SOCCER/English League Cup Semi-final (first leg)/Arsenal 1 Tottenham 1:A draw at Arsenal in the first leg of a English League Cup semi-final ought to be highly satisfying, but it would be dangerous to put any such proposition to Tottenham Hotspur.
No matter how stiff upper lips may be, they will realise that they ought to have won a north London derby for the first time since November 1999.
For once the young Arsenal line-up was made to look callow and, with Dimitar Berbatov majestic, the visitors should have held more than a 1-0 lead granted them by Jermaine Jenas.
Then, with 11 minutes to go, the Arsenal sub Eduardo aimed a pass to Theo Walcott and Lee Young-Pyo's challenge deflected the ball off the teenager and into the net.
Tottenham could have been ahead once more, but Jermain Defoe hit Aaron Lennon's cross over the bar. This, nonetheless, had been a good display by them and there was evidence of the purposeful approach being taken at the club.
In view of Tottenham's record in this fixture, it might seem no bad thing for a goalkeeper to be safely ensconced in the dug-out, but Paul Robinson, despite the status conferred by 41 caps for Engand, will be brooding on the peril his career is in at the club.
Following a series of mistakes so prolonged it was as monotonous as it was demoralising, his place in the line-up went to the Czech veteran Radek Cerny.
While Robinson therefore had no prospect of impressing the new England manager, it might have been better not to let Fabio Capello get a look at his current form in person.
Meanwhile, on the Arsenal side, goalkeeper Jens Lehmann has agreed terms with Borussia Dortmund, according to the Bundesliga club - though Wenger last night denied any deal had been agreed.
Either way, a transfer is unlikely to be confirmed in the next couple of days, as the 38-year-old has personal issues to resolve.
Arsenal's own second-string goalkeeper, Lukasz Fabianski, had been well-exercised before he was at last beaten in the 38th minute. For once, the normal fledgling selection deployed in this competition could not disguise its limitation.
Whatever Tottenham may lack elsewhere, they can be oustanding in attack so long as Berbatov is in action.
When the Arsenal centre back Johan Djourou made an unsatisfactory clearing header the Bulgarian nonchalantly flipped the ball down the left and Robbie Keane, who had kept himself onside, rolled a cross into the middle for Jenas to convert.
Tottenham, conscious of the lead they now held, were marginally more cautious after the goal, but were still committed to proving that maturity counts even when the opposition are so precocious.
Arsenal, despite having home advantage and whatever counsel Wenger had given in the dressingroom, could not immediately alter the tenor of the game after the break.
The visitors might have been anticipating their first clean sheet since their 2-0 victory at Manchester City in the quarter-final.
Ramos' team had shipped 10 goals since then, two of them in a loss at the Emirates in the Premier League. Tottenham, though, had not really deserved defeat that afternoon.
With Ledley King gradually settling back into the defence after such a protracted absence through injury, Ramos may now discern the makings of stability.
Arsenal certainly struggled to unsettle them here.
ARSENAL:Fabianski, Justin Hoyte, Djourou (Sagna 46), Senderos, Traore, Walcott (Randall 90), Denilson, Silva, Diaby, Van Persie (Eduardo 46), Bendtner. Subs not used:Mannone, Gavin Hoyte.
TOTTENHAM:Cerny, Chimbonda, Dawson, King, Lee, Lennon, Jenas, O'Hara, Malbranque (Boateng 77), Berbatov, Keane (Defoe 83). Subs not used:Robinson, Stalteri, Taarabt.
Referee:M Dean (Wirral).
