I spoke Arsenal pre match about Theo Walcott making a difference to this game and in the 11 minute match, he was the player that made the difference. Our first real attack of the game saw van Persie clip a pass into the stride of Theo Walcott who raced through ahead of former Tottenham defender Sébastien Bassong, Bassong rather clumsily bundled Walcott over in the box and the referee made the correct decision by awarding the penalty. As Bassong prevented a goalscoring

Wolves 0 Arsenal 3 – Match Report

It was like the good old days, the players standing in the tunnel before walking out onto the pitch, knowing how good they were but also willing to fight for the right to play. Them like our great teams of the past, we won the game within 11 minutes.

I spoke pre match about Theo Walcott making an impact in this game and in the 11 minute match, he was the player that made the difference. Our first real attack of the game saw van Persie clip a pass into the stride of Theo Walcott who raced through ahead of former Tottenham defender Sébastien Bassong, Bassong rather bundled Walcott over in the box and the referee made the correct decision by awarding the penalty. As Bassong prevented a goalscoring opportunity, he was dismissed for his troubles which gave the home side a mountain to climb.

Robin van Persie joined the Dwight Yorke, Paolo Di Canio and of course our very own Thierry Henry list of chipped penalties. Like a golf ball stuck in a bunker, Robin scooped the ball gently over the falling Wayne Hennessey. Confidence like that from a man who has missed a few chances in recent matches just shows what belief he has in himself.

Minutes later it was the same combination once more, this time van Persie returning a pass to the darting Walcott who opened up his body and side footed into the corner to double our lead.

Arsene Wenger often talks about patience being needed to break down stubborn defences and I have argued in the past that our patience at times may have been our downfall as it can translate into complacency but I thought we were the right type of patient at the right time last night.

With an extra man and a superior possession game, there was simply no need to pour forward in search of more goals. The home side dropped off to prevent embarrassment and we pulled them around the pitch with triangles.

What was important was our work off the ball and that was still high. Yossi Benayoun again provided guile and determination in equal measure. It is a shame that we did not managed to buy a younger Benayoun as he is well suited to our squad.

At 2-0 up and the ball generally at our feet, I thought that Tomas Rosicky would have really suited that situation. He would have found so much space in that midfield and would have been a great link between Mikel Arteta and Robin van Persie. But giving Ramsey a chance will share the work load. Aaron Ramsey grew as the game went on and his confidence on the ball seemed to return in the second half. The rest for Rosicky along with Koscielny should do our team some good for the run in.

In the second half Arteta had a bursting run in the penalty area and his cut back was fired high and wide from van Persie. It got me thinking, we do not see Arteta in the penalty area very much. I wouldn’t be surprised if he was the player who ventured in the opposition box the least out of our midfielders.

With half an hour to go, Wolves did turn up the heat a little. Kevin Doyle who was having a frustrating evening forced Szczesny into a wonderful outstretched save. Arsenal then increased the gears and Yossi Benayoun reading from the same page of Mikel Arteta of late struck low past the Wolves keeper to clinch all three points.

My guess is that had we had a week between fixtures then we would have gone for Wolves much more than we did, as it was at 2-0 up with the opposition down to 10 men, the gears had shifted back down and conserving energy for Monday night against a resurgent Wigan Athletic then became the priority.

While not having a great deal to do, I think credit should go to Johan Djourou who stepped in for Koscielny and did not put a foot wrong. Andre Santos is still not in the rhythm of matches as yet and we saw this when he first joined the club. A few games down the line he was solid and dependable, so I hope and expect that to be the case now should Gibbs not return instantly.

Aaron Ramsey had a strike from close range saved and it seems as if the youngster is continuing to try and force the ball in. Gooner Carl Jenkinson got his first minutes in the first team for some months and that is great news for him.

The lead has now been stretched to five points over out of form Tottenham Hotspurs but the one game at a time mantra will remain, and rightly so.

An easy away three points will do nicely at this time of the season.

Man of the match: Yossi Benayoun