ARSENAL 2, OLYMPIACOS 0

A DAY after Arsenal announced record-breaking profits, it took the Gunners a whole 78 minutes to make capital of their Champions League group stage game against Olympiacos and run out 2-0 winners at Emirates Stadium.

Profligacy from this bastion of prudent financial management meant Arsenal were toying with the possibility of relinquishing their 100 percent record in Group H right up until Robin van Persie's long overdue opener 12 minutes from time.

The team in red should have been in the black long before Van Persie converted an Eduardo cross from close range but poor finishing allied to the inspired goalkeeping of Antonios Nikopolidis kept the home fans wondering.

Andriy Arshavin got the benefit of an unutilised offside flag to round off Arsenal's second three-point haul with a backheel in the 85th minute. The finish befitted another virtuoso performance from the Russian playmaker.

An hour earlier such extravagance was unthinkable. Even the straightforward method of finishing seemed beyond the home side.

As early as the 13th minute, Nikopolidis was belying his 38 years. Arsenal didn't need to Help the Aged but proceeded with generous offerings nonetheless. After Gael Clichy had outfoxed Michal Zewlakow and crossed into the box, Arshavin slid his shot straight at Nikopolidis.

Cesc Fabregas offered no chance to the keeper, thundering a shot against the underside of the bar from the edge of the area but Tomas Rosicky shot a little too close to the Greek when the loose ball was only partially cleared.

More wonderful footwork from Arshavin saw the midfielder slalom Raul Bravo and Cristian Ledesma before forcing another save from the keeper. Nikopolidis should have been given no chance by Fabregas in the 26th minute, the Spaniard firing straight at the veteran after a link-up with Van Persie.

Arsene Wenger celebrates 13 years in charge of Arsenal on Thursday. If 13 has proven to be a lucky number for the Gunners, whose long association with their manager has been a match made in heaven, Olympiacos could have been forgiven for thinking that their luck was also in.

Goalkeeper Vito Mannone had had no opportunity to enhance a reputation bolstered during his team's victory at Fulham on Saturday. However a Jaouad Zairi cross which flashed across the face of goal seconds from the end of the first half acted as a warning.

If Olympiacos sniffed an upset, the Greek team were given a whiff of encouragement by a slow start to the second half by the home side. Geraldo Leonardo volleyed at goal after Lius Diogo's cross had dropped beyond the head of Emmanuel Eboue. Olof Mellberg's header from the subsequent corner had Mannone scrambling to clear the danger.

Shots on target at half-time should have read Shots straight at Nikopolidis and Van Persie was also guilty of shooting at the goalkeeper following a breakaway.

Arsenal's conviction was temporarily wavering - Thomas Vermaelen's miscued header from a Van Persie free-kick indicative of a less fluid second-half performance.

Olympiacos threw numbers forward and occasionally looked a threat, although, as the clocked ticked down, the Greeks reverted to type with hurried, uncomplicated clearances. The home side, on the other hand, were nothing if not consistent.

Arshavin's adroit turn and pass in the 72nd minute presented another shooting opportunity to Van Persie who was denied typically by Nikopolidis. William Gallas, offside when Van Persie took the shot, thought he had the chance of a tap in, but, even though it would not have counted, the Frenchman, like the rest of his team-mates before him, took aim straight at the goalkeeper.

Eduardo was called upon midway through the second half, and it was the Croatian who set up The Gunners' overdue winner 12 minutes from time. Taking a pass from Fabregas, Eduardo crossed to where Nikopolidis could not reach and Van Persie was presented with a chance six yards from an open goal that not even Arsenal could spurn.

Arshavin added a final flourish five minutes from time with a goal that the Russian, for his individual brilliance, and Arsenal, for their overall superiority, richly deserved. Beginning the move which employed Fabregas as its intermediary, the Russian finished with a backheel into the net from close range. That an offside flag ought to have curtailed Arshavin's artistry was largely irrelevant.

That Arsenal could have scored many more times against Olympiacos on Tuesday might be of more consequence. Such wastefulness, the kind abhorred by the Arsenal moneymen, cannot afford to be repeated if Wenger's team are to fulfil their undoubted potential in this season's competition.

"We kept our composure and kept going," said Wenger afterwards. "We have matured and a game like this shows just that.

"We played with a desire to keep the discipline in the team. We did not do anything crazy. I always felt we could score."

• ARSENE WENGER'S LEGACY

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