Arsenal 5 Leeds United 0: Henry's turbo runs on five star

Wiltord tackles Pennant

We started with Wiltord in for Freddie and his injured hand and also had Gilberto partnering Pat in midfield, otherwise it was the perceived 1st. eleven that were on show. Whereas, due to injuries, Leeds partnered Matteo and Radebe in central midfield. The north Stand, by the way, now sports two additional banners: WHL ’71 and ANFIELD ’89. A step in the right direction.

The usual pre-match rituals of Kolo, Jens and the entire team were duly observed before kick-off. This was followed by an early touch for Jens. Leeds worked and pressed early on but Arsenal got in the first serious shot via Wiltord who had Clichy on a run whilst hurdling a foul and Pires to thank for the set up play. Clichy is class, he and Pennant had a fine battle, which Clichy won on points in defence, but won hands down when going forward. Smith made a heavy tackle on Pat, but Pat hit him back to show whose the man despite conceding a free kick. From it Viduka found himself in space at the far post to head across goal. This was our last defensive error of the match.

Clichy intercepted and a sweeping move followed, it was played forward low, laid off quickly, held up until the runner was in place and then arrowed through. The runner in this instance was Pires, and the goal was beautifully executed. 1-0 to the Arsenal with only six minutes on the clock. It should be noted that Wiltord right now looks as if he’s been practising close ball skills for six weeks or more to good effect. Gone are the Jumbo jet turns and in are the quick concise plays.

Slick move followed slick move, but strangely Leeds had a lot of possession in the first half. Despite the taunts of ‘You’ll never play here again’ they made a game of it, for a while at any rate. Smith shot over, I like Smith he gives his all and he’s calmed down a bit, but he still irritates defenders for the full ninety and Leeds will miss him. Leeds played the long ball out a lot and even won a corner from the odd one. This in turn enabled the North Stand to raise a ripple of applause for Jermaine as he came across to take the corner. ‘Premiership you’re having a larf’. Gael had Pennant in his pocket at times; Ashley has some serious competition here!

Leeds players stare in disbelief

Viduka managed a long low limp effort from range; Gael sliced one wildly over his own bar. Jens found Dennis from the corner who in turn found Thierry on a standard diagonal run but had strayed offside. It was like a cat waiting to pounce. It was like two teams playing different planet football in parallel universe and occasionally meeting up in the same time zone. The gulf between the two sides was huge. The ball from Gilberto was brilliant. From deep inside his own half he spotted Henry’s run, Thierry picked up the ball cut inside, drew the keeper and slotted home. A world class player receiving a world class ball and shredding a Nationwide defence. 2-0.

Harte ripped a shot over with his right foot, but shots from range and free kicks were all the men in navy blue could manage, and not very well at that. Leeds fans were waving white flags within the first twenty minutes. Viduka fouled Kolo but Dermot Gallagher should have given an advantage to Arsenal. The ref had a good game and let play go on more often than not. No pathetic little Hitlerite officiating, get up and get on with it is his idea and not so much as a card even for handball in the area. Before that though Wiltord forced Leeds into a shaky back header.

We’d played it around neatly and had worked it from right to left where Dennis went on a fine run into the box clipping it over a player into what should have been a goal-scoring opportunity. The handball had to be a penalty and a card, but Dermot deemed the penalty sufficient penalty. In fact he probably felt that playing Arsenal in only partial blitz mode was more than enough to cope with. Henry extended his top Premiership goalscorer leadership with a neat chip straight down the middle as Robinson dived to his left. 3-0 Arsenal. The team hug also saw Henry leave the pitch for a pointed solo hug with Jose. Two fingers to the tabloids there then.

Wiltord conceded a free kick, which Harte blasted over to chants of ‘Nationwide’. Campbell to Bergkamp with a fabulous ball, I’ll repeat that; Campbell to Bergkamp with a fabulous ball. More breaks and more fine play including a cross from Wiltord, following a corner, that Pat headed nowhere. But I forgive him because he was as commanding and emphatic and as immense and as superb as ever. ‘Three nil and you’re going down’. Two quick fouls by Radebe on Vieira. Leeds headed over a free kick after Dennis was adjudged to have fouled. A brilliant run by Gilberto ended with a shot/cross/cockup style disaster from our Brazilian. Another slick Arsenal knockabout followed.

Wiltord with a fabulous bit of skill at pace, also worth a repeat; Wiltord with a fabulous bit of skill at pace won another corner. Pires hit a deep one outside the box, which Henry shot wide. 3-0 at the break and we needed just one more goal to take our League tally to up to a neat average of two goals per game.

Caldwell on Dennis was the first foul of the second half on what turned out to be a very mild evening. Kelly and Pennant combined well but the cross was too deep. Gilberto went on a run straight down the middle and hit the perfectly timed pass for Henry to slip home our 4th. and his hat trick. What another one? This could become a habit. Almost immediately Pires put Sylvain through who cut inside and could have scored, but it was just wide of the post. This was super stuff. Viduka was caught offside as Leeds continued to give it a go, despite the futility of it all.

Tel gets his fourth

Dennis went on a charge in another slick move. Smith remained pivotal to any Leeds move but is was Arsenal knocking it around at will, with pace, accuracy, determination, speed, skill and beautifully. I love watching this pass and move stuff. We play a sort of game now that was last seen from the Brazilians in the early 1970’s except we are a hell of a lot faster. The Dutch had a similar, sod the positions, lets just play football approach, but again we are faster. It is just so bloody marvellous to watch.

Another great move culminated in a ball crossed in from Dennis, which Robinson did well to smother at the feet of Wiltord. Pires then tried to find Clichy who was rushing through like a centre forward. Smith made a bad challenge on Gilberto, which eventually put paid to a fine performance from our number nineteen. Before that though there was the minor miracle of the West Stand taking over as ground cheerleaders with a ‘We’re the West Stand’ chant that even got the Clock End’s attention and approval. Much more common, and more expected was another standard Thierry Henry solo goal with twenty-four minutes left on the clock, this one was another super-duper goal. 5-0 up for Arsenal and 150 up for Thierry Henry. He is indeed ‘The Man’.

This just before Edu replaced Gilberto who was rightly applauded for his key part in two of Henry’s goals. Edu to Henry, nearly. Barmby (I thought he was dead, or maybe he was) came on for Radebe, Ray and Reyes on for Dennis and Robert. Henry had a shot not far past the post with an attempt that was bending the right way but not quite enough. For a minute I thought he was after Ted Drake’s record. Save it Tel, keep that one for White Hart Lane. Reyes and Henry went close, Ray was trying back heels, Pennant was just wide with a free kick and we continued to look good. We continued to flow and also to openly display the chasm that has opened in the relative ability shown by the two clubs.

We had more chances, more attacks, more breaks and more fine football, as you’d expect, but the mood at Highbury was pre-party. It was the singalong before the heavy party dudes down the punchbowl in one type of feeling. ‘Only one Arsene Wenger’ ‘Arsene Arsene give us a wave’ and he did, One Gary Lewin’ ‘There’s only one Pat Rice’ and so on. The party is expected to continue at WHL and the word is that the Fulham game will be Fancy Dress. I have this vision of a complete end in Arsenal shirts and Fergie masks. But we’ve won nothing yet. You know, I know, Arsene knows and the whole ****ing world knows we’re gonna. It’s just a matter of where and when now. There I said it, well someone’s had to didn’t they, and you’re certainly not going to bet against me are you?

The record breaking run continued of course. Can we go the whole way or will next week’s match be the highlight of Tottenham’s season?