Three points clear, maximum points and 14 goals from three games is still a remarkable achievement in any Champions League group. Putting five past Shakhtar Donetsk was seriously impressive. 'Ruthless Arsenal Praised' is just one headline on the UEFA website but I thought we actually did it at a controlled canter. We also used the game to not only rest players but also to ease back others returning from injury. The fact that we're able to even consider doing such things, never mind totally capable of doing so, speaks volumes for just how far we've come in something over a decade on the European stage.
Against Shakhtar you'll have seen the skills, the slick play, the fact that we showed we can play with four creative players on the pitch. We had a centre forward on show who's taken to our game like a duck to water and is beginning to really look the part. We had the growing confidence of a once suspect keeper and improving awareness of a young centre back growing into the role. There was the steadying influence of an old hand in new surroundings at the back. The growing threat of Rosicky getting back to his best. The growing confidence and swagger of top class player in Samir Nasri who's stature is rising like a rocket. Then of course there was Cesc who even when not at full fitness or anything like full throttle is still a stand out player on the world stage, his ability to play the captain's part was just one of the many pluses on the night. All this without even mentioning a turbo powered wide man back from injury, or a midfield rock with an iffy hair-do, or two full backs who in games such as last nights showed just how neat ball control, timed runs and pace can instantly put the opposition on the back foot. This game should have been a real test but such is our confidence in Europe these days that we turned it into an exhibition match. Impressive, very impressive.
That said the highlight of the match wasn't about Arsenal it was about the fans treatment of Eduardo. Edurado came on as a sub when we were 5-0 up, received a massive ovation and the Eduardo chants were resurrected big time. I can't ever remember being delighted to see an opponent score before and I certainly don't recall an opponent scoring and receiving a standing ovation either at our new gaff or at Highbury. But that's what he received - a standing ovation from the fans of the team he'd just scored against - it wasn't just a few fans either it seemed to be the entire crowd in unison. Real class.
According to FC Shakhtar Donetsk coach Mircea Lucescu three of Arsenal's goals were gifts. But there's a reason for that: the average Champions League opponent coming to our stadium does so in extreme trepidation. They know they're about to take on one of Europe's major Clubs, they've watched the way we play and they are scared. Arsenal are now exploiting the trepidation factor. This is nothing less than the same fear we had at one point when we went to any of the major footballing citadels such as the San Siro. But right across Europe now everyone has seen us beat Madrid in the Bernabeu and not only beat A C Milan in the San Siro but also thrash Inter there. European teams don't come to our gaff with the same mentality of a Bolton or Wigan they arrive wearing brown trousers and fearing the worst. Such a reputation has been earned the hard way by facing up to Europe's finest on a regular basis and is quite possibly Wenger's biggest understated achievement. Europe; get the Club to the top table, stay there every season and become one of the big teams to be feared by others.
Against Shakhtar you'll have seen the skills, the slick play, the fact that we showed we can play with four creative players on the pitch. We had a centre forward on show who's taken to our game like a duck to water and is beginning to really look the part. We had the growing confidence of a once suspect keeper and improving awareness of a young centre back growing into the role. There was the steadying influence of an old hand in new surroundings at the back. The growing threat of Rosicky getting back to his best. The growing confidence and swagger of top class player in Samir Nasri who's stature is rising like a rocket. Then of course there was Cesc who even when not at full fitness or anything like full throttle is still a stand out player on the world stage, his ability to play the captain's part was just one of the many pluses on the night. All this without even mentioning a turbo powered wide man back from injury, or a midfield rock with an iffy hair-do, or two full backs who in games such as last nights showed just how neat ball control, timed runs and pace can instantly put the opposition on the back foot. This game should have been a real test but such is our confidence in Europe these days that we turned it into an exhibition match. Impressive, very impressive.
That said the highlight of the match wasn't about Arsenal it was about the fans treatment of Eduardo. Edurado came on as a sub when we were 5-0 up, received a massive ovation and the Eduardo chants were resurrected big time. I can't ever remember being delighted to see an opponent score before and I certainly don't recall an opponent scoring and receiving a standing ovation either at our new gaff or at Highbury. But that's what he received - a standing ovation from the fans of the team he'd just scored against - it wasn't just a few fans either it seemed to be the entire crowd in unison. Real class.
According to FC Shakhtar Donetsk coach Mircea Lucescu three of Arsenal's goals were gifts. But there's a reason for that: the average Champions League opponent coming to our stadium does so in extreme trepidation. They know they're about to take on one of Europe's major Clubs, they've watched the way we play and they are scared. Arsenal are now exploiting the trepidation factor. This is nothing less than the same fear we had at one point when we went to any of the major footballing citadels such as the San Siro. But right across Europe now everyone has seen us beat Madrid in the Bernabeu and not only beat A C Milan in the San Siro but also thrash Inter there. European teams don't come to our gaff with the same mentality of a Bolton or Wigan they arrive wearing brown trousers and fearing the worst. Such a reputation has been earned the hard way by facing up to Europe's finest on a regular basis and is quite possibly Wenger's biggest understated achievement. Europe; get the Club to the top table, stay there every season and become one of the big teams to be feared by others.