And, in doing so, they have virtually qualified for the knockout stages - despite completing only half their group games.
On this evidence, Group H in this year's Champions League stands for HOPELESS as the quality of opposition - Braga and Partizan Belgrade included - is not what you would expect at this level.
But Wenger, who can now rest some players for the remaining group games, will not be worried.And he will have been delighted that the goals were spread around with five players - Alex Song, Samir Nasri, Fabregas, Jack Wilshere and Marouane Chamakh - all netting.
Yet it was the sixth strike eight minutes from the end that will be the effort they all recall, after the other details of this slightly messy contest are long forgotten.Eduardo, the striker whose spell at Arsenal will only ever be remembered for a horrific broken leg and dislocated ankle, came on for Shakhtar to fire a superb volley.
Whether they can do it again against Manchester City on Sunday is another matter but at least Fabregas enjoyed a 60-minute run-out and is certain to start at Eastlands. Equally, Theo Walcott delivered a cameo appearance as a sub, his first game since suffering an ankle injury on England duty last month.
Fabregas was playing his first game since mid-September following a hamstring problem. And while he scored a second-half penalty - in a period which saw Arsenal grab three goals in under 10 minutes - he will be hopeful of producing a sharper display at City.
Fellow midfielder Wilshere, sent off at home to Birmingham on Saturday, was again guilty of another nasty challenge before displaying his true class with an excellent goal.Yet the stand-out player was Samir Nasri, who has so often shown promise for Arsenal without delivering on a consistent basis.
The Frenchman, given a kick up the backside after failing to make his country's World Cup squad, is working harder than ever in training and was a constant threat last night.Nasri delivered the corner which led to the 19th-minute opener, after a slow start by both teams.
It looked as though the set-piece was about to be gathered safely by Andriy Pyatov.But, somehow, Ukraine's first-choice keeper lost concentration - and the ball - allowing Gunners defender Johan Djourou to set up midfielder Song from close range.
Then, just before half-time, Nasri smashed his sixth goal of the season.Song linked up well with Emmanuel Eboue down the right but his cross took a big deflection.Luckily for Arsenal, it fell to Nasri who took a couple of touches before rounding struggling defender Darijo Srna and firing home. Although, again, the goalkeeping was questionable.
After the break, Arsenal turned the screw and were more convincing.Shakhtar striker Luiz Adriano was punished for pulling down Djourou and Fabregas made no mistake from the spot, before being replaced.
Wilshere, who will now be banned for three domestic games, clipped in the fourth after playing a terrific one-two with Tomas Rosicky. It was a goal brimming with class yet, earlier on, Wilshere showed his dark side with another late challenge on Tomas Hubschman that surprisingly went unpunished.
In Arsenal's final attacking act, Nasri chipped over the top and while Shakhtar appealed in vain for offside, Chamakh made no mistake.
No comments:
Post a Comment