But midfielder Tomas Rosicky, whose opening strike sparked Arsenal's 3-0 win over his former team-mates of Sparta Prague on Wednesday night and saw Arsene Wenger's team through to the group stages in the Champions League for the 10th successive season, believes their old weakness of failing to deliver in front of goal could now be a thing of the past.

Eduardo's 89th-minute effort brought the biggest celebration in the second leg of the qualifier in which Arsenal completed a 5-0 aggregate triumph.

But the fact that six of their nine goals this season have come from midfield has made Rosicky believe a previously barren area has now become fertile.

Rosicky said: "Everybody was delighted for Eduardo because a striker always needs that first goal for his confidence but, yes, we have started very well.

"Cesc (Fabregas) is scoring goals, Alex (Hleb) is scoring goals, and me too. Everybody can see we are capable of scoring from midfield and we know we have to do that to help our strikers."

Eduardo, who pointed out he had already scored twice at the Emirates - once in a pre-season tournament last month and before that for Dinamo Zagreb against Arsenal last season - said: "I'm very happy and very relieved but my hope now is not to stop here and keep on getting goals.

"I know it is impossible for me to think about taking the place of Thierry Henry. It would be impossible even for one of the best strikers in the world to match what he has achieved.

"But I think I made a big mark in Croatia and I intend to leave my mark here at Arsenal as well.

"I have not set any targets because I am still settling into the team and all I am aiming to do is to help Arsenal have success in the Champions League and the Premier League.

"The manager and all the coaches are just telling me to to relax and play my natural game.

"I don't know what the team can achieve but nothing is impossible.

"I will find out what the strengths of the other teams are because I have only just arrived but we are united in our spirit here and you could see that the way the players who all knew it was my first goal celebrated with me. It was a nice feeling."

Although Henry's virtuoso talent will always be missed in North London, the slick technique of the Arsenal team-work seems to have suffered little for his switch to Barcelona.

Eduardo, meanwhile, is a busy, industrious attacker and showed his skills in the approach when he superbly set up substitute Fabregas' third goal in four games.

A 5-0 aggregate success looked comfortable for Arsenal but they had to battle for their two-goal advantage in Prague two weeks ago after the home side struck a post early on.

Sparta also caused the Gunners' defence some concern at the Emirates, with Jan Rezek missing a sitter just before half-time.

Spanish goalkeeper Manuel Almunia was not exactly busy but looks confident in he absence of number one Jens Lehmann who remains on the sidelines with Achilles trouble for at least one more match.