The Game

Brilliant, absolutely brilliant. We wanted a response from the players and we got one straight away. Of course, it’s now vital to keep this up and keep our concentration ahead of two busy months of football, hoping that our players did indeed learn the lesson.

Many will say that Wolves deserved to find the equaliser and how they dominated 70% of the game but I respectfully disagree to look at today’s game from that perspective. Considering we were coming from two very bad defeats, I never expected us to go out there and hit six past Mick McCarthy’s men.

Instead, what we saw today is exactly what we had to expect from Arsenal if we were to get all three points from the Molineux. We found an early goal, sit back and counter attacked when the opportunity was presented to us. And we did that to perfection. Andrey Arshavin twice went close to score the second so today I want to look at the glass half full rather than half empty.

Now make no mistake. I fully understand today’s win is not the end of all our problems. We’ve seen it before and we went back to square one before. But I want to look at the future with optimism because with Robin van Persie to make his “official” long-awaited comeback on Sunday, I believe the future can be full of smiles for us.

Lukasz Fabianski is my man of the match, showing how Sunday’s was indeed “just a mistake” you would expect from any goalkeeper. Marouane Chamakh follows. Is Newcastle a thing of the past for the Moroccan? Not really, today he twice failed to understand Arshavin’s intentions but I’m convinced he will learn. And then Gael Clichy, top game from the Frenchman who I so much hope will prove me wrong this month.

To conclude. I honestly hope that after today’s game Arsene Wenger and the players do not ever comment on bad tackles in the game. Karl Henry made a criminal tackle on Andrey, yes, but Cesc Fabregas made an equally stupid challenge for which he deserved a red. He is our captain and he is to set an example. Today he failed in doing that.

As always, whether you agree with my ratings or not, submit your own at Arsenal Interactive and make sure to share them on Twitter and Facebook.

Match Video Highlights

Match video highlights are available in the Videos section of our website. If not there yet, rest assured they will be up in a matter of hours.

Player Ratings

Fabianski: 9 – That save. That save! Is the equivalent of a penalty save. Top game Lukasz, you’re not far away from winning everyone over.

Squillaci and Djourou : 7 – Credit to our centre backs for doing well despite under pressure for almost the whole 90 minutes. Maybe, just maybe, I would give Johan 6.5 considering he worried me on a couple of occasions.

Sagna: 8 – It’s funny. Today’s game where he had very little to do in the offensive department clearly shows how important, how phenomenal Bacary is at the back. That tackle in the 47th minute is the reason why I consider him our best defender.

Clichy: 8 – Brilliant. Ready to cover for Johan in the 29th minute after the Swiss completely failed to make contact with the ball, made another fine block minutes later and went on to close his game with a brilliant header in the 89th minute to clear the danger.

Wilshere: 6 – Anonymous game from Jack. Can’t really say he’s tired considering he sit out three games in a row, I’m sure he’ll bounce back.

Song: 7 – I was very worried when he went down and everyone called for the medical staff. But he’s made of steel our Alex who was again involved up front – delicious cross in the first minute – and made sure to help the defence as well.

Fabregas: 6 – Not sure what’s wrong with our captain but he’s too nervous out there. Twice kicked the ball away when Wolves were awarded a set piece and of course made a very bad challenge for which he deserved a straight red. A captain does not leave his team down to ten men in the so-important last seven minutes of the game.

Rosicky: 7 – Impressed. Tomas keeps on doing well whenever involved this season and today he was again very good on the ball and provided a couple of nice assists to his team mates.

Arshavin: 7,5 – Excellent game from the Russian who was very unlucky not to score in the 64th minute after one of his typical runs. Did however miss a very good chance in the first half which would have surely eased the pressure a little.

Chamakh: 7,5 – Two changes, two goals. And considering how the game evolved his job was to help the defensive department. And he was superb in doing that, an added defender I shall say. Now I understand every striker should be helping the back four but you have to appreciate the work he does for us.

(Subs)
Denilson: 5,5 – Not much from the Brasilian who received a very silly yellow minutes after stepping on the pitch.

Bendtner and Nasri: No Vote – Come on, they deserve a mention for taking off the tracksuit and stepping on the pitch for 5 seconds.