What the papers say: Arsenal

[Far Canal]

sportinglife.com

http://tinyurl.com/yzshjd

Reading 0 Arsenal 4
By Jon West, PA Sport

Arsenal reinforced their claim to be genuine contenders for the Premiership trophy by dismantling top-flight
newcomers Reading.

Thierry Henry, who scored twice, Alexander Hleb and Robin van Persie supplied the goals as the Gunners reigned
supreme at the Madejski Stadium - the venue where both Manchester United and Chelsea had been forced to battle
all the way for points.

United had needed a second-half equaliser from Cristiano Ronaldo to salvage a draw and Chelsea a heavy deflection to
take the points eight days ago on a day when Jose Mourinho went on to claim every headline for his own.

Mourinho had launched an attack on Stephen Hunt for the first-minute challenge that had left goalkeeper Petr Cech with
a fractured skull but the Irishman retained his place in the starting line-up for this one, having been cheered heartily before
kick-off by the home support.

The first minute was once again hugely significant however as it took the slick-passing visitors just 58 seconds to take the
lead.

Cesc Fabregas was the architect with a run into the box on the right that saw him easily evade the challenge of ex-Highbury
trainee James Harper and lay the ball back for Henry to fire past Royals goalkeeper Marcus Hahnemann, who had not let in
a single goal at that end since September last year.

That another would follow before the break was no surprise though as Arsenal dominated possession and the home side
were able to make only occasional inroads at the other end.

Hunt was still willing to charge round the pitch and received a finger-wag of disapproval from Jens Lehmann after contact was
briefly made as the Irishman chased a ball into the box.

But Ibrahima Sonko, who had hospitalised Cech's replacement Carlo Cudicini in a stoppage time collision last week, did
not look his usual robust self and backed off and backed off to allow Van Persie to end a run from his own half with a shot.

That went well wide and there was a bigger let off when Justin Hoyte, whom Hunt had previously nudged into an advertising
hoarding, fired across goal and wide following Tomas Rosicky's defence-opening flick.

But in the 39th minute, when Hleb came in from the right and played a one-two with the Czech, Hahnemann was beaten
again with a rising drive that was simply too hot to handle.

Reading had only occasionally created problems at the other end but Lehmann had been required in the 25th minute to
tip over a pile-driver from Seol Ki-Hyeon after the German had punched a corner to where he had been lurking on the edge
of the box.

It was to prove their only on-target effort of the afternoon. Arsenal managed 10 times as many.

Reading replaced the ineffective Ulises de la Cruz at the break with Brynjar Gunnarsson but within four minutes of the
restart Van Persie had made it 3-0.

It was the result of a fine passing movement down the right involving Henry and Hleb and once the home defence had
been well and truly opened the Dutchman was left with a simple finish.

Reading were ahead on corners however as a Seol cross saw the ball skid just beyond the back post off a defender before
the back-pedalling Kevin Doyle headed the home side's seventh wide.

It was a different story from open play though as the exposed Hahnemann could only spill a Henry drive into
Rosicky's path. The goal was at his mercy but somehow the summer signing fired wastefully over.

Hunt was still trying to make things happen but when the ball broke kindly for him in the box as Kolo Toure blocked Doyle he
could only fire a snap-shot over.

In the 71st minute Henry made it 4-0 from the penalty spot after Hahnemann had upended Fabregas. The Frenchman
had provided the pass for the teenager, who would surely have scored had he been allowed to continue, so the goalkeeper
was perhaps fortunate to stay on.

Reading were grateful he did as he denied Rosicky a minute later after the midfielder had been put through. Reading were
thoroughly demoralised and could not wait for the final whistle as Arsenal sent Theo Walcott and Emmanuel Adebayor on for the
last quarter of an hour, with Alexandre Song joining them later.

Teams

Reading Hahnemann, De la Cruz (Gunnarsson 46), Sonko,Ingimarsson, Shorey, Ki-Hyeon (Oster 77), Sidwell, Harper,Hunt,
Long (Little 73), Doyle.

Subs Not Used: Stack, Lita.

Arsenal Lehmann, Hoyte, Toure, Djourou, Gallas,Rosicky (Song Billong 77), Fabregas, Silva, Hleb (Adebayor 73),Van Persie
(Walcott 73), Henry.

Subs Not Used: Almunia, Clichy.

Goals: Henry 1, Hleb 39, Van Persie 50, Henry 70 pen.

Att: 24,004

Ref: A Wiley (Staffordshire).

STAT ATTACK
Reading....Arsenal
1 Shots On Target 9
2 Shots Off Target 7
6 Fouls (Conceded) 6
10 Corners 2
0 Yellow Cards 0
0 Red Cards 0

[Chaney]

10 corners????..are you sure?

