'It needs to stop' - Seething Ange Postecoglou admits Tottenham were 'nowhere near good enough' as Arsenal down Spurs in north London derby

Despite Arsenal’s dominance in the early stages, it was Spurs who opened the scoring. Son Heung-min, Tottenham’s reliable talisman, unleashed a speculative effort in the 25th minute that took a fortunate deflection off an Arsenal defender. The deflection wrong-footed Arsenal goalkeeper, David Raya, gifting Spurs an unlikely lead.

However, Arsenal quickly regained control, responding with relentless pressure. The hosts’ persistence paid off in the 40th minute when a well-executed set-piece led to the equalizer. Declan Rice’s pinpoint delivery found Gabriel in the box, and his header deflected off Dominic Solanke, resulting in an own goal to level the score.

Just minutes later, Arsenal seized the advantage with a clinical finish from Leandro Trossard. The Belgian international struck on the stroke of halftime, sending a low drive that eluded Tottenham goalkeeper Antonin Kinsky and nestled into the far corner. Although Spurs showed some improvement after the break, they were unable to find an equalizer. Pedro Porro came close in the dying minutes, rattling the post with a fierce cross, but Arsenal held firm to secure all three points.

Postecoglou didn’t mince his words when assessing his team’s performance. While speaking to TNT Sports after the match, he said: "Nowhere near good enough, especially in the first half. We were too passive. We let Arsenal dictate the game. The second half was a little better not nowhere near good enough. Not acceptable. Ultimately the responsibility lies with me and how I prepare the players. I'm more interested in how we play and we were not anywhere near the levels today."

With Spurs winless in their last five league games, Postecoglou acknowledged the mounting frustration among fans and players alike.

"Of course, they [defeats] hurt me. Not acceptable," he said. "Too many losses this year. Too many games getting away from us. It needs to stop. No other way of looking at it. If you give up now, there's no point."

The north London derby once again showcased the fierce rivalry between these two sides, but for now, it is Arsenal who can celebrate bragging rights while Tottenham grapple with the need for answers. They face significant challenges as they look to reverse their poor form. Postecoglou’s acknowledgement of the team’s shortcomings signals a commitment to improvement, but Spurs will need results to match their efforts if they are to climb the standings. Spurs will be back in action against Everton on Sunday at Goodison Park in their next Premier League fixture.