Henry’s hammer blow?
They carry an away goal edge into the second leg at Highbury in 13 days, but greater self-belief and this Champions League round of 16 tie would be dead.
Will Real Madrid be as spectacularly inept again? No chance.
The frenzied debate over where Thierry Henry will ply his trade next season will hardly subside after he proved the difference between the sides last night.
His priceless strike a minute after the break was classic Henry, but in his quiet moments on the flight home last night, he will surely scold himself for fluffing a couple of first-half misses.
His striking partner, Jose Reyes, enjoyed the return to his homeland as well, but similarly, he may reflect ruefully on an early gilt-edged chance that went abegging.
Madrid? The power and panache of their recent Primera Liga outings deserted them completely - they looked ragged and dispirited at the final whistle.
Fussy Italian referee Stefano Farina played five minutes injury-time, but the hosts were looking for the dressing room long before the end of their torment.
Mercifully for coach Juan Ramon Lopez Caro, Arsenal’s well of self-confidence was shallow coming into last night’s tie, and they had neither the poise or purpose to put Real to the sword.
What the victory will do for Arsenal’s confidence remains to be seen. They face a tricky Premiership visit to Blackburn on Saturday, but if that can be safely negotiated, Arsene Wenger may feel they have turned the corner.
Keeper Jens Lehmann is proving a more reliable last line of defence these days, and though they were never truly examined, the back four of Eboue in particular, Toure, Senderos and makeshift left-back Flamini gelled impressively.
Though Henry was the goalsmith, the wisdom of starting Reyes and Fabregas paid handsome dividends, - especially the former Sevilla striker, who revelled in his role on the left flank, and ensured Brazilian defender Cicinho was seldom able to put his attacking instincts to any productive use.
Substitutes Abu Diaby and Pires has glorious chances to double Arsenal’s advantage in the latter stages, and the only fear from Wenger’s point of view must have been the impact an undeserved equaliser would have had on the brittle confidence of his side.
He will acknowledge - though not publicly - that the ruthless Arsenal of 18 months ago would have been three to the good at half-time.
They still desperately need a leader of substance to pull all the disparate strands of the side together.
With Jonathan Woodgate having to retire in the opening ten minutes with a recurrence of a hamstring injury, the Madrid defence looked disjointed as Henry and Reyes pulled them across the line and back.
The Arsenal captain was on the end of two glorious opportunities in the first period - on ten minutes he headed wide having soared to meet a Reyes cross, and three minutes before break he couldn’t put the ball wide of the exposed Casillas.
Reyes had the first and, arguably, clearest opening, while some fans were still taking their seats. Having been slid in by Henry, his finish was an early indicator of the suspect belief on the night.
Indeed Arsenal’s inability to suffocate the desire out of a subdued Madrid invited Real back into the game. Though he is now 33, Zinedine Zidane’s touch is as subtle as ever, and he was central to Madrid’s few promising raids.
Otherwise, the hosts looked utterly incoherent, relying too heavily on David Beckham’s right foot to create half chances.
It took 22 minutes before they created their first such situation - a blocked past post header from Robinho. It took an almost fatal error from Senderos to set Beckham free 11 minutes later, but Lehmann saved the Swiss defender’s blushes.
One felt both sides needed an injection of fire and brimstone at half-time and, it’s a safe assumption given the early moments of the second half that Arsenal appreciated the opportunity at hand.
Within 90 seconds of the restart, Henry burst clear with of the home cover with real menace, and this time, instead of unburdening himself of possession, he employed his weaker left foot to steer a golden away goal past Casillas.
It had shades of his magnificent second goal away to Inter two years ago - only on that occasion, Arsenal did drive home their advantage, winning memorably 5-1.
Whether the one away goal will be enough isn’t only a moot point - it’s also an indication that Higbhbury is no longer the fortress it was two seasons ago.
Also, Madrid, with their galactic talents, may benefit from less pressure for the second leg. Either way, it should be fascinating.
: Casillas; Cicinho, Woodgate (Mejia, 9) , Sergio Ramos, Roberto Carlos; Beckham, Guti, Gravesen (Julio Baptista, 75), Zidane, Robinho (Raul, 62); Ronaldo.
: Lehmann; Eboue, Toure, Senderos, Flamini; Hleb (Pires, 75), Fabregas (Song, 90+4), Gilberto, Ljungberg, Reyes (Abu Diaby, 80); Henry.
: S. Farina (Italy).
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