An Emmanuel Adebayor hat-trick helped destroy Derby and
keep Arsenal at the top of the Premier League table.
Abou Diaby put the Gunners ahead with a vicious drive into the top
corner.
Then Adebayor showed exquisite control to take down a Cesc Fabregas
pass on his chest before rounding Stephen Bywater and slotting a
second.
Adebayor struck a second-half penalty and Fabregas rifled in a shot
before Adebayor again chested the ball down and placed it low
beyond Bywater.
It was more evidence of an Arsenal side playing with flair, vision
and without fear.
But if given time to pick their options and spray their passes
unpressured and unhurried, teams of lesser quality than Arsenal
will find it easy to punish Derby.
And at times the visitors' organisation, discipline and motivation
was woeful - allowing a fluid Arsenal team to cut through at
will.
After only four minutes Tyrone Mears was shockingly sloppy when he
gifted the ball to Gael Clichy and when the Frenchman sent in a
teasing cross Adebayor was inches away from converting.
It was a warning Derby did not heed and they backed off Diaby six
minutes later, allowing him to cut in from the right, skip a couple
of challenges and smash a vicious shot into the top corner.
Diaby then almost repeated the trick but this time Bywater did well
to push away a low shot.
Inevitably, the second goal was not long coming.
And when Fabregas picked out Adebayor, the tall striker made the
rest look easy to effectively end the game as a contest.
That is if it was ever a contest, with Derby's body language
indicative of a team that appeared to be beaten even before
kick-off.
It provided a perfect environment for Eduardo da Silva to gain
confidence in his first Premier League start.
He almost added his name to the score sheet, when he headed a
powerful effort but Bywater denied him with a save reminiscent of
Gordon Banks' famous stop from Pele.
There was no respite for Derby after the interval - and five
minutes after the restart Arsenal went further ahead.
Bamboozled in his own area, Matt Oakley tugged back Eduardo and
Adebyaor confidently stroked home the resultant spot-kick.
Thoughts turned to how many Arsenal might score - could they match
or even better Liverpool's six against Derby a few weeks ago?
Kolo Toure could have done better with a flying header, Theo
Walcott went on a fabulous, mazy run that did not end with the
finish it deserved and Adebayor headed over the bar.
But when the inspirational Fabregas picked up the ball on the edge
of the box, there was only really going to be one outcome. Bywater
picked the ball out of the back of the net after being beaten by a
rasping effort.
The final word went to the outstanding Adebayor, who once more
demonstrated superb chest control before slipping the ball into the
bottom corner.
