Arsenal - 2 Cardiff - 1: What a difference a message from Thierry Henry makes. After the FA Cup holders completed an unspectacular victory over Cardiff, Arsene Wenger was moved to describe his captain's pledge of loyalty as "fantastic for football" and to re-announce his ambition of making Arsenal "the best club in the world". At a stroke the negative vibes around Highbury have been banished.

Wenger was "surprised but very happy" and bullish about the uplift given by Henry's unexpectedly early decision to spurn the blandishments of Barcelona. And Arsenal's manager agreed this seemed a rare instance in football where cash is not always king. "He could move for more glamour, more money, but instead he stays here."

Even so, Wenger admitted "the ball is in our court" and there was still some number crunching to be done over a new, extended contract for the 28-year-old - "We have to discuss how long and how much" - quite apart from matching Henry's own ambitions at a club about to play on the richer stage of the new Emirates Stadium.

That may require heavy spending on one or two new players of Henry's stature. Tellingly, Wenger conceded: "It's always reassuring for big players to have big names around." Though Wenger appeared to rule out a wage as high as the £120,000 a week dangled by Barcelona, both Henry and Arsenal are looking at a big increase on his current £70,000, taking him into the six-figure bracket. But this is not the biggest issue, Wenger insisted: "It's not money. He knows, financially, the best deal is not here. It was never really money oriented." Why has Henry ended months of speculation now rather than leave the decision until the end of the season? "Maybe it's the fact that people have questioned his commitment. You can't question his commitment and attitude. He's a straight guy. I was 100 per cent that he was not talking behind our backs to anybody."

Yet even with Henry's goal power, the "one or two more players we need" and the Emirates' 60,000 capacity, how can Arsenal hope to outrank Chelsea here, not to mention Barcelona and even the declining but still powerful Real Madrid, the Gunners' next European opponents?

"By our natural resources," answers Wenger, "and the new stadium. By doing what we do now but even better. And by being shrewd in the market. We've spent 50 per cent less than some clubs."

For sure, Arsenal were depleted here - on Saturday morning Wenger pulled out the Ivory Coast pair of Kolo Toure and Emmanuel Eboue under pressure from the African Nations Cup competitors. But Cardiff's Dave Jones rolled off a list of injuries without even mentioning the loss of his best player, the midfielder Jason Koumas, to prevent him being Cup tied.

Cardiff had little choice but to play one striker, Cameron Jerome, whose late goal alarmed Arsenal. Manuel Almunia was briefly treated after being hit by an object thrown from behind his goal and then shoved by a pitch invader. The 7,000 visiting fans could only stand and admire two early, classic Arsenal goals. Both were executed by Robert Pires after defence-splitting passes from Jose Antonio Reyes and then Robin van Persie.

Guardian Service