Alas, how swift the dreams had been dashed. To be sure, I didn’t expect Tottenham to be in such bad shape even though it has been one downhill ride ever since their moment of triumph – three wins out of their 20 Premier League matches since February and a pathetic five league goals this season.

To those who proclaim that Tottenham is too “illustrious” to be floundering in Division One, past stastitics will be helpful in debunking this myth. History shows that there is only one team (Southamption in 1998/99) to avoid the drop with such a dismal record of two or fewer points from the opening eight matches.

Despite mounting criticisms of Juande Ramos as Tottenham remain entrenched at the bottom of the Premier League table, I still maintain a healthy respect for Ramos’s abilities and experience in steering the team out of their malaise. After all, Tottenham are only five points adrift of safety and they could be out of danger once they put together a run of positive results.

But the shocker finally came when I witnessed the capitulation of Tottenham last week. The fact that Tottenham could not muster the wherewithal to defeat Stoke City (just sitting one notch above Tottenham and also a firm favorite for relegation) reflected the urgency of the crisis in their worst start to a league season since 1912.

Juande Ramos’s decision to leave Ledley King out of his starting line-up at Britannia Stadium is highly suspect. Tottenham is currently lacking in confidence, and defeating Stoke City in style will have kickstarted their sputtering season and bring back smiles to the fans. However, when faced with his team’s best chance to turn around their fortune and earn the precious three points, Ramos chose not to go all out for a victory.

King’s importance to the Tottenham squad cannot be understated, his absence coincided with 13 of the 16 defeats Spurs had suffered thus far. As if to mock the wisdom of Ramos, in the 19th minute, Tottenham’s castle fell for the most elementary of errors. Gareth Bale was sent off for scything down Tom Soares and Danny Higginbotham slotted home the ensuing penalty.

Strangely, Bale’s departure sparked a revival in Tottenham and their spirited response finally earned them an equalizer. Darren Bent capitalized on Alan Hutton’s deflected cross and scored from close range. It was a fortunate goal as Bent was in an offside position but still, drawing level was well deserved for their efforts.

The scale was once again tipped in Stoke City’s favor as Spurs defense was caught napping in the 53rd minute. Rory Delap’s winner handed Stoke the upper hand and Tottenham did not get back into the game thereafter. In fact, towards the end of the match, Tottenham was left hanging on the ropes by a rampant Stoke City.

Soares was bundled to the ground by Jonathan Woodgate and from the resulting penalty taken by Ricardo Fuller, the ball cannoned off both posts, while Delap’s follow-up shuddered the bar. Scarcely had Tottenham heaved a sigh of relief when Dawson saw red for a reckless lunge on Sidibe. Spurs was spared further embarrassment as Fuller curled the effort against the bar.

Clearly, Stoke City dealt with the insipid Spurs handily in this 2-1 victory and fans are understandably frustrated. Top on the list of villains are manager Juande Ramos and sporting director Damien Comolli. It is a toss-up who will be sacked first but even if there is no imminent change, I presume the axe will continue to hang over their heads in the coming weeks.

Points will be hard to come by with Bolton and then Arsenal (on 29 October) standing in the way. The Gunners had not tasted defeat against Tottenham in 18 games stretching back to 1993. Tottenham’s ordeal will continue against Liverpool (another tough nut to crack), which remained unbeaten in nine of their previous games. In between, Tottenham had to make a trip to Italy to square off with Udinese, second in Serie A, in a Uefa Cup group game.

To add to their woes, Spurs could be down to their bare bones as Gareth Bale and Michael Dawson now face bans after their red cards at Stoke and Vedran Corluka was knocked unconscious. The only piece of good news for Ramos came when Corluka was given the all-clear on Sunday.

Nevertheless, Ramos options for shoring up his defense remains limited. Captain Ledley King can only play “one game every two or three weeks” because of an ongoing problem with his left knee. Tottenham urgently need a leader of King’s calibre on the pitch who can pull the strings and inject a calming influence over the jittery defense. Without a steady back line, there is very little the goalkeeper can do either.

Ramos will not have expected that he left a cosy job at Sevilla to become a reviled personality at Spurs and now his fate depends on the whims and fancies of Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy and his board of directors. Ironically, it was Stoke manager Tony Pulis who rode to the rescue by offering a voice of reason.

Pulis urged the Tottenham board to stick with Ramos, saying: “Let’s see a bit of character by their board of directors and see them back him. We are all in the same boat and know the rules and have to accept it. I just hope the chairman who got rid of a very popular manager before – Martin Jol – now backs him and gives him a chance to turn it around.”

“They certainly have good enough players and a good depth of squad. They will get it sorted out sooner rather than later and when they do they will be a very tough team to play against.”

While Juande Ramos put the team’s failure down to two red cards and injuries, I think the problem is far more serious. There is a lack of direction from the manager causing the players to be confused about their proper roles in the team and none of his charges exhibit a strong desire to win or at least fight for points.

