Gunners going, going, gone
Mark Segal ponders the consequences of Arsenal's loss to Spurs and suggests the Gunners might be unraveling.
Was it just a blip - albeit a 5-1 hammering of a blip - or did Tuesday night's Carling Cup defeat at White Hart Lane signal the start of the end to Arsenal's season?
This may seem a silly question to ask seeing as the Gunners are currently second only on goal difference to Manchester United in the Premier League and are still in the Champions League and FA Cup, but the cracks were there for all to see - not least, the one down the centre of Nicklas Bendtner's nose, allegedly a gift from team-mate Emmanuel Adebayor.
Arsene Wenger's much-vaunted side have hit a turbulent patch and need to sort themselves out pretty sharpish, otherwise they could see their hard work in the first part of the season go to pot.
There were reasons, Spurs fans would say excuses, for the lamentable performance at the Lane. It was a young side and Tottenham scored early meaning Arsenal had to chase the game. Not to mention Juande Ramos' almost supernatural ability in cup football.
But it was not just the defeat, but the manner of the defeat which should send shockwaves through the red half of north London. Arsenal just didn't look up for the fight (again with the exception of Adebayor and Bendtner squaring up, but that doesn't really count).
Wenger's admirable policy of not splashing out tens of millions on ready-made stars may finally be coming unstuck, and it will be interesting to see if he has a little panic in the next few days and brings in a player or two before the transfer window slams shut.
As an example, take a look at his forwards. With Thierry Henry taking his boots and ego to Barcelona in the summer, all eyes would have been on Robin van Persie to make a name for himself this term, but persistent injuries have seen him feature in only 14 games so far.
This leaves a huge burden of responsibility on Togo striker Adebayor and livewire Croatian Eduardo Silva. Although the pair are coping admirably well, who's to say they will remain in form and injury-free for the rest of the season.
And after his comments last week, it's clear Wenger doesn't see Theo Walcott plugging the gap should one of his main men end up on the treatment table.
Again, this could possibly seem a bit harsh seeing as the Gunners are scoring an average of two goals per game in the league at the moment, but it's a point worth making.
So is the absence of Kolo Toure at the African Cup of Nations. Few Arsenal fans will want the Ivory Coast to progress to the latter stages in Ghana, unless they're of the belief that Phillipe Senderos will have to improve...eventually.
The race for the Premier League title is now between three teams and the Gunners look the least prepared of the trio to be lifting the trophy come May.
They must still visit both Old Trafford and Stamford Bridge in the next few months and it will be in these games, rather than the pastings they regularly hand out to the likes of Fulham, where the limits of Wenger's squad could be horribly exposed.
It won't get any easier either. Any one of the FA Cup visit of a King Kev fuelled Magpies side, the daunting Champions League double header against AC Milan, or Tuesday's humbling in the Lilywhite half of north London could turn out to be the straw that broke the camel's back.
Mark Segal