3-1) Ospina; Bellerín, Mertesacker, Gabriel, Gibbs; Elneny, Coquelin; Ramsey, Özil, Sánchez; Welbeck.
Subs: Macey, Chambers, Monreal, Flamini, Campbell, Walcott, Giroud.
Referee: Michael Oliver.
And some pre-match viewing:
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Preamble
In modern football, hype dies last. Everything is big and loud, IN CAPITAL LETTERS, with GROWN ADULTS ACTING LIKE BAIRNS ON LIVE TELEVISION. That, and the human tendency to get lost in the moment, can make it hard to retain historical perspective. To prove the point, some people are already proclaiming this the worst introduction in the history of the Manchester Guardian.
(Actually they’d be right, so that isn’t the greatest example. Let’s try again.)
The point of this shambling introduction is that today’s north London derby is different. Don’t need no hype; don’t need no Jim White. It’s almost too important to function. Some are even saying it’s the biggest north London derby ever. And while those who remember the gloriously intense cup semi-finals of 1987 and 1991 – not to mention Arsenal’s title win at White Hart Lane in 1971 – would dispute that, it’s still a legitimate opinion that should not warrant an aggressive rebuttal on social media from a 47-year-old in his underpants, who once said boo to a goose in real life, and then cried with regret, guilt and shame.
What we can say with the certainty of men who spent a happy hour on Statto.com yesterday invetigating this precise subject is that Spurs and Arsenal have never met so deep into a season when both had a serious chance of winning the title. This match isn’t a title decider, but it could be a title eliminator – certainly if Arsenal lose. Yet if they win, they will instantly remove the negativity that has surrounded the club in the last week. The whole thing is so precarious. The result could ultimately decide what has possibly been the best title race since 2001-02.
The fragility of both clubs – Spurs historically in this fixture, Arsenal currently – means that there will be panic on the streets of Tottingham this morning, as both sets of fans accentuate the negative. For neutrals, it’s the match of the season so far.
Kick off is at squeaky-bum o’clock 12.45pm GMT.
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