So far, certain decisions taken by Ramos are highly questionable. Take David Bentley. He is not a mainstay in Ramos’s plan and on the few occasions when he clocked some playing time, he was deprived of his beloved right midfield role. While I have little argument with Aaron Lennon occupying that position, I cannot understand Spurs’s rationale in splashing out more than £15m on a player, only to field him out of position.

Bentley, a promising England star if given the right coaching and opportunities to shine, is now so low on confidence, his basic touches and passes have gone awry. Instead of sitting on the bench and wasting his talents, Bentley needs more match time to rebuild his confidence and rapport with his team mates.

The loss of Jermain Defoe, Dimitar Berbatov and Robbie Keane, without capable replacements secured in the close season, exposed the board’s role, or rather incompetence, in implementing Tottenham’s blueprint to become a major title contender.

It is too early to condemn Roman Pavlyuchenko; the lad gave a credible performance in the European Championships and it is unfair to expect him to set the stage alight in his debut season. He is still finding his feet, but currently, the partnership between the Russian and Darren Bent is creaking.

Other incoming players like Modaric and Gomes have the potential but are not proving their worth just yet. The disposal of Steed Malbranque and even Chimbonda is turning out to be a bad mistake too. Malbranque has the exquisite quality to thread killer passes and score vital goals and I am hard pressed to find another player to shoulder this role in the squad now.

If possible, Tottenham should purchase another playmaker who can function as a supporting striker in the January transfer window. To raise cash, they can consider offloading deadwood like Stalteri, Ghaly and Rocha. Hopefully, by then, the team has not fallen so far behind that it is solely concerned about staying afloat.

I certainly hope this is a temporary crisis for Tottenham. They have the ability and quality in the squad to put up a strong challenge and I am sure they will improve. This season, Champions League qualification is probably out of the question, something which they actually took pride in only a couple of years ago. For now, if they can remain as 15 or 16th in the league, it is already a consolation.

In January, Spurs can change their staff yet again but I don’t see chopping and changing as a strategy to help Spurs reach the giddy heights of mid-table like last year. On hindsight, Spurs should have stuck with Martin Jol. After all, he led the team to two consecutive fifth spots before hitting a rough patch in the 2007 season.

While last season was a poor start, this season is far worse – 2 points out of 21, which shows that hasty sacking of managers is not the panacea for struggling clubs. The board should throw their weight behind Ramos when he is trying hard to decide on his best starting 11 and the formation he should be playing them in. Neither could he rally the players to fight for each other when his own future is in doubt.

Right after winning the League Cup, Ramos should have further strengthened his hand and stamped his authority in the dressing room by demanding consistent results. Instead, the team now plays incoherently and many players think they are already superstars after winning a lousy cup.

This defeat will further intensify the unforgiving spotlight on Ramos’s tenure but the players are equally culpable for the poor performance as the manager. If Ramos is sacked, we might as well overhaul the entire team, board of directors, owners, and maybe even call Martin Jol to come back too. I believe it is wiser to exercise restrain and persist with Ramos… at least until the season is over.

A victory will put Chelsea on par with second-placed Arsenal and more importantly, to exact sweet revenge for the Carling Cup loss. However, poor defending and a series of bad decisions (not the first time nor will it be the last for Grant), allowed Tottenham to get back into a game where they fell behind thrice and shared the spoils.

Chelsea got off to an electrifying start. In the third minute, Tottenham were a goal down as Drogba directed a header past Paul Robinson from John Terry’s inch-perfect cross. Moments later, Joe Cole had the ball in the net after sliding in a rebound but an offside decison was given.

Just as Chelsea were cruising, Spurs equalized after Woodgate rose above Drogba to power home a close range header. Nevertheless, Chelsea’s attack was well-oiled and they hit back almost immediately. In the 20th minute, Joe Cole made a mazy run into the box and squeezed a pass to Essien who lifted his shot over Robinson to restore the lead.

Ashley Cole then recklessly made a nasty lunge on Hutton and this caused both benches to erupt in fury. Referee Mike Riley eventually booked Cole and Chelsea were very lucky to get away with only a slap on the wrist. After the break, Chelsea picked up where they left off. Makelele’s pass found Joe Cole outside the box and he released a shot which crept over Robinson. If Jose Mourinho was still in charge, Chelsea can call it a day with a two-goal advantage.

But Grant was steering the ship and Tottenham had no reason to lose heart. Indeed, they reduced the deficit nine minutes later when Berbatov looped a header over Carlo Cudicini. With increased confidence, Tottenham drew level as Keane’s corner was met by a superb strike by Huddlestone.

Amazingly, the drama continues. In the 80th minute, Joe Cole skipped past Chimbonda and calmly buried his shot into the top corner. Spurs replied when Keane beat Cudicini with a brilliant long-range curling shot. Tottenham could have the last laugh by making it 5-4 but Cudicini was up to the task of denying Berbatov.

