All eyes were on Emmanuel Adebayor, but it was another old problem which tormented Arsenal in a 2-1 defeat at Tottenham.

Defensive errors condemn Wenger's men in engrossing derby

All eyes were on Emmanuel Adebayor at White Hart Lane, but it was another old problem which tormented Arsenal in a 2-1 defeat to Tottenham.

Arsene Wenger, who has marked his 15th anniversary as manager, has endured a nightmare five months and for the first time in his illustrious career in England has seen his position called into question amid accusations his team lack experience, organisation and direction.

And he will again be forced to endure difficult analysis and suggestions of his team pressing the self-destruct button following defeat in an engrossing North London derby.

Rafael van der Vaart's 40th minute goal, debatably assisted by the former Real Madrid player's arm and involving a celebratory run into the Tottenham fans which could have earned a second booking, put Harry Redknapp's team ahead.

But Arsenal had enjoyed the larger chunks of the first half and responded almost immediately after the interval through Aaron Ramsey in what could have been viewed as a direct indication of the mental strength Wenger's team have been said to lack having already lost three Premier League matches before kick-off.

Adebayor, sold by Wenger to Manchester City in 2009 and now on loan at Tottenham, was the subject of long and unpleasant chants from Arsenal fans, who held strong memories of his infamous celebration for City in 2009/10.

The combustible Togolese set up Van der Vaart's opener, but was otherwise denied a goal of his own by a superb stop from Wojciech Szczesny, the Arsenal goalkeeper who earlier in the week had alluded to a secret plan to keep the striker quiet.

Woeful

However, Szczesny, and some woefully adrift defending, was to go from hero to zero when he allowed Kyle Walker's speculative long-ranger shot through his hands to leave Arsenal in 15th position.

Adebayor had arrived fashionably late, strolling from the tunnel 15 yards behind his team-mates in what was a grand entrance perhaps planned to milk the occasion, but he wasted little time in coming to life from kick-off.

Alex Song first used his fellow African for a piggy-back in an aerial challenge and, five minutes later, Arsenal's make-shift centre-back, who was reprising the role he played against Olympiakos amid an injury crisis, was beaten for pace and missed a sliding tackle.

Tottenham's No.10, Adebayor, who scored eight goals in nine games against Spurs during his three-and-a-half-year Arsenal career, seemed to sense a goal, especially against a defence which was gambling with a high line.

Van der Vaart, Scott Parker, Luka Modric and Gareth Bale were enjoying themselves against an opposition midfield which surprisingly included Francis Coquelin, the 20-year-old overawed in the 8-2 humiliation at Manchester United in late August.

Arsenal, though, found their feet on the quarter-hour mark, when a Bacary Sagna shot deflected off Benoit Assou-Ekotto and had Brad Friedel scrambling, while Ramsey's flicked header from the resulting corner brought a sharp intake of breath from a vociferous White Hart Lane.

Tottenham seemed to be shaken by the set-piece and Redknapp's men became scrappy, with their visitors containing the source of attacks to Adebayor and the passenger strike-partner Jermain Defoe.

Van der Vaart went in Mike Dean's book in the 27th minute, as a late challenge on Kieran Gibbs demonstrated