For Arsenal last week's defeat to Aston Villa will not be a distant memory and Wenger knows that significant reinforcements have to be added before the transfer window closes but he can argue that his team can be a power this season once his squad is fully stocked. Beyond an impressive first XI his resources look thin and ill-prepared for what will be a demanding campaign.
"We are in the market, you know that," Wenger said afterwards with inquiries still outstanding for the likes of Real Madrid's Karim Benzema and Yohan Cabaye – again left out by Newcastle United on Friday. "I know you expect news from us and we will try to give some."
Results like this, however, buy time even if the deadline looms. "We will be a bit less under media pressure," Wenger reasoned. "But I know exactly what I want to do." The fear of the supporters, despite this thumping win, is that Wenger might, however, think again. Again.
Fulham have been far more active in the transfer market with six signings including Scott Parker, handed a full debut, and Darren Bent who came on from the substitutes bench to score his first goal – the fourth time he has struck on his debut for a Premier League club. When he tapped home, after Berbatov's cross-shot was pushed into his path by goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny, there were brief thoughts of a late rally for Fulham but such was Arsenal's control – and confidence – by then that it was never a realistic prospect.
There was a touch of fortune to Arsenal's first goal but there was also opportunism from Giroud. So heavily had the rain fallen that there was standing water on the pitch and when Aaron Ramsey mis-cued a shot from distance it ricocheted off Giroud and towards the goal. Normally it would have ran through to David Stockdale – in for the injured Maarten Stekelenburg – but it held up on the sodden turf and Giroud reacted quickly to poke it beyond the goalkeeper.
Earlier Stockdale had saved smartly with his feet from Walcott's volley and almost immediately after falling behind Szczesny turned away Taarabt's skidding low shot and then, brilliantly, beat out Damien Duff's follow-up.
"Szczesny made a great save but after that we were always in control," Wenger said. And he was right. Having selected an attacking team – claiming it was four defenders and six "offensive" players with a jaded Jack Wilshere rested – Wenger's selection combined the tricky task of controlling possession and yet being able to quickly pick off their opponents on the counter. Wenger called it the mix of the "patient game and the speed game".
That was evident with both of Podolski's goals. For the first Tomas Rosicky swept the ball out wide to Walcott, showing far more positive intent, and his cross-shot was pushed out by Stockdale only for Podolski to crash an unerring first-time effort into the net from 18 yards.
For his second, mid-way through the second-half, Podolski was provided for by Cazorla who jinked across the penalty area to lay the ball back to the German international who took one touch and drove the ball low across Stockdale. However it owed much to an exquisite piece of control by Giroud.
"They scored two goals out of the blue," Jol complained which was a bit unfair. Arsenal had come close on a number of other occasions although Fulham were also wasteful with Parker side-footing over and John Arne Riise failing to pick out Berbatov while Szczesny pulled of another fine save to deny Taarabt with a low shot.
Bent's goal caused some unease for Arsenal. Wenger feared that the fatigue from the match in Turkey and the heavy conditions might count. "When they got it to 3-1 we were worried," Wenger admitted but Wilshere, on as a substitute, steadied matters and Fulham never threatened to push on. Instead it was Arsenal going closest with Stockdale, once more, denying Walcott the goal he deserved after he was again teed up by Cazorla.
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