Grant said: “It’s very disappointing. One of our strengths is we defend well against corners and free-kicks but in the last two games Spurs scored five goals from set-pieces. I don’t know how to explain this. We wanted three points but we are still in the race and we will continue fighting like we did before.”

At least, Avram Grant is able to spot the team’s weakness but if he doesn’t know how to explain it, I doubt he can fix it. A famously water-tight defense has forgotten the basics of defending against set-pieces, maybe Jose Mourinho will accept a consultant’s role and give him some pointers. If Grant still endeavors to be the manager, he has to learn and improve. I say it again, get that Uefa pro license, luck can only carry a team so far.

It is disappointing to see Joe Cole being substituted. Most of Chelsea’s attacks stem from him and I will rate him above Frank Lampard in terms of creativity, that applies to the England setup as well. Cole supplied most of the chances for Didier Drogba who was unfortunately not as threatening with his poor passing and decision making since his return from the African Cup. Lampard and Kalou were hardly in the thick of action, save for Essien who put in a credible effort.

Lampard’s brilliance in the 6-1 drubbing of Derby glossed over his shortcomings. Recent matches have shown that his form can fluctuate and in the most untimely of situations, meaning the big games. And I find it hard to accept the manner in which he and John Terry protested aggressively in a bid to stop the referee from booking Ashley Cole for the horror tackle. You gain respect for winning in a fair and square manner, not to pressurize and influence the referee to award your team favorable decisions.

I doubt if Chelsea will be worse off if they put Frank Lampard on the open market this summer. Because of his amazing fitness, he can play in every game for Jose Mourinho and avoid injuries, but of late, he is less sturdy. While he still scores hat-tricks against the likes of Derby, his vital goals in crucial matches have dried up. All in, Lampard’s value to the team has depreciated.

By selling Lampard, Chelsea may miss out on getting some deflected goals but they relieve themselves of an outspoken or troublesome vice captain and clip the wings of John Terry. They get a huge chunk of money back for a player his age and Chelsea are on their way to a more profitable operating statement with one hefty salary out of the way. But a word of caution here is not to attempt an exchange for Ronaldinho. Both were flops in the last World Cup and their inconsistent club form has done little to change that impression.

Without the wizardry of Cole in penetrating Tottenham’s defense, the front line sputtered, and Spurs sensed blood as they had no fears about committing all their resources to attack. Changing his formation into a 5-man defense, Grant compounded the matter by ceding control of midfield to Spurs who virtually camped in Chelsea’s half of the pitch.

I am not saying that Grant should subscribe to the notion that attack is the best form of defense, shutting the door on the opponent can be equally effective, as Mourinho has shown, if you know how to do it properly.

Chelsea were scrambling to make clearances in the final stretch, instead of playing the ball out of danger calmly and launching counter-attacks. The players were unsure what to do the ball in possession, to hold or to venture upfield. After a few months with Grant and his supposed emphasis on entertainment, Chelsea had become ill-adjusted to the strategy of defending a lead.

For good reason, Grant preferred to name himself the normal one. He does not possess charisma in getting the players to put in extra effort for him or the tactical acumen to mold the players into a ruthless team. 4-4 draws are totally unheard of in Mourinho’s era.

Though Grant has not done too badly by staying in third place, keeping alive Champions League qualification and getting Chelsea to contend for everything, the problem is they do not exhibit the killer instinct in winning anything.

Instead of closing the gap with the forerunners, Grant’s team are now five points off the leader and two behind Arsenal, who they face on Sunday. If they can defeat Arsenal and secure second spot, all is not lost yet and everybody earns a reprieve.

Otherwise, Roman Abramovich has to decide whether to stick with Grant and give him the funds to get his own team or to sack his good friend and get a proven manager in.

True to form, Juande Ramos’s stranglehold on the Uefa Cup was relinquished with a 6-5 scoreline in PSV Eindhoven’s favor. It was a pity as Tottenham had recovered strongly from a 1-0 first leg deficit, thanks to Dimitar Berbatov’s goal in the second half, and a Uefa Cup hat-trick for Ramos was a solid bet.

Against a languid PSV, Tottenham were frustrated by their impotence in front of goal – Berbatov and Ledley King wasted superb opportunities to send the Dutch team to the point of no return. For their efforts, Tottenham had only crucial bookings to show. Jenas was yellow carded, ruling him out of Spurs’ next European game, while King picked one up for a foul on full-back Kromkamp.

After the break, Tottenham continued their pressure and Ramos tweaked his formation and tactics. He substituted Lee for Darren Bent who immediately wasted a glorious opportunity; Bent fired weakly at Gomes after Keane, put through on goal, had made an excellent reverse pass. PSV had their best chance in the 55th minute when they chipped the ball into the box from a free-kick, allowing Koevermans to fire on sight from five yards out, but the shot was wretched.

