Arsenal 7 Slavia Prague 0:It was difficult to imagine a more perfect evening for Arsene Wenger and Arsenal. The red juggernaut rolled on, to within touching distance of qualification from Group H, with a 12th consecutive victory in all competitions. The club record of 14 edges ever closer.
They brought up their fifth clean sheet in five Champions League ties, which includes two qualifiers and, as Manuel Almunia did so, even the taunts of Jens Lehmann, the disgruntled former first choice, appeared nothing more than an amusing distraction.
Nicklas Bendtner, the substitute, set the seal upon a victory which was not only Arsenal's most comprehensive in the Champions League but equalled their all-time European mark, over Standard Liege in the Cup Winners' Cup in 1993. Roll on the knockout stage.
Cesc Fabregas and Theo Walcott scored two goals apiece, but it was Walcott who thrilled the crowd most. They have been starved of attacking English talent in these parts in recent years and the fans have been eager to idolise Walcott, who remains a boy. His development has been slow and he remains some way short of the finished article, but his goals here energised him, as did the adoration of the home support. He was only denied a hat-trick by a fine save from Martin Vaniak, the beleaguered Slavia goalkeeper.
There was a swagger about Arsenal from the off and the opening goal bore the fingerprints of two players at the very top of their games. Aleksandr Hleb has been among the less heralded lights of Arsenal's storming start, but his contribution has not gone unnoticed by Wenger. The midfielder is brimming with conviction, as he demonstrated when he picked up possession on the left flank, and was confronted by two dark blue shirts. He bought time with a step-over and then cut a ball back inside another Slavia defender for Fabregas.
The Spaniard took a touch and opened up his body, in preparation for a curling effort with his right foot towards the far corner. Such is his touch at present, all eyes promptly went there and the ball followed unerringly, beating the dive of the goalkeeper. Fabregas celebrated his eighth goal of the season with the nonchalance of somebody who is getting used to this.
Slavia tried their luck from distance, David Kalivoda narrowly clearing the bar, with Almunia off his line, and Milan Ivana doing so more comfortably. But it was Arsenal who carried the menace each time they swept forward. Their second goal was not a thing of beauty but Hleb did not care. The ball fell to him beyond the far post, from Fabregas' corner, and his low strike took a significant deflection off David Hubacek to wrong-foot Vaniak.
Wenger said that he did not have "one eye on Liverpool" on Sunday with his team selection, yet it was a surprise to see Walcott was preferred up front. The teenager embraced his opportunity. He crossed for Emmanuel Adebayor to bring a save out of Vaniak before he added to Slavia's misery before half-time. Vaniak took the startling decision to volley clear Daniel Pudil's overhit backpass, miskicked and found only Walcott. The teenager sidestepped him and found the empty net.
There was no doubting the ownership of Hleb's second. Fabregas took a pass from Emmanuel Eboue and sent a disguised ball out to Hleb in space on the left. He tricked almost effortlessly past Matej Krajcik and drove home.
Arsenal were enjoying themselves and their next two goals were beauties. First, Fabregas and Hleb combined to put Walcott in and he finished with the outside of his boot; then Hleb led a break from the edge of the Arsenal area, moved the ball to Adebayor, and he found Walcott. His first-time touch invited Fabregas to profit from close range.
The gulf in class was embarrassing. The crowd acclaimed their heroes, and even a few from the past. Ian Wright, Patrick Vieira, David Rocastle. They did not overlook Wenger.
ARSENAL: Almunia, Sagna, Toure, Gallas, Clichy, Eboue, Fabregas, Flamini (Silva 62), Hleb (Rosicky 62), Adebayor (Bendtner 62), Walcott. Subs not used: Lehmann, Diaby, Diarra, Eduardo. Booked: Flamini, Clichy, Hleb.
SLAVIA PRAGUE: Vaniak, Krajcik, Suchy, Hubacek, Pudil, Senkerik, Svec, Tavares (Belaid 62), Kalivoda (Jablonsky 46), Ivana (Volesak 56), Vlcek. Subs not used: Vorel, Gaucho, Drizd'al, Sourek. Booked: Volesak.
Referee: Stefano Farina (Italy).
