Filed under: Arsenal, Tottenham, Premier League, Football, Match Reports
Kyle Walker's long range effort delivered Tottenham victory in the north London derby and put the focus firmly back on Arsenal's disappointing start to the season.Walker struck midway through the second half after Arsenal's Aaron Ramsey had cancelled outz Rafael van der Vaart's 40th minute opening goal.
Gunners keeper Wojciech Szczesny should have kept out Walker's effort, but the keeper's error summed up a miserable campaign for Arsenal who have now lost four of their seven league games and already lie 12 points adrift of the top of the table.
Arsene Wenger's frustration was evident at the final whistle when he exchanged words with Clive Allen, one of the Spurs coaches, as he made his way down the tunnel.
GOALS:
40 mins: Emmanuel Adebayor - who else? - creates the chance that allows Rafael van der Vaart to open the scoring with a floated pass that the Holland striker ocntrols on his chest before finishing with a left foot shot.
51 mins: Arsenal level when Alex Song is allowed to run forward and deliver a low cross that is turned home by Aaron Ramsey.
73 mins: Kyle Walker puts Tottenham back in front with a 30-yard effort after Luka Modric's shot was blocked by Song
OTHER HIGHLIGHTS:
7 mins: Alex Song's misplaced pass allowd Van der Vaart to send Scott Parker clear into the Arsenal area but the midfielder is denied by an excellent one-handed save by Wojciech Szczesny.
16 mins: Brad Friedel dives full length to divert Theo Walcott's left foot shot beyond his rightt hand post.
29 mins: Jermain Defoe's low cross finds Van der Vaart at the near post but the Holland forward's flick directs the ball straight at Szczesny.
29 mins: Arsenal respond immediately with Robin van Persie working his way to the byline before finding Gervinho who pulls his shot wide.
58 mins: Gareth Bale sends Adebayor one on one with Szczesny but the forward's shot is saved by the keeper.
REACTION:
Harry Redknapp singled out Scott Parker for praise:
"It wasn't even easy for me to sign him. It wasn't easy from the chairman's point of view to sign him. He felt it was his age and length of contract.
"I understood the chairman's point of view. But I also knew that if we could get him, he would be a massive influence on the team - and that's what he's been."
On his side's steady improvement:
"I just felt after two or three weeks, I could see what was coming. I never went home and worried about it because I was confident.
"We had Adebayor coming in, we had Scott Parker. We had Sandro coming back. I knew we'd suddenly be a much better team."
On the abusive chants directed directed at Emmanuel Adebayor:
"It was digusting. There was some pretty disgusting chanting at me but that's life.
"How do you chant something like that to someone? You can't be right mentally. You need help.
"There are kids up there as well."
Arsene Wenger admitted his side cannot be regarded as title contenders at the moment:
"I think at the moment we have to set realistic targets like to say today we want to get in the Champions League positions. If we come back to a better position, at the moment we are 12 points behind Man United and Man City, that not realistic to say today we will win the league."
On his spat with Clive Allen:
"I shook the hand of the manager and the assistant manager. How many people do I have to shake hands with?"
WHAT IT MEANS:
Tottenham are the dominant club in north London at the moment and Redknapp's summer transfer business is beginning to take effect. Arsenal are badly short of confidence and Wenger will welcome the opportunity to regroup over the international break. The period after the break will define their season.
TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR 2 (Van der Vaart 40, Walker 73) ARSENAL 1 (Ramsey 51)
PLAYER MARKING:
Tottenham Hotspur (4-4-2): Friedel 6; Walker 7, Kaboul 7, King 6, Assou-Ekotto 6; Van der Vaart 7 (Sandro 6,63), Parker 9 (Corluka 6,89), Modric 6, Bale 6; Defoe 7, Adebayor 7 (Livermore 6,85).
Subs (not used): Cudicini, Pavlyuchenko, Dos Santos, Bassong.
Arsenal (4-2-3-1): Szczesny 7; Sagna 6 (Jenkinson 6, 68), Mertesacker 7, Song 8, Gibbs 6; Coquelin 6, Ramsey 6; Walcott 6 (Benayoun 6,72), Arteta 6, Gervinho 6 (Arshavin 6,78); Van Persie 7.
Subs (not used): Fabianski, Park, Santos, Frimpong.
ATTENDANCE: Tbc
REFEREE: Mike Dean
NEXT UP:
- Tottenham Hotspur v Newcastle United (away), Premier League 16/10, 1600 BST
- Arsenal v Sunderland (home), Premier League 16/10, 1330 BST
MAN OF THE MATCH:
Scott Parker (Tottenham Hotspur): Redknapp mused on Arsenal's failure to move for the midfielder this summer before the game. The question was even more pertinent after.
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Source: http://www.fanhouse.co.uk/2011/10/02/tottenham-2-arsenal-1-kyle-walkers-strike-settles-north-london/
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