In the 82nd minute, Spurs fans rejoiced. Chimbonda crossed the ball which was met by Berbatov’s stunning volley on the edge of the box and Gomes was rooted in disbelief. Another volley in extra-time by Berbatov could have settled the match but it headed for penalties instead. In the shootout, Robinson saved Lazovic’s spot-kick but Gomes deprived Jenas and Chimbonda fired wide to gift PSV a passage into the quarter-finals.

“Every player who takes a penalty is courageous, I can only congratulate them for their courage,” said Ramos. He also revealed that his players had not practiced penalties, saying: “Penalties in training has nothing to do with penalties in a game. The situation and the nerves are different.”

I am inclined to believe a penalty training session may yield different results. While the mental toughness of the players is instrumental, “practice makes perfect” is still the mantra in sports. Whether you are a golf, basketball or football player, perfecting your techniques through constant practice is the only way to ensure you stay on top of your game.

Putting aside the disappointment, there are some positives for Tottenham. Jenas experienced a new lease of life and the potential he showed in his early days are being uncovered by Ramos. Jonathan Woodgate is repaying the faith and investment Tottenham made on him, and Ledley King is back to his imperious form.

For the rest of the squad, it is anybody’s guess. Certainly, there will be sweeping changes implemented next season. Ramos has access to substantial funds to restyle his inherited team, and he will raise more money by offloading some fringe players. Stalteri, Gardner, Rocha, and Lee Young-Pyo will struggle to warm the bench if an influx of players come in.

Radek Cerny, the reserve goalkeeper, is out of contract and a new deal is unlikely. Chimbonda sees his future away from White Hart Lane. He demanded a transfer in January, after the signing of Alan Hutton and Chris Gunter, but his hefty wages and uninspiring performances are not attracting any buyers. There are some fans who suspect that he missed the decisive penalty on purpose, but well, I believe that is just speculation.

Darren Bent is likely to remain on the sidelines too, unless he improves dramatically. A favorite can become tomorrow’s condemned as Aaron Lennon found out in the PSV match, he was dropped rather than rested for the first time and the message is clear – shape up or ship out. Such is Ramos’s ruthlessness in enforcing discipline and quality.

Luck had followed Ramos in his previous Uefa Cup triumphs with Sevilla in 2006 and 2007 – a memorable goal from keeper Andres Palop at this stage of the competition last year comes to mind. This time, Lady Luck deserted him and the Carling Cup is scant consolation, even if it is the club’s first silverware since 1999.

“For us to win something means that the season will still go down as a positive one,” said King. I am sure Ramos think differently, while this may not be a barren season, it is not good enough for a manager of his calibre.

After the fans have tasted success, they will demand more and there is indeed plenty of work to be done in maintaining a consistent standard for every competition. I believe Tottenham will learn from this defeat in the Uefa Cup and come back next year stronger than before. And yes, once-bitten, twice shy, do practice the penalties before hand.

I will say it is luck as the usually reliable Chelsea goalkeeper Petr Cech messed up the clearance from Tottenhams’ free kick. He punched the ball to Woodgate which happened to rebound strongly off his head into the net. Woodgate said of his first goal in two years: “I don’t believe it. I don’t usually go up for corners but I just managed to get my head to it.”

Nevertheless, it was a thoroughly deserved victory as Spurs are by far, the more enterprising team. Juande Ramos, only four months after arriving from Sevilla, has shown once again that Tottenham can take the game to any opponent and achieve results. A stark reminder is the 5-1 demolition of their arch rival, Arsenal, en-route to this match.

I am struck by the scenes of wild celebrations: the free-flowing champagne, the gleaming Carling Cup reflecting the unbridled joy and pride of the players. Without doubt, a fire has been lighted in their bellies. Tottenham are ready to set their sights higher and look forward to greater things.

Who can blame them? It has been a long time since Tottenham won anything meaningful… the League Cup is their first silverware in nine years. Jonathan Woodgate’s decision to snub Kevin Keegan and opt for Spurs is turning out to be a smart career decision. Ramos, the King of Cups or Keegan, the also-ran? It was a no-brainer once Woodgate professed his desire “to win trophies.”

Speaking of kings, there is yet another who deserves special mention. He is none other than Ledley King, the captain of Tottenham. He battled bravely through the dark days of rehabilitation from a knee surgery. Frustration and vicious speculation about his early retirement abound but he rose from the ashes to prove all his critics wrong.

His assured manner in marshaling the defense was a key reason for the credible performance of Paul Robinson. Robinson now has a chance to get back into the good books of Ramos after dealing effectively with the menacing Drogba and Anelka.

Compared to Avram Grant’s crestfallen and befuddled look, Ramos was calm and in control throughout the match. It is a great folly to underestimate the impact of a shrewd and steady hand when the odds are stacked against the team. Ramos did not disappoint as he made the right substitutions and tweaked the formation to achieve a more incisive attack.

