Arsenal 4 AZ Alkmaar 1

ARSENE WENGER hailed his freescoring Arsenal side as offering the most attacking options since his arrival at the club after watching them sweep aside AZ Alkmaar.

Wenger’s men defeated their Dutch opponents 4-1 at the Emirates Stadium to leave them needing a point to qualify for the Champions League knockout stages.

Cesc Fabregas opened the scoring with a tame effort that beat goalkeeper Sergio Romero before Andrey Arshavin took centre stage, setting up Samir Nasri, Fabregas again and Vassiriki Diaby.

Assessing the number of attacking options in his squad, Wenger said: ‘‘As many on the creative side?

Certainly not. We had still Nicklas Bendtner and Theo Walcott who are offensive players who are not available.

‘‘Denilson, Eduardo, Rosicky did not start, that is why I was amazed when people said ‘buy, buy, buy.’ And Vela as well, I forgot him.’’ Wenger is on the brink of guiding Arsenal into the last 16 for the tenth time in a row.

‘‘We are consistent,’’ the Frenchman added. ‘‘This season we look like we’re getting stronger and stronger in each game. It’s important to keep that attitude to progress, improve and play for each other more. Then we are allowed to believe in our future.

‘‘We have quality and I believe in this team but it will be down to us to grow and be consistent.’’ Fabregas believes there is much more to come from himself and his team-mates.

‘‘It’s just the beginning of the season, nothing is done, we want to keep going until the end,’’ Fabregas said. ‘‘I’ll feel it is something special when we win something.

‘‘We want to win and if we win something at the end we will say we had a good year.

‘‘We can still do better so we’ll try to improve in the next few games.’’ Despite scoring twice, Arshavin stole the limelight from Fabregas with his creativity before Jeremain Lens pulled one back.

‘‘He was outstanding,’’ Wenger said. ‘‘He gave the ball every time a fraction of the second you wanted him to give it and that is top, top quality.”

Arsenal: Almunia, Eboue, Gallas, Vermaelen, Gibbs, Song Billong, Diaby, Fabregas (Ramsey 66), Nasri, van Persie (Eduardo 67), Arshavin (Rosicky 74). Subs Not Used: Mannone, Sagna, Senderos, Silvestre.

AZ: Romero, Jaliens, Moisander, Moreno, Poulsen (Pocognoli 64), Dembele (Lens 58), Mendes Da Silva (Wernbloom 70), Schaars, Martens, Holman, Pelle. Subs Not Used: Didulica, Ari, Van der Velden, Swerts.