Keown is vastly more experienced but at 37, he may find the treadmill of the Premiership-Champions League schedule too much. Although Wenger has high hopes for 18-year-old Swiss centre-half Phillipe Senderos, neither Pascal Cygan nor Igors Stepanovs has shown the consistency that is required in that position at the highest level of the game.
“I thought the team showed a lot of maturity last night,” said Wenger. “In the second half we needed to be mentally strong. Most importantly, we didn’t make any mistakes at the back. I was very happy that we kept another clean sheet.”
In last season’s opening three Premiership matches, against Birmingham, West Ham and West Bromwich Albion, Arsenal conceded four goals. They’ve let in just one in the first three games this season.
Lehmann, the German international goalkeeper signed from Borussia Dortmund, displayed a level of confidence that suggests he might emerge as the long-term successor to David Seaman.
To be fair, apart from a snap shot in the first half by Mark Kinsella, he was rarely troubled by a Villa side that won a lot of possession but lacked a cutting edge.
Villa manager David O’Leary, on his return to Highbury, devised a gameplan that disrupted the smooth working of the Arsenal midfield but had little provision for sustaining any attacking momentum.
Nonetheless, O’Leary said: “Not many teams will come to Highbury this season and believe they deserved to get something from the visit. We deserved something. I was proud of the effort we put in but we got nothing from it.”
This was partly self-inflicted. Villa were matching Arsenal until the 57th minute, when full-back Jlloyd Samuel turned a Robert Pires corner towards his own goal.
Lee Hendrie partially cleared off the line but Campbell powered in to meet the loose ball and head past Thomas Sorensen.
This, plus the introduction of Dutchman Dennis Bergkamp, inspired Arsenal to produce some of their vintage football.
One beautiful move almost produced a second goal when Thierry Henry, receiving a ball from substitute Ray Parlour, chipped a pass into the penalty area. Pires appeared from nowhere to head just wide.
Then, in injury-time, Bergkamp’s persistence won possession out on the left, allowing the elusive Henry to cut into the penalty area. He swept past the advancing Sorensen and screwed his shot into the far corner of the net.
It wasn’t a classic Arsenal performance — but it was good enough to suggest they’ll finish in the top two yet again.
