Birmingham...0 Arsenal...4The game started late, finished early as a contest and lasted much too long for Birmingham City's liking. An electrical fault delayed the kick-off by half-an-hour but could not confuse the body clocks of Arsenal players and, in particular, the timing of Thierry Henry, whose two goals took his total for the club to 100.
The sophistication did not stop the winners from asserting themselves in a hurry. The opening goal, in the sixth minute, bore such finesse that it could only be part of a win for the side that scored it. There are afternoons when Arsene Wenger's team look as if it is not enough for them to lead the table. They have their hearts set on transcending the rest of the Premiership as well.
Wenger declared this his team's best display since the 4-1 win at Leeds United in September. Having excused themselves from the League Cup by immediately losing to Sunderland, there was a clear week for Arsenal to prepare. Prior to that, the FA Cup tie with Oxford United had not made exorbitant demands and many first-team regulars had been rested. Birmingham might have guessed that Arsenal would have shaken off the bloated feeling that comes with a heavy diet of matches at the festive season.
They were light on their feet, moving as if they are ready to dance away with the title. There has to be regard for Manchester United's defeat of West Bromwich Albion at the weekend, but Arsenal's five-point lead looked like a gulf yesterday.
Birmingham will attest to the discomfort that come to those who have to chase the Highbury players.
The mercy for Steve Bruce's team lies in the fact that they do not have to take this outcome seriously. Such a contest cannot be the measure of their season and while being overwhelmed there were still good moments. Christophe Dugarry, with his springing leaps and flicks, did rather well. "He could have played in their team," said Bruce.
Jamie Clapham and Stephen Clemence joined Dugarry in worthwhile debuts and only Ferdinand Coly, on his first Premiership appearance, suffered. Having been booked, he was at risk of a red card before his judicious substitution, but it was natural that defenders should be distraught. They were the ones compelled to stand in the vicinity of Henry and other attackers.
Arsenal were so fluid that it was hard to pin down the identity of their best performer. For example, someone such as Edu could excel even though he was merely deputising for Patrick Vieira, the injured captain. Having completed his century for the club, however, Henry hogged attention.
Bergkamp had reached the same total against Oxford and, despite the contrasting styles, it is right that the calendar should have put them in such close company. "The exceptional becomes normal," said Wenger of signings who have imprinted their skills on the club's history. The manager was entitled to some self-congratulation after pushing him into that role three years ago.
"The other guys all work for me and I just have to finish the job," said Henry. The remark was not really such a platitude, considering the co-operative traits that made Arsenal un-assailable here. The opener began with Gilberto Silva's purposeful, diagonal ball to Henry. The Frenchman moved play on to Bergkamp and sprinted on to take the ideal through-pass, rounding Nico Vaesen to finish.
After 29 minutes, Michael Johnson, under pressure from Sylvain Wiltord, merely nodded the ball down for Robert Pires to rifle home. When Bergkamp guided a cross to Lauren, in the 67th minute, his header broke off Johnson for the third goal. The scoring culminated, with 20 minutes remaining, in the magisterial move from Bergkamp, Pires and Wiltord that set up Henry.
That was his 100th goal in 181 appearances for Arsenal and the only way in which Ian Wright's figure of 185 goals can remain out of reach will be if Henry is transferred. Neither he nor his employers could envisage such a thing at present. The state of contentment could endure for a long time, although Arsenal can be vulnerable to rudimentary attacks.
Wenger offered the observation that long balls upset his defence occasionally. The back four will also have to contend with the suspension to Martin Keown, following a booking yesterday, that is to keep him out of the match at Liverpool on January 29th. All the same, there is a spate of talent to sweep away the problems.
Matthew Upson, one of Keown's understudies, could yet be sold to Birmingham this month. He is a player Bruce would be glad to have.
BIRMINGHAM: Vaesen, Coly (Grainger 68), Vickers, Michael Johnson, Kenna, Damien Johnson, Savage, Clemence (Devlin 68), Clapham, John, Dugarry (Kirovski 85). Subs not Used: Bennett, Hutchinson. Booked: Coly, Damien Johnson.
ARSENAL: Seaman, Lauren, Keown, Campbell, Cole, Wiltord, Edu (van Bronckhorst 75), Silva, Pires (Toure 79), Bergkamp (Jeffers 78), Henry. Subs not Used: Luzhny, Taylor. Booked: Lauren, Keown.
Goals: Henry 6, Pires 29, Lauren 67, Henry 70.
Referee: S Bennett (Kent)
