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Arsenal 4 - 0 Wigan
By Phil Dawkes
Vermaelen has scored four times for Arsenal since joining from Ajax
Arsenal produced an incisive, attacking display to cruise to a comfortable victory against a lacklustre Wigan.
Thomas Vermaelen rose to head the Gunners into the lead from a corner before curling in his and the Gunners second from the edge of the box.
Arsenal's third was struck initially by Eduardo but found the net courtesy of a deflection from Emmanuel Eboue, who may well ultimately claim it.
Cesc Fabregas' back-heel finish in injury time crowned a superb win.
This week's headlines have been dominated by the fall-out from the more unsavoury aspects of Arsenal's 4-2 defeat at Manchester City last Saturday.
Seven days on, and without a pumped-up former Gunner in the opposition ranks, Arsenal showcased the authoritative, possession football that is their staple and which contributed in flashes to the entertaining game at Eastlands.
However, in the early stages a final, incisive ball was lacking and the home side were limited to a brace of long-range snap-shots from Robin van Persie and Abou Diaby and a free-kick that flashed past the post from the former.
Van Persie was presented with a better opportunity after twenty minutes when Eboue was released down the right before driving a cross from near the byline, but the ball was just behind the striker and he was only able to steer a tame effort wide of goal.
After softening up their opponents with these attacking jabs, Arsenal landed the first hammer blow from which Wigan never recovered.
Van Persie swung over a corner and Vermaelen rose above a trio of Wigan defenders to plant a powerful header past Chris Kirkland.
Arsenal maintained their menace in the aftermath of the goal and Van Persie again carved out a good opportunity, threading in Eboue behind the Wigan defence on the right but the midfielder's shot flashed across goal.
Having demonstrated his nerves early on with a header outside the area that almost gifted Wigan a chance, young goalkeeper Vito Mannone made a fine save to preserve Arsenal's lead, parrying Emerson Boyce's six-yard header from a corner.
It would be Wigan's only meaningful effort of a half in which they were lucky not to be trailing by more.
Just prior to the break, Kirkland saved well at the feet of Van Persie as he slid in to meet an Eduardo cross, and moments later the Dutchman failed to connect with a swivelling volley after Fabregas' delicate chip had found him unmarked with his back to goal.
It did not take long for Arsenal to make amends and it was again centre-back Vermaelen who scored it.
The Belgian brought the ball forward, found Eboue on the right and continued his forward run to enable him to meet Eboue's return pass and curl a superb shot into the top-right corner of the net from the edge of the box.
Arsenal's midweek match-winner Eduardo was central to the Gunners' third but he may well find the strike ultimately claimed by Eboue.
The Croatian striker struck a post with a volley from a Gael Clichy cross before receiving the chance of a follow-up effort that found the net courtesy of a telling deflection off Eboue.
So often limited in the game by his role as Arsenal's midfield anchor, Alexandre Song shuck off the shackles and was almost rewarded for it when he collected the ball on the half-way line and drove forward before unleashing a shot that struck the outside of the post.
So few were Wigan's chances to score, it seemed almost cruel that when substitute Paul Scharner side-footed home following Mannone's save from a Jason Scotland shot, the Austrian was adjudged offside.
It would have been more than the away side deserved though and their misery was compounded in injury time when Van Persie found substitute Nicklas Bendtner on the right and his drilled cross was back-heeled into the net by Fabregas.
By Phil Dawkes
Vermaelen has scored four times for Arsenal since joining from Ajax
Arsenal produced an incisive, attacking display to cruise to a comfortable victory against a lacklustre Wigan.
Thomas Vermaelen rose to head the Gunners into the lead from a corner before curling in his and the Gunners second from the edge of the box.
Arsenal's third was struck initially by Eduardo but found the net courtesy of a deflection from Emmanuel Eboue, who may well ultimately claim it.
Cesc Fabregas' back-heel finish in injury time crowned a superb win.
This week's headlines have been dominated by the fall-out from the more unsavoury aspects of Arsenal's 4-2 defeat at Manchester City last Saturday.
Seven days on, and without a pumped-up former Gunner in the opposition ranks, Arsenal showcased the authoritative, possession football that is their staple and which contributed in flashes to the entertaining game at Eastlands.
However, in the early stages a final, incisive ball was lacking and the home side were limited to a brace of long-range snap-shots from Robin van Persie and Abou Diaby and a free-kick that flashed past the post from the former.
Van Persie was presented with a better opportunity after twenty minutes when Eboue was released down the right before driving a cross from near the byline, but the ball was just behind the striker and he was only able to steer a tame effort wide of goal.
After softening up their opponents with these attacking jabs, Arsenal landed the first hammer blow from which Wigan never recovered.
Van Persie swung over a corner and Vermaelen rose above a trio of Wigan defenders to plant a powerful header past Chris Kirkland.
Arsenal maintained their menace in the aftermath of the goal and Van Persie again carved out a good opportunity, threading in Eboue behind the Wigan defence on the right but the midfielder's shot flashed across goal.
Having demonstrated his nerves early on with a header outside the area that almost gifted Wigan a chance, young goalkeeper Vito Mannone made a fine save to preserve Arsenal's lead, parrying Emerson Boyce's six-yard header from a corner.
It would be Wigan's only meaningful effort of a half in which they were lucky not to be trailing by more.
Just prior to the break, Kirkland saved well at the feet of Van Persie as he slid in to meet an Eduardo cross, and moments later the Dutchman failed to connect with a swivelling volley after Fabregas' delicate chip had found him unmarked with his back to goal.
It did not take long for Arsenal to make amends and it was again centre-back Vermaelen who scored it.
The Belgian brought the ball forward, found Eboue on the right and continued his forward run to enable him to meet Eboue's return pass and curl a superb shot into the top-right corner of the net from the edge of the box.
Arsenal's midweek match-winner Eduardo was central to the Gunners' third but he may well find the strike ultimately claimed by Eboue.
The Croatian striker struck a post with a volley from a Gael Clichy cross before receiving the chance of a follow-up effort that found the net courtesy of a telling deflection off Eboue.
So often limited in the game by his role as Arsenal's midfield anchor, Alexandre Song shuck off the shackles and was almost rewarded for it when he collected the ball on the half-way line and drove forward before unleashing a shot that struck the outside of the post.
So few were Wigan's chances to score, it seemed almost cruel that when substitute Paul Scharner side-footed home following Mannone's save from a Jason Scotland shot, the Austrian was adjudged offside.
It would have been more than the away side deserved though and their misery was compounded in injury time when Van Persie found substitute Nicklas Bendtner on the right and his drilled cross was back-heeled into the net by Fabregas.
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