Arsenal's 3-1 win over Norwich City last Saturday had attributes you might associate with a turning-point game. Facing defeat late in the overall game, the Gunners fought back in dramatic fashion, sealing a gain that saw them leapfrog Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur in to third place. Their resurgence had gone fairly unseen, but this last win in a line following their North London derby loss had left Arsene Wenger and his men in perfect position to close a 17th consecutive top-four finish. Tuesday night's 0-0 draw with Everton was an indication of the issues that still lay ahead for Arsenal. Chelsea retain the advantage of having games in hand over their fellow rivals, while hopes of advancing the space over Tottenham have now been reined in, at the very least temporarily. Despite the important purpose Chelsea and Everton nevertheless have to play in the race for the top four, the possible benefits for supremacy in North London means there is an additional level of excitement about Spurs and Arsenal's complete to the season The narrowing middle-ground between the two groups recently has been often explored (here and elsewhere). Attractive as it could be to think one as being on a better flight, it's just too close too calla'for this plan and beyond. Tottenham have not finished above their despised enemy since 1995. Hopes this year might at last see them do therefore have cooled off in the aftermath of beating the Gunners 2-1 last month. Even though the gain showed their ability to have the better of Wenger's current crop, Spurs' underwhelming kind ever since then has revealed turning that into a, more comprehensive efficiency will be a lot tougher. Tottenham need Champions League football to attract different top players.Richard and keep stars like Gareth Bale Heathcote/Getty Images The relatively (somewhat) harder problem posed by their outstanding fittings ensures if Spurs do end before Arsenal it will be well-earned. Must Chelsea also pip the Gunners to a Champions League area, there's potential for a big (though not large) hole developing. Andre Villas-Boas could go into next year having an valued mandate to further his team's advancement. Diploma for next season's Champions League will be very valuable to Tottenham in fulfilling the ambition of their present stars (specifically Gareth Bale, but additionally others like Hugo Lloris and Jan Vertonghen), and in attractive outside talent to the cause of producing sustained success in the future. In this situation Spurs will be offering relative on-field stability, at least when compared with Arsenal. For the Gunners, the recriminations surrounding the expense of missing out on Europe's premier membership opposition would see them at the very least ceding a qualification of efficiency to their competitors. At most of the, it may prove the catalyst for major change should both the fans and board's patience with Wenger finally wear thin. Such could be the knife-edge balance at which the North London competition precariously stands, however, should the season's conclusion favor Arsenal (or at least maybe not leave them worse off), they're in a position to genuinely push on. Jack Wilshere, Santi Cazorla, Theo Walcott and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain are on the list of talented individuals that are combining to form perhaps the most effective class the Gunners experienced since Thierry Henry (initially) left. Both Wenger and the club's structure have apparently proposed money will soon be used this summer in boosting this present group with participants effective at reaching the heights of the Frenchman's early years in charge. Santi Cazorla and Theo Walcott are among the players that could mean noise, further expense this summer could see them really push on in the near-future.Michael Regan/Getty Images Arsenal's dilemmas (too little control, larger level up front and in defense, anxiety over their finest goalkeeper) cannot be solved just by throwing money at them. But, decision-making on Wenger's part similar to that with which he masterminded his past accomplishments may see them as legitimate title-challengers the moment next period. That's the extent to which the "so close, but still so far" experience permeates Arsenal today. Each of this highlights why there's so much at stake in the finale to this fight for the most effective four. We stand to learn so much about the current quality levels of both Tottenham and Arsenal's playing and training team, what their potential is and who among them will soon be capable to construct onto it. Just as in Manchester United and Manchester City, this competition is now much more stimulating and fascinating because of the closeness between the clubs. Their future fortunesa'though in a sizable part determined by notably different circumstancesa'have become as entwined because they may have ever been.
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