Cesc to Spurs: It's not your day Arsenal Player Ratings

No right-minded person would ever advocate sadistic cruelty for its own sake, but as an unavoidable consequence to Spurs supporters of being turned over at home to the Arsenal, we must accept its inevitability.

Arsenal were only marginally the better side for large portions of the game. Gareth Bale's free kick that gave Spurs the lead was a very good strike. Almunia couldn't necessarily be expected to make the save, although maybe he could have organized the defense better. Bale beat the wall with a curving ball that tucked into the bottom corner. Gilberto can be credited with the assist for unnecessarily conceding the free kick with a clumsy challenge on the edge of the box.

There were chances for both sides. Hleb and Cesc were pulling the strings in midfield, but the goals weren't coming. Arsenal finally got a bit lucky, and a Cesc free kick fell perfectly for Adebayor to head in from close range. It looked like the points would be shared. But on 80 minutes, the ball broke nicely in midfield to Arsenal's best player on the day, playmaker Francesc Fabregas, who had strikers in space to either side, looking for the ball. Unsure which of them was less likely to make a mess of things, Cesc put his boot through the ball, leaving the keeper no chance, as the ball flew into the top corner from 30 yards for a dramatic winner.

Denilson blew a chance in stoppage time (there were a lot of missed chances on both ends - it was an open, exciting game), only to see Adebayor grab his second with a sweet half-volley into the roof of the net. The camera panned to Spurs supporters streaming out of the ground.

Referee Mark Clattenburg - England's best referee? Certainly made the best call I've seen in a long time giving Spurs French defender Pascal Chimbonda a yellow card for asking the referee to give an Arsenal player a yellow card (8).

Gael Clichy - In addition to being a playmaking left back, he cleared a would-be Spurs goal off the line with his chest. Early in the game, Clichy had to take over left midfield duties in addition to his left back duties because Diaby was not up for it. None of his terrorizing runs ended with goals, but he had certainly done his part. Reminds me of the old expression, "The best defense is a good offense." More of the same, Gael (9).

Almunia - He didn't line up the wall well enough to prevent Bale's goal. He came charging out of his box on one occasion and made a useful clearance. He enjoyed that so much, he tried the same thing a few minutes later, lost out entirely, and allowed Berbatov through on goal, deferring goal tending duties to Kolo. Now a one-on-one with the keeper is usually good odds for a striker, and a striker at the top of his game, like Berbatov, against an emergency stand-in keeper who can't use his hands, like Kolo, would probably be a sure thing, unless, UNLESS, the player is Kolo Toure, and he nips the chance in the bud with a quick slide tackle that digs the ball out to safety. Alumnia looked shaky after that (5).

Toure - In addition to top-shelf defending, playing alongside Gilberto who was terribly erratic, Kolo was bossing things at the offensive end of the pitch as well. He was in no mood to concede points (9).

Gilberto - Allegedly jet lagged, had a clumsy challenge that led to the Spurs goal, and followed that up with a series of passes to Spurs players. He did have a few good moments, like a slide tackle in the box. On balance, Arsenal supporters who want to see Arsenal lift the league trophy want to see Gallas or Djourou partnering Kolo in central defense (5).

Sagna - Got to the end line and set up a gilt-edged chance for Adebayor to equalize. Plays nice one-touch football. Earns corners out of nothing with storming runs up the right flank. Confident defending. In one sequence, Almunia and Huddlestone were play-fighting after the Spurs midfielder delayed Almunia from taking a free kick. Sagna stepped in and pushed Huddlestone away, and as soon as play resumed, Sagna searched him out in midfield and took him down, receiving a well-earned a yellow card (9).

Diaby - Not effective as a left midfielder, could not put together a decent run or a decent exchange of passes. Blew a gilt-edged chance, clanging it off the cross bar. Was substituted before the hour mark (5).

Flamini - Got involved quite a bit. He's being given a huge vote of confidence from Wenger. He's preferred in central midfield to Diaby and Denilson. I think that says more about those two not being good enough than Flamini being irreplaceable, although he almost looks good enough to start in central midfield for Arsenal (7).

Cesc - He was having an excellent game in midfield, including surging runs up the middle, a series of sweet touches, and the assist for the equalizer, before his 80th minute screaming winner. All this in an away game to Arsenal's North London rivals (10).

Hleb - Pulled the strings in midfield along with Cesc. He created chances, but none of them resulted in goals. In this form, I don't see how he can be dropped (8).

Adebayor - Could have been better before he finally scored. His double in the last half hour nicely counterbalanced his missed chances and giveaways in the first hour. On one occassion, when Hleb had a shot saved, RVP kept at it and put a nice cross across the face of the goal. Adebayor had already given up on the play and there was no one there to convert the chance (7).

Van Persie - Was rarely involved in the first half. Got a nice shot on target on the second half, cutting in form the right, low at the near post, but the keeper made the save (6).

Rosicky - Came on for Diaby in the 56th minute. Was a big improvement over Diaby. Good link up play, good passing, very good on the ball (7).

Denilson came on late, but did not have enough time to impress. You could say he missed a clear chance in stoppage time, or you could say he was involved in the build up to the goal in stoppage time, and you'd be right.

Song - On a relentless march to his winners medal with a series of stoppage time appearances.

The away victory will be just what the doctor ordered for Arsenal supporters. They'll be delighted with that. Cesc really brought down the hammer, and the Spurs fans will be bitterly disappointed and calling for their manager, Martin Jol, to be sacked. In truth Arsenal didn't control the game like they control most games, but they did enough to get a famous result.

That was ruddy brilliant.