Arsenal 6 – 0 Braga: Can We Get Carried Away Yet?

This will only be a brief  (and late) match report, I’m afraid, thanks to time restraints and pesky work commitments.  Gah, being a grown up sucks kids, make the most of it now.

Anyway, onto things Arsenal.  Braga pitched up at the Emirates yesterday evening as an unknown quantity.  Reports of the quick counter attacking football which had vanquished Celtic and Sevilla in the preceeding rounds saw them start the game as dangerous opponents.  Skip to the full time whistle though, and a different picture had emerged, these lions of Braga had suddenly become a bunch of talentless, disorganised no-hopers, who simply rolled over and let Arsenal tickle them.

True, we did make them look ordinary, but that was primarily down to our brilliance on the night.  Their own naivety was secondary.  It was a stellar display from Arsenal, 90 minutes of rapid one- and two-touch football, and clever, intricate approach play.  Inspired by an incredible captain’s performance from Cesc Fabregas with 2 goals and 2 assists, and ably supported by Wilshere, Nasri and the increasingly important role of Chamakh.

From the off Cesc had two penalty shouts waved away before his pass sent Chamakh clear into the area in the 8th minute.  The Moroccan’s touch invited contact from the keeper and when it came he went down as any good striker should.  Cesc buried the penalty despite the keeper going the right way, and we were off.  The second came after a slaloming run from Cesc allowed him to slip in Arshavin who beat Felipe at his near post.

It was already becoming an exhibition match by the time of our third, a typically incisive attack rounded off by a deft backheel from Wilshere to put Chamakh through.  He showed he can finish with his feet as well as his head, slipping his shot coolly past Felipe into an ungauarded far post.  I was impressed by Chamakh thoughout, he is comfortable with it played in to feet, can protect the ball well, and his strength allows others to prosper by playing off him.  As I said at the weekend he and Cesc will really enjoy playing together this year.

After half time there was no question of letting up either.  Fabregas continued to run the show, and Arshavin started to come to the fore as well grabbing two assists to go with his first half goal.  It was his clipped cross from the left, and some woeful defending, that allowed an unmarked Cesc Fabregas to nod home his second of the game, and Fabregas could have had his hattrick moments later but was denied by a half save and a goal line clearance.

For the fifth he was unselfish enough to play in substitute Carlos Vela, who did as he likes to do and lofted his finish over the keeper.  Easy pickings by now, and the sixth was always going to come.  A second 6 – 0 win at the Emirates this season was rounded off by another for Vela, this time beating the keeper with power at the near post.  Young Carlos is taking his chances this season, and I would really like to see him get a few starts in the coming weeks.

After the match Fabregas looked uncomfortable answering questions about staying at the club this summer, but gave the right answer “I’ve always felt fantastic here. I’m very happy to be here.”  While Wenger said of him “He loves this club … I never doubted that.”  You sensed that he would feel equally, if not a tiny bit more fantastic were he at Barcelona but there’s no doubting his commitment to Arsenal for as long as he’s here.

It was a performance for the fans to bask in today.  After Blackpool I said don’t get carried away, today I am in danger of doing just that.  I’m very excited about this team, and I think we are on to a winner this season.