Arsenal Advancing – Wigan 0 – Arsenal 4

Alright Gooners, quiz time. Can you tell me what Arsenal’s record was 14 games into LAST season? How about 14 games into last season? If you answered both questions with 8W 2D 4L you would be correct. And you would’ve noticed that Arsenal are no worse off than they were last year at the same point – even when you take into account the horrid start to this season.

Any trip to the northwest is difficult. This season as we mentioned in the preview we’ve chucked in 8 goals at Manchester United and thrown away a match against Blackburn. Additionally, the past two seasons at the DW have been dismal. So if you said you’d never expect a result like the 4-0 drubbing Arsenal laid on Wigan, you would’ve been forgiven.

Wigan were likely in this match for a total of 5-10 minutes in total. They started off each half brightly but their system of one man in the box never made them a real threat. So all that was left was for Arsenal to close the door on them.  Their defence – or something simulating a defence was only to happy to let Arsenal do just that.

The goal scoring was opened by Mikel Arteta on a really nice shot that in truth, had he been pressured or Al Habsi been a better goalie, could’ve been stopped. It was a dipping shot from around 25 yards out that was nicely deceptive and I was quite surprised when it went in because it looked as I said quite stoppable. Sadly, for Wigan fans it wasn’t stopped and Arsenal went up 1-0.

It only took a minute or two later for Arsenal to cement their lead.

Many of us have lamented our lack of goals from corners and set pieces for the last year plus. Well, it is quite evident that part of that reason was the absence of Thomas Vermaelen. Well, despair no more kiddies, the Verminator is back. When left along to his own devices on corners if he gets a hold of the ball he will either put a good shot on goal or put a great shot into the net. Yesterday, he put a great shot into the net.  Left alone (slightly) on the far post Vermaelen rose unabated to get the cross in from the corner and rifled a ball past  Al Habsi on the near post. Again, in a defencive lapse reminiscent of our play, Vermaelen was left unmarked and nodded the ball in. Wigan had no one on the line and Al Habsi couldn’t get over quick enough to stop the ball. 2-0 to the Arsenal.

Now, if you are like me there is still a bit of jadedness to when Arsenal go up 2-0 and as the old adage goes, 2-0 is a hard scoreline to hold. If the trailing team comes back and makes it 2-1 it is going to get dicey for the winning the team as the other team senses they may be in the match after all. A third goal for the winning team in most cases signals that it is pretty much – game over. At the start of the second half Wigan came out looking to take some chances and apply some pressure on Arsenal. However, again it was their system choice with one forward getting into the box that let them down. There was no service to the Wigan striker and most of their attacks fluttered out.

As an Arsenal fan I was nervous knowing we needed to put this one away. And sure enough I saw a team on the pitch that wasn’t content on sitting back on 2-0. I saw a team chasing the third. But not in some hap hazard, nervous kind of way. No, this was deliberate. It was cool. It was calm and certainly was controlled and collected. Words I haven’t been able to link to Arsenal in a while. It was that style of play and 33 passes -that’s right 33 – that led up to the Gervinho’s third goal. With a lot of nice build up play leading to a Robin Van Persie shot that Gervinho was in the right place to tuck away the Al Habsi rebound.

Gervinho hasn’t been hot with his goal scoring lately and frankly that shot had as much chance as soaring over the goal as it did going in. But it went in and Arsenal had that glorious third goal. 3-0 to the Gunners.

The fourth well it was scored by that Van Persie guy. You know him right? He’s the one who won’t let anyone else on this team score. He’s the one we are dependent on for all our goals. If you haven’t sensed my overly sarcastic tone please start this section over. Robin Van Persie simply is the best forward in Europe right now. He’s healthy and just seems to be in the right place at the right time. This time it was at the top of the 18 yard box on a nifty piece of skill and pace by Walcott that saw him deep in the 6 yard box. Walcott had the shot on goal but there was a defender there and he had pulled off of Van Persie. In a completely unselfish move and likely recognizing that RvP is just money right now, Walcott set a nice little pass to the captain who settled it and with his right foot knotted his 32 second of the calendar year. His 18th in all competitions THIS season. 4-0, game set and match.

With the win, Arsenal improved their goal differential to +7. Not typical of past Arsenal GDs but when you consider nearly two months ago they were at a -8 GD it is quite impressive. Also when you look at Arsenal since the international break they a 6W 1D and 0L with a GD of +13. Since the nightmares at OT and at Blackburn Arsenal have allowed more than 1 goal twice (Chelsea -3 and Spurs -2). They are playing consistently and with the exception of Fulham last week, have been playing fluid, attacking football. It is without a doubt nice to see again.

What is great to see is the team spirit that exists on this team now. A few people have commented here and in other venues that in recent seasons that team looked less like a team and more like a collection of over paid, skilled talent. That assessment was mine own and it can only get you so far. Now, I see a team. Players committed to each other and to the system we are playing. There is support for each and recognition for the services brought on by the others. Look no further than Robin Van Persie insisting the fans laud Walcott for his assist yesterday. Look no further than a total commitment by the players on the pitch to work as a unit defencively. There is just an overriding sense that we finally have a team again.

That sense of team can help. When things seem down as it did early in the season or later in the season when it is tough can help. It can help get a group of players through a rough patch. It can help continue a run even when matches seem to be going against you. We talk a lot of intangibles and this is the one that can add so much to a team. It is a reason why I think it is fun to watch the Arsenal again.

This isn’t to gloss over the cracks. We still could do with a creative midfielder to replace Cesc Fabregas and another striker to give Van Persie some needed rest when its called for. But I am no longer of the mind we need a centreback. I think the rotation we have right now works for us. We might want to land another RB or LB but that could be debated as our deputies have done very well.

Actually, a quick word about that defencive line. Does anyone else get the sense with Santos on the pitch we’re playing more of 3-4-3? We have 3 CBs two of them pacy on either side of A tall solid CB. Just asking on that. It’s what I’ve been wondering given the offencive nature of our new brazillian.

All in all it was a complete win against a team we were supposed to dominate – and did. That’s the good thing no mamby pampy cuteness we dominated and it was put to bed early enough. It got chippy at the end with some questionable tackles as Arsenal tried to close out the match with their ball control. Song went off with a limp but I’ve not heard about anything serious in terms of an injury.

The win and the improved GD moves Arsenal into 5th. Leapfrogging, Newcastle and Liverpool with the merseysiders yet to play. We are 2 points out of 4th. Arsenal have the best form next to City and Spurs. The first team will get another full week of rest as Arsenal are the only English team to be through to the knock out stages of the Champion’s League (you know in a worse case scenario Arsenal could be the ONLY English team in the knock out stages). I suspect the squad that takes on Olympiakos in Greece will look very much like last week’s Carling Cup side.  After the Champion’s League, Arsenal get a visit from perennial midtable team, Everton. Then it’s back to the northwest for a match with the billionaire first team – Manchester City.

Player Ratings:

Szczesny: 6
Koscielny: 6
Mertesacker: 6
Vermaelen: 8 (MOTM)
Santos: 6
Song: 7
Arteta: 8
Ramsey: 7
Gervinho: 7
Walcott: 6
Van Persie: 8

Subs:
Arshavin: N/A
Benayoun: N/A
Coquelin : N/A