Okay, so it wasn't in the class of recent Arsenal performances but a convincing victory nevertheless which means the Gunners sit proudly atop the group with maximum points from three games and, equally significantly, not a single goal conceded.
Although, for a change, the win came from a single goal the cool and efficient way Arsenal carved out the opening presents an ominous warning to the cream of Europe that stands between Arsene Wenger and his dream of Champions League glory.
Auxerre set about the task of matching Arsenal, from the start, and it was not until the quarter hour mark that the visitors eased the pace up a smidgen with a Kanu chip that floated ineffectively over Cools goal.
This was a fixture that could have presented Arsenal with their most difficult match of the first phase. That it did not is testament to how far the Highbury outfit has come and they continued to absorb whatever Auxerre had to offer, and it was the 36th minute before the visitors threatened again but Henrys free-kick lacked, shall we say, 'va va va voom, and the keeper was true to his name as he calmy collected the ball.
In times gone by Arsenal might have been content to relish the point they had but the team is different these days and wise words from 'le boss, at half-time, achieved the desired affect, two minutes after the restart.
A total of 18 passes mesmerised Auxerre before Toure sped away from his marker to slip the ball to Sylvain Wiltord, who was in a good position to shoot but instead he slotted the ball into the path of the overlapping Gilberto Silva and the Brazilian slotted the ball past cool with effortless ease.
There was a slight blemish on Arsenals evening when Thierry Henry had to go off, just before the hour, with a thigh strain, and he was replaced by Jermaine Pennant. But the nights work was done and the magnitude of the result is illustrated by the fact that Arsenal, setting the pace in the Premiership, made light of easing past the team that is doing exactly the same in France.
Wenger was full of praise for match winner Gilberto, who has now scored three goals this season, and said: "Frankly, I didnt expect him to score so many goals but when you buy players you sometimes get pleasant surprises. But that is one of those surprises, while another is that I didnt expect him to be so good in the air.
"Having seen him play for Brazil, I did not know how often he would get into the box as he has more of a defensive role with his national team.'
