Arsenal Vs Spurs: Asking the difficult question

Arsenal were brilliant in their 2-0 win over Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday. But it’s time to ask the difficult question: Why can’t they do this every week?

Arsenal were phenomenal against Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday. They dominated the game from start to finish, they constricted the dangerous Spurs’ attack and carved open what was thought to be a disciplined and organised defence, and they were utterly deserving of the 2-0 scoreline.

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And in the aftermath of the result, few have questioned such conclusions. Indeed, Arsene Wenger has been widely praised for the strategy that he implemented, and his players have been celebrated for the near faultless execution of that strategy.

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But, although their display vindicated such a response, there is a question of consistency that justifiably surfaces. Why can a collection of such talented players that are clearly capable of performances like the one on Saturday consistently fail to match that level of performance, ultimately scuppering any chance of a genuine and sustained title challenge? Why can’t they play like this every game?

Now, of course, it would be unreasonable to expect any team to play at or near their best every single week. It is an unattainable and unrealistic target. But the variance of Arsenal performances is extremely concerning. Contrast, for example, their performance in Saturday’s win against Spurs to their performance in the four-goal dismantling from Liverpool in August. They look like two completely different teams.

This is a question that Wenger must provide an answer for. It is he who believes that his squad is capable of challenging for titles. He has said so on numerous occasions himself. But if they cannot regularly replicate their best, or at least something close to it, then how can he make such a claim with even an element of seriousness?

Arsenal now face a run of extremely winnable fixtures. Other than welcoming Manchester United to the Emirates in early December, they do not face a top-six team until the festive period, when they play both Liverpool and Chelsea at home. Their next two games, for example, come against Burnley and Huddersfield Town.

If this is a title-challenging team — take that description with a grain of salt given the blistering form of Manchester City –, then they must win both games. That is not agiven. Both can be stubborn opponents, especially Burnley, if allowed to be.

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Ultimately, while impressive, the North London derby is only worth as much as next weekend’s trip to Turf Moor. They both get the same amount of points. The Gunners must perform like they did on Saturday every single week. Otherwise, the difficult question of consistency and commitment will persist.