Any Arsenal fan who has a friend or work colleague or just some person they come into contact with who is of the Tottenham supporting variety, will probably have had a tough day having to cope with a healthy smattering of Spurs smugness after our north London rivals produced a memorable result in beating the reigning Champions League winners Real Madrid.
Apart from having to listen to the spuds bang on about it, though, just how bad a thing is that result for Arsenal fans? It is a worry that Tottenham just did what no other team has managed to do in the UCL group stages for five years, although I would qualify the achievement by pointing out that Madrid were pretty poor.
Bang average could be the term used to describe the Spanish champions, in fact, who also lost their weekend La Liga game to Catalan minnows Girona at the weekend and are already a massive eight points behind Barcelona this season, so this is not the all-conquering Madrid of the last two seasons.
Having said that, Tottenham did play well with Harry Kane back in the side and as much as we may say they are too reliant on him, it does not matter unless he picks up a bigger injury. Arsenal have just clawed ourselves back to within a point of our rivals but after their European success this week I cannot see them dropping points against Crystal Palace this weekend, while we go to Man City.
And the first game back after the upcoming international break is the derby, which I feel we simply have to win at the Emirates if we are to stop this shift of power in north London becoming more than a one season wonder. How bad was that win for the spuds over Real Madrid? Only time will tell, but I for one am worried. Are you?
D.N.