Vieira the hero as Arsenal leave it late

LONG after his late resounding shot, Arsenal fans were still chanting Patrick Vieira's name outside the hostelries of Highbury.

Even before the Frenchman's final act, the stadium's big screens frequently flashed out his name. "They love him here, I think," smiled Arsenal's French manager, Arsene Wenger, afterwards, breaking off from his studious gaze.

If ever feelings needed to be reciprocated, it was on an afternoon when several more familiar Arsenal figures failed to function in the face of a rigorous examination of their championship credentials.

Arsenal paraded a curious mixture of the new and old. Vieira's first goal for the club was one vivid illustration as was the spectacular headed goal from Tony Adams.

Yet at the same time Derby twice exposed a familiar lack of pace at the back before almost withstanding a customary late Highbury siege. A more cautious manager than Wenger may well have shut up shop after Adams' diving header gave Arsenal a flattering lead seconds before half time. After all, Wright and Hartson were being manacled by McGrath at the heart of a superbly disciplined Derby defence.

Merson and, it must be said, Vieira stuttered in midfield. Derby were encouraged to attack, especially seeking out Sturridge's vivacious pace, noting Adams' forward forays. And Linighan and Bould were clearly there for turning. Twice, after their second goal, Derby enjoyed clear numerical superiority close to Lukic's goal, twice an inaccurate final ball let them down. Wenger was justified in reciting the familiar lament of fatigue after recent exertions against Tottenham, Liverpool and Newcastle. And, as the manager readily confirmed, Arsenal's players will enjoy the current two week break even more for having improbably extended their lead after another Liverpool lapse at home.

Wenger defended the new licence for Adams and company to attack after all, it was Arsenal's captain who also materialised or the byline to help construct Vieira's goal. "You can improve at every age, Wenger insisted. And I think he (Adams) already has. He likes it, everybody likes it. But the problem is always to find a good balance."

Arsenal's manager is also seeking the right balance in Vieira, between his creative and destructive tendencies. The young French midfielder is suspended for the next two games and received a seventh booking for a kick at Asanovic. Vieira was fortune to escape another caution and dismissal after a crunching challenge on Darryl Powell.

Wenger insisted Vieira was "a fair player. He lacks experience when he makes a foul, it's spectacular. Maybe it's a little bit my fault. I ask him to be aggressive and he sometimes arrives too late." Arsenal have great faith in Vieira - his six year contract is twice the length of Wenger's - and his impact since his £3.5 million move compounds puzzlement over his availability in the first place. "When he became free I was very surprised," said Wenger. "After all, Milan buy a player of 20 and let him go six months later. I advised Arsenal to buy him very quickly." Wenger insists he is not following the same route for the World Player of the Year. "There is no chance that Arsenal would buy George Weah this season," he declared before adding tantalisingly: "After that, you never know." More immediate targets are understood to be another Milan player, Zvonimir Boban, and PSV Eindhoven's Wim Jonk, former club mate of Dennis Bergkamp at Ajax and Internazionale.

With far less resources, Jim Smith has bought judiciously in developing a thoughtful, precise Derby team given added durability by McGrath's timeless defending. Lack of goal power has undermined the team, though seemingly not here when Sturridge out paced Adams before unleashing a fearsome shot via the crossbar and Chris Powell out manoeuvered Andy Linighan to initiate Darryl Powell's volley.

By now Paul Merson's long cross, finding Stimac strangely inattentive, for Adams's header was a distant memory. Even when Arsenal somehow summoned extra reserves of energy amid a late barrage of corners, Derby's discipline barred the way. Until, that is, Vieira's high velocity shot from just outside the area crushingly ended resistance.