By Boris Mellor
October 22 2006

Have you ever seen Chelsea play like that? Have you ..... Same old Arsenal walking the ball into the net and it took just one minute for them to do it. They passed the ball around the Reading area, until the Royals defence was feeling dizzy.

Like a Cobra mesmerises its prey the Gunners waited for the moment to strike.

Just when Reading were convinced that the ball would be passed around for ever, Henry struck, rather than pass again he passed the ball beyond the Reading keeper. Arsenal were 1-0 up and only a minute gone. The build up and the goal just have to be one of the most beautiful examples of pure fooball you will ever see.

It was clear from the second minute that this was Arsenal’s match for the taking. This against a team that held Manchester United to a draw at the Madejski, and Chelsea needed a deflected free kick to win by a single goal last weekend.

Yet before the game few fans were expecting a walkover, and at times Reading showed why, they can play quick attacking football and forced quite a few corners. But the truth is they were thoroughly outclassed by this Arsenal team.

Again and again the Gunners shredded the Royals defence, but the failure to go ahead by even more was more to do with wayward shooting, than any attempt to walk the ball in. Henry and Fabregas were a joy to watch; and for whole periods of the game Reading couldn’t get the ball. Hleb and Rosicky were also causing panic whenever they approached their opponent’s goal.

On 39 minutes these East European wizards combined to create a wonderful goal for Hleb. The one- two between them ended with Hleb smashing the ball into the roof of the net. It was Hleb’s first Premiership gaol of the season. At half time Arsenal were 2-0 up.

Reading emerged from the interval determined to put matters right. But with only four minutes gone their hopes of a comeback were shattered. Henry passed to Hleb who squared the ball to van Persie who hit the ball good and hard into the net from short range. This was the beautiful game, and RvP celebrated with Henry and Hleb. You could see his confidence return. This is the player that the Dutch team is being built around. Perhaps we should get dispensation for him to play in orange. Once again Wenger was proved right – he was right to pick him, form is temporary – class is permanent.

Now Arsenal strolled around stringing a multitude of passes together. They could have had many more goals but a combination of poor shooting and good goal keeping kept them out. Then with 21 minutes to go Henry put Fabregas clear on goal, but Hahnemann brought Cesc down. Reading protests failed to change the referee's mind, and Henry stepped up for the penalty.

Henry, who has only just taken to watching snooker, put the ball in off the cushion of the inside post. Four – nil and game over, which was unfortunate for Arsenal subs Adebayor, Walcott, and Song as Arsenal were content to just keep control of the ball.

At one stage it seemed as if the Gunners kept possession for at least ten minutes, possibly a slight exaggeration, but it felt like it. However Reading refused to give up without a fight, but Lehmann displayed some of his best keeping to thwart them and keep a clean sheet.

There is something about this Arsenal team that promises to be the best Wenger team yet. The football it is playing is astounding – it reminds me of the Invincibles at their height, and it is now five Premiership victories on the trot.

No doubt Man U and Chelsea fans will say it was only Reading, but the Royals were in seventh place this morning, and I don’t remember seeing Chelsea play football like Arsenal’s last week at the Madejski. 

No doubt this was just the present Arsene wanted for his birthday.