Arsenal, having come through the holidays unscathed thanks to a semi miraculous away victory against Everton, had their first real test of the New Year in the form of a first leg Carling Cup tie with Spurs. The Professor has promised-as he did last year-that the Carling Cup will be played out with a youth reserve team and so I pleasantly anticipated the Young Gunners first real test of this year's campaign. A few things have happened in the last two weeks that made the game more significant. First, Lassana Diarra, one of our most talented Young Gunners, has made it clear he's looking to leave and will probably not play again before being transferred. Second, the African Nations Cup took Toure and Eboue from our ranks and so the game was a chance to look at possible replacements. And third, Tottenham are playing well under Juande Ramos and Arsenal still have not lost to them in eight years....

The game began auspiciously for the Gunners, as they established a two-touch rhythm and switched the field of play well, but after ten minutes Tottenham's pressure began to change the shape of the field in their favor. I am sad about the Diarra situation because I think he is very good. It sounds to me like Wenger told him he would play, meaning he would play Carling Cup, and Diarra misconstrued that into thinking he would play with the first team right off, or at least after one or two good showings. That is not how Wenger works. The upshot was that Denilson started in the middle with the grouchy Gilberto Silva, the only old-timer on the roster. The Young Gunners had handled Sheffield United, Newcastle, and Blackburn en route the semi-final and have played some very good football characterized by tremendous forward play from Bendtner and Eduardo and excellent playmaking from Diarra and Diaby. Losing Diarra and replacing him with Gilberto made a difference that was noticeable midway through the first half as Spurs put a strangle hold on the midfield.

Anyone who watched Arsenal last year knows the fear and loathing that comes from having Senderos and Djourou together in the back. I am all for things Swiss, but the likes of their Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum operation makes you realize that Wenger does sometimes have blind spots. Neither player moves his feet well and neither is good on headballs. They have a habit of muffing clears and of letting balls go over their heads. Senderos always looks like he's trying so hard but trying to do what? And Djourou does not play with a sense of urgency or the abundance of talent that might make up for his lack of it. The result was that Berbatov and Keane received balls to their feet in the hole at will. Neither Denilson nor Gilberto covered enough ground to shrink that space but it was really the two center backs who over and over again looked ridiculously vulnerable.

Tottenham went ahead in the 37th minute as a result of a compounded error. Djourou mishit a headball and then watched as the ball fell to Berbatov's feet. In that sleepy moment Robbie Keane took off at his shoulder and ran into the seam between him and Senderos, who was caught square and flat-footed by Berbatov's excellent through pass. Keane streaked clear. Djourou did not recover back in time to cover, and Senderos' saving challenge never materialized as Keane coolly slipped to the through-running Jenas who side-footed home the goal all alone. Where was Gilberto Silva? You could have asked that all night really.

From that point on Spurs put the Young Gunners under massive pressure and the game was stuck at one end of the field. Arsenal tried to play out of the back but Diaby, who had a sleepy and immature game, and Denilson, who was nearly invisible, either failed to find the ball or, when they did, failed to provide service for V. Persie and Bendtner up top. Walcott drifted in and out on the right. Berbatov and Keane made Djourou and Senderos look like spectators and Jenas, goal-inspired, covered a lot of ground. Arsenal was massively lucky to go to the locker room down only one goal. I was furious. Mostly at Senderos, Gilberto, and Diaby. Senderos seemed to be trying but think about if Jaap Stam always arrived late and never won headballs and you sort of have an idea about the kind of player he is. If Gilberto were a race horse he would have one foreleg firmly planted in the glue factory. He does not tackle or cover ground as he once did, and he has never been a brave passer or a creative player on the ball. Now he looks downtrodden to boot. And Diaby, who has been the heart of this team, was not physical, did not show well for the ball, and could not set his sights on goal when he was near it.

Wenger uncharacteristically pulled Djourou at the half. That is stern punishment from the Professor, who must have been disgusted by what he saw in the back during the first half. I think Senderos escaped the wrath only because he's slightly higher on the pecking order. Sagna came in and Hoyte moved inside and the team was immediately more stable in defense. Eudardo replaced V. Persie, who is still working towards full fitness after his knee surgery.

The game, though, was still Tottenham's to lose and it was cruel medicine to watch this hopeful youth side turn to mush in front of the home crowd at Emirates. The linking play in the midfield was gone. Spurs deserve credit here. Jenas and Malbranque worked hard and the newly promoted O'Hara, a brave Ramos selection, played well in the Beckham/Bentley crossing wing role. Ramos is a cool customer and he will turn Spurs, I have no doubt. He benched Robinson and he has Ledley King anchoring the back and O'Hara coming into the team. Rattling the cage a bit and making players work hard. Even Aaron Lennon played with purpose. Lennon, Jenas, and Huddlestone are underworked and overrated, but they are all three potentially devastating players.

Eduardo and Bendtner had no service at all and Tottenham continued to make chances and half chances if not clear looks at the goal. Fabianski was a bit shaky in Arsenal's goal, misreading some passes, distributing erratically, and losing on some high balls, but he also made a few very solid stops.

Arsenal managed to equalize in the 78th minute against the run of play when Eduardo took a very well struck pass from Sagna in the hole, turned, and threaded Walcott through between King and Dawson. Walcott scuffed his strike off the defender's leg and it miraculously bounced back off his chest and past the frozen keeper into the net. 1-1.

Tottenham's best chance of the half came just after. Robbie Keane gave way to Defoe. Senderos rashly tried to catch Berbatov offside and the Bulgarian held his run and then received in acres of space on the left wing. He played a magic ball into Defoe's path and having just come in the game, Jermaine could not organize his feet well enough to bury it, missing just over the bar.

Arsenal played their best game in the last ten minutes and Eduardo and Bendtner looked more dangerous as Diaby sort of woke up, which could only make him look worse on tape tomorrow by showing how crappy he'd been before.

The game ended that way. Totally unfair to Spurs. No harm no foul but troubling signs for the Gunners, who have been blessed all season. You don't know what you're missing til it's gone. This game gave me miserable flashbacks to last year and the thought that Toure, Adebayor, and Eboue are gone for a couple months is terrifying. Who will play alongside Gallas? Senderos? Yeeesh. Who will step in to the role Diarra was vying for, providing creative energy and solid linking play whenever Fabregas is not on the field? Denilson? And where will our footspeed and possession come from up top? Walcott?

All questions to ponder my fellow Gooners. One thing is for certain though. Eduardo is money.