New Delhi: Arsenal eased into the Carling Cup quarter final with a resounding 3-0 home win over Wigan Athletic at the Emirates Stadium on Tuesday evening. A Jay Simpson double and a wonderful Carlos Vela effort wrapped up the win for Arsene Wenger's side.
If 6-0 over Championship opposition was impressive, then 3-0 over a full-strength Premier League opponent is just ridiculous.
The performance levels from this latest batch of Young Gunners was simply breathtaking and once again, it proved difficult to tell the men's team from the boy's.
Jack Wilshere was barely out of nappies when Steve Bruce hung up his playing boots, but bossed a considerably older Wigan midfield with authority.
Fran Merida showed exactly why Barcelona kicked up such a furore when they lost his services to the London side, while Carlos Vela and Jay Simpson look like they would walk into any team in the country.
Sure, Wigan will point to the might have beens that may have stemmed from an early second half penalty, but in truth, the strikes from Simpson and Vela put a deserved three-goal gloss on a simply majestic showing.
Team news:
Arsene Wenger named a side containing eight teenagers, with only one change from the team that beat Sheffield United last time out. Jay Simpson replaced Nicklas Bentdner up front, and made a tremendous impact.
Steve Bruce's Wigan Athletic side were close to full-strength, with only an injury to Emile Heskey preventing them from fielding a favoured XI.
First half
The Young Guns didn't take long to make a splash on this encounter, with the likes of Fran Merida and Jack Wilshere pulling the strings in midfield.
The 16-year-old prompted Mark Randall on seven minutes to allow the midfielder to find Carlos Vela, who bore down on goal for the first time. However, he couldn't get a shot away on his less-favoured right foot.
Vela was to go close five minutes later when Merida found a wonderful through ball to feed his colleague in the area.
Instead of shooting on sight, Vela tried to round Chris Kirkland, who made the first of a number of good stops of the evening.
Jay Simpson then crashed a turn-and-shot off the bar after being fed by Wilshere.
Soon after, and despite being in discomfort, the England international Kirkland stood tall to deny Kieran Gibbs after another sumptuous Merida pass.
Wigan struggled to make inroads into the encounter, with Amr Zaki suffering a palpable lack of service.
His right winger Daniel De Ridder drew a save on 15 minutes from Lukasz Fabianski for their best chance of the half.
Kirkland had to be at this best to keep out a terrific Aaron Ramsey free-kick on 20 minutes before pulling off a top-drawer stop to deny a delightful Vela curled effort.
The Gunners were to go into the break in the lead as Wigan's last line of defence finally caved.
Jack Wilshere, with time and space in the centre circle, found a Liam Brady-esque through-ball, from which Jay Simpson slid home the opener five minutes before the interval.
Second half:
Wigan were denied a stone-wall penalty just after the break, when Johan Djourou met a Mario Melchiot throw-in with his hand.
In truth, that was as close as the Latics were going to come to a leveller.
After Merida fed Simpson for a shot and had one repelled himself, the Arsenal academy boys eased into full swing.
Aaraon Ramsey mesmerised the Wigan midfield, who to a man could only stand and watch as he weighted a wonderful pass to Gibbs on the overlap.
The full-back's shot was straight at Kirkland, but more goals and more fearless, confident and expressive football were in the offing from the precocious hosts.
Merida's chip then allowed Simpson to chest onto Vela for a powerful shot before the Young Guns struck a textbook second five minutes after the hour.
Ramsey's pass from the edge of his own area following a Wigan corner released the prominent Vela on the left-wing.
He outsprinted and outfought Emerson Boyce to reach the byline and selflessly centred for Simpson to double his and his side's tally.
It was to be three mere moments later, with a goal lent a distinctive Latino flair.
Johan Djourou's pass from midfield found Carlos Vela peeling off his marker and bending a run on goal.
Instinctively, the Mexican dinked a delightful chip over the 6'4 Kirkland and into the net to put the icing on a very impressive evening's work for Arsene Wenger's latest batch of fledglings.
Fabianski had to be at his best with two minutes to play when he pulled off a remarkable double save from Daniel De Ridder and Amr Zaki; nothing was going to spoil this special evening for the Gunners.
Line-up:
Arsenal (4-4-2): Fabianski - Hoyte, Gibbs, Djourou, Song - Wilshere (lansbury 77'), Merida, Randall, Ramsey - Simpson (Bischoff 77'), Vela (Fonte 84')
Wigan Athletic (4-4-2): Kirkland - Melchiot, Figueroa, Boyce, Bramble - Cattermole (Brown 67'), Palacios, Valencia - De Ridder, Koumas (Camara 58'), Zaki
Goals:
Arsenal: Simpson 41', 66', Vela 70'
Wigan Athletic: -
Cards:
Arsenal: Ramsey 68'
Wigan Athletic: -
Referee: Steve Tanner
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