After a brief opening flurry from West Ham, the story of the first half was of Arsenal attacks, with Olivier Giroud repeatedly failing to get on the end of a series of crosses from Mezut Özil, Kieran Gibbs and Bacary Sagna.
Steve McClaren knows all about addressing the media in double Dutch and insisted Garry Monk was talking it when he said Daryl Janmaat's sending-off in the first half was of no significance at the Liberty Stadium.
The final seconds of the first half were a mess. .
Tottenham boss Mauricio Pochettino: "The first half was one of the best of the season.
Watt's pick-six at the end of the first half was one of several passes the Texans broke up at the line of scrimmage.
The first half was devoid of footballing haymakers.
The first half was something of a curate's egg.
"The first half was one of our best attacking-wise.
The only problem was, the first half was one of the worst.
The first half was one of the worst played by Middlesbrough here for some time.
