I’ll start with an email from regular correspondent Ian Henry… ‘Six different scorers, four goals scored with left foot shots, could have scored 10, only one player (Vermaelen) on the pitch at the end wore black boots (everyone else wore fancy colours), centre back our top scorer, highest goal scorers in the PL, best goal difference in the PL, Wenger bigging up the return of TH14, rumours that PV4 will return continue, saw David Dein (suntanned as ever) walking by the Tollington while I enjoyed my pre-match pint, found a new good burger bar, no Eboue on the pitch, Almunia still out, Mannone looking good, second time I have seen Arsenal stuff Blackburn 6-2. Just a pity we have another international break to disrupt things…’

Certainly the match against Blackburn was a feast. Let’s get the negatives out of the way briefly. We learned nothing new about our defence. Vulnerable on high balls into the area (Vermaelen outjumped and Mannone rooted to his line) and vulnerable to the counter attack. At least the centre back and the keeper later enjoyed opportunities to do what they should have when Blackburn scored their opener and did much better. As for the counter attack, an inevitable consequence of the way the team play.

It should be remembered though, that the object of the game is to score more than the opposition and this Arsenal did in spades. It was an afternoon to savour with some sumptuous attacking play. What significance that there was hardened experience right across the front line, with Van Persie a relative pup between Arshavin and Rosicky. This is what experience brings – composure on the ball, quality, accurate penetrative passing and the creation of excellent chances. And some experience is what this team has been crying out for. There were no drooping heads as Blackburn took the lead twice, just the kind of response the fans want to see.

There really isn’t much else to say about the game. Yes, Blackburn were unfortunate not to get a penalty when the score was 3-2, but Gallas was later chopped down in the Rovers area and got nothing. To describe the moment as a turning point indicated that Sam Allardyce is living in La La Land. There was only ever going to be one winner in this game. Does he seriously think – even if the score had been 3-3 – that Arsenal would not have gone on to score more?

This is the season when the likes of Blackburn need to be beaten home and away. So far, Arsenal are managing this. The two defeats have both been away from home and against top five opposition. And one of those was pretty much self-inflicted. Six straight wins in all competitions, four of those without conceding a goal. Manchester United may have salvaged a point at home to Sunderland, but to quote another regular correspondent named Ian – this time Mr Tanner – “a draw is two thirds of a defeat”. Cheap, cheap points were dropped at Old Trafford, with United fielding a slightly weakened team and paying the price.

Arsenal need to keep winning matches and not drawing them. They also need to keep their key men fit. With the likes of Arshavin and Rosicky in the team, the kind of collapse we witnessed in the spring of 2008 would not have occurred. If the Gunners can stay in the mix until their tougher league assignments are done and dusted with the double header against Chelsea and Liverpool in early February, then they have every chance of landing a first title since 2004. It would be the manager’s greatest triumph considering the odds he is up against. But there is a hell of a long way to go before even Christmas never mind February. The team must simply take things game by game, retaining good habits and working hard to correct the bad ones. The worst thing that can happen is any sense of complacency.

Danny Fiszman was in the directors’ box wearing a red tie, Arsenal scarf and red socks, which certainly stood out. Maybe he was trying to make some kind of a statement, maybe he was doing it for a bet. Interesting that Thierry Henry was at Arsenal to catch the game whilst Patrick Vieira chose to watch Chelsea v Liverpool. I guess if the pair of them had watched the Gunners, the excitement would have been too much to handle. The rumours about Vieira coming to the club in January persist. There is talk that Arsenal couldn’t get the money together for the player before the transfer deadline closed, but I don’t buy that. What I can believe is that Arsene Wenger doesn’t want to pay the former skipper £70,000 a week until he needs him, so he’ll arrive in January to cover for Alex Song when he is away. In the meantime, Song – who has improved dramatically over the last year but is still prone to the odd lapse in concentration – will hopefully remain fit.