‘How Theo and Hector have improved’

After as complete a team performance as you will see, it must have been difficult for the boss to pick out individuals for particular praise.

But Arsene Wenger was glowing in his assessments of both Hector Bellerin and Theo Walcott for their displays in the 3-0 win against Chelsea.

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“I believe Hector is absolutely growing with every single game,” the manager said. “He is dangerous going forward but he has also gained a lot defensively.

“He can cover the centre back as well and that was not a quality he had when he started, but he is an intelligent boy and I think he will be a top, top-level player.

”[Theo] used to be 90 per cent forward and 10 per cent defending - today he does it 50-50 and does the job in both ways with commitment.

“I always felt there was character in this boy, and intelligence. It was a big blow to him not to go to the Euros.

“I spoke with him about the disappointment of not going with England. Theo Walcott is a special case; at 16 he went with England to the World Cup in 2006 - now we are 2016 and he has still not played at a World Cup.

“He has matured and, when a player survives these disappointments after what you have promised at 16 and the way he dealt with the situations, I always thought there was something special in this guy.”

While Wenger was delighted with the way we blew Chelsea away, he still feels the team is growing and capable of more.

“We still have much more to do – in our defensive solidity, in our movement off the ball and without the ball,” he said. “Our pressing is not always perfect.

“What is amazing in life is how the energy of a group of people can fluctuate. To maintain an energy in a group no one can master, so the players have to take care of that too.”