Arsenal 2 Wolves 0 - match report

Thank goodness that's over - and we're not just talking about Arsenal.

Wolves go into the final 12 games of the season having negotiated a daunting spell against Chelsea, Manchester City, Liverpool, Bolton, Manchester United and the Gunners with six points from six matches.

Only a supreme gold and black optimist would have expected any more than that.

Now for the final stretch - starting at Albion in six days' time.

Of the final dozen games, only Tottenham remain of the so-called bigger sides left to play, leaving Wolves with what appears to be the most favourable run-in of the sides fighting relegation.

Not just that, but they can head into the Black Country derby with some confidence, despite being below Albion in the table.

Yes, Wolves go to The Hawthorns bottom again on the back of a defeat at the weekend, while Albion drew.

But to draw 3-3 against the basement team, West Ham - after being 3-0 up - surely doesn't send out the most positive signals.

Wolves have been down among the dead men all season; Albion are nervously teetering on the brink.

More cause for optimism was provided by the magnificent performance of Wayne Hennessey because, as the 3,000 visiting fans at the Emirates will testify, this could have been far, far worse.

If anything, the scoreline flattered Wolves and the fact it wasn't a much heavier defeat was chiefly down to Hennessey's masterful goalkeeping.

The Wales international produced another outstanding performance to underline his stunning return to form.

Four fine saves - two of them superb reflex stops, and another to prevent an own goal from Richard Stearman - prevented a much more damaging scoreline.

Hennessey's role in this survival battle shouldn't be under-estimated.

The 24-year-old looks to have used his year-long exile from the team wisely and now looks sharper and more commanding than ever - qualities which could prove vital during the run-in.

It's such pointers - rather than being outclassed by the title-chasing Gunners - that provides hope that Wolves can still win their battle at this stage of the season.

Make no bones about it, defeat was deflating for Wolves. But given the opposition, it wasn't demoralising.

Wolves have beaten four of the current top six teams. No-one should have expected them to make it a fifth.

Understandably, fans will wonder why the team weren't bolder in their approach.

Wolves attempted to smother Arsenal in midfield but ultimately their tactics were to drop deep and soak up the pressure.

If they had pressed them higher up the pitch, they risked being picked off at will by the Gunners' searing pace on the break.

McCarthy said his team were spanked, and he was right.

If they had gone for the jugular and ended up losing more heavily, their goal difference could have taken a hammering, which could yet prove pivotal in this tightest of battles at the bottom.

So, as unpalatable as it was, maybe this was one occasion when Wolves needed to be thankful for the fat zero points they ended up with.

Tormentor-in-chief Robin Van Persie scored both goals to make it 12 in as many games, and he could have had more.

His first - a fantastic falling volley from Cesc Fabregas' cross to punish Richard Stearman after 16 minutes - came after the Holland international signalled his intentions with a curling free kick that flew over.

Andrey Arshavin, who made a mockery of his recent indifferent form by dazzling Wolves, should have made it 2-0 but volleyed over an open goal from four yards out after the otherwise unflappable Hennessey missed Van Persie's corner.

The visitors' goal went on to enjoy a charmed life, but at no time more so than the 31st minute when Hennessey superbly stuck out a leg to deny Theo Walcott, before Stearman blocked Fabregas' follow-up on the line.

Hennessey's legs came to the rescue again in first-half injury-time when he foiled Van Persie's first-time effort.

But he was spared when Walcott fired wide from point-blank range at the start of the second half, the keeper then sparing Stearman's blushes soon after.

Hennessey, along with the three-against-one Christophe Berra, was left hopelessly exposed for the six-man move that created and finished the second goal, even if Van Persie was offside under 'old money' at the start of the move.

The home-grown keeper also denied Walcott and Fabregas in between Wolves' one attempt on goal at the death, substitute Sylvan Ebanks-Blake curling over.

Defeat was greeted by resigned applause by the travelling faithful.

They know there are bigger battles ahead. And more vital - starting this Sunday.

By Tim Nash