Spurs and Arsenal enter the record book.

Champions 2004
By Boris Mellor
November 13 2004

The good news for Spurs fans is that their team by taking part in a match with 9 different scorers are part of a new Premiership record. The bad news is that they scored 4 goals against one of the best teams in Europe (Jol not me)and lost.

Well no doubt the neutral will have enjoyed this match, even if the crap heads at Sky have not made it their featured match.

In the first half Arsenal had decided not to turn up until 45 minutes exactly - then they used the minute extra time very wisely to equalise. It was another brilliant Henry goal and must have rewritten Jol's half time talk. Indeed without a great Lehmann save they may have gone 2-0 down with little chance of recovery.

Spurs had shut Arsenal down for most of the half and had done all the running, as Arsenal strolled around giving the ball away and making few chances. Ljungberg and Bergkamp looked the only Gunners who thought a local derby was of any importance.

Wenger rarely makes changes at half time (and this was no different) but the team had certainly changed its attitude, now they were the ones to be combative. Closing Spurs down and making chances, a foul on Ljungberg gave Arsenal a chance to equalise. I must admit fearing that we would scorn the chance, but Lauren stepped up and put the ball well beyond Robinson, not a lot of pace but well placed. 2-1 to the Arsenal.

Vieira then proceeded to assist himself to a goal, robbing a slack defender of the ball weaving through the rest and calmly beating the goalie. If Bergy has a fear of flying, Paddy has a fear of scoring - but he seemed to exorcise that particular fear in that one move. Three – one up surely we were cruising? Within a minutes Spurs pulled it back to 3-2. Now it was Ljungberg's turn to restore the cushion, and with a great pass from Fabregas he chipped the ball into goal. Four -2 had to be comfortable - but no Spurs dragged it back to 4-3.

Pires had replaced the flagging Reyes and with a brilliant run into the box, twisting and turning he passes a sharp angled shot under Robinson's diving body. 5-3 surely that was it, when last did the Arsenal let in four against Spurs? Arsenal seemed to have settled down at last when Henry trying to help out the defence lost control of the ball giving it away to the Spurs attack. Grateful the gift a quick chip over the defence and Kanoute had a clear shot at goal.

In retrospect it was a very strange game, Spurs only had the lead for 8 minutes and never got it back again. Arsenal never took the lead until 55 minutes and never lost it again always staying one step ahead. It seemed as if both defences were competing to be the worst. Ljunberg was man of the match by a mile – which should finish off rumours that he will never regain his form of the double season. It was vintage Freddy, a joy to watch for the whole 90 minutes. Meanwhile it was (choker) Henry that scored the goal that turned the match – how ludicrous that a player with 11 Premiership goals has to justify himself. After today he must ignore the cat litter men.

TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR 4

Naybet 37
Defoe 61
King 74, Kanoute 88

ARSENAL 5

Henry 45
Lauren 55 (pen)
Vieira 60
Ljungberg 69
Pires 81