We'll Meet Again
Eighteen days after they met in the Premier League, Arsenal and Tottenham clash again, also at the Emirates Stadium, but this time in the first leg of the semi-final of the Carling Cup. Will it make any difference to the outcome, given that Arsenal are unbeaten in the last 20 meetings in all competitions between these two bitter rivals?
Indeed, Spurs - without a win against their hated neighbours this century - last tasted victory on 6th November, 1999, at White Hart Lane.
But a year ago, at the same stage of the Carling Cup, Tottenham led 2-0 at White Hart Lane in the semi-final first leg, only to experience the familiar heartache of the Gunners coming back at them to draw 2-2, then going on to win the second-leg 3-1 after extra-time at the Emirates.
For Spurs it was a case of deja-vu in this competition - and something they will be desperate to avoid again this season. For this will be the fourth time these rivals have clashed in the two-legged semi-final of the Football League Cup, currently sponsored by Carling. And Arsenal have triumphed on each of the three previous occasions.
The first meetings were in the 1968-69 season, when Arsenal won 1-0 at Highbury on 20th November 1968, John Radford hitting the injury time winner to prevent what would have been a first-ever goalless draw between the Gunners and Spurs.
Arsenal (manager Bertie Mee): Wilson, Storey, McNab, McLintock, Ure, Simpson, Radford, Court, Sammels, Graham (Gould), Armstrong.
Spurs (manager Bill Nicholson): Jennings, Kinnear, Knowles, Mullery, Collins, Beal, Pearce, Greaves, England, Venables, Gilzean.
The second leg at White Hart Lane finished 1-1, so Arsenal won 2-1 on aggregate. The Spurs side was unchanged from the first leg, while for Arsenal, Bobby Gould replaced George Graham at inside-left. Graham came on as a substitute for Bob McNab during he game, which saw Jimmy Greaves level the ie on aggregate before Radford headed an 87th minute winner for the Gunners.
After Spurs won a 4th Round tie 1-0 at White Hart Lane in 1980-81, and Arsenal won 2-1 at the Lane in the 3rd Round in 1983-84, the teams met again at the semi-final stage in the 1986-87 season.
Tottenham won 1-0 at Highbury in the first leg thanks to the prolific Clive Allen - one briefly on Arsenal's books but sold to Crystal Palace without playing a competitive game for the Gunners in the deal that brought Kenny Sansom to Highbury. Allen was delighted to score six minutes before half-time as Tottenham inflicted the first home defeat on Arsenal since George Graham (later to manage at White Hart Lane) had been appointed Gunners' boss in Summer 1986.
In the second leg at the Lane it looked all over for Arsenal when Allen scored early to make it 2-0 to Tottenham on aggregate. At half-time the PA announcer informed the Spurs fans of ticket arrangements for the final. The Arsenal players heard the announcement from their dressing room and were suitably motivated. Viv Anderson halved the aggregate deficit and Niall Quinn scored a second for the Gunners to force the tie into an inconclusive 30 minutes of extra-time.
That meant a replay was required, and Spurs won the toss for home advantage, so it was back to the Lane three days later on Wednesday, 4th March. The remarkable Allen yet again broke the deadlock, netting after 62minutes - his 39th goal of a highly productive campaign. But again Arsenal fought back - and with two goals in the last eight minutes they won the semi-final, going on to defeat Liverpool (again from one down) in the Wembley final. This time substitute Ian Allinson got their equaliser before David Rocastle score the late, dramatic winner.
Arsenal players used over the three games (manager George Graham): Lukic, Caesar, Sansom, Williams, O'Leary, Adams, Groves, Davis, Quinn, Nicholas, Hayes, Michael Thomas, Rix, Anderson, Rocastle, Allinson.
Spurs (manager David Pleat): Clemence, Danny Thomas, Mitchell Thomas, Ardiles, Gough, Mabbutt, Clive Allen, Paul Allen, Waddle, Hoddle, Claesen, Galvin, Stevens.
Then came last season's two classic encounters. At the Lane on 24th January 2007, Dimitar Berbatov put Spurs ahead on 12 minutes and Julio Baptista inadvertently put through his own net on 21 to put Tottenham in command. But an injury to Berbatov disrupted Spurs and, in the second half, Arsenal roared back, Baptista making amends by scoring in the 64th and 77th minutes to leave the tie nicely poised for the return leg.
