An impressive Arsenal display tonight against a hardworking but otherwise very poor Bradford side, saw us get another comfortable home win.

The only downside was the failure to score 6 again. Once we were 2 up, if not before, Arsenal started showing off. And this season it's hard to feel comfortable watching from the Clock End with only a 2 goal lead.

But Bradford had little to offer, so it was rather easier to excuse the showboating than usual. One can appreciate the reasoning behind getting shot of Collymore and Carbone, but here was a side so much in need of a spark of life, that one also has to question the timing.

The first came after 16 minutes, and came from nowhere. Bergkamp did well to pull down a ball forward, and fed Parlour some way out. Ray shaped to shoot from about 35 yards, and although it wasn't the most powerful shot ever it was perfectly placed low inside the far (left hand) post, bouncing just in front of the despairing dive of Walsh in the City goal.

10 minutes later it was 2. Dixon did well to keep the ball in on the right touchline, and then brought it past a defender. It kind of bounced up and forward off Lee's arm, which either wasn't seen or was ruled accidental, which it was. He brought the ball down to the goal line and whipped in a perfect cross. Lauren rose to meet it on the 6 yard line and glanced the header across the keeper and in.

It's hard to find fault with anyone. Henry was back and full of tricks. Pires and Parlour (playing in the central role until Grimandi came on late for Lauren) were all over the park. Cole was superb at left back, at both ends of the pitch, and Adams had some fun going forward. Bergkamp and Vieira were both involved a lot too, and combined impressively to fail to score when Bergkamp's free kick from the left might well have gone in had Patrick not tried to head it in from under the bar only to send it over.

Bradford forced one or two saves, only one where Seaman had to move much, and that might have been going out. Possibly their best effort was a ball played goalwards by Stepanovs. He certainly got closer than Ashley Ward, who could have made things go differently by putting a one-on-one chance away after 4 minutes instead of chipping it tamely wide.

Arsenal move second again, pending Sunderland's home game against Man Utd tomorrow night. Not sure how to want that one to go....

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