Spurs will now turn their attention to the Uefa Cup after moving into the round of 16 and will meet PSV Enidhoven next month. If Ramos succeeds again, this will be his third consecutive Uefa Cup titles, having already won it in 2006 and 2007 with Sevilla. His track record qualifies him as a winner and to those who question his hefty pay package, I say it is money well spent.

I am constantly amazed at the transformation Ramos has brought to the team in such a short period of time. On the pitch, it is still the same players but several months ago, they were languishing at the bottom and a firm candidate among punters for the drop.

That is not slighting Martin Jol’s achievements, he did his best during his stint by guiding Spurs to the brink of Champions League qualification. A prevalent loss in self-belief proved to his undoing and he did not know how to extricate the team from the slump.

When Ramos came in, he implemented a new work ethic, a strict dietary plan and extended training sessions. The result is a lean, mean, sharp and confident Spurs. The players learned about Ramos tactical methods and were disciplined in keeping to their roles in battle. While they lacked the mental edge in the past, even during Jol’s successful years, they now possess the killer instinct. Just ask Arsene Wenger.

The board has given Ramos a war chest of 40 million pounds to turn Spurs into Premier League title contenders. His attack is already among the best in the league and he should do his best to retain Berbatov. I trust Berbatov is less edgy about moving on now that he has tasted success. To join other elite clubs will not guarantee him a first team spot while lesser teams do not fulfill his ambitions.

It is likely Ramos will add in wingers as that has been his trademark emphasis since his Sevilla days. Goalkeepers will also be another crucial area to consider as Robinson is destined to be shipped out once a suitable offer comes along or reduced to a secondary role after this season.

I will give Robinson some credit for his heroics in the Carling Cup victory but when Tottenham aim to do well in the Champions League and EPL, the manager cannot be sweating over a safe pair of hands every now and then. The defense also need some shoring up as Woodgate is too injury prone to last the rigors of the entire season. It will be a busy summer in the transfer market for Tottenham and the fans can expect a tighter Premier League race next season.

Dimitar Berbatov’s first half effort put Tottenham in the lead but United leveled three minutes into stoppage time with a close-range Carlos Tevez volley that went in off defender Michael Dawson.

Third-placed Chelsea are six adrift after drawing 1-1 at Portsmouth as last-minute signing, Jermain Defoe scored on his debut. Everton stayed fourth after a 0-0 draw at Blackburn Rovers.

Adebayor has brought his league tally this season to a decent 18 for Arsenal. In the 9th minute, the Gunners cantered ahead when Adebayor unleashed a shot through Joe Hart after a surging run from Bacary Sagna. He then provided an excellent assist after 26 minutes, heading down Gael Clichy’s cross to Eduardo da Silva who chested and volleyed beyond Hart.

Manchester City were proffered an unexpected lifeline when Vedran Corluka robbed Clichy and set up Gelson Fernades for a neat finish past keeper Jens Lehmann, making a rare start in place of the injured Manuel Almunia.

The goal was a shot in the arm and City pressed hard for an equalizer but the Gunners kept them at bay and restricted them to taking potshots. It was Arsenal or rather Adebayor who, two minutes from time, wrapped up the match after Cesc Fabregas’s ball reached him on the edge of the area.

“At the moment I am enjoying myself like a little kid,” Adebayor, who has scored eight goals in his last six games, told Sky Sports. “At 2-0 we thought we had already won it but they scored and that made it a bit difficult.”

Adebayor has scored 21 goals this season and god knows where the Gunners will be, if Togo had qualified for the African Cup of Nations. It’s a treat to see him whacking the goals in from left, right and center, easy is the word, and I bet the fans as well as Arsene Wenger are impressed by how well he has developed as a player.

Certainly, as Arsenal sit aloof at the top, Thierry Henry who left for Barcelona last year in a 16 million pounds transaction is hardly missed. It was a rewarding deal, not least because Adebayor filled the void well but also because of the depreciation from Henry’s age. Henry was also not keen to stay with the Gunners as he yearned for challenges aboard and most importantly to clinch a Champions League medal to complete the European Championships and World Cup glories in his CV.

With Adebayor, it is fair to say there is an extra edge to Arsenal’s attack now. While Henry’s pace, guile and close control of the ball is legendary, he is lacking in the air prowess and brute force of Adebayor.

The latter has mastered the art of outjumping defenders – inherent height advantage aside, there is also timing and strength involved. Adebayor has also forged a formidable partnership with Eduardo. The only sore points are his indiscipline and ongoing feud with fellow striker Bendtner.

Arsene Wenger could be facing a tough battle to keep Adebayor as there are reports of Real Madrid, Juventus and AC Milan being interested. Even if he is forced to sell, it will definitely be at a much higher price than the 7 million pounds he paid Monaco, which again is a firm indication of the Midas touch of Wenger when it comes to development of young players.

