Harry in position to crash the party
In 18 years since the competition was revamped, only four clubs – including interlopers Blackburn – have lifted the trophy and despite the emergence of Chelsea under the guidance of billionaire Roman Abramovich, traditionalists have taken comfort in the fact that the status quo has largely remained intact.
Well, not any more.
Whether you put it down to a drop in quality from the big boys or a vast improvement from those below there is suddenly a real belief, not least at White Hart Lane, that the country’s fringe clubs are ready to jump the party.
Tottenham’s 3-2 victory on Saturday, their first at Arsenal in 17 years, was a hugely significant moment in a season which has already promised to become one of the most fascinating of all.
When Arsenal arrived at half-time 2-0 ahead thanks to goals from Samir Nasri and Marouane Chamakh, it seemed impossible that Spurs could recover; but second-half strikes from Gareth Bale, Rafael van der Vaart (from the penalty spot) and ultimately Younes Kaboul’s header in the 85th minute provided real evidence that the old guard is no longer safe.
“This club is in a position where they can push on now, really push on, because the league is wide open,” said Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp. “Arsenal, Man United, Chelsea are still probably the best sides but it’s getting closer between them and the others. It’s closing up.
“Man City are in there too – eventually they will win a championship, I’m sure, with what they have to spend. And there’s no reason why Tottenham can’t be challenging. I put myself under pressure by saying that but I think eventually, if the people here are ambitious enough, there’s no reason why Tottenham can’t go on and win a championship.”
It’s hard to disagree because while Spurs have progressed at a rapid rate, Chelsea and United have looked wobbly this season and Liverpool – once the ‘Big One’ in the 1980s, such was their dominance – are nowhere to be seen. So why shouldn’t Tottenham be seen as title contenders?
Perhaps the most telling time will come in January when Redknapp asks for further cash to bolster his squad and tests the ambition of the club’s owners. “If there are one or two little bits we can do in January without spending a fortune, it might just make a difference to the team,” he said.
It’s no longer clear whether the same can be said of Arsenal because manager Arsene Wenger looked confused and frustrated after his team threw away a two-goal lead – and with it a chance to go top of the league – showing a surprising reluctance to take charge of the title race.
“That’s a big concern.” said Wenger. “We were 2-0 up. We had it all in our hands and then to lose our focus as much as we did is strange. It’s very difficult to explain.”
The Gunners, who have not won a title now in six years, looked outstanding in the first half when Nasri forced his way through Heurelho Gomes’ challenge to open the scoring from the tightest of angles – and then Chamakh athletically finished a lightning-quick break by turning home Andrey Arshavin’s low cross for 2-0.
But it was Redknapp’s change of tactics at half-time, bringing on striker Jermain Defoe for winger Aaron Lennon and moving Van der Vaart to the right, that changed the game. Defoe won a header he had no right to win during the build-up to Tottenham’s first goal, superbly tucked away by Bale from Van der Vaart’s pass, and then the Dutchman’s penalty, given for a Fabregas handball, levelled the scores.
By this stage Arsenal’s focus had dropped so dramatically that it was no real surprise when Kaboul rose to head home a Van der Vaart free-kick and seal possibly the most memorable comeback in Tottenham’s history.
The away team’s ecstatic fans owed a particular debt of thanks to captain William Gallas, who braved the boos of the home crowd to produce a wonderful performance on his return to the Emirates.
“I had to fight my corner to get him – it wasn’t easy,” revealed Redknapp.” I went out on a limb with everybody – Tottenham fans, the chairman, everybody else.”
As for Arsenal, where Gallas seemed to make as many enemies as friends, they remain in the title mix thanks to Chelsea’s defeat at Birmingham; but it’s not only Carlo Ancelotti’s side they have to worry about any more, with football’s natural order under serious challenge.
It’s been a long wait, but thanks to Mr Redknapp, this could be the season when the Big Four becomes the Big Five.
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