Derby County 2 – 6 Arsenal

0 – 1 Bendtner (24)
1 – 1 McEveley (30)
1 – 2 van Persie (39)
1 – 3 Adebayor (59)
2 – 3 Earnshaw (76)
2 – 4 Walcott (79)
2 – 5 Adebayor (81)
2 – 6 Adebayor (90)

Three very welcome points that draw Arsenal to within four of the summit. Arsene was true to his word and rang the changes through the team for this match and was rewarded with four different scorers against the Premier League’s whipping boys.

When Arsene said that he was planning for next season already and would be rotating the squad accordingly, not many would have put the midfield together that he did. Denilson in the centre, supporting the newly-crowned Young Player of the Year, Cesc Fabregas with notionally Eboue and Walcott on the flanks although the fluidity of the Arsenal positional play renders that somewhat irrelevant.

If the opening parries and thrusts threatened an even game, there were sufficient warnings for Derby that this would not be their night for glory. Beset by defensive problems all season, Arsenal ensured their woeful run continued when Bendtner intercepted a pass from Moore to free van Persie, who returned the compliment allowing the Dane to take his time and pick his spot to break the deadlock.

The lead did not last. Savage’s freekick enabled Moore and McEveley to out jump Song and Gallas, the ball squirming behind the two Arsenal defenders, McEveley reacting quickest to fire home. Would a more experienced ‘keeper than Fabianski have come for the cross in the first place? He certainly thought about before retreating to his line. This is the sort of experience he needs to gain before pressurising Almunia effectively for a starting line-up place.

Parity might have been restored but the gulf between the two teams was becoming more evident, emphasised when van Persie controlled Toure’s long pass and stroked the ball home five minutes before half-time. It was to be his final telling contribution before being replaced by Emmanuel Adebayor. Cristiano Ronaldo revealed that the Togolese forward was his choice as Player of the Year (well, he cannot vote for himself). Adebayor provided the central focus of the second half if he was not perhaps the outstanding individual. That ‘accolade’ belongs to Theo Walcott. Just under an hour played and he made a mockery of Stubbs, leaving the defender sprawling helplessly on the turf before pulling the ball back to Eboue. Stumbling over the ball and stifling a cry of ‘Penalty!’, it squirmed to Adebayor who had the simplest of tasks to score.

Robert Earnshaw reduced the deficit with fifteen minutes left, Gallas and Toure bisected by a pass that allowed the Welshman to finish. It brought about the barnstorming finish that the Derby fans would have dreaded. It could hardly be said that the hosts were pushing forward in search of an equaliser such was the short time between Earnshaw scoring and Walcott picking the ball up thirty yards out before moving into the area to curl the ball into the far corner. No challenge of any note was made on Walcott and that is the epitaph of Derby’s season.

Barely had they got their heads around the two-goal deficit being restored than it was a three-goal gap. Hitting Derby on the counter-attack, Clichy outsprinted the defence to curl a pass into Adebayor’s path to finish. The hattrick goal arrived when Fabregas topped off a good couple of days with a pass that bisected the defence from well inside the Arsenal half. Adebayor gave it the finish it deserved by rounding the keeper and slotting home.

Six goals away from home are not as important as the three points. It has left a tangible improvement compared to last season – third place. It is worth also noting that if United win the title, they will do so on the back of a phenomenal home record. To date, they dropped just five points which has covered their away record. Arsenal and Chelsea have both ‘wasted’ double that number of points at home, despite both being unbeaten.

Post match, Arsene was purring,

I love this team, love the way they behave and the way they play

Poetry in motion might have been an apt description for the second half. The manager noted that Adebayor took advantage of the hard work carried out in the opening forty-five minutes. He also emphasised his desire to keep the squad together,

This team for me has a good future. We have seventy-seven points and we wanted to win our three games remaining this season. The team is stronger than at the start of the season but we went through a difficult period in March and have paid for it.

The price has been hard but it is part of the learning curve. Given the paucity of the opposition last night, there is little point in looking for negatives; experience has been gained by some, confidence returned to others, positives for the next campaign. It was in any case, good to see Walcott produce the sort of performance that we have been led to expect. Other plus points were the return to fitness of Denilson and Djourou; some depth returning to the squad.

That Arsene will buy in the summer is of little doubt, the man himself has said he will be strengthening. Where those players will fit in depends on the outcome of this week with Flamini and keeping Hleb for one more season at least.

I’m going to enjoy the day following last night’s win. ‘til Tomorrow.