Derby stroll raises questions of Sherwood

Arsenal 2 Tottenham 0

If an FA charge follows for the club being unable to control their fans then it really will ensure this was the game where everything that could have gone wrong did go wrong.

Outnumbered in midfield, out-thought everywhere on the pitch and, to put it simply, outclassed throughout, the only solace for Spurs was that Arsenal did not extend the winning margin.

Goals from Santi Cazorla and Tomas Rosicky were enough to ensure Arsenal cruised into an FA Cup fourth round tie at home to Coventry, but this was a day that raised legitimate worries about Tottenham and their new head coach, Tim Sherwood.

There is no disgrace in losing to Arsene Wenger’s side but Sherwood’s comments afterwards were bizarre. “I didn’t see us playing 4-4-2,” he said when asked about a formation that to the majority of observers seemed to be a simple 4-4-2.

“We just had 11 numbers on the field and tried to fill up every area of the field. I don’t know what you are saying about 4-4-2.

“What did we learn today? That we can mix it with the very best in the league. They never got disgraced.”

Not disgraced, but the gulf in class was clear. Arsenal have something of an Indian sign over Tottenham at present, having won their past four games against them at the Emirates — two of them 5-2.

“We showed a lot of character and we kept going,” said full-back Kyle Walker. “We came here previously and it has been higher than 2-0.”

That really does make it small mercies for Spurs, whose mood contrasted sharply with Arsenal’s.

In Serge Gnabry the hosts had the best player on the field which, considering he is just 18, only served to underline the German’s immense talent.

Gnabry is, along with 16-year-old Gedion Zelalem, considered to be the brightest young prospect in Arsenal’s squad and as he ran directly and powerfully at Tottenham’s retreating defence it was not hard to see why.

“He’s like a little boxer, a fighter,” said Mikel Arteta, admiringly. “Technically he is very good.”

This is an Arsenal team that are learning to win in very different fashions. Their past four games have seen a come-from-behind win at West Ham, a scrappy 1-0 victory at Newcastle, a last-gasp win over Cardiff and a fine team display against Tottenham.

That variety brings with it reasons for genuine optimism that what has seemed to be an inevitable collapse will not happen. There has been a blip but the team have recovered well and are still top of the Premier League. With four winnable league games to come before a trip to Anfield, the run could continue.

“Sometimes you can’t always play your best and you have to still win games,” said Jack Wilshere.

“You have seen the likes of Manchester United and Chelsea do that in the past and we are doing it now.

“Towards the end of last season we had to get results. We went and got them. Something clicked towards the end of last season when we knew we had to get fourth.

“There were games we weren’t playing well in but we were still winning. That has carried on this season.

“We know what we can do. There is great character in this squad, a great team spirit. I think that is massive. We are genuine friends off the pitch. We have a mix of cultures — German, English, Spanish — but we all get on.”

That helps, but it is hard not to think the squad still needs an addition or two this month. Four players were injured on Saturday; those to Arteta, Gnabry and Thomas Vermaelen are not thought to be serious, but Walcott will have a scan on a knee injury.

If he is out for even a fortnight the options going forward are limited, but Wenger will not be drawn on whether he has a signing up his sleeve.

He admits to making an enquiry for Robert Lewandowski only to be told the Borussia Dortmund striker had already signed for Bayern Munich, but if his players finish as Cazorla and Rosicky did here there is nothing to worry about.

The first came after a fine passing move, the second as Rosicky robbed Danny Rose on halfway, sprinted forward and chipped Hugo Lloris.

There were numerous other chances, while Spurs had nothing other than an early Christian Eriksen shot which was saved by Lukasz Fabianski.

Emmanuel Adebayor and Roberto Soldado were woeful up front, while not much went right behind them. In the end, it added up to another disaster derby day in the white half of North London.

ARSENAL: Fabianski 6, Sagna 7, Koscielny 7, Vermaelen 7 (Mertesacker, 45; 7), Monreal 8, Arteta 8 (Ozil, 75; 7), Rosicky 8, Wilshere 8 (Flamini, 71; 7), Cazorla 8, Gnabry 9, Walcott 8.

TOTTENHAM: Lloris 5, Walker 5, Dawson 5, Chiriches 5, Rose 4, Dembele 6, Bentaleb 6, Eriksen 5, Lennon 5, Adebayor 5, Soldado 4 (Chadli, 63; 6).

Referee: Mark Clattenburg.