Wenger delight as Gunners fire four
The Dutch champions provided easy pickings for Arsenal last night, with Arsene Wenger’s side strolling to a victory which was embarrassing in its simplicity. The only wonder was how Arsenal had contrived to throw away two points against such dismal opposition at the DSB Stadion a fortnight ago.
There was never any chance of a similar slip-up here and a brace from Cesc Fabregas and further strikes by Samir Nasri and Abou Diaby ensured Arsenal now stand on the brink of qualification for the knock-out stage. A point against Standard Liege on 24 November will suffice, and that should be little more than a formality.
“It was a brilliant performance,” Wenger said. “We dominated technically and tactically and we were never under threat. Overall I am very happy indeed.”
He has reason to be. Wenger admitted he has never boasted such a formidable array of firepower in his time in English football and the performances of Fabregas and Andrey Arshavin, who set up three goals here, were luminous. Sterner tests await but this attack has the potential to unsettle the best Europe has to offer.
But Arsenal captain Fabregas refused to take the Gunners’ progression into the knockout stages of the Champions League as a formality.
“It is not definite so we’ll have to keep working until the end,” he said.
“Even if we had qualified we would have wanted to win and have gone for the six points. That is our mentality.”
The Spaniard also insisted Arsenal’s form and quality will only count for something if they emerge with a trophy.
“It’s just the beginning of the season, nothing is done, we want to keep going until the end,” Fabregas continued.
“I’ll feel it is something special when we win something. We want to win and if we win something at the end we will say we had a good year.
“We can still do better so we’ll try to improve in the next few games.”
Wenger could take satisfaction from the fact that his team was able to ease off the accelerator with the best part of 45 minutes to play. Instead, the likes of Nasri – whose only other appearance this season came in last week’s Carling Cup tie with Liverpool – were allowed the gentlest of re-introductions to elite-level competition.
Alkmaar were beyond wretched. They set up in a craven, safety-first style which was once the anathema of Dutch teams, showing all the ambition of wide-eyed non-leaguers in an FA Cup tie. The only question was whether Arsenal could show the patience and purpose needed to break down the wall of black shirts arranged in front of them, and the answer was swiftly provided.
After Robin van Persie had twice come close with early efforts – curling one just past the post and firing the other, an indirect free-kick, into Alkmaar’s defensive wall – Alkmaar presented Arsenal with an opening goal that might as well have come wrapped in red and white ribbons.
Fabregas’ scuffed 26th-minute shot from 20 yards looked like it would struggle to reach the goal-line, let alone find the bottom corner, but Sergio Romero’s reactions were even slower and the ball duly trickled in.
Fabregas looked almost too embarrassed to celebrate, but no matter. Falling behind destroyed Alkmaar’s game-plan at a stroke and forced them to inch out of their defensive shell, leaving precious space for Arsenal’s ravenous attack to feed upon.
Moments before half-time, they duly helped themselves to a second. The effervescent Arshavin threaded a cute pass to Nasri, who wriggled past the hapless Hector Moreno and drove firmly into the bottom corner, via Romero’s hand.
Alkmaar doubtless would have preferred to remain in the Emirates’ plush away dressing room rather than re-emerge for further punishment. They certainly showed little enthusiasm in closing down Arshavin, who broke clear moments after the re-start before slipping a pass to Fabregas, who lifted expertly into the roof of the net.
That was the cue for Arsenal to wind down, with Fabregas and van Persie both withdrawn as Wenger kept one eye on Saturday’s trip to Wolves. Alkmaar duly came close with a shot from Graziano Pelle, which Almunia tipped onto the bar, but Arsenal reasserted themselves with a fourth goal that was set up by Eduardo’s wonderful back-heel and another lung-bursting run from Arshavin. This time it was Diaby arriving late to finish off with aplomb.
There was just one blot on the Arsenal copybook, Kieran Gibbs’ slip allowing Jeremain Lens to tear clear and slide in a shot at Almunia’s near post, but in the context of this one-sided affair, it bordered on the irrelevant.
“We are consistent,” Wenger said, reflecting on the possibility of Arsenal qualifying for knockout stage in 10 successive seasons.
“We grow from game to game and it’s important to keep that attitude to progress and improve.
“The competition gets more difficult the more you go on. But I believe we have quality – I said before the season that I believe in them but it is down to us to go and be consistent. Then we see how far we can go in this competition.”
Subs for Arsenal: Eduardo for van Persie, 66; Ramsey for Fabregas, 67; Rosicky for Arshavin, 74.
Subs for AZ Alkmaar: Lens for Dembele 58, Pocognoli for Poulson, 64, Wernbloom for da Silva 71.
