For Arsenal this was always more about the points than the performance. An early goal by Phillippe Senderos and a late goal by Emmanuel Adebayor – who is fast playing himself onto the Player of the Season shortlist – did the damage, but Rovers made them work for it, even if there was only ever going to be one winner. The Gunners didn’t exactly turn on the style, but their fans will be delighted to see that there is more steel in the 2007/08 Arsenal vintage than in previous seasons. This team can win when they’re not playing at their best – a favourite cliche of Alan Hansen, that – and also without some of their best players.
So Arsenal have more than survived losing the likes of Kolo Toure and Emmanuel Eboue to the Africa Cup of Nations. In fact, they have stretched their lead at the top of the Prem, and I did not see that happening back in January.