Arsenal Reflect on Derby Day with Both Pride and Disappointment

In the cold light of day, when the emotional tumult of the north London derby has cleared, Arsenal will reflect on their 2-2 draw with Tottenham Hotspur with a curious mixture of feelings. There will be disappointment but also pride.

Saturday's was a game Arsenal should arguably have won and yet did well not to lose.

In the opening 20 minutes, it looked as if Arsenal might get blown away. In an electric atmosphere, Tottenham set about their business with a frenetic energy. Were it not for a brilliant save from deputy goalkeeper David Ospina, the Gunners would certainly have fallen behind to an Erik Lamela opener after 25 minutes.

However, once that early flurry had passed, Arsenal began to settle. Their possession game slowly got going, and the likes of Danny Welbeck and Alexis Sanchez began to influence the game and provide them with a threat in attack. It was the former who played a key role in helping Arsenal take the lead, sprinting down the left before cutting the ball back into the path of Hector Bellerin.

The Spaniard arguably ought to have shot—instead, he played a pass across goal toward Aaron Ramsey. The ball was slightly behind the Welshman, but he produced an outrageous flick to beat Hugo Lloris and give the Gunners the lead.

Shaun Botterill/Getty Images

Suddenly, the pattern of the game changed. Arsenal grew in conviction, while Tottenham waned. Spurs’ latent inferiority complex began to resurface, and Wenger’s men might even have extended their lead.

Then the game took another dramatic twist. So much hinged on the sending off of Francis Coquelin. In recent weeks, the supporters' ire has been directed primarily at manager Arsene Wenger. This time, it’s the French midfielder who will have to take responsibility for costing the Gunners points.

With the game going their way at 1-0, Coquelin foolishly picked up a second booking soon after half-time to leave his side defending their lead with just 10 men.

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In truth, both bookings were unnecessary. The first was for deliberate handball, grasping to clutch the ball to his chest after tumbling to the ground close to the halfway line. The second was for a desperate lunge at Harry Kane on the touchline. At any time it would be a risky challenge—when carrying a booking, it was pure idiocy.

However, Arsenal’s manager seemed relatively relaxed about Coquelin’s error. Speaking to the club's official website, Wenger said:

"

I didn’t have to say a lot to him after that tackle. He made a mistake and he knows he made a big mistake. At half time we warned him as well and it was a mistake. He wanted to do well and mistimed his tackle and got sent off. You cannot complain about it.

He made a mistake and he has to quickly learn from that because at a top level it is full commitment and 100 per cent in all the duels in a controlled way. He got a yellow card because he made a mistake to go down on the tackle.

"

Wenger seems understanding of Coquelin’s misdemeanour. Had Arsenal lost the game, his reaction might have been different.

In the seven minutes following Coquelin’s dismissal, Arsenal conceded two goals to turn the game on its head. Almost immediately, Spurs were in control.

At that stage, it looked impossible for the Gunners to get back into the game. Chasing an equaliser was laced with risk—a man down, Arsenal would be vulnerable every time they committed men forward.

However, this was a day on which Wenger gambled effectively. His initial team selection was adventurous, naming Welbeck as a central striker and pushing Ramsey back to right wing with Mohamed Elneny making his first Premier League start in the middle of the park.

Then, when Arsenal were chasing the game, he deployed an attacking formation. Arsenal used a 4-4-1 system, but their midfield four consisted of Welbeck, Alexis, Mesut Ozil and Ramsey. It was a cavalier approach, and one that paid dividends when another Bellerin assist found Alexis and the Chilean tucked home the equaliser.

Paul Gilham/Getty Images

Given the circumstances they found themselves in when Kane’s wonder goal put Spurs 2-1 ahead, Arsenal will be delighted to have come away from White Hart Lane with a point. It’s a result that means they stay three points behind their local rivals in second—although they have lost ground on leaders Leicester City, who are now eight points clear of the Gunners.

Nevertheless, considering Arsenal’s poor form heading into the game—they had lost their previous two league mathces—his is undoubtedly a decent point. Most Arsenal fans would surely have accepted this outcome prior to kick-off.

However, they’ll also be left wondering what might have been. When the game was 11 vs. 11, there were no obvious signs of a Spurs comeback. Had Coquelin remained on the field, Arsenal might be level with their neighbours and just six points off top spot. Only time will tell how costly Coquelin’s indiscipline will be.

Speaking to the club website, Wenger’s sense of conflict was clear:

"

We refused to lose the game. We have as well big regrets because I could not see how 11 against 11 could have dropped points today. We made a mistake at 1-0 when it was 11 against 11 but even though we had a shock loss and it went to 2-1, we refused to lose the game. 

"

What Arsenal must hope is they’re able to use this result as a springboard for improvement. There are certainly elements of their performance they should look to retain.

Welbeck gave an impressive demonstration of centre-forward play, running the channels superbly and offering a constant outlet for his team-mates. Elneny, meanwhile, produced a tidy and tenacious display in midfield. Both players deserve to retain their place when Arsenal resume Premier League duties. 

The ultimate positive is this draw keeps Arsenal’s slim hopes of winning the league alive. Had Arsenal lost to Spurs, their entire season would have threatened to unravel. As it is, they will still feel they can reel in their rivals.

Between now and the end of the season, each of Tottenham, Leicester and Arsenal seem likely to drop points. It’s the team that can be most consistent that will emerge triumphant. As Wenger told his club's site: "Everybody drops points so let’s see what happens. ... I think we have to take encouragement from our performance today and we have to produce that until the end of the season then we might have a chance."

It would be a huge exaggeration to say Arsenal looked like champions against Spurs. However, they did not look like the bottlers who turned up at Old Trafford the previous Sunday. If they’re to stand any chance of winning the league, the Gunners must set aside their regrets and use this result as a foundation upon which to build.

James McNicholas is Bleacher Report's lead Arsenal correspondent and is following the club from a London base throughout 2015/16. Follow him on Twitter here.