Oxlade-Chamberlain held off Sandro and nudged the ball to Rosicky out wide, the Czech seized the opportunity to break at Tottenham for pretty much the first time of the game, he gave it to Chamberlain but the ball was a fraction behind the Ox so the Englishman flicked it back to Rosicky and Tomas thumped the ball into the top corner

Before yesterday’s match I wondered whether we would continue to be in a title race or a race for the top four. If Tottenham had beaten us then they would only have been three points behind us with only eight games remaining. So yesterday was about the result and the result only and we saw how important the result was by the way the team played.

Firstly I don’t think Arsene intended for his team to play so defensively, all you have to do is look at the personnel he started the game with. If his intentions were to defend for the entire game then Mathieu Flamini would have been accommodated in the starting 11 and more than likely Lukas Podolski would have started on the bench. In fact Arsene was interviewed before the kick off and he spoke about how he has selected a side to score goals.

But the approach changed in a matter of seconds. When Oxlade-Chamberlain held off Sandro and nudged the ball to Rosicky out wide, the Czech seized the opportunity to break at Tottenham for pretty much the first time of the game, he gave it to Chamberlain but the ball was a fraction behind the Ox so the Englishman flicked it back to Rosicky and Tomas thumped the ball into the top corner past Lloris. It was a magnificent strike, it looks even better in slow motion when you see both of Rosicky’s feet off the floor when he strikes it.

I was making all sorts of noises, not quite believing what I had witnessed. Tomas against Tottenham once again.

So we dropped off and turned to what we are now very good at, protecting a lead. Our attacking players were now supporters of our defence with the aim of picking off Tottenham on the break.

I was absolutely convinced that we could get that second goal when I saw how high and poor the Tottenham back four were with little protection from the midfield.

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain should have wrapped up the game, skipping past a challenge almost at the half way line he found himself almost inexplicably through on goal. His touches took him slightly wider than he would have ideally wanted, as it was unfolding I was hoping he would round Lloris and roll the ball into an empty net just as he did at home to Blackburn when we beat them 7-1 a few years ago. Instead Ox attempted a chip that went horribly wrong. It is one of those that if you get right you praise the finish like with Rosicky in the FA cup against the same opposition this season but when it goes wrong it looks poor.

The Ox spurned another two chances following cut backs from Podolski and Rosicky respectively. Lukas Podolski was set through from a little Gibbs pass but our bustling German shot at the near post rather than across the keeper in the other side and only managed to find the side netting.

I was getting worried that we wouldn’t take advantage of this horrendous defending before half time because surely Sherwood would change something.

I can’t say I noticed what tweaks were made but we certainly did not find it as easy to get in behind during the second half.

Tottenham hit long balls into Adebayor and sent in cross after cross which is no real surprise given that Sherwood was a part of Kenny Daglish’s title winning Blackburn team who relied on pretty much solely crosses from then wingers Stuart Ripley and Jason Wilcox. In the modern day the crossing game seems like a great way to waste good possession. We no longer have William Gallas partnering Kolo Toure so dealing with crosses are food and drink to Mertesacker, Koscielny and Sagna.

Tottenham’s best chance of the game was down to a Szczesny fumble when he dropped a cross at the feet of Chadli and the wide man presented with a chance to equalise shot towards a goal guarded by both Koscielny and Mertesacker. It was the former that produced an action equally as important as Rosicky’s 2 minute thumping strike.

I was up in the early hours of this morning exchanging messages with a frustrated Tottenham supporting friend of mine. He felt his team had dominated and deserved the win. When I pointed out how little Szczesny had to do his argument had pretty much come to an end.

Victory at the lane is the right preparation needed before we go to Stamford Bridge. Even more so considering they have just dropped points. They will have one of their best defensive midfielders missing which will hopefully give our midfield more time to play in.

We have a week to prepare for that one, today is about enjoying three points.