Arsenal 1 West Brom 0:A debut goal for €15million Frenchman Samir Nasri after just four minutes proved enough to give Arsenal a 1-0 win over new boys West Brom on the opening day of the Barclays Premier League season at Emirates Stadium.
The Gunners dominated the first half but were fortunate in the second when Johann Djorou cleared from his line and Arsenal failed to turn possession into goals. Last season's Coca-Cola Championship winners fought valiantly but lacked the firepower to get something from the match.
Arsene Wenger - whose injury-hit squad had battled to victory in the first leg of their Champions League qualifier against FC Twente in Holland during the week - was in the end no doubt happy enough with the final result.
But the Gunners boss knows it will take more than such average performances over the next nine months to secure a first league title since 2004.
As expected, Arsenal were soon on the offensive, and forced a succession of early corners.
It proved to be a dream start for Nasri. The ball was worked quickly through the right side of the penalty area to Denilson, who cut the ball back into the path of the French winger and he calmly guided his shot low into the far corner.
Theo Walcot and captain William Gallas went close, the latter's low, rasping drive was only just wide of Scott Carson's right-hand post.
Nicklas Bendtner headed wide from a near-post corner as the Gunners threatened to extend their lead once again but Manuel Almunia was eventually called into action on the half hour when Ishmael Miller flicked on a long ball into the path of Do-Heon Kim.
The Korean held off his marker and drilled in a low shot from the edge of the box, which the Arsenal keeper had to turn behind at full-stretch.
Johan Djourou then did well to get back ahead of Miller as the West Brom striker looked to sneak in behind the home defence as the Black Country club enjoyed their best spell.
Neither manager made any changes at the restart, although news did filter through that full-back Justin Hoyte's €4million move from Arsenal to Middlesbrough had now been completed.
Adebayor sliced wide from an acute angle when the ball broke kindly to the big African in the left side of the penalty area.
On 50 minutes, there was a big let-off for Arsenal. First Miller's close-range effort was blocked by the legs of Almunia after he had sprung the offside trap, before Djourou cleared Robinson's follow-up shot from in front of his own net.
Substitute Robin van Persie's far-post header from a cross by Emmanuel Adebayor was straight at Carson and the Dutch forward almost netted an audacious strike when he turned in the six-yard box to poke a left-foot effort just wide, but in the end 1-0 to the Arsenal proved enough for victory.
