Arsenal - 2 Birmingham City - 0Searching for the names of the sort of serial winners he wants Arsenal to become as they began their defence of the double, Arsene Wenger reached for Lance Armstrong's in his programme notes yesterday.
In temperatures the four-time winner of the Tour de France would recognise, Wenger got his wish. Arsenal beat out a fearsome rhythm here, one that left the Premiership novices Birmingham City gasping for breath like toiling domestiques.
Not too much should be read into what amounts to the prologue of a 38-stage Tour of England, of course, but then what pleased Wenger, and what should have worried the rest of the field, is that this was merely an extension of Arsenal's supreme form of last season.
This was the 14th Premiership instalment of a winning Arsenal run that began at Goodison Park on February 10th. That is a record in the top division of English football, eclipsing Tottenham's 13-game run over the 1959-60 and 1960-61 seasons.
They are setting standards others will have to match and while we are at the very beginning of a new season, a sense of continuity is marking Arsenal out already. The previous Sunday in Cardiff showed that and yesterday it was beautifully encapsulated by Arsenal's second goal, a wonderful sweep of a move finished by Sylvain Wiltord.
The power and the glory of that goal, initiated by Sol Campbell's clearance three yards from his line, offered the most obvious illustration of Arsenal's seamless transition from one season to the next, but their all-round display was just as awesome in its relentless pass-and-move simplicity.
"It was a tremendous goal," said Wenger, "you had everything in that goal."
Wiltord, the man who scored the championship clincher at Old Trafford three months ago, was one of nine starters present yesterday from that night in May. That constancy of personnel also helps, though the ease of the victory meant that two younger players, 19-year-old Jeremie Aliadiere and 21-year-old Kolo Toure, were introduced late on. The other used substitute was the World Cup winner Gilberto Silva. Everything about Arsenal suggested strength.
The moment Birmingham ran out for their first taste of top-flight football since 1986 they must have noticed even a physical disparity. Two of the Blues' midfield, Bryan Hughes and Damien Johnson, are 5ft 9in and weigh 11 stone. Two of Arsenal's, Vieira and Edu, are 6ft 4in and 6ft 1in, Vieira is over 13 stone, Edu over 12.
The difference in physique was notable in the first half in particular. In punishing heat the City players were frequently seen pausing to regain breath as Arsenal switched the ball around Highbury's lush turf with utter confidence.
This was no weather to be chasing the ball but with Wiltord prominent on the left immediately, Thierry Henry surging on to every pass from Dennis Bergkamp, Edu and Vieira, City had to do just that. Ultimately that brings fouls and one from Johnson on Henry led to the first goal.
The last time the two clubs had met in the league David Seaman was in goal for Birmingham and how Steve Bruce must have wished he was again. Having picked himself up off the floor Henry took the free-kick 25 yards out. It was reasonably well struck but was virtually straight at Nico Vaesen. The Belgian, however, went down like a collapsing building and Henry had his first of the season.
Another 13 minutes and Arsenal had the game won through Wiltord's piece of magic. At that point Birmingham knew they were in a different league altogether as the champions performed like champions. The pace has been set.
Guardian Service
ARSENAL: Seaman, Lauren, Keown, Campbell, Cole, Parlour, Vieira, Edu (Toure 86), Wiltord (Aliadiere 76), Bergkamp (Silva 31), Henry. Subs Not Used: Taylor, Luzhny. Goals: Henry 9, Wiltord 24.
BIRMINGHAM CITY: Vaesen, Kenna, Cunningham, Purse, Grainger, Damien Johnson, Tebily (Carter 60), Cisse, Hughes, John, Horsfield (Lazaridis 71). Subs Not Used: Bennett, Mooney, Michael Johnson. Sent Off: Cisse (74). Booked: Purse, Cisse.
Referee: M Riley (Leeds).