Spurs (manager: Martin Jol): Robinson, Chimbonda, Assou-Ekotto, Zokora, Dawson, Gardner, Lennon, Huddlestone, Berbatov (Keane), Defoe (Mido), Malbranque.
Arsenal (manager: Arsene Wenger): Almunia, Hoyte, Traore, Diaby (Hleb) (Flamini), Toure, Senderos, Denilson, Fabregas, Aliadiere (Eboue), Walcott, Julio Baptista.
The second leg at the Emirates on 31st January remained goalless until the 77th minute, when Emmanuel Adebayor made the breakthrough for Arsenal. But Spurs substitute Mido conjured a dramatic 85th minute equaliser to send the Spurs fans into raptures and the tie into extra-time. Goals from Jeremie Aliadiere (105) and an own goal by Chimbonda from a Tomas Rosicky shot (113) again settled things in Arsenal's favour - 3-1 on the night, 5-3 on aggregate.
Arsenal: Almunia, Hoyte, Traore (Clichy), Gilberto Silva, Toure, Senderos, Walcott (Rosicky), Denilson, Adebayor, Aliadiere, Diaby (Fabregas).
Tottenham: Robinson, Chimbonda, Assou-Ekotto, Zokora, Dawson, Gardner (Rocha), Ghaly (Huddlestone), Jenas, Keane, Defoe, Malbranque (Mido).
Revenge, Berbatov & The Ramos Factor
Spurs are long overdue a semi-final victory over the old enemy in this competition, and midfielder Jermaine Jenas emphasised the point. He stressed the desire among the Tottenham players to exact revenge for last year's disappointment.
"I have sore memories and we want to have the opposite feeling this time around.
"We must be positive, this tie is the other way around and it might help us that we can bring them back to the Lane for the return game, unlike last year.
"I am very confident that we can score goals whenever and wherever we play."
Indeed, scoring goals is unlikely to be a problem for Tottenham, with Berbatov, Robbie Keane and Jermain Defoe all in prolific form lately.
Even Arsene Wenger has described Spurs striker Berbatov as "top class", and revealed that he once considered bringing the Bulgarian to Arsenal.
The future of the 26-year-old remains the subject of speculation – with Chelsea said to be ready to launch a £30million bid – and the player claims this has left him "fed up," but Wenger is a long-time admirer.
He told Arsenal TV Online: "He is top class. He always has time on the pitch and when you play against him he is always in the places you don't want him to be.
"He is what I call a top class striker because he can provide, he can score, he can be at the start of the move and at the end of it. That is a sign of quality."
Asked if he had ever considered a move for Berbatov, Wenger said: "Yes, when he played for Bayer Leverkusen. I noticed him once when he played against Real Madrid. He was a young boy at the time, but we were never in need of him. We had Thierry Henry, we had Robin van Persie. Then we got Adebayor, but I have known about him for a long time."
Berbatov scored both goals against Reading in the FA Cup on Saturday, to add to the four he claimed against the Royals a week earlier, and despite the transfer speculation - he has said he wants to stay, his agent keeps spinning otherwise - this is the perfect opportunity for him to make himself a Spurs legend by helping, finally, to beat Arsenal.
Juande Ramos too will be keen to become the first Tottenham manager since (ironically) George Graham to celebrate victory against the Gunners. Ramos has a great recent record in cup competitions and over two legs, with the second at home, he will fancy his chances.
His side pushed Arsenal all the way in their recent Premier League meeting just before Christmas, Spurs coming from behind to equalise Adebayor's goal through Berbatov, who was then up-ended in the box for a Tottenham penalty. The normally reliable Keane saw his spot-kick saved by Manuel Almunia, then Wenger sent on substitute Nicklas Bendtner who scored the winner with his first touch - a powerful header from a Fabregas corner.
Bendtner is expected to start tonight alongside Eduardo, the pair having bagged a goal apiece on Sunday as Arsenal beat Burnley 2-0 in the FA Cup third round.
Arsenal also won then they took on Spurs at White Hart Lane in September. Adebayor scored twice and Fabregas once to cancel out an early Gareth Bale free-kick as the Gunners - who have amassed more than twice as many League points as Spurs so far this season, ran out 3-1 winners.
However, Wenger and his troops will know that in both this season's games, the games have been tighter than he scorelines might suggest, and Spurs have been getting closer to breaking their wretched eight-year hoodoo. Arsenal will need to be on their mettle to ensure it doesn't happen tonight.
