Although one can hardly say Arsenal dominated the game, we scored 3 goals and Chelsea scored none. All things considered, a decent result at the bridge.

As joyous as I was this morning, at the same time the performance told us nothing that we don’t already know about this current Arsenal team. Johan Djourou was a massive positive despite the own goal, his head never went down, and he won headers everywhere around our area. This man needs to start games - Djourou/Gallas at the moment is our best central defensive pairing.

We already know we can pull it out of the bag against the massive teams

We already know that our full backs are amongst the very best in world football

We already know that Robin Van Persie is the most gifted individual talent at the club and that he can unlock that potential if he works hard enough.

We already know that Manuel Almunia is just as capable of making cock ups that make Paul Robinson look like safe hands, as he is of pulling off some seriously stunning saves.

And we already know that this team cannot be considered serious contenders for anything until we start crushing the teams that The Arsenal should be crushing. No team has the divine right to win anything, which makes it all the more galling when the team bust a gut to win in the big games, and then turn up to coast through the “lesser” games.

And there lies the rub, no games in the premier league can be taken for granted, and every one of them needs to be attacked with power, pace, skill and organisation. If we could show the same effort in every game from here until the end of the season, I’d be very surprised if we didn’t win something.

RVP scored 2 fantastic goals, the first, although completely offside was stunning purely because of the way he finished. When coaches get asked by the youth team players how they should finish when one on one with the keeper, they should show them this goal. He lashed the bollocks out of it in to the top corner.

Robins second goal came about 3 minutes later, a beautifully weighted ball was chipped in to Adebayor who nodded it down to RVP, who then, with his back to goal, swivelled sharply and drilled a low shot in to the bottom right hand corner – this was actually his second attempt at the same technique – it was sumptious.

My MOTM is Robin Van Persie – lets hope we show the same effort, passion, and commitment going in to the next game versus Wigan.

COME ON YOU REDS!

Yesterday, Chelsea coach and Uncle Fester looking fucktard Ray Wilkins claimed that The Arsenal disrespect and devalue the Carling Cup by blooding their youngsters

Ray told The Sun: “It`s all about winning trophies when you`re a big club.

‘The fact we`ve won the Carling Cup twice in the last four years and Arsenal have won none justifies our policy’

“You enter a competition to win the competition. Why go into it if you`re not concerned whether you win it?’

“Playing a young or weakened team undermines the value of the competition.”

“And we have not and will not do that. We want to win it, big time.”

So imagine my delight this morning when I opened up the paper to see that the Chelsea first team lost on penalties to Championship side Burnley, and are now out of the Carling Cup.

Firstly, congratulations Burnley for working your collective Arses off to beat a strong Chelsea side, especially considering the price of Didier Drogba would pay for all the players and their wages for several years.

Secondly - ‘ave it you silly looking fecker, perhaps if Chelsea had a half decent academy/reserve side they could play in the competition too. Imagine being a youngster at Chelsea and hearing that? When the management decide to replace superstars with more superstars, when will the youngsters ever get the chance to play and become superstars?

I can only bring to mind one promising young Chelsea boy, Scott Sinclair. Whatever happened to him? Are there any more? Does anyone give a shit about the Chelski youth team? No. And that is the fundamental difference

Arsene Wenger has made the once derided competition a relevant, exciting and watchable event again, and any claims to the contrary are just ludicrous. He uses the competition to test his young charges, and every year they step up to the plate and thrill us with their fearlessness, skill, pace, and youthful exhuberence, while leaving the pundits drooling (although in the case of Mark Lawrenson, that may just be mental illness).

Arsene Wenger recently told Arsenal.com that this current crop are the best he has ever seen.

Now THAT, gives me tingles…

Well that was just dazzling wasn’t it?

It seems the hype surrounding the youngsters at Arsenal is showing no signs of abating. And with a performance like that, you can see why.

With an average age of just 19, we battered a powerful, near-to-full strength Wigan side, dominating possession and looking dangerous at every moment. That Chris Kirkland was probably Wigan’s best performer is testament to this young sides attacking prowess.

Jay Simpson, who is seemingly back in Wenger’s thoughts after returning from a loan spell at the Den, bagged 2 for himself. The first after racing on to a frankly remarkable through ball by Jack Wilshere and jabbing it home, the second a well taken finish in to a crowded net after Carlos Vela skinned them down the left hand side and cut the ball across the box.

Vela polished off his impressive contribution with a delightful chip from 18 yards taken in full stride. Kirklands face was one of disbelief after seeing it drop in to back corner, he couldn’t have looked more gutted. It gave me a warm feeling inside.

And to top it all off Lukas Fabianski delivered the deliciously sweet icing on the cake with an astonishing double save to keep the clean sheet. In fact, take a look at it:

Good grief

Here’s hoping a second successive victory for The Arsenal will propel us in the league and dispel some of the rank bullshit being spread that Arsene is loosing the plot. Seriously, have some fucking perspective.