Another positive for Arsenal comes from defender Philippe Senderos who is gradually finding his feet. A long-term injury had reduced him to a pale shadow of the brilliant player which caught the eyes of several bigwigs before the World Cup 2006.

He had a solid game against Manchester City and the partnership with William Gallas is clicking. The stratgey of Senderos stopping the opponent in his track while Gallas waits for the straying second ball is working wonders.

Their defensive telepathy will be crucial in their league title race but I expect more twists and turns before the champion is revealed.

The game was open and freedom of expression was encouraged for both teams. As early as the 4th minute, Ryan Giggs provided an excellent pass to Rooney who hit the side-netting. With a quarter of an hour gone, Tottenham replied and Rooney had to clear off the line after Aaron Lennon’s corner picked out an unmarked Berbatov on the edge of the box.

Tottenham, without a win at Old Trafford since 1989, surprised Manchester United in the 24th minute when winger Aaron Lennon’s low cross was turned in from point-blank range by Keane. That is Keane’s 18th goal of the season and his fourth in four matches.

Despite their possession, Man United’s forward game was until then best described as toothless but they persisted in piling more pressure on Spurs defense. It was frustrating for the Red Devils when Cerny did well to tip a fierce Giggs strike over the bar from Michael Carrick’s clever pass. They finally broke the duck in the 38th minute through Carlos Tevez.

However, Tottenham were in an adventurous mood and not playing for a draw. Jermaine Jenas could have restored Tottenham’s advantage in added time at the end of the first-half after a sublime through ball by Steed Malbranque. Spurs had another great chance just after the restart but Lennon’s cross flew onto the roof of the net with Keane unmarked at the far post. Manchester United were again spared the blushes when Jamie O’Hara bent a free-kick inches wide of the post.

Paul Scholes was then brought on for his first appearance since suffering a knee injury in October. The turning point for Man United came in the 70th minute. A free kick by goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar was handled by Michael Dawson when Rooney was about to shoot. Dawson was immediately handed a red card and Cristiano Ronaldo made no mistake from the spot.

Tottenham nearly leveled the score with six minutes left but Berbatov saw his shot come back off the post. Cristiano Ronaldo put the game beyond Spurs two minutes from time, with a low shot that deflected in off Malbranque.

“It was a fantastic Cup tie, end to end and open,” United manager Alex Ferguson told Sky Sports. “I think we edged it in possession but Tottenham had the best chances but didn’t take them and I’m pleased to be in the next round, it’s a relief.”

Assistant Spurs manager Gus Poyet also rued the missed opportunities. “We had to score the second and not try to hold on,” he said. “Unfortunately we couldn’t and they equalized but even then we had a great chance before they scored the second.”

Man United, FA Cup winners for a record 11 times, are in the fifth round and on course to re-live their treble dream. This is a glowing testament to Cristiano Ronaldo’s remarkable season. I have to say that his achievement today is more than just aptitude alone. Ferguson has revealed publicly that the Portuguese spent hours after training to hone his skills. Practice makes perfect – for professionals and amateurs alike.

The efforts have paid off with his improved range of passing, timing, positioning and accuracy. The lad has now scored 25 goals and it is only January. His transformation from a dazzling dribbler to a devastating finisher is frightening and more than justifies the 100 million pounds price tag Real Madrid has targeted to lure him over.

At the moment, I doubt if he is in a hurry to move to Spain because of a previous feud with Ruud van Nistelrooy and Real Madrid’s current style of play does not suit him but there is an outside chance if the top honors at the major awards still elude him.

As for Tottenham, their defensive frailties let them down once again. They will enjoy a more respectable position in the Premier League if it is decided by goals scored alone. Spurs have the third best scoring record in the league; in 23 matches, they have notched 44 goals, just two behind free-scoring Manchester United and Arsenal.

Against Spurs deadly front line and creative midfield, lesser opponents will struggle to stop their march to the FA Cup Finals, but this is after all Manchester United, a team featuring Scholes, Rooney, Tevez and Ronaldo who are masters at unpicking the tightest of defenses.

Yes, the defense, if only the same praise can be heaped on the jokers. Spurs have conceded 40 goals in the Premier League, marginally better than Reading, Fulham, Sunderland and Derby County. This leaky defense is certainly not championship quality but to be fair, injuries and suspensions have taken their toil.

Huddlestone was the weakest link but Ramos should take part of the blame as the player is a midfielder who was converted into a makeshift center-back after Ledley King was sidelined. Dawson was another culprit as his misreading of the game and subsequent dismissal turned the tide in favor of the Red Devils.

Overall, it was a good fight, Manchester United could have slipped on a banana skin and it will have capped a wonderful week for Ramos as he defeated two of the best teams in the Premier League in quick succession.

