Van Persie repays Wenger

Blackburn Rovers - 0 Arsenal - 1: Arsene Wenger wore the virtuous expression of someone who has returned from a shopping trip empty-handed but newly determined to start wearing the underused, almost forgotten clothes hanging at the back of the wardrobe.

After seeing what he termed "my under-21 side" consign Blackburn to their first defeat in seven games, Arsenal's manager explained why he intends to resist the siren call of the transfer market.

"Everyone wants me to buy, but if you look at the squad you wonder why," he said. "It's a mistake to buy just because someone is a name. Maybe we need one or two (new signings) but I think we have the nucleus of a good team (coming through) and it would be a mistake not to play my young players."

Indeed, with Jose Antonio Reyes, Robin van Persie and Mathieu Flamini taking particularly impressive advantage of Wenger's decision to field a weakened XI in this rehearsal for next month's FA Cup semi-final, the summer spending spree for which many Arsenal fans are clamouring appears a needless extravagance.

Mark Hughes even hinted Wenger might be in possession of a crop of youngsters to rival Manchester United's class of the early 1990s. "Every one is quality; the trick now is for Arsene to give them more opportunities," said Blackburn's manager. "If you've got faith in youth and your ability to develop it you can really reap the benefits. It's open to debate but you can draw parallels with Arsene's young players now and the group Sir Alex brought through."

Young players make more mistakes than most, however, and van Persie - told he was starting only when Fredrik Ljungberg aggravated an ankle injury in the warm-up - endured an error-punctuated half-hour before scoring a sublime 43rd-minute winner. "I didn't think I did very well in the first half," admitted the Dutch striker. "Mentally I wasn't tuned in and I was late to a couple of balls but I'm very happy with my goal."

And rightly so. Manoeuvering himself into a gap between Andy Todd and Ryan Nelsen, he controlled a clever pass from Ashley Cole, deployed as a convincing left winger, with a superior first touch and balletic swivel. Confronted by Brad Friedel he retained his poise, drawing Blackburn's goalkeeper off his line and then dummying and rounding him before running the ball into an empty net.

Wenger, who claims the 21-year-old's foolish sending off at Southampton last month cost Arsenal two points, said: "This was part of Robin's rehabilitation. He had a team-orientated performance and not a selfish one."

"Southampton was my lowest point, the worst I've felt since coming here," said van Persie. "But I've learnt from what happened; I know I must control my temper. There were three or four tough tackles on me today but I didn't react. Our young players have done fantastically because Blackburn are difficult to play against; they hit a lot of long balls and are very aggressive and strong in the tackle so we are really pleased with the win."

Yet difficult as Rovers are to deconstruct, they lack the improvisational capacity which individuals such as Reyes boast in abundance and are ill-equipped to cope with falling behind.

Hughes's smothering, strictly streamlined 4-5-1 formation has undoubtedly secured the draws and narrow wins which have virtually banished relegation fears, but on Saturday Paul Dickov, the lone striker, cut an isolated, irritated figure. If Rovers are to have any hope of winning the semi-final, Hughes must choreograph a Plan B. ...