But for the fourth time in the clubs’ last three meetings, Arsenal scored from a corner, Gabriel’s header creeping in at the far post via a touch from Dominic Solanke.
There is no shame in losing by a single goal to this Arsenal side given Spurs’ absences (which, in spite of the pre-match narrative, still comfortably outnumbered their rivals’), but another defeat continued their dreadful form in the league.
Spurs are progressing well in the cups but it is now just one win in nine top-flight matches since the 4-0 victory over Manchester City in November – and that was over basement club Southampton.
Spurs have taken just one point from the last five league matches and five from the last available 27, also including draws with Fulham and Wolves.
Arsenal may be Set-Piece FC but Spurs are set to be Cup FC for the remainder of the campaign, with their hopes of success resting on the knockout competitions.
A place in the Premier League top five is surely out of reach already, with Spurs trailing Chelsea by 13 points, and there are even double digits separating Ange Postecoglou’s side from eighth-placed Bournemouth.
They remain in a strong position in the Europa League, so their season has every chance of being successful and even historic.
But their bleak mid-winter injury crisis and a wretched run in the league has all but ended their hopes of anything more than a mid-table finish, barring a truly spectacular turnaround.
Next up is a trip to David Moyes’ Everton on Sunday, with Spurs increasingly looking over their shoulders rather than up the table.
Spurs overpowered by physical rivals
Arsenal’s back four of Jurrien Timber, Gabriel, William Saliba and teenager Myles Lewis-Skelly, and the shielding Declan Rice, were all outstanding, overpowering Spurs’ meek forwards time and again.
The visitors actually navigated the first 20 minutes well, dealing with Arsenal’s aerial barrage and threatening on the break, with Dejan Kulusevski drawing a fine save from David Raya before Son’s deflected strike.
But there was an inevitability about Arsenal’s leveller, even if it was contentious because the hosts should not have been awarded the corner from which they scored.
The Arsenal pressure was just too great and that was largely because Spurs’ forwards could not hold up the ball. Son, Kulusevski and Solanke consistently lost possession, leading to wave after red wave of attacks.
They looked jaded and ineffective, and the whole side was too passive, allowing Arsenal to play almost every phase of the game on their terms.
There will be questions of Spurs’ leadership and mentality again – particularly after conceding twice in four minutes – but this was a timely reminder that Arsenal are arguably the best off-the-ball side in Europe, capable of smothering their opponents.
Kinsky’s difficult debut
It has been quite the introduction to English football for Antonin Kinsky, who followed up clean sheets against Liverpool and Tamworth in the cups with his Premier League bow.
For the second time in four days, the young Czech faced an aerial bombardment, Tamworth’s long throws making way for Arsenal’s deadly set-pieces.
As the hosts laid siege to Spurs’ goal in the first half, Kinsky asserted himself well, coming for corners and crosses with more authority than Guglielmo Vicario, with whom he will compete for the shirt when the Italian returns to fitness.
He was also confident (bordering on the cocky) with his feet and refused to be rattled by a hairy moment when he was tackled by Kai Havertz when dawdling on the ball midway through the first half.
He could, though, have done better for Rice’s ball, which looped all the way to the back post, and was also at fault for Trossard’s strike, which took an awkward bobble and went through Kinsky’s outstretched hand. The 21-year-old buried his head in the turf, conscious that it was likely to be a costly moment.
Kinsky exudes main character energy and has already shaken up Spurs in a positive way. But a 2-1 defeat will go down as a difficult top-flight debut for the new signing.