I do hope that Tottenham retain the partnership of Berbatov and Keane. Especially the latter as he can conjure goals from half-chances and his scintillating form has shown no signs of waning. Let’s see if Ramos can work some magic at the back and establish a pair of defensive bedrocks too.

The impending arrival of injury-prone Johnathan Woodgate is interesting, a blessing or a curse, I can’t say for now but with the current lot, it will be hard to do much worse.

The fact that an electrifying atmosphere hangs over the jam-packed stadium (a phenomenon not usually seen in this “useless” competition), could have given an indication of things to come. Tottenham players knew what the fans are clamoring for and duly responded with a resounding victory.

Some Tottenham fans will prefer to attribute the flattering scoreline to skills and desire (indeed, Spurs were more hungry, compact and cohesive) but I do not want to discount the element of luck. Tottenham manager Juande Ramos, as well as Martin Jol, have come close to achieving victories in the past but were always denied by late recovery from Arsenal.

The game plan Ramos devised was simple enough. Do not accord Arsenal players too much time and space on the ball. Harry them into losing possession or making skew passes. Invite Arsenal to attack and then launch swift counter-attack. It worked to a tee.

When Jermaine Jenas collected Dimitar Berbatov’s pass 30 yards out and surged towards goal, it appeared harmless enough as a mass of defenders were in his way and he is not known for possessing enough guile to pass through them. What we do know is his ability to shoot from distance.

It took everybody by surprise as Jenas’s acceleration and control took him past four players and into the penalty area, where he fired a low drive past Lukasz Fabianksi off the far post. To get an early goal from Jenas settled the nerves but to race to a two goal lead in the first half hour proved critical.

When the second goal came in the 27th minute, it smacks of sheer luck but Ramos’s side deserved it. Jenas swung in a free-kick from the left and Bendtner, rising above Michael Dawson to clear the danger , succeeded only in heading into his own net.

Spurs were playing with the kind of fluid movement that Arsenal has made it their own. Tottenham had another gilt-edged chance earlier for a second goal when Keane powered past William Gallas before Justin Hoyte came to the rescue.

It was not Arsenal’s day as yet another player reported to their treatment room. Denilson’s injury midway through the first half forced Wenger to send on Cesc Fabregas, a substitution which he would have preferred not to use for this match. But the Spanish dynamo could not lift Arsenal’s gloom nor halt Tottenham’s momentum.

Berbatov wasted a chance to add a third when he took Jenas’s clever chested pass and sprinted away, but the Bulgarian’s shot hit the post. That near-miss briefly sparked an off-color Arsenal to life. Bacary Sagna forced Radek Cerny into action for the first time with a header that the Spurs keeper tipped over.

It wasn’t enough to for Arsenal to stamp their authority though as Spurs struck with a classic counter-attack in the 48th minute. Lennon’s lofted pass floated past Hoyte out of and gave Keane the chance to drive in a low shot that Fabianski let slip through his grasp into the far corner.

Adebayor reduced the deficit with a superb strike in the 70th minute. But Arsenal’s frustrations were clear when the Togo striker clashed heads with Bendtner. The party was not over for Spurs yet as a tap-in from Malbranque capped a magnificent night for Ramos’s team.

Wenger said: “They defended like mad and caught us on the break. I don’t give too much importance to the competition frankly. The score was very high and brutal but does not reflect what I saw on the pitch.” He also added that he did not see the Adebayor incident… must be selective blindness again.

Tottenham have now clinched a first cup final appearance for six years against Everton or Chelsea, the victor will be decided on Wednesday. Ramos said: “To get to Wembley is a fantastic achievement, especially for the fans. It is a long time since they have tasted a final and that makes it more satisfying.”

The trip to Wembley is proof of the progress Ramos has made since taking over in October but it pales in comparison to the significance of destroying their arch-rival. This is something which Martin Jol, despite bringing Tottenham to giddying heights for two consecutive seasons, never manage to achieve. Ramos still need to deliver trophies but for now, most Spurs fans will concur with his appointment.

Did Arsenal underestimate Tottenham? I feel that Wenger has brought it upon himself by not giving enough respect to this competition and fielding a below-strength team which Spurs took full advantage of to record their biggest derby win for 25 years.

Arsenal had scrapped through at the Emirates Stadium two weeks ago by forcing a 1-1 draw in the first leg so I had actually expected Wenger to field a strong team and put Tottenham in their place but obviously, he has other considerations and this competition is too low a priority for him to expend his best resources.

It will be the FA Cup fourth round next. I don’t think Arsenal will suffer a second straight defeat against Newcastle. The Geordies are still finding their feet and not in the right frame of mind to take the game to Arsenal, the track record also shows that Arsenal usually bounce back strongly after a poor result, so Kevin Keegan better tighten his defense to prevent a humiliating backlash.