[AthleticoSpizz]

Demoralised? no

Beaten? yes

[Far Canal]

the independent

http://sport.independent.co.uk/football ... 919315.ece

Reading 0 Arsenal 4: Arsenal produce beautiful game to give architect Wenger the perfect present
By Glenn Moore
Published: 23 October 2006

In successive home fixtures, Reading have met Manchester United, Chelsea and Arsenal. They might thus be regarded
as an early-season litmus test of championship credentials. United rescued a deserved draw, Chelsea scrapped their
way to a narrow win with a fortuitous goal, but yesterday Arsenal cruised to a victory so comprehensive the scoreline flattered
Reading.

This does not mean Arsène Wenger will reclaim the Premiership trophy; but it was a further indication that while his latest
creation may still be a work in progress the architect is ahead of schedule and building something beautiful.

Bouyed by a first-minute goal from Thierry Henry, Arsenal swept Reading aside. With Cesc Fabregas conducting, Alexander Hleb,
Robin van Persie and Henry again, scored as Arsenal moved within five points of the leaders with a game in hand. Their football
was glorious to behold. "Have you ever seen Chelsea play like this," sang the travelling supporters.

It probably helped that Arsenal met Reading after a week in which the club has been engulfed in a media storm following
Jose Mourinho's claim that Stephen Hunt's challenge on Petr Cech was deliberate. Though Steve Coppell, Reading's manager,
denied this was a factor the tackles did, perhaps, have less bite in them than usual. One exception was Hunt. The Irishman's first
involvement was to lunge into Hleb. He then went close enough to Jens Lehmann as the goalkeeper gathered a loose ball to be
admonished by the German. Later Hunt put one of Reading's better chances over but by then all eyes were on Arsenal's
luxurious football.

Perhaps Reading should not have tempted fate. The programme, noting that no opponent had scored a league goal at one
particular end of the ground since Andrew Johnson for Crystal Palace in September 2005 suggested Henry would "have a hard
task scoring in front of the North Stand". It added 1,051 playing minutes had elapsed since. The 1,052nd minute had two seconds
remaining when Henry side-footed the ball into the net at that end after Hleb found Fabregas breaking into the inside-right channel,
the young Spaniard shrugged off Jamie Harper then picked out Henry who made the finish look much easier than it was and has now
scored against every club in the current Premiership.

The goal winded Reading. They had hoped their hustling would knock Arsenal off their game but after the early blow they were
tentative, not a good tactic against Arsenal. Van Persie, twice, William Gallas and Justin Hoyte all had chances to increase
the score before Reading settled. Midway through the half Reading managed a spell of pressure and Seol Ki-Hyeon thought
he had levelled with a fierce volley after Lehmann fluffed a punch. The goalkeeper rose from the turf to save superbly.

Seven minutes from the break Tomas Rosicky burst from midfield, exchanged passes with Hleb who drove past Marcus
Hahnemann. The next goal came soon after the restart, Fabregas, Henry and Hleb combining fluently to set up Van Persie.
Fabregas should then have had the goal he deserved as he ran on to Henry's pass and skipped by Hahnemann but the keeper
felled him. Henry converted the penalty.

"They were fabulous," Coppell said, who said as much to Henry at the end. "If we play like that I don't think a lot of teams
will be able to do much about it," Fabregas said. It was the perfect way to mark Wenger's 57th birthday. He celebrated by watching
Real Madrid v Barcelona and a round-up of goals in Europe.

Goals: Henry (1) 0-1; Hleb (38 ) 0-2; Van Persie (49) 0-3; Henry, pen (70) 0-4.

Reading (4-4-2): Hahnemann; De la Cruz (Gunnarsson, h-t), Sonko, Ingimarsson, Shorey; Ki-Hyeon (Oster, 76), Sidwell,
Harper, Hunt; Long (Little, 72), Doyle. Substitutes not used: Stack (gk), Lita.

Arsenal (4-1-4-1): Lehmann; Hoyte, Touré, Djourou, Gallas; Gilberto Silva; Hleb (Adebayor, 73), Fabregas, Rosicky
(Song, 77), Van Persie (Walcott, 73); Henry. Substitutes not used: Almunia (gk), Clichy.

Referee: A Wiley (Staffs)

Man of the match: Fabregas.

Attendance: 24,004.

[Royal Fleet]

Telegraph

Vintage Arsenal celebrate Wenger's birthday in style

By Clive Tyldesley
Last Updated: 3:20am BST 23/10/2006

Match details

Reading (0) 0 Arsenal (2) 4

The bad news for the rest of the Premiership is that Arsenal have started shooting. Five straight league wins have produced 13 goals, most of them scored with a clinical ease and efficiency. The team who always purr have found their claws. Manchester United and Chelsea shed sweat, blood and tears to gain any reward from their trips to Reading. Not Arsenal. This was a bloodless coup.

Robin van Persie and Thierry Henry
Gunners firing: Robin van Persie celebrates scoring Arsenal's third with Thierry Henry

"You just look at them and go wow," said Reading manager Steve Coppell, a man not given to going 'wow'. "Big, big respect to the way they played. They are more fluent than Chelsea and United. It's more pleasing on the eye. Losing was no disgrace. They were fabulous." Five points behind the joint leaders with a game in hand, Arsenal are handily placed to make the most of their soaring form.

