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David Hytner was at the Emirates tonight. Here’s his report. Thanks for reading this MBM. Nighty night.
An extremely downcast Ange Postecoglou talks to TNT Sports. “Nowhere near good enough … especially the first half … way too passive … we hung in there but that’s all we were doing … second half was a little better … unacceptable … I guess the responsibility lies to me and how we prepared the players and their mindset going out there … it certainly wasn’t our intent … certainly in the first half nowhere near the standard we want to set … we go back to work and prepare for a tough game … we’ve had too many losses this year … too many games that have got away from us and that needs to stop … if you give up now there’s no point, but it needs to stop … we’ve got a big game against Everton and that’s our focus.”
Mikel Arteta speaks to TNT. “The boys were outstanding today … we played less than 72 hours ago 120 minutes in a competition that we are out … psychologically it is not easy but we performed … it was exceptional … we made it harder for ourselves because we deserved to score at least one or two more … outstanding … really good … it is about the next day … now it is Villa … we are going to try [to sign an attacker] for sure … we have lost two very important players … we will try … let’s see what we can get.”
Declan Rice talks to TNT Sports and gives it large, numerically speaking. “Tonight meant more than anything … the first 45 minutes was pure domination … to be honest we’re unlucky we didn’t score ten tonight … that’s the feeling … second half the game got stretched … they maybe could have had a couple but we could have had another five or six … that’s the disappointing thing … hopefully we can go on a run because this is the most important part of the season.”
The match-winner Leandro Trossard speaks to TNT Sports. “That is what we needed … we have to win those games … it’s a great night for us … we want to win every game … we were up for it today … it’s an amazing feeling … we work so hard, day in, day out … now we need to look forward … the hardest thing in football is to get the ball in the net … we could have scored more today but we’re happy with the three points so let’s celebrate tonight … we always want to put pressure on [Liverpool] … try to win every game … take all the positives … let’s enjoy this win.”
Mikel Arteta celebrates in his trademark passionate style. The Emirates erupts! Arsenal deservedly win the north London derby, though yet again big chances went begging and they were left hanging on a little bit during added time. Like they care about that right now. Everyone bouncing around, and no wonder … because the title race is on! Incidentally, Newcastle United, who beat Wolves 3-0 tonight and have now won their last nine matches in all competitions, aren’t quite out of it yet. Oh this is on.
FULL TIME: Arsenal 2-1 Tottenham Hotspur
Arsenal close the gap at the top to four points! Spurs have only picked up five of the last 27 on offer.
90 min +4: … so having said that, Porro makes good down the right, reaches the edge of the box, and from a tight angle, tries to surprise Raya at his near post. He creams a rising shot off the right-hand post and out for a goal kick. So close to stunning title-chasing Arsenal, but that’s surely going to be that.
90 min +3: Arsenal let Spurs have the ball, but they’re holding a firm shape, and there’s nowhere for the visitors to go.
90 min +2: Gabriel is booked for a cynical off-the-ball challenge as Spurs try to launch a counter. When the game restarts, Porro advances down the right and crosses long. Solanke attempts the overhead kick at the far stick, but can only shin wide left of the target. Full marks for ambition, though Ange doesn’t look too pleased.
90 min +1: On TNT Sports, Ally McCoist names Gabriel as his player of the match.
90 min: Richarlison crosses towards nobody in particular. Raya claims. There will be five additional minutes.
88 min: Nothing comes of the Spurs corner. Martinelli barrels off on the counter, and wins a corner for Arsenal. Nothing comes of that either. The tension at the Emirates is palpable. For all Arsenal’s domination, this isn’t over yet … even though the clock is on their side. Three precious points in the title race so close and yet so far.
87 min: Before the corner can be taken, Lewis-Skelly is hooked along with Rice, Merino and Zinchenko coming on in their places. Lewis-Skelly is then booked as he departs for some backchat.
85 min: Richarlison crosses from the right. Gabriel hooks behind for a corner with Johnson lurking. Before the corner can be taken, Bergvall yanks Lewis-Skelly into the net, just because. The referee comes over to tick both players off, and Bergvall displays industrial quantities of chutzpah by wearing an affronted look.
84 min: Tierney advances down the inside-left channel and reaches the edge of the box. An attempted shot ends up at the feet of Odegaard, eight yards out. He’s got to score, but slices wide left.
83 min: Spurs are beginning to spend a bit more time in the Arsenal half. The hosts perhaps getting a little nervous? Maddison dinks a cross in from the right. Under pressure from Richarlison, Raya plucks the ball from the sky with one hand. Scrub that about the nerves.
81 min: Kulusevski tries to beat Gabriel in a footrace down the right. Gabriel intervenes, holds him off, and ushers the ball out for a goal. Too strong. Gabriel celebrates more vociferously than he did upon sort-of-scoring the equaliser.
80 min: Spence bustles into the Arsenal box down the left and goes over in the vague environs of Saliba. He wants a penalty but it’s simply good defending by Saliba, who was giving no quarter. Goal kick.
79 min: Bergvall scampers towards the Arsenal box from the right, and is presented with space and time to cross. Inexplicably, he turns tail and rolls out to Porro on the flank. Porro then clanks a pass down the right. Bergvall has no chance of reaching it. Goal kick. Tottenham’s second-half performance has been at times farcical.
78 min: Son is replaced by Richarlison.
77 min: Tierney comes on for Trossard.
76 min: Kinsky plays a hospital pass to Spence, who somehow manages to scuttle out of a three-man press on the edge of his own box while nearly falling over. This is ludicrous.
75 min: Just like last night’s Forest-Liverpool match, this game has suddenly opened up like a flower, end-to-end, NBA style. Arteta preparing a defensive substitution.
73 min: Maddison pounces on a loose ball, 40 yards from the Arsenal goal, and feeds Solanke, whose shot from just inside the box is blocked. Arsenal counter, Rice having a dig from the edge of the Spurs D. Kinsky doesn’t have a clue where the ball is as it pings off his shoulder. That is an absurd way to stop a goal. Kinsky has had quite the match.
72 min: A rare period of possession for Spurs. Johnson bursts into a little space down the right and whistles a low cutback through the Arsenal box … but there’s nobody in blue rushing in.
70 min: Martinelli jinks down the inside-right channel, beating four blue shirts and reaching the edge of the six-yard box. He should square for Havertz, who’d have an easy goal on a plate, but takes one touch too many and wins a corner, from which nothing occurs.
68 min: Arsenal stroke it around in the time-honoured sterile style. Spurs can’t get a sniff at the moment.
66 min: Maddison’s shot squirts through a crowded box to Raya. Spurs have carried no threat whatsoever since the restart.
65 min: Rice hits it flat to the near post, and it’s an easy clearance for Porro, who one-twos with Kulusevski before launching long for Maddison and Bergvall. A counter looks on, but Raya has read the danger and comes 30 yards out of his box to hammer clear.
64 min: Rice spins his way down the left and wins a corner. Rice will take it himself.
62 min: Kinsky miscontrols a backpass with his shin, the ball then accidentally clanking off his hanging arm. He’s nearly closed down by Martinelli … then gets out of trouble with an elegant backflick to Gray on the left. Great entertainment, though Spurs fans may demur.
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