Arsenal 0-2 Tottenham: 4 talking points from the North London derby

#1 Emery still has issues to fix

Emery still has some problems to worry about at Arsenal

Arsenal have faced a lot of accusations over the last few seasons with most of them being justified, as the club fell dramatically from the previous heights it once occupied atop the English football hierarchy.

Unai Emery arrived and the consecutive victories and unbeaten run helped bring in a feel-good factor to the club, but beyond the wins lay a lot of issues which still persist.

In 17 EPL matches this season, Arsenal have shockingly not taken a half-time lead, instead showing resilience to rally after the break, with the club having won more matches in the second half this season than any other team.

Another drawback under Emery has also been the porosity of Arsenal’s defense, as the Gunners have conceded 23 goals in just 17 matches, which is a poor reflection when brought against the seven and ten conceded by Liverpool and Man City respectively.

Against Spurs, both issues were fatally exposed, as Spurs dominated proceedings in the first half, while also nullifying the supposed second-half rally by scoring a goal of their own.

The defense also had issues, as Emery was forced to field a weakened backline due to injuries, and even Koscielny’s introduction after the break did little to help matters as he was responsible for playing Dele Alli onside in the buildup to Spurs second goal.

Unai Emery must find a way to fix these defensive issues as well as the inability to come to life in the first half for Arsenal and the earlier he does it, the better for the club.