Reading were given a geometry lesson. Each Arsenal attack was a practical display of many-sided shapes and varied angles, the ball guided from point to point with slide-rule accuracy and nimble speed. They ran rings round energetic opponents and even found time to stage another Goal of the Month competition.

Goal 'A' was less than a minute in coming. A searching pass from Alexander Hleb sent Cesc Fabregas skipping behind the Reading cover to steady himself and square for Thierry Henry to zip a side-footed shot past a rooted goalkeeper. The standard had been set.

Shortly before half-time, Tomas Rosicky delivered the most subtle of return passes into the path of the onrushing Hleb, who took a touch to bring the ball under his spell before scoring with a venomous shot. Arsenal quickly found the same gear after the interval with Hleb and Henry exchanging weighted passes to set up Robin van Persie for the simplest of finishes.
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Even the penalty that completed the scoring came courtesy of a superb cutting pass from Henry that released Fabregas to try to dance round Marcus Hahnemann. The teenage Spaniard was denied the goal his outstanding performance deserved by the Reading keeper's desperate lunge, and it was left to Henry to beat him from the spot.

"Henry and Fabregas are the two best players in European football, playing at the top of their games," added Coppell. "We are in a different league to them. Henry gives them a sharp point. He has more golden boots than Midas. He comes with a guarantee of 25 goals every season and that is a hell of a start."

Stunned by Henry's flying start and maybe their week in the spotlight, too, Reading were a shadow of their Championship-winning selves. Jens Lehmann was called upon to make one flying save from Seol Ki-Hyeon in the first half but Arsenal always had the game in their stylish grip.

Lehmann's only other contribution of note was a theatrical lecture to Stephen Hunt. Last week's headline act had to hurdle the Arsenal keeper on one occasion during the first half and made the slightest of contacts. Lehmann wagged a finger in his face on behalf of the goalkeepers' union.

Wenger's satisfaction with the season's progress was reflected in a vow to stay out of the January transfer scramble. The Arsenal manager's 58th birthday was celebrated by the kind of pure performance with which he has made his reputation. And he knows how to let his hair down and relax. "I will enjoy watching Real Madrid versus Barcelona on television as an aperitif, then for dessert I can see all the goals from around Europe later on." Party animal.

Match details

Reading: Hahnemann, De la Cruz (Gunnarsson 46), Sonko, Ingimarsson, Shorey, Ki-Hyeon (Oster 77), Sidwell, Harper, Hunt, Long (Little 73), Doyle.
Subs: Stack, Lita.
Arsenal: Lehmann, Hoyte, Toure, Djourou, Gallas, Rosicky (Song Billong 77), Fabregas, Silva, Hleb (Adebayor 73), Van Persie (Walcott 73), Henry.
Subs: Almunia, Clichy.
Goals: Henry 1, Hleb 39, Van Persie 50, Henry 70 pen.
Man of Match: Cesc Fabregas (Arsenal).
Ref: A Wiley (Staffordshire).

[Royal Fleet]

The Times



Arsenal up pace to down Reading
By Nick Szczepanik
Reading 0 Arsenal 4

LAST WEEK READING HAD TO withstand a media barrage from José Mourinho, the Chelsea manager, and yesterday they were under intense pressure again. This time it was a footballing onslaught and although it lasted only 90 minutes, it must have felt like at least seven days to the Reading players, who had to chase the ball for most of the match.

Reading were bound to experience a reality check at some point in their first season in the Premiership, but Steve Coppell, the manager, could only hold his hands up to Arsenal, who gave Arsène Wenger, their manager, the perfect 57th birthday present with their most accomplished display of the season. Francesc Fàbregas celebrated the signing last week of an eight-year contract with a man-of-the match performance and Thierry Henry, without being at his devastating best, scored the first and last goals.

*
“It was no disgrace,â€

[Royal Fleet]

The Sun

Reading 0 Arsenal 4

DAVE KIDD at the Madejski Stadium
October 23, 2006

AS Robin van Persie stroked home Arsenal’s majestic third goal, their gleeful travelling fans begged the question: “Have you ever seen Chelsea play like this?â€

[shadesrwrf]

WATCH IT . . . Jens Lehmann warns Reading’s Stephen Hunt

It's a real shame that Hunt's got to put up with nonsense like this.

[Uke]

WATCH IT . . . Jens Lehmann warns Reading’s Stephen Hunt

It's a real shame that Hunt's got to put up with nonsense like this.

He needs protection from this as goalkeepers get away with that sort of challenge too often

[Spirit of Elm Park]

WATCH IT . . . Jens Lehmann warns Reading’s Stephen Hunt

It's a real shame that Hunt's got to put up with nonsense like this.

Not to mention Wileys little lecture to him also

[zac naloen]

I hadn't realised it was Wenger's birthday, no wonder they were out to impress.

[Royal Rother]

As for Mourinho’s diatribe about the local ambulance service, the only concern about emergency response times should come from the fact we’ve been waiting two years for the men in white coats to come for the Chelsea manager.

That's very good for The Sun.