Arsenal fire a warning shot

Arsenal 2 Wolves 0:MICK McCARTHY had just reeled off a brutally honest assessment of Arsenal's walkover, involving a description of "a big mark on my arse where I've had it kicked" and admissions that the hosts had "slapped", "murdered" and "absolutely pumped us", when the Wolverhampton Wanderers manager was asked about Barcelona's impending visit to north London. "There might be another chastening experience here on Wednesday," he said. "Who's to know?"

A mouth-watering contest awaits in midweek. Everything about Arsenal at present suggests Barca should be wary of the Champions League tie ahead; or at least warier than they needed to be last season when the sides collided with the Londoners so depleted and, ultimately, easily dispatched from the competition. Their preparations this time around could not have been smoother, with Saturday’s stroll against a team who have unsettled all-comers in the title race so often this season ensuring confidence and conviction are pepped ahead of the Catalans’ arrival in the capital.

Arsenal purred here, with their key attacking players resplendent. Robin van Persie is at his prolific best, with 11 goals in nine games. Cesc Fabregas played within himself, his first-time pass that sent the jet-heeled Theo Walcott through in the build-up to the hosts’ second goal jaw-dropping in its exquisite execution.

Jack Wilshere was all subtle invention and energy alongside the reassuring Alex Song in the centre. This team have grown since last year’s brush with Barcelona’s effervescence. Time will tell whether they can unsettle Spain’s best but, even with Pep Guardiola’s side so breathtaking this term, Arsenal will surely have a better chance than a year ago.

This was admittedly no occasion to assess their defensive resilience, with Wolves utterly unable to wrest back possession to test Wojciech Szczesny, but there was huge encouragement to be had in their ability to keep the visitors at arm’s length throughout. This team will never abandon their principles to suffocate opponents with strong-arm tactics or ferocious tackling – Wenger would not countenance such an approach – but there will be feverish industry and attempts to retain possession in higher areas of the pitch on Wednesday than Arsenal mustered last season.

“If we manage to put them under pressure, we will create chances,” said Wenger. “Sometimes you have that extra focus in these kind of games, which makes you more efficient with the chances you create. Hopefully we will have that.”

Profligacy was arguably their only annoyance on Saturday, when Wolves might have been dismissed by a cricket score, only for Wayne Hennessey’s excellence to maintain the visitors’ vague interest. The Welshman’s saves from Walcott and Van Persie before the interval were outstanding, though they counted for little with the Dutch striker irrepressible at present. His tumbling volley that opened the scoring effectively settled the contest.

Van Persie had been absent from early November to mid-April last season, denying him any involvement in the knock-out meeting with Barca. He will provide this team’s bite this time around. “We used him well when he first came back from his injury in November, not rushing him, and we’re seeing him now at his best,” said Wenger. “We played with five offensive players – five strikers, basically – with Walcott, Arshavin, Van Persie, Fabregas and Wilshere. That’s what we like to do.”

It was all too much for Wolves, whose thoughts must have drifted to next weekend’s far more critical visit to their bitter rivals West Bromwich Albion long before the end. Defeat consigned them back to the foot of the table but their run-in feels less awkward than that of some of their rivals at the bottom.

Kevin Doyle admitted he would “prefer to win” at The Hawthorns than to have done so here. Victory against fellow strugglers would arguably carry more resonance. A year ago Wolves had just a point more than their current 24 and survived comfortably.

“We admire their performance, actually, and try and aspire to getting somewhere near that, because they were terrific. But it’s meaningless for us. We’ll play better against West Brom, and Spurs and Blackpool at home. Get another five wins, which I believe we can and will do, and we’ll have a chance of staying in this league,” said McCarthy.

Guardian Service