Another year without a win in the North London Derby. That's three consecutive seasons now. It's the one game (or two) that Tottenham fans are desperate to win more than any other and we've failed in the last six meetings.

Mikel Arteta really does have a hold over Spurs since losing his first two meetings with the Lilywhites. Arsenal have dropped points in just two of the nine North London Derbies since then.

An own goal from Dominic Solanke and a Leandro Trossard strike turned the tables for Arsenal following Son Heung-min's shock opener for Spurs. In truth, Arsenal were the dominant force throughout and deserved the three points. It could and perhaps should have been an even greater scoreline.

READ MORE: Why Archie Gray pushed Lucas Bergvall and Postecoglou needs help as ENIC increase Tottenham grip

READ MORE: Every word Postecoglou said on what upset him in Arsenal defeat, half-time subs and Trossard error

Where did Spurs go wrong? For all the issues in defence, with four of their first choice back five missing, there was little going the other way to get supporters excited and that has been a common theme for weeks.

Here football.london takes a look at the big questions that need answering in the aftermath of another North London Derby defeat...

Are the defensive issues the key reason for this slump?

Ange Postecoglou has had a horror show of injuries to deal with, of that there can be no doubt. Guglielmo Vicario, Micky van de Ven, Cristian Romero, Ben Davies and Destiny Udogie all missed the clash on Wednesday night.

Four of those five are first-choice starters. Missing almost the entirety of your back-line is going to hurt, particularly in a big match such as this one.

But is their absence the reason for the problems going in the other direction? Spurs do build from the back under Postecoglou. He likes his teams to play out in that risk and reward strategy.

In Archie Gray, the Australian has someone who is confident on the ball and happy to play out. Radu Dragusin less so, but has shown he is capable. Then, Pedro Porro is first choice at right-back and knows the Postecoglou system inside out. He inverts and becomes a midfielder regularly, while Djed Spence has also shown he can do the same.

There is not enough coming from the midfield at the moment, and certainly not enough cut and thrust from the front three. Spurs look too passive and bereft of ideas.

The decision to bring James Maddison and Brennan Johnson on at half-time against Arsenal was bold. It meant Maddison and Dejan Kulusevski playing as a double ten effectively, something which has worked well in the past against lesser teams.

Against Arsenal, while it made Spurs bolder and braver going forward, it left the defence with no one to pass to to play out from the back at the Emirates Stadium. And that hurt.

Are Spurs in relegation trouble?

Tottenham slipped to 13th place following the midweek round of Premier League action. They have not won in their last five matches and have only won one of their last nine outings.

That is relegation form. Currently the club are eight points above the drop zone and not in imminent danger, but the next two fixtures are against teams below them - Everton and Leicester.

Everton have a new (old) manager in David Moyes and while they did not see the new manager bounce against Aston Villa, they are sure to be a different proposition than previously.

Leicester had 21 shots in a 2-0 defeat to Crystal Palace. There will come a point where they will finish chances and teams off. Lose either or both of those matches and Spurs are bang in trouble.

Should Ange Postecoglou be sacked?

The question has been asked before this season and will continue to be asked as results falter. The pressure is on and while there are mitigating circumstances with the injuries, Daniel Levy is not one to tolerate excuses.

But who else is out there to take over? Graham Potter has long been linked but is now with West Ham. The likes of Kieran McKenna, Eddie Howe and Marco Silva would require hefty compensation, and what could they do differently?

Postecoglou was furious with the defeat to Arsenal, expecting more from his players.

"Not good enough, especially the first half," he said. "Way too passive, allowed Arsenal to take control of the game. Really disappointed with the way we, both with and without the ball, allowed them to dictate the tempo and paid a price for it. The second half was a little bit better but nowhere near good enough."

Postecoglou has much of the fanbase behind him, given what happened under previous, more pragmatic managers. A Carabao Cup win would certainly help matters, but he needs things to change in the Premier League and fast.

Do Daniel Levy and the board need to take some blame?

In a word, yes.

Thirteenth in the Premier League is nowhere near good enough, even with the injuries the side has running through it. A club like Spurs should have the depth to deal with such problems.

And that comes down to the work done in the background. Last season was a good one, with Spurs finishing fifth under a bright, attacking new boss. This year has gone backwards.

The club should have more depth, but in the summer, despite securing the impressive signings of Solanke, Gray, Lucas Bergvall and Wilson Odobert, three of the four were (and still are) teenagers.

Spurs are building for the future, but it's felt like that's been happening for years. Tottenham need and deserve players for the here and now and while both Bergvall and Gray are finding their feet in fine style, too much is being expected of them too young. And Tottenham are paying the price.