A vital, vital three points from the visit to the Fulham. These are the kind of matches that can shape a season, as last year’s August visit proved. Yes, Arsenal have lost two on the road to teams that will almost certainly finish in the top five, in games there is an argument they deserved more, certainly at Old Trafford.

However, beating obviously inferior teams is the bread and butter that leads to titles. Chelsea will be gutted at losing to Wigan, Manchester United’s subsequent form established the three points dropped at Burnley will probably prove a rarity. No team can afford to drop too many cheap points, and however creditably Fulham performed, on paper they are the type of side anyone with serious title aspirations will take six points from in the season.

Vito Mannone was the undoubted man of the match, keeping his side in the game with a series of top drawer saves. Manuel Almunia’s virus will probably turn out to a repeat of Jen’s Lehmann’s wrist injury early in the 2007-08 season. It seems likely to be diplomatic when the reality is he’s been dropped. Mannone has not impressed in his appearances so far, but on this occasion, possibly aware of the praise Polish keeper Wojciech Szczesny received after the Carling Cup tie against West Brom, upped his game and proved outstanding.

Fulham fashioned their chances through quality play, as Arsenal failed to really get into the game, certainly in the first half. But these are the sort of matches a good team weathers and ends up getting something from. Robin van Persie’s ‘chocolate leg’ finish for the goal was a thing of beauty after Fabregas delightful lobbed through ball and the striker’s own first touch.

However, his accuracy was hardly matched by his team-mates as excellent opportunities were spurned by Bendtner and Eboue to name but two. At the end, the visitors seemed to be hanging on, but Gallas and Vermaelen both proved strong and Mannone continued his good work. Granted, he might have come out and cleared a chance that resulted in a header for Bobby Zamora on the six yard line, but at that stage, he was still feeling the effects of a rib injury so I’ll forgive him for that, not least because he did pull off a great save.

It was a hard physical game and no prisoners were taken. In a sense it was a test of character and Arsenal came through. The first half was about survival, the second was about improving enough to take the spoils. Mission accomplished.

The hope must be that the win spurs the team on to have the confidence to continue winning the tougher games they will face as the season progresses. Thomas Vermaelen has made such a difference to the resilience of the side and there looks to be a possibility that the keeper problem might have an ‘internal solution’ as the manager likes to say. It’s just one great performance, but Mannone deserves the chance to demonstrate it was not a flash in the pan.

It’s all about not dropping too many cheap points, not drawing matches. Two wins and a defeat are better than three draws, or indeed a win and two draws. Wenger’s Arsenal do play to win matches rather than start with the philosophy that they don’t want to be beaten, but the chances must go in during these tighter matches, so the finishing of certain first team attackers and midfielders has to improve. I can live with a keeper saving a shot a lot easier than the ball being blasted high and/or wide.

But with four wins on the trot since the debacle at Eastlands, there are signs that Wenger’s experiment might just work out. It’s early days but the shot at the title is still alive. A failure to win at Craven Cottage would have left it dead in the water for this observer, as it proved last season. Now for the stiff tests of Olympiacos and Blackburn, two sides likely to park the proverbial bus in front of their goals at Ahburton Grove. Let’s hope the Gunners have the guile to break them down.

Kevin Whitcher is the co-author of ‘Arsènal: the Making of a Modern Superclub’. The book can be bought by onlinegooner readers in paperback direct from the publishers with a £1 discount offer on the already discounted price. To take advantage of this offer, Click this link, select ‘buy now’, and on the next page you will have the opportunity to enter a promo code. Enter the word ‘gooner’ here and the amount is recalculated to £4.99. So, a £1 saving. Postage and packing (£2.49 in the UK) will be added before you complete your order.