For the first time since a 0-0 draw on the opening day of the season, Arsenal have a positive goal difference. It has taken a few months of plugging away to repair the damage caused by conceding 12 times in consecutive away games at Manchester United and Blackburn, but the pluses keep coming.
This comfortable victory, over a West Bromwich Albion team sorely missing firepower up front, saw Thomas Vermaelen enjoy a scoring return to the starting lineup in the Premier League. He was last on the scoresheet 21 months ago, in February 2010, during a game that became infamous for the leg break suffered by Aaron Ramsey. Both of these players have since endured lengthy spells sidelined, and in rehabilitation, and it was a mark of how much stronger Arsenal currently feel that they could rely on two more influential players who are fit and firing. Believe the hype or not, there is more to this team than Robin van Persie.
Not that the Dutchman is easily shunted to the periphery – he did score one goal and make the other two with a typically switched-on display. "At the moment he is world class and it is difficult to stop him. He was not only a goalscorer, but also a provider and that's what I like from strikers," his manager, Arsène Wenger, said.
The first goal came in the 22nd minute when Ramsey, who is becoming quite the specialist at opening up games, released Theo Walcott with a searching pass. It looked like the chance had gone when the England winger aimed his shot straight at Ben Foster, only for Van Persie to arrive with superhero timing to stab in the rebound. As if to emphasise the point, a banner read: "We don't need Batman, we've got Robin."
The Holland international was involved in Arsenal's second, with a superb cutback on the volley with his right foot. Vermaelen arrived to drill powerfully past Foster. The Belgian almost had another only to glance a header narrowly wide.
"He should have got a second," Wenger said. "I like centre-backs who score goals." Vermaelen's partnership with Laurent Koscielny, although not given the sternest test, was impressive. Wenger was also mindful to praise the efforts of full-back Carl Jenkinson, whose energy and assurance demonstrated how well he has come back from his early setbacks.
Ramsey, Gervinho and Alex Song had chances after the break to increase Arsenal's lead. Mikel Arteta was the man who did, with a sumptuous strike to convert Van Persie's smart pass, and round off a performance described as "complete domination" by Wenger. West Brom's best moments came late on, but they lacked the killer touch.
Vermaelen showed his class at his favoured end of the pitch with a terrific interception to deny Somen Tchoyi, then Wojciech Szczesny denied Steven Reid and James Morrison.
Roy Hodgson reflected by defending his team's efforts, but lamenting the missing spark. "We were up against a form team who were rampant. One thing we did was put in a hell of a shift, but there is no doubt that Shane Long and Peter Odemwingie, our first-choice centre-forwards, might have caused more problems."
He did not have the heart to make much of a hopeful penalty appeal when Jerome Thomas came together with Koscielny, suggesting it was as much of a penalty as the one harshly conceded to Liverpool last week. West Brom never threatened to derail an Arsenal team on a sequence of four league wins.
Wenger was delighted to be able to look at a goal difference that is no longer embarrassing. "We gave ourselves a handicap with the 8-2 in Manchester so we had a mountain to climb. I was not used to seeing that. It was a shock every time to see a minus in front of our goal difference. And if you look at the teams above us they are catchable."
Liverpool and Tottenham are only two goals better off, Chelsea and Newcastle, seven goals ahead. The chase for improvement goes on.
Source: Amy Lawrence, The Guardian on 5 Nov 11
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