Offside was wrongly given against Gibbs and subsequently a goal was disallowed at a crucial stage of the game - we would have gone two up. Whilst Keane was encouraged to score an offside goal at another crucial stage in the match - an undeserved equaliser. Up until the point where Keane scored the home team had been dominated by a teenage Arsenal player despite his being hacked to pieces. Had the correct decisions been made by the officials it could and should have been 0-3 to the mighty Arsenal, London's vastly superior and much, much bigger Club.
Which begs the question would it have been better to win 0-3 in 90 minutes or 1-4 after extra time. I think the 4-1 win was better because we got the added bonus of what appeared to be a massive fire drill at WHL and eventually a stadium that probably contained more Gooners than Totts on the final final whistle. Plus of course the pleasure of watching crying Totts on the box should never be under-estimated.
They had the weaker team out but that was mainly because they don't blood their young players early enough. Unlike Arsenal who could boast the 18-year-old Wilshere, the 19-year-old Lansbury, 20-year-old Gibbs, 21-year-old Vela, 22-year-old Denilson and 23-year-old Nasri dominating the match for the vast majority of the game. Added to which Tottenham's new squad players are not well integrated. It's not the norm for the Totts new players to slot neatly into their team. Santos hardly looked like a home player throughout despite being a Brazilian international. Whereas as the Arsenal youngsters show time and time again you can hardly spot the join when lads such as Lansbury, Djourou not to mention Wishere and Vela are just chucked into team.
Wilshere came of age tonight by showing just how an English teenager is capable of dominating midfield, bossing a game and looking far more mature than an 18-year-old has any right to be away to our local rivals in an atmosphere of pure hate. That in itself is a major achievement. Nasri's performance was sparkling and in defence Koscielny looks like he's been playing with us for years. Tottenham played just three youngsters all the rest were full internationals so I don't buy into the crap that Redknapp spouted about a young inexperienced side.
A well taken goal by Lansbury from a superb cross by Wilshere saw us take the lead in a first half that was as one-sided as you can get without adding to a 0-1 half-time scoreline. An offside equaliser by Keane failed to see the Tiny Totts maintain their early second half impetus. In extra time two very well taken penalty's by Nasri, one either side of the keeper saw a demoralised Tottenham all but give up. They did give up when a quick free kick by Jack set up Arshavin slam home our fourth. Oh how we celebrated. Oh how they emptied the ground.
As piss-takes go this was a good one, but far more pleasing than anything else was our football. Has anyone counted the string of passes we put together in extra time, those beautiful time-wasting, mesmerising, piss-taking passes that rubbed about two tons of additional salt into Tottenham's wounds? I'd estimate about 35 delightfully demoralising passes from the tippy-tappy boys in red and white who now understand exactly when such stuff should be played.
My daughter had the pleasure of watching the match from one of the Tott boxes in the ground. Her quote was ' There is not much better than gloating whilst in their box'. Emma has now seen 10 goals in two games this season, and long may that continue.
Alas my cold beers have all gone, the red wine bottle is almost empty so I go to bed a happy Gooner, as no doubt does the entire Gooner Nation, for tomorrow we will take the piss. Big time. We will extract the urinal deposits from a two bit mob who are anything but the bigger club. No DVD's from the pathetic ****ers this time then? Cry Harry for England and St George if you're mental but just get Jack as a regular in the England set up and they won't even need a manager.