A month ago, when Arsenal were licking their wounds as all routes to silverware had been closed off for yet another season, and they winced at the thought of what a home game with Tottenham would bring, an afternoon as contented as this seemed a far-fetched possibility. This was a comfortable, seventh successive Premier League victory in the sunshine, with not so much as a hint of anxiety, and their grip on a Champions League spot strengthened. All in all, it demonstrated how quickly footballing fortunes can be transformed.
After Aston Villa had been swatted aside with goals from Kieran Gibbs, Theo Walcott and Mikel Arteta, Arsène Wenger was able to reflect on a position he never dared to hope for when Arsenal had slumped to 17th earlier in the campaign. "I agree, it was a dream," he said. "You just come in the next day and do your job as well as you can. We have had some difficult times and have learned that nothing is guaranteed."
Villa, too, must reflect that nothing is guaranteed for them either. While it is pushing it for them to feel overly concerned about their own position while they remain eight points in front of the relegation places, the fixture list presents several headaches, with Chelsea, Liverpool, Stoke and Manchester United lined up as upcoming opponents.
Despite arriving as the club who have earned the most points from trips to the Emirates, Villa never looked like adding any more. It did not take long for Arsenal to hum through the gears. Their passing and movement rendered Villa clapped out in comparison.
In the 16th minute, Arsenal eased in front. When Kieran Gibbs was played in by Gervinho, the left-back aimed a low shot goalwards. A ricochet off James Collins was enough to befuddle Shay Given, and the ball squirmed in off the Villa goalkeeper. All of Arsenal's first-choice back-four have now scored over the past six games, recognition of how much it has helped the balance of their play to have authentic full-backs in position. "When you play at home and have ambition you need full-backs," Wenger said. "Without them it kills a bit of the offensive drive. Now there is more variation in our build up game."
Theo Walcott doubled the lead nine minutes later when he brought down a wonderful lobbed assist from Alex Song – which is becoming his speciality – and finished with a neat sidefoot. Incredibly, that signalled the first time that two English players have scored for Arsenal in the same league game since 1997. Wenger was keen for Song to get credit. "You do not see many defensive midfielders with so many assists. His numbers are top in Europe," the manager said.
The platform Song and Arteta (pictured left) provided underscored this win, and the Spaniard enjoyed the opportunity to show some of his creative instincts. He lashed a shot from distance that Given was able to tip over the bar, and enjoyed the opportunity to find his range from a series of free-kicks.
Villa looked ragged, and worryingly penetrable. Alex McLeish spoke of Arsenal having "oodles of class" but could not disguise his frustration that his own team did not fare better. "We were pretty lamentable in the first half," he said. "The goals we lost were weak. Coming to the Emirates you have to be realistic. But in my entire career I have never thought I'm not capable of getting a result at any club in the world."
It was hard to avoid the feeling that Villa lacked a certain something as soon as the team-sheet confirmed Emile Heskey as the lone striker in his second league start of the year. He made his presence felt to Johan Djourou as the Swiss defender felt the full force of Heskey's elbow in the face. But he otherwise laboured to little effect. Djourou was a late call-up for Laurent Koscielny, who woke up feeling the effects of tendinitis in his knee. Even a little setback like that does not easily interrupt the good vibrations at Arsenal at the moment. They finished on a high as Arteta added the gloss with a fabulous, ferocious, free kick that scorched past Given in stoppage time.
Source: Amy Lawrence, The Guardian on 24 Mar 12
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