An opening goal from Jack Wilshire in Arsenal’s 4-1 Premier League win over Norwich City on Saturday was described by manager Arsene Wenger as one of the best he had seen in his 17 years at the north London club.
Wilshere volleyed home in the 18th minute after exchanging four quick passes with Olivier Giroud. Mesut Ozil scored twice and Aaron Ramsey grabbed his ninth of the season to help Arsenal to a two-point lead at the top of the table.
“All the four goals were great but the first was exceptional,” Wenger told a post-match news conference. “It was one of the best in my time here for sure.”
Wenger said Arsenal, who have not won the league since 2004, were better placed than they had been in any October of recent years. But he stressed the jury was still out on whether they had the resources to take this season’s title.
“We have a good attitude and good solidarity level. We have real quality that is clear,” he said. “But how far will we go? How consistent will we be? We will have to see.
“We come out of a long period where at this point in October most of the time in recent years…we were already behind. At the moment we are in a better position.”
Arsenal, unbeaten since an opening day home defeat by Aston Villa, had made hard work of the first hour on Saturday, failing to carve out any clear cut opportunities after Wilshere’s opener. It was not until the game began to break up in the second half that they began to look like scoring again.
After a period of Norwich pressure early in the second half they broke forward on 58 minutes, Ozil heading home Giroud’s pinpoint cross.
Jonathan Howson drove past goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny from the edge of the box to get Norwich back in the game with 20 minutes to go before Ramsey slalomed past three defenders in the box, dummying to shoot twice, before driving home.
Ozil tapped in a well-worked fourth with two minutes to go.
“Norwich are a good side,” said Wenger. “We had a difficult period between 30 and 60 minutes when we struggled to keep our game going. But I am very happy with the performance.”
He added that Matthieu Flamini, who came off with concussion midway through the first half, was doubtful for Tuesday’s Champions League clash with Borussia Dortmund in London.
[Reuters]