Arsenal in seventh heaven as they march on towards top four finish

Arsenal 7 – 1 Blackburn

Arsenal returned to winning ways in truly emphatic fashion, by trouncing struggling Blackburn 7-1 at the Emirates earlier today. After a disappointing 0-0 away to Bolton on Thursday, the Gunners found their form with captain Robin Van Persie grabbing a hat-trick, while Oxlade-Chamberlain scored two and Mikel Arteta and Thierry Henry got the others.

Arsenal started brightly with Van Persie scoring after just two minutes, thanks to good work from Theo Walcott. Arsenal struggled to maintain their heat in the sub-zero temperatures, however, allowing Blackburn back in to the game with a stunning free-kick from Morten Gamst Pederson.

The goal shocked Arsenal back into life and Van Persie got his second just moments after the equaliser, when Alex Song released Walcott, who again set up his captain to double his tally. Van Persie turned creator for Arsenal’s next, playing an exquisite reverse pass for the youngster Oxlade-Chamberlain to round Paul Robinson and increase Arsenal’s advantage before half-time.

The break did little to stop Arsenal’s momentum; with Mikel Arteta smashing the ball home from 18 yards after the ball fell kindly to him from a Van Persie free kick. There was more good work from Walcott, who run through Blackburn’s defence like a downward slope skier, before squaring to Oxlade-Chamberlain for his second for Arsenal and second for the match.

Van Persie wasn’t to be denied his hat-trick, having been given far too much space by the Blackburn defence he was able to clip the ball past Robinson after collecting Coquelin’s cross, and what finer way to round the day off for freezing Gooners, than with a first league goal for Henry following his return to the club in January.

Dean Mears