Arsenal - 3 Watford - 0: These clubs have neighbouring training grounds but it was a step too far for Watford to share a pitch with Arsenal. There was an inevitability about seeing the visitors take most pride in the performance of their goalkeeper, Ben Foster. "He can be the best in the world, he's got everything," said the Watford manager Aidy Boothroyd.
While it is a coup for the visitors to have a player who is now in the England squad on loan from Manchester United, Arsenal are once more becoming formidable in all areas.
A sixth consecutive win in Premiership and Champions League is just the side-effect of a larger improvement. Once Tomas Rosicky settled and William Gallas was extracted from Chelsea on deadline day, Arsenal progressed. The head count adds up, as well, to the right answer to the questions posed by a demanding fixture list. Gael Clichy, the left-back injured five months ago, came on as a substitute, raising the prospect that Gallas will shortly be installed in his preferred position at centre-half.
It may even happen in the Champions League match against CSKA Moscow in Russia tomorrow, because Arsenal lacked presence in the middle of their defence on Saturday. With the match goalless, Marlon King shot over in the 18th minute after Danny Shittu had headed down a corner. Arsene Wenger, all the same, knows there are variations available to him in most areas.
With players of the calibre of Robin van Persie and Alexander Hleb introduced only as substitutes, Theo Walcott was given his first start. Wenger, permitting himself a misty-eyed moment, recalled that he had blooded a 17-year-old Thierry Henry with Monaco at just this stage in the season. Walcott, positioned on the left, caught the eye now and again. "It's great to learn from the master, Thierry Henry," the youngster said later, with flawless etiquette.
The Arsenal manager is enjoying the evidence of an independent spirit in the teenager.
"He is a strange boy," said Wenger, "because nothing fazes him and you see he can refuse a pass to a big player when he has decided to do something else. He wants to finish himself.
"You never forget your first game and now he feels that people believe in him. You can always say, 'Listen, you will be a good player', but at some point the boy wants to know you trust him. That is done now."
It was others, though, who attended to delivering the win. Twelve minutes before the interval Emmanuel Adebayor flicked on a Cesc Fabregas free-kick and Jordan Stewart, distracted by a seemingly off-side Kolo Toure behind him, knocked the ball into his own net. Another glance from Adebayor two minutes from half-time saw Henry break away from Jay DeMerit to score.
The Togo centre-forward deserved the goal that came his way in the second half. Ruthless passes from Hleb and Fabregas launched the counter-attack in which Henry set up Adebayor to finish into an empty net.
Guardian Service
