Wigan 0-4 Arsenal: Sunday Mirror match report
Published 18:08 03/12/11 By Derick Allsop
Arsenal were on a mission of retribution and they achieved it with a ruthlessness they will need to complete their restoration as a top-four club.
In each of the past two seasons they allowed Wigan to come back from seemingly impossible situations and restrict them to a solitary point.
But this time there was no such carelessness, no such generosity, no such frustration.
Their cause was aided by the erratic goalkeeping of Ali Al Habsi, but once he had been beaten by Mikel Arteta, Arsenal were in command.
Thomas Vermaelen headed the second, Gervinho helped himself to the third and Robin van Persie confirmed the demolition with his 18th of the season.
Aaron Ramsey was mystified he wasn’t awarded a penalty, but left his mark with another mature midfield display.
Wigan fleetingly challenged Arsenal’s authority, but without the conviction or cutting edge to salvage something from the match.
Buoyed by their victory at Sunderland, Martinez unsurprisingly named an unchanged team for a fixture that has taken on inspirational powers in recent seasons.
A 3-2 win over Arsenal two seasons ago and a late equaliser last term gave an infusion of self-belief that helped carry them over the line to safety.
Both results proved painful for Wenger and he arrived this time intent on restoring what he – and in truth most observers – would consider the natural order.
Wenger’s plans were in danger of sabotage when a cross from David Jones cause a moment of panic in the Arsenal defence and Andre Santos was fortunate to deflect Jordi Gomez’s effort wide.
That early raid visibly bolstered Wigan’s confidence and Arsenal toiled for a time to find their familiar flowing play.
Wigan had a share of the luck when Gary Caldwell miscued from Theo Walcott’s cross only for the ball to fall conveniently to Al Habsi.
To Wigan’s dismay, Al Habsi failed to deal with Arteta’s 25-yard drive. Wigan’s players backed off, inviting the Spaniard to shoot and the ball seemed to go straight through Al Habsi’s outstretched arms.
Before Wigan could regroup, they went further behind.
Vermaelen met Van Persie’s corner with a firm header and Al Habsi was again found wanting.
The keeper atoned to some degree with an excellent reaction save to deny van Persie, but Arsenal were in control and Wigan’s deficiencies were being exposed.
Arsenal penetrated their defence again early in the second half and appealed in vain for a penalty as Ramsey tumbled under the attention of Steve Gohouri.
Wigan might have capitalised on that break when Victor Moses flashed the ball across the face of goal but no team-mate was on hand to turn it in.
Mohamed Diame went close, fizzing a shot just beyond the post to sustain Wigan’s hopes of mounting another revival.
Those hopes effectively evaporated with Arsenal’s third. Al Habsi beat out Van Persie’ shot but was beaten by Gervinho from the rebound.
Van Persie’s endeavours were rewarded when Walcott set him up for the fourth.
