Commentary:
First Half
2′ MISS! Lacazette nearly gives Arsenal an early lead, Iwobi gives a pass that reflects off the Spurs defense and it goes to Lacazette who misses wide!
5′-10′ Both teams are containing the same amount of possesion with both having their threats on the box but no shots yet as the two defenses are doing very good blocks and interceptions.
10′ -15′ Spurs are having a the majority of possesion now, just passing around hoping to find a spot in their defense, theres mulitple points where they have all their players in the Arsenal half. This could bite them with Arsenal having players like iwobi and Lacazette who could attack them in a counter attack.
16′ GOAL! ARSENAL TAKE THE LEAD! Who else to score but Aaron Ramsey in this derby who knows what it means. I called it, Spurs had all their players in the Arsenal half and the gunners stole the ball. Lacazette whips it over the defense and Ramsey takes it, he’s one on one with Lloris with Sanchez behind him but he just fakes them both and passes by them and gives Arsenal the lead. Arsenal must now continue to be solid in the back and counter them again!
23′ OFFSIDE! Kane scored a header after a beautiful cross from Kieren tripper from a free kick and the England captain composes it well with a power header. He’s offside though and the gunners retain their lead.
24′ With scoring that disallowed goal, Spurs could pick up some momentum as they know they can score against them with their aerial threats.
26′ Spurs had Kane, Eriksen, and Son all in a open space where all three could have took a shot but the gunners defense is being very solid, covering the whole penalty area not allowing them to shoot. With counter attack goal 10 minutes, you can see the Spurs forward aren’t shooting as much with that potentially occurring again.
33′ Son goes inside the box after a pass from Rose but he hits it wide. Rose and Trippier are the threats in attack for Spurs, giving wonderful crosses and through balls to the attack.
39′ Spurs make a counter attack after the Arsenal corner and trippier whips in the ball from wide but it’s headed out by the Arsenal defense. The ball is then stolen by Vertonghen who takes a shot but it goes wide.
42′ SAVED BY LLORIS! Arsenal start a counter attack and Iwobi is left alone on the left, he takes beautiful shot but Lloris makes an even better save.
44′ LENO WITH A DOUBLE SAVE! Both keepers with crucial saves back to back. Kane gives a dink over the Arsenal defense to Eriksen who takes a shot that is saved by Leno, Sissoko takes a shot from the reflection and Leno somehow saves it again!
Half-time: Pochetino left to the dugout before the half ended in what has been a disappointing first half by Spurs. They have 66% of the possession with 7 shots but none have gone in with only two on target at the end where Leno made his double save! Pochetino will need to find a way to break apart this incredible defense set up by Arsenal manager Unai Emery.
Wonderful first half by Unai Emery and the gunners. The past few years Arsenal usually always went all out attack with Wenger, leaving us vulnerable in defense against the top 6 but Emery has set us up much more solid in the back. Sokratis, Koscielny, and Mustafi are doing fantastic in the back keeping Harry Kane quiet, he’s struggling to get through these tough defenders. Monreal isn’t doing as great letting Trippier have multiple space but with his blocks and interceptions he’s doing well. Aaron Ramsey scored the first goal as the Welshmen loves to score at Wembly, scoring two FA Cup final winners in this ground. Spurs don’t really have much to change as all their main men are on the field but Arsenal on the other hand, have a very dangerous bench. Aubameyang can come in to punish that tired defense. And if they thought it was hard to break down the Arsenal defense, just wait until Torreira comes on and to give them more problems. The whole team is doing well defensively and playing off the counter attacks, if they continue to play as solid in the back and Aubameyang coming in at 50-60′ minute, they can most definitely win the game!
Second Half: Lucas Torreria has come on for Guendouzi, the young Frenchmen has done very well the first half but I believe the whole team feels safer with Torreira in front of the defense rather than him.
49′ The second continue the same way as the first as Emery continue to have his men stacked in the back and Pochetino has his wingbacks trying to get a cross in for a goal.
53′ MISS! Lacazette misses from about 8 yards out after a beautiful play from the gunners. Xhaka gives to Lacazette who passes it wide to Iwobi. He holds it and waits for Monreal to run behind him and gives it to him. Monreal passes it to Lacazette and hits it wide.
55′ MISS! Spurs nearly score from another set piece. Eriksen kicks the free kick in and Mustafi gets a touch to it but it goes to Alderwield who hits misses what could have been the equalizer.
56′ Aubameyang comes on for Lacazette and what has been a quiet half from the Frenchman. He has an assist but could have two goals to his name if he didn’t miss those sitters. With Aubameyangs speed and freshness, he’ll be a big threat to the Spurs defense on counter attacks.
59′ Erik Lamela comes on for Victor Wanyama in Tottenham in what could be a formation change with Lamela being a winger and Wanyama being a defensive midfielder.
60′ Aubameyang’s pace is already showing to be a problem. Arsenal begin a counter and Xhaka gives the Gabonese striker a through ball and he nearly outruns the defense from behind but has his shot blocked by the defense.
66′ Lamela takes a shot from outside the box but it goes wide. He’s seen so far since his introduction as a threat who’s not afraid to shoot.
68′ Rose gets a yellow card for a high foot. Lamela crosses it in and he lunges his leg in the air and he gets Leno in the chest. He’s lucky his foot wasn’t any higher a he could have gotten a red card for that.
71′ Mkhitary gets an interception and gives a fantastic through ball to Aubameyang but Sissoko out muscles him and gets it out.
72′ Last Substitution by Unai Emery as he subs on Mesut Ozil for Ramsey. Ramsey has scored the goal and the gunners are ahead.
73′ PENALTY TO SPURS! Kane is brought down by Mustafi in the box and its a penalty. The players were offsides and this is where VAR is needed.
74′ GOAL KANE SCORES! Who else to score in the derby but Harry Kane, a questionable penalty but it doesn’t matter, Kane steps up and scores the equalizer Spurs now have momentum on their side.
79′ Llorente comes on to give Spurs another attacking threat, Pochetino makes a formation chane with four in the back, Vetonghen moving to LB and Rose to CDM
89′ PENALTY TO ARSENAL! Sanchez pulls him down and its a penalty!
90′ SAVED! LLORIS SAVES THE PENALTY! Aubameyang takes a horrible penalty, his stance and body was very unconvincing and the shot was even worse. Great save by Lloris, standing big in goal and guessing the right way.
95′ RED CARD! Torreira is given a red card for his tackle on Rose and is given an immediate red card.
FULLTIME
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