Kyle Walker wrote himself in to Tottenham folklore
by scoring a 25-yard screamer to give Harry Redknapp's
team a 2-1 victory in Sunday's north London derby against
Arsenal at White Hart Lane.
Against the run of play, Tottenham took the lead through
Rafael van der Vaart just before half-time, but Aaron
Ramsey's tap in just after the restart made it 1-1.
The game seemed destined for a draw until the ball
fell to Walker 17 minutes from time and the right-back
hammered a bullet of a shot that flew past Wojciech
Szczesny.
It was a strike that will live long in the memory of
the Spurs fans and of the 21-year-old himself as it
was his first for the club.
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger will feel hard done by
given his team controlled much of the match, but Tottenham's
superior finishing meant they prevailed to heap further
pressure on the Frenchman, who has now suffered four
league defeats from seven matches.
By contrast, Redknapp's team have won four straight
games and are well and truly back on track for their
Champions League assault after a wobbly start.
Just two days after celebrating his 15th anniversary
in charge, Wenger, on the other hand, must now attempt
to pick his team's spirits up and convince the doubters
that his team are not in free fall.
The game was more than a battle for supremacy between
the two north London giants.
The contest had many subplots - chief among them Emmanuel
Adebayor's first game for Spurs against his former employers.
Gunners fans have never hid their dislike of the Togo
marksman after his controversial celebration against
them two years ago, and they greeted his every touch
with huge boos early on.
The man himself looked pumped up for the contest. Tightly
marked by Song, he galloped down the right flank early
on but his cross was cut out before anyone could tap
in.
Spurs should have gone ahead in the seventh minute
when Song's misplaced pass allowed Van der Vaart to
play Scott Parker in but he drove straight at Szczesny.
Arsenal then went on to dominate for the next half
hour but failed to make the pressure count.
Comfortable in possession, it looked only a matter
of time before they scored.
But Van Persie could only flick a header wide, Walcott's
deflected shot crept past the post and Ramsey's header
was hooked off the line by Benoit Assou-Ekotto and Spurs
survived the onslaught.
The home fans became anxious at their team's failure
to get a grip of the game and the frustration among
the players came to the fore just before the half hour
when Van der Vaart was booked for a late tackle on Kieran
Gibbs.
The Gunners' best chance of the first half came soon
after when Gervinho, in yards of space inside the box,
side-footed wide from Van Persie's cross.
The chance appeared to wake Tottenham. The hosts broke
the deadlock in the 40th minute when Van der Vaart chested
down Adebayor's cross-field ball and volleyed past Szczesny.
The Dutchman ran across to celebrate in front of the
jubilant Spurs fans while Arsene Wenger remonstrated
with the fourth official, claiming Van der Vaart had
used his arm to control the ball.
Buoyed by the opener, Bale tried two audacious attempts
that flew just over.
Their joy was to be shortlived, however, as Song, given
too much space by Van der Vaart, ventured in to the
box from the byline and cut back for Ramsey who turned
in.
Adebayor was handed a golden chance for an instant
reply in the 57th minute when played clean through by
Bale, but Szczesny saved brilliantly.
Bacary Sagna had to be replaced moments later after
coming off badly in an aerial tussle with Benoit Assou-Ekotto
which saw the Frenchman need to carried off on a stretcher.
The game went in to a bit of a lull until Walker sprung
it in to life.
The ball fell to the youngster 30 yards out following
Song's block on Luka Modric's shot and the full-back
hammered a bullet of a shot which flew past Szczesny's
out-stretched hand to make it 2-1.
Bale had a chance to kill the game moments later but
he shinned an effort just wide when through on goal.
Arsenal's push for an equaliser left them exposed at
the back but Szczesny was equal to the challenge, pulling
off a world-class save to deny Defoe from close range.
The game ended on a sour note as Wenger and Clive Allen
argued after the final whistle, with the Spurs coach
claiming the Frenchman refused to shake hands with him
before going down the tunnel.
|
