Arsenal produced an impressive, and very timely, vindication of Arsene Wenger’s philosophy and methodology when destroying Stoke City 4-1 on the final day of the Premier League season.
Wenger’s future has been the subject of sustained debate in recent days but if the game was any kind of referendum on his reign then Arsenal’s players and fans gave the Frenchman the kind of landslide vote of confidence that today’s beleaguered politicians can only dream of.
While fans staged a march of support prior to kick-off and banners draped around Emirates Stadium implored the manager to ignore the lure of Real Madrid, his players performed with the alluring combination of style and verve that - on a good day, and this was certainly one of those – characterises the best of what Wenger has brought to the club in his 13 years in North London.
An own goal from James Beattie, a Robin van Persie penalty and an Abou Diaby header saw Arsenal 3-0 up inside 18 minutes and while Ricardo Fuller pulled one back with a spot-kick of his own, Van Persie struck again before half-time to give The Gunners a comprehensive lead.
The second half showcased the wastefulness that has been the beast to Arsenal’s beauty so often this season as a succession of chances came and went, but the emphatic nature of the victory and the style in which it was secured meant that a season tinged with disappointment ended with a reminder of how impressive The Gunners can be under their French manager.
After the intense scrutiny surrounding Wenger’s position and the barbed questions that came his way in last week’s shareholders’ Q&A, the Frenchman must have relished an impressive first-half display that saw Arsenal batter Stoke into near submission.
The Gunners took the lead after just 11 minutes and the catalyst for the opener was a neat volley from Denilson that forced Steve Simonsen to tip the ball round the post for a corner.
Stoke left Cesc Fabregas and Van Persie two on one for the set-piece and were rightly punished when the Dutchman found his team-mate with a cute reverse pass, allowing Fabregas to drill in a cross that Beattie could only turn past his own keeper.
Just four minutes later the lead was doubled when Arsenal were handed a penalty following a trip by Ryan Shawcross on Van Persie, the Dutchman darting past his marker following a slip from Abdoulaye Faye.
The forward dispatched the penalty with real confidence as he clipped his shot against the inside of the post.
Van Persie then turned provider after 18 minutes as it was his whipped free-kick that found the head of Diaby and the French midfielder powered a header past Simonsen from the penalty spot.
Arsenal’s supreme confidence was most evident in the figure of Fabregas as he sprayed passes around with real elan and revelled in his inventive streak, while Van Persie continued to influence proceedings when one slick pass set Theo Walcott free and the England international saw his effort saved.
By that point, Simonsen had been forced off due to injury so Thomas Sorensen was required to make an appearance from the bench and Pulis’ number one was sufficiently hampered by fitness problems to require Ryan Shawcross to take his goal-kicks.
The Denmark international did not look inhibited when producing two smart saves from Arshavin though, the first of which came from an overhead kick after a free-kick from Van Persie had cannoned off the crossbar and into the turf.
Stoke responded momentarily when Fuller was tripped by Denilson in the box and then converted the resulting penalty on 30 minutes, but it was a brief respite amidst wave after red wave of Arsenal attacks.
Before the half was out, Van Persie claimed his 20th goal of the season when seizing on Rory Delap’s poor header back to Sorensen to chest, swivel and convert with an angled volley while Kolo Toure also hit the post with a low effort.
Wenger’s point was made, and made emphatically.
The beautiful football continued into the second half and one particular flowing move ended in Van Persie lashing the ball off target following square balls from substitute Nicklas Bendtner and then Diaby no more than six yards from goal. Superfluous? Yes. Entertaining? Certainly.
Even another substitute in Emmanuel Eboue looked capable of breaching the visiting defence as the Ivory Coast international collected a lovely reverse pass from Arshavin to drag his shot just wide of the far post.
When Diaby then headed horribly wide from a good position it looked doubtful as to whether Arsenal would build on their lead – something that looked inconceivable following their first-half performance.
Substitute Carlos Vela had yet another chance saved by Sorensen in injury time but the three-goal margin was more than sufficient for Wenger to end a difficult season with a affirmation of his work.
STAR MAN: Robin van Persie (9/10). Who else? The Dutchman scored twice, bagged an assist and hit the bar. Full of invention and showed why he has been Arsenal's best player this season. Click here for our full ratings and stats.