nge Postecoglou had predicted there would be two possible storylines from his first north London derby.
If his Tottenham side won, they would be declared emphatically on the right track; but if they were beaten by a more experienced Arsenal, it would show how far they still have to go.
In the end, it was a little of column A and little from column B, as Spurs earned an exhilarating 2-2 draw, demonstrating their remarkable progress under the Australian but confirming there remains work to do.
On the whole, it has to go down as a hugely encouraging result and performance by Postecoglou’s new-look team, who showed their strength of character to twice equalise through Heung-min Son after Arsenal took the lead through Cristian Romero’s own goal and then a Bukayo Saka penalty.
Postecoglou had said his side’s display would ultimately be important than the outcome, urging his players to be brave and “measure” themselves against their rivals by sticking to his high-risk, attacking approach.
He will therefore have been enormously pleased by the way the visitors continued to play out from the back, in spite of some hairy moments in the first half, and kept looking to pass their way through an Arsenal side who are four years further ahead in their development.
They went toe-to-toe with last season’s runners-up, suggesting their fast start under Postecoglou has not been down to merely average opponents and that they will be genuine contenders for a top-four place – or perhaps more.
Once again, James Maddison was outstanding and decisive, creating both Son’s goals with fine pieces of play. For the first equaliser, he turned Saka inside out on the left flank – an element of revenge after the Arsenal winger had borrowed his darts celebration after making the opening goal – and crossed for Son, before sliding in the Korean after dispossessing sub Jorginho.
Son, too, looks transformed from last season, back to his clinical best in front of goal. His fourth and fifth goals of the campaign already mean he is half-way to last season’s total in the top-flight, and compensating for the loss of Harry Kane, the top scorer in the history of this fixture.
It was another team effort from Spurs, though, and most encouraging for Postecoglou was the way his players did not lose their nerve, even as their approach often proved more risky than rewarding at the Emirates.
There were uncomfortable moments at the back, notably when Maddison was dispossessed by Gabriel Jesus on the edge of his own box at 1-0, but Spurs stuck to their task, never straying from Postecoglou’s approach or letting their heads drop.
Given this is still just game seven for Postecoglou, everyone associated with the club can take enormous heart from the continuation of their unbeaten start, this time against an undoubtedly top-level opponent.
A blip will come soon – perhaps even next weekend at home to Liverpool – but crucially it was not against Arsenal, and Spurs were the happier side at full-time.