If we were to look at Tottenham’s record in Arsenal’s territory, it gets even more pitiful. For 15 good years, they were unable to conquer the Gunners even once. It begs the question, what must Tottenham do to defeat Arsenal? Not for the first time, they played well, led for the better part of the game but only to squander it at the end.

Arsenal started off the match on the right tone as they controlled the tempo while Tottenham rarely ventured forward. Their passing was fine but the front line lacked punch. For all their possession, the only serious attempt on goal came from Nicklas Bendtner’s powerful 14th-minute header, which keeper Cerny bravely saved.

As the game progressed, Spurs stood up to the onslaught and asserted themselves. Steed Malbranque wasted an excellent chance to give them the lead after 32 minutes, firing wide with only goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski to beat.

A minute later, Malbranque headed wide under pressure and Dimitar Berbatov (continuing his recent scintillating form) forced Fabianski into a fine save with a long-range shot. Spurs were rewarded for their enterprising play when Jermaine Jenas put them ahead by tapping in Robbie Keane’s square pass in the 37th minute. There was a slight suspicion of offside but the goal stood.

Keane had a chance to double Spurs’ lead but shot wide early in the second half. Jermain Defoe, who came on as a late substitute, went close to winning it for the visitors only to fire high and wide. Ramos is prepared to let Defoe leave and based on this performance, even if it was only for a few minutes, I believe there will be no shortage of suitors.

Arsenal manager Wenger was forced to make some changes at half time as Eduardo replaced an injured Robin van Persie and his team benefited from a renewed impetus in attack. Eduardo, like Berbatov, enjoys being the creative spark and has an impressive run of late. His clever through ball found Walcott and while Spurs defender Lee Young-pyo made a timely tackle which seems to have snuffed out the effort, the ball took a wicked bounce off him and Walcott duly chested it into the net.

This is a weird deflection and has nothing to do with Walcott’s brilliance (the footballing gods are blessing Arsenal). The hapless Cerny must have been so engrossed with the action before him that he stood rooted while the ball flew past him.

Speaking about Cerny, he has now upgraded himself in the pecking order. And while this performance is barely satisfactory, at least it ends in a draw and until such time when the nightmarish memories of Paul Robinson’s errors are erased from Juande Ramos mind, Cerny should be featuring in Tottenham’s lineup.

Robinson had already lost his England place this season and Ramos was non-committal about whether Robinson was still his No.1 choice. He said: “Robinson is a good goalkeeper which he has demonstrated with his career so far. But I choose who I think is best for each match. It was the same decision as Stalteri, Boateng and all the players who are on the bench.”

Before Arsenal’s equalizer, Tottenham were 11 minutes to ending their barren spell and under the circumstances in which they earned the draw, Wenger had no complaints.

He said: “I believe it is a good result considering Tottenham created more chances. We had to be resilient and didn’t give in. In two weeks it can change completely. I feel we are in a good position to make it.”

Wenger may be confident of eliminating Tottenham in the Carling Cup. After all, Arsenal knocked Spurs out at the same stage of the competition last year and there is little reason why they cannot repeat the feat.

However, he may not be so confident of their Premier League title challenge with an injury crisis to resolve. The match left him counting his walking wounded after Robin van Persie, Philippe Senderos, Johan Djourou and Theo Walcott were all injured.

Van Persie was forced off at half-time after suffering a thigh problem. The Dutch striker had been plagued by a knee injury since October and Wenger will be waiting nervously for an exact diagnosis.

Even more worrying for Wenger are Senderos’s knee ligament problem and Djourou’s groin strain. With Kolo Toure, Alex Song and Emmanuel Eboue on African Nations Cup duty, Wenger is short of defensive options as the title race hots up.

If Senderos and Djourou don’t recover in time for Saturday’s home game against Birmingham, the league leaders will be left with William Gallas as his only fit centre-back.

He said: “We had no injuries before the game started but now we have lost three players and we have three at the African Nations Cup. That is very difficult for us. We have problems with the central defence. Who will play against Birmingham? Me!”

With the transfer window open and Arsenal reporting record profits, the funds are available to purchase the necessary talents to shore up his defense but at this point of time, Wenger is likely to be held at ransom and forced to spend more than he normally would.

Or if he persists with financial prudence, he could promote more players from his youth team into the senior squad. Since Arsenal will not be clashing with the top guns any time soon, he should be able to steer the team out of the crisis by then.

I believe Wenger will field a strong team in the return match instead of relying mostly on the reserves. He knows his team are riding their luck and Totteham deserved more than a draw. Luck can be unpredictable and the day will come when the mighty shall fall.

Under Ramos, Tottenham have played two games at the Emirates Stadium and they are getting closer to a victory each time. Maybe for the next 90 minutes, they should treat Arsenal as an ordinary opponent and not accord special meaning to the derby. Play badly and kill off the match with a freak goal, that should do the trick of getting the much needed victory.