Gunners on course for greatness

TEAMtalk feels Arsene Wenger has been proved right once again after seeing his young side roar into the Champions League semi-finals.

Wenger does not often get things wrong – and everyone else will soon have little option but to believe his latest Arsenal generation are destined to be the best yet.

Just a few months ago, the Gunners were written off as a club in crisis, with a team devoid of experience, steel and guile, relying too much on the potential of youth.

On Wednesday night, though, the side led by 21-year-old captain Cesc Fabregas, fighting fit again having missed more than three months with a serious knee injury, set up a Champions League semi-final against holders Manchester United with a 3-0 win over Villarreal at an electric Emirates Stadium.

Next up is the small matter of an FA Cup semi-final date with Chelsea at Wembley on Saturday afternoon, and although this season’s Premier League title is all but out of reach, few can deny Wenger’s latest talents their place among Europe’s elite.

The unwavering faith in youth has long been a trait of the shrewd Frenchman, knowing the direction the club would have to take as they embarked on the move from Highbury to a new, 60,000-seater home at Ashburton Grove.

It was fitting then that three of his young proteges combined for the opening goal which set Arsenal on their way after 10 minutes, Theo Walcott latching onto a deft backheel from Fabregas to touch on a through ball from the once-maligned, but now rejuvenated, Emmanuel Eboue.

From then on, the Gunners never looked like surrendering their grip on the tie, most of the hard work already done in securing a 1-1 draw in the first leg in Spain last week courtesy of a brilliant scissor-kick strike from Emmanuel Adebayor.

Certainly there seems little weakness in Arsenal’s forward line, which will add the mercurial Russian playmaker Andrey Arshavin, who is cup-tied in Europe, to the mix, while Croatian striker Eduardo is another expected to be ready to grace Wembley.

In midfield, the reputation of Alex Song, still only 21, continued to grow, with the Cameroon international holding the line to allow Fabregas more freedom.

Wenger, though, will know his squad cannot afford any more losses in defence, with full-back Bacary Sagna ruled out tonight because of a virus, adding to a growing absentee list which includes Gael Clichy, centre-backs William Gallas and Johan Djourou, as well as goalkeeper Manuel Almunia.

Stand-in Kieran Gibbs picked up a kick on his foot late on, but played out the final minutes.

Continue to play with such wonderful flare and spirit going forwards, however, and Arsenal’s shortcomings at the back could well prove inconsequential over the defining weeks of the campaign.

This result will send Arsenal to Wembley full of confidence.

When the Gunners last played a major final at the stadium, winning the FA Cup in 1998 and then the following season’s Charity Shield, Arsenal were a much different proposition – led by midfielder enforcer and captain Patrick Vieira, soon to be inspired by the genius of Thierry Henry.

Now, though, is the turn of Wenger’s latest generation to repay their manager’s heart-felt belief they have the talent to deliver silverware once again.

The Gunners faithful were not afraid to voice a chorus of disapproval during difficult times earlier in the campaign, but the Emirates Stadium was at fever pitch from kick-off, as Walcott rampaged down the right, and almost gifted Adebayor a tap-in.

Arsenal eventually took the lead after 10 minutes, when some quick passing put Walcott clear into the right side of the penalty area.

The England forward needed no second invitation, and sent a clever chip over the advancing goalkeeper to put the Gunners a step closer to Rome.

Leading scorer Robin van Persie saw his curling free-kick saved well by Diego Lopez, with Adebayor’s follow header hacked off the line.

Villarreal went close in first-half stoppage time when Diego Godin headed over, but Arsenal made sure of a semi-final place when, on the hour, Van Persie released Adebayor to net his fourth goal in as many games.

Dutchman Van Persie converted a penalty to make it 3-0 and finally sink the Yellow Submarine who had Villarreal’s Sebastian Eguren sent off after he was shown a second yellow card, for dissent when arguing the decision.

At the final whistle, Wenger allowed himself a wry smile, once again being proved the man in whom Arsenal’s complete trust is indeed well placed.

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He must have borrowed a leaf from Eboue, Song, Adebayor in the dressing room.