Arsenal 7, Blackburn Rovers 1: Gunners Use Width to Rediscover Scoring Touch

Arsenal finally rediscovered the goalscoring habit and hit seven past lowly Blackburn Rovers. It was the way that the Gunners used their natural width that defined the free-scoring performance.

Wide men Theo Walcott and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain led the way. The duo regularly made well-timed runs inside the full-back and central defender and provided a consistent outlet for Arsenal to utilise on the counterattack.

One such run led to a second-minute lead for Arsene Wenger's team. Walcott was picked out by makeshift right back Francis Coquelin and dragged the ball across the box for Robin van Persie to nudge the Gunners in front.

This familiar combination linked up again after Rovers had equalised via a Morten Gamst Pedersen free kick. This time it was Alex Song who spotted Walcott's run and hit him in stride with a decisive through pass. Walcott reversed the ball to Van Persie and the Gunners skipper turned it in to put Arsenal back in front.

Walcott and Van Persie then combined moments later with the England speedster laying the ball off to the cerebral Dutchman who slotted a nice pass into the path of Oxlade-Chamberlain. The 18-year-old rounded Paul Robinson and netted his first Premier League goal for Arsenal.

In the second half, Walcott again got loose and stretched Blackburn's defense with his sprinter's speed. He slid the ball into path of Oxlade-Chamberlain, who had the pace to match him on the break and the youngster slammed home his second goal of the day.

This is how Arsenal's front three is supposed to function. Fluid movement and quick interchanges at pace can expose any defense and the Gunners have the natural speed to utilise these tactics against any opposition.

Nobody is going to catch Walcott or Oxlade-Chamberlain when they are in full flight. Van Persie has the flair, creative instincts and passing range to drop into space and pick out the passes to match their runs.

Playing to the speed of Walcott and Oxlade-Chamberlain allows Arsenal to be more direct and move the ball more quickly. They can bypass the quagmire created by teams who choose to crowd the midfield and close off the space for the short passing game.

Arsenal have struggled this season playing a system based around the talents of Cesc Fabregas, without a player possessing the similar skills. By emphasising the wingers more, the Gunners can reduce the need for and reliance on a central playmaker.