FORM GUIDE
Arsenal
06 Jan (FA Cup) v Burnley (A) WON 2-0
01 Jan (Prem) v West Ham (H) WON 2-0
29 Dec (Prem) v Everton (A) WON 4-1
26 Dec (Prem) v Portsmouth (A) DREW 0-0
22 Dec (Prem) v Tottenham (H) WON 2-1
18 Dec (Carling Cup) v Blackburn (A) WON 3-2
Tottenham
05 Jan (FA Cup) v Reading (H) DREW 2-2
01 Jan (Prem) v Aston Villa (A) LOST 1-2
29 Dec (Prem) v Reading (H) WON 6-4
26 Dec (Prem) v Fulham (H) WON 5-1
22 Dec (Prem) v Arsenal (A) LOST 1-2
18 Dec (Carling Cup) v Man City (A) WON 2-0
TEAM NEWS
Arsenal
Striker Robin van Persie is fit again, Wenger saying: "Robin had a slight set-back after his knee injury in that he picked up a muscle problem. But on a positive note he could forget about his knee and work on his fitness.
"Johan Djourou and Theo Walcott are available and apart from them it will be the guys who played in the last round. It'll be another young side."
Lukasz Fabianski plays in goal and Theo Walcott will probably feature.
Last Starting XI (v Burnley): Lehmann, Sagna, Toure, Senderos, Traore (Justin Hoyte 71), Eboue, Silva, Denilson, Diaby, Bendtner, Eduardo. Subs Not Used: Fabianski, Djourou, Randall, Lansbury.
Squad: Fabianski, J Hoyte, Senderos, Djourou, Traore, Diaby, Gilberto, Denilson, Diarra, Eduardo, Bendtner, Mannone, Walcott, G Hoyte, Randall, Lansbury, Gibbs, Perez, van Persie.
Probable Starting XI: (4-4-2): L Fabianski - J Hoyte, J Djourou, P Senderos, A Traoré – T Walcott, Denilson, L Diarra, A Diaby – N Bendtner, Eduardo da Silva.
Tottenham
Ramos will be without Didier Zokora as he is on international duty, while Tom Huddlestone begins a suspension.
Younes Kaboul and Darren Bent are doubts and Gareth Bale, Anthony Gardner and Benoit Assou-Ekotto are all out.
Last Starting XI (v Reading): Robinson, Chimbonda, King, Dawson, Lee, Lennon, Zokora, Jenas, Malbranque (Huddlestone 79), Keane (Taarabt 63), Berbatov.
Subs Not Used: Cerny, Defoe, Gunter.
Squad: Robinson, Chimbonda, Dawson, Lee, King, Rocha, O'Hara, Jenas, Malbranque, Boateng, Lennon, Keane, Berbatov, Defoe, Cerny, Taarabt, Bent, Kaboul, Stalteri, Tainio.
Probable Starting XI (4-4-2): P Robinson – P Chimbonda, L King, M Dawson, Lee Young Pyo – A Lennon, J Jenas, K-P Boateng, S Malbranque – D Berbatov, R Keane.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Arsenal
Eduardo is the man in form at he moment. After a slow start following his arrival in English football, Wenger was relaxed and predicted he would probably need six months before he became acclimatised and started to show his worth. That has happened a little ahead of schedule - the Brazilian-born Croatia international has scored 11 goals altogether for the Gunners, including six in his last four starts.
Tottenham
Robbie Keane will be itching to maker an impression against Arsenal, particularly after failing to convert that penalty at a pivotal moment in the League game just before Christmas. Keane has an impressive strike rate and his all action, tireless work is a boon to the Spurs side. He has developed a highly productive partnership with the dangerous Berbatov, and Arsenal, without Africa-bound Kolo Toure, will need to keep very close tabs on the Irish goal poacher.
PREDICTION
Current form, recent meetings, history in this competition, Spurs' defending and home advantage all point to an Arsenal win. On the other hand, Tottenham will be fielding the more experienced side - one that is in prolific goalscoring form - have a shrewd cup tie manager and are so long overdue a victory against Arsenal that the law of averages is now on their side. And yet it is still hard to bet against the Gunners. A narrow home win could be on the cards, begging the question will it be enough for them to protect at White Hart Lane in the return?
Arsenal 2-1 Tottenham
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