The online sports community have a few classic responses to certain events, ending in a deluge of identical responses. Think of any replies to tweets sent by Richard Keys and Gary Lineker. Or any time Nicklas Bendtner misses a good chance.
Arsenal's reliability proves additional fodder. Regardless of what Arsenal position find themselves in the latter half of a season, they will invariably find a way of messing it all up. Arsenal's proclivity for capitulation is both so consisted and well-renumerated that it is impossible for all media outlets to ignore.
Their cross-town rivals Spurs also have a remarkable ability to snatch devastating defeat from the jaws of victory:
So today's North London derby, given the teams involved along with the magnitude of the tie, we would perhaps be treated to a kind of mass bottling.
Arsenal, as is their frustrating wont, went first. Having been outplayed in the first half, Arsenal went ahead through Aaron Ramsey, and ultimately led at half-time against the run of play.
An Arsenal capitulation soon followed, however. Francis Coquelin wildly dived into a tackle and picked up a second yellow card. Seven minutes later, Spurs led 2-1.
54:22 - Coquelin red card.
59:17 - Spurs equalise.
61:16 - Spurs lead.
Less than seven minutes.— Dave Phillips (@lovefutebol) March 5, 2016
From there, Arsenal looked doomed. With one defensive midfielder sent off, Wenger sacrificed a second midfielder for Olivier Giroud. With Arsenal wide-open, Spurs failed to create many chances, and ultimately ceded the lead also, to Alexis Sanchez.
Despite the fact that Arsenal's midfield consisted solely of a gamboling Aaron Ramsey, Spurs failed to bombard Ospina's goal in a bid to seal the win.
So we had both sides throw away the lead, and but for a more attentive referee, Spurs would have had a defensive midfielder sent off for a second yellow card in Eric Dier.
So who bottled it? Arsenal's was the more eye-catching, as rigorous and timely as it was. But the reality is that Spurs failed to attack Arsenal when they were there for the taking, and ultimately blew a lead with 15 minutes left against ten men.
Imagine if Arsenal had been 2-1 up at home to 10 man Spurs with 15 to go and drawn rather than other way around. There'd have been mutiny
— aidan o'hara (@oharaa) March 5, 2016
The reality is Spurs are probably more guilty than Arsenal, Coquelin's rank stupidity notwithstanding. Wenger's side showed some courage in battling back.
But we will likely read more about Arsenal letting a glorious chance slip, because it happened earlier in the game. Such a mad game necessitated a hasty match report re-write, so in the interests of time and efficiency, best to stick with the Arsenal line.
2-2 FT. Creditable fightback by Arsenal. Still, can't help thinking they blew it.
— Oliver Holt (@OllieHolt22) March 5, 2016
