The Carling Cup draw gave us an unexpected extra opportunity to visit the Middlesex swamp this season, to run the gauntlet of homicidal Spurs fans, and experience the “delights” of Tottenham High Road – how lovely! It was also a fantastic opportunity to showcase the gap between the two sides, as Spurs rested a number of players in preparation for this game – whilst Arsenal used the game itself to rest players for the more important other fixtures that we face. Spurs also fell 800 tickets short of selling out their stadium for what is like a cup final for them – and they talk about needing a bigger ground!!A pretty much full strength Spurs team started off against a much changed Arsenal side – admittedly still with 5 full internationals (if Walcott counts) on display, but very much the second string nonetheless. As expected, Spurs came flying out of the traps, their idiot fans encouraging them all the way. Our defending for the first 20 minutes didn’t really help us settle into the game, as it seemed that the entire back 4 was on a mission to create chaos and confusion! Berbatov opened the scoring after being left pretty much unopposed, then Baptista scored a calamitous own goal to make it 2-0. I was fearing more goals and our kids being blown away.
We got to half time with the score still at 2-0, and having had some decent play and chances towards the end of the half. Then, amazingly, Spurs completely seemed to take their feet off the gas in the second half. Making the classic Spurs mistake of thinking they had won the game, they allowed the kids back into it. Attacking the end by the Arsenal fans, the chances got better and better as the half went on.
Eventually, Baptista scored, and the celebration in the Arsenal section was incredible – people falling over, ending up several rows from their seats, and generally taking the opportunity to abuse the now very quiet Spurs fans across the fence. The Spurs fans (and team) seemed to be crapping themselves that they would balls it all up, and we sensed that we could go on and win the game. So, when Baptista scored again to equalise, it was not entirely unexpected, but did provoke another amazing celebration, and lots of good taunting of Spurs fans.
From that point on, if anybody was going to win the game, it was Arsenal (youth team). Some fans were almost dreading a winner, because it would have made getting out of the stadium alive a near impossibility. But, despite a few good chances, the winner never came.
Outside the stadium, we had the usual hard man nonsense from Spurs fans, but the best part of the whole experience was hearing them moaning and bleating all the way down Tottenham High Road. They really thought they were going to beat us (for the first time in 7 years, I might add), but they failed. Again. Hearing them all miserable and nearly crying was quite possibly the best part of the evening.
Still more to do to win the tie, but this draw felt like a win – particularly after being 2-0 down, and particularly because it was our reserves against their first team. Bring them on at home, and I hope that Thierry Henry plays, to give them the beating they so richly deserve.
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