Arsenal's Demolition of Tottenham Reveals Nothing We Didn't Already Know

Martin Samuel of The Times has made a startling discovery: Tottenham are not very good. Remarkable stuff, really, particularly given that they've managed just two wins in 17 Premier League matches so far in 2026.

The Times columnist was moved to declare that Arsenal had "exposed" Spurs' troubles following Sunday's north London derby, suggesting their contemptuous performance might encourage other sides to treat the Lilywhites similarly. A curious observation, given that Burnley have already shown no inclination to treat Tottenham as serious opposition.

The facts speak plainly enough. Spurs haven't registered a single Premier League victory in 2026. Arsenal's display was one befitting a team playing the 16th-best outfit in the division—worse than Crystal Palace, Fulham, and Brentford, Samuel reckons. He suggests opponents might now "cotton on" to this reality, as though West Ham hadn't already done so by beating them barely a month prior.

The columnist waxes nostalgic about Tottenham's Super League ambitions, when they rubbed shoulders with Real Madrid and Barcelona. Yet that overlooks an inconvenient detail: on the day the Super League was announced in April 2021, Spurs sat above Arsenal in the table. They remain ninth in the Deloitte Money League, a ranking that still carries considerably more weight than their current Premier League standing.

As for Arsenal's coronation? Samuel suggests that if they play like this and win their remaining fixtures, the title is theirs. Mathematically sound, though it conveniently glosses over their inability to win at the Etihad under Mikel Arteta, with their last victory there coming in January 2015. City, meanwhile, retain a game in hand and meet Arsenal at the Etihad on April 18.

The columnist's breathless praise of Arsenal's second-half performance rather ignores that they drew with pretty-much-relegated Wolves the previous week. The narrative around Sunday's match has perhaps grown somewhat overblown.

Tottenham's next assignment takes them to Fulham, a side they've already lost to this season. Fulham have won more games, scored more goals, and sit six places higher. Whether they choose to administer another reality check remains to be seen.

Here's the uncomfortable truth Samuel seems reluctant to acknowledge: the best team in England beat the 16th-best team in England. It tells us nothing we didn't already know about either. Spurs have been showing us their true colours for nearly two seasons now. No secret exposure required.