Review: Spurs 2 - Arsenal 1

So it's over. It had to end somewhere, sometime, and well - it sure sucks for it to have happened at White Hart Lane. Our record of not having lost to them in league since 1999 had to end too, and it sucks even worse to know that we lost when it mattered the most to have won.

Before I get into the game itself, allow me to get a few things off me chest (besides some rather troublesome phlegm from my cough and cold):

First. We simply weren't good enough by a long shot this season. Both in the league and the Champions League. Consider this. We did badly both home and away to the three top-level teams we encountered this season: Man U, Chelski and Barca. You can't hope to compete with them if you can't even make your home your fortress. Turn the two (bad) losses at home to Man U and Chelski to wins, and we'll be top to the table.

Second. We weren't good enough against the second-tier teams away from home. Consider Manciti, where we got horribly turned over. Spurs last night. Porto in the Champions League. That we did slightly better against the likes of Aston Villa and Pool only points to the fact that really, they aren't quite there yet. The table now tells the tale.

Third. Where did we go wrong? Injuries? Bollocks of course. Let's be frank, many were just not good enough, and more importantly, not good enough on a consistent level, and when it counted most. This would include: (a) the time between Messi's 3rd and 4th goals last week, and (b) from the time Spurs scored last night till RVP finally came on. If we can't raise our games during such times, then Wenger and the team will have to have a long hard look at themselves.

So to the game. Yes, there was that wonder goal, and for the next hour or so, we seemed to be lost in the moment, still reliving the wonder of the wondrous goal in our collective minds. Ah, the likes of Diaby, Denilson, Eboue - did what they did best: trot out their mediocre-est best in the biggest games of the season. Of course, there was Silvestre, who contributed to the wondrous defending (courtesy too of Eboue). But let's not even get into how bad our central defence is with him around. Thank god for Sol. He seemed to be the only one up for the game, until RVP finally came on. (Somebody tell me why Wenger waited till the 68th minute, a full 20 minutes after the second goal, to send him on). Having watched Chelski amble past Bolton the night before, I found myself wondering on too many occasions: just why is Jack Wilshere running his arse off for Bolton, when we have Denilson being the lazy arse as usual? And a word on Almunia. Yes, that Danny Rose goal was a thing of beauty. But was it me? Was Almunia not standing directly in line with the shot? Was it not at most - head height? If he'd just stood up, he'd have saved it with his face. But alas - that was probably it. He ducked.

So we have shit performances from the likes identified above. Nasri had an indifferent night, barely able to get anything going in the middle of the pitch and anwhere else. Rosicky tried, but was guilty of some woeful final touches. Poor Bent Nick suffered for lack of any sort of service, and never really got the opportunity to do what he does best. When he did get something useful to work with (twice), he nearly scored with one chance, and scored with the other. My two men of the match: Sol and RVP. Sol was immense, and suffered from TV's absence. RVP showed us just how he is head and shoulders above anyone else in the current team. Just brillant. But we only had 20 minutes of it. If the game and season wasn't worth the risk of having him on for more than that, then it shows just how lost Wenger is.

Let's get this straight. Spurs weren't necessarily the better team on the night. They were just the team that wanted it more. Which says a lot. Could Wenger see it?

So now in the aftermath of the game, Wenger throws the gauntlet down to the boys in white, and challenges them to do the deed to Chelski: "If Tottenham want to fight for the Champions League, they can show they have the quality to do it." Erm. Someone. Anyone. Please tell Mr Wenger we got embarassingly turned over home and away by Chelski this season. Do we then deserve to be in the Champions League? I fully expect Spurs to get turned over - by at least two goals. Let's not kid ourselves. Spurs weren't great. They just wanted it more. And we know who will want it more when Chelski travel to White Hart Lane, and who will of course have the difference in quality.

The season's over. Let's just hope we have it in us to consolidate 3rd - which is no longer a given, with Manciti's game in hand, and their game with us. Second? Well, that looks out of our league right now.