Don't panic Arsenal fans: Remember Bergkamp and Henry

After Sunday's nil-nil draw against Stoke City at the Britannia Stadium, Arsenal have now seen their first two games of the new campaign come and go without a goal for the second season in a row.

With new signings, strikers Lukas Podolski and Olivier Giroud still to find the back of the net for the Gunners, we take a look at two very good reasons why Arsenal fans don't need to worry just yet.

As soon as the transfer of Robin van Persie to rivals Manchester United was complete, the pressure was always going to be on new-boys Podolski and Giroud. Even before they kicked a Premier League ball, their chances of collectively getting anywhere near the total van Persie amassed for the Gunners last season were completely written off.

On Saturday, former Arsenal captain van Persie, got off the mark for the Red Devils on his full and home debut for United, scoring a wonderful goal against Fulham - his new side's first in a 3-2 win over the West London club. This coupled with the Dutchman's former club's failure to score for the second successive weekend has seen their new strike-force receive some ridiculous criticism from the national press.

Yes, Podolski nor Giroud have not yet scored but we are two games in - that means only 180 minutes of a 3420 minute-season have been played. After two games last season, van Persie hadn't scored and after five games, he had only scored one - this the second of Arsenal's two in their 8-2 defeat to his new employers at Old Trafford. Another 29 goals would follow for the striker though, seeing him finish as the league's top scorer and winner of the Golden Boot. So getting on a striker's back at this very early stage of the season is ludicrous.

In the summer of 1995, Arsenal signed one Dennis Bergkamp from Inter Milan and the Gooners had to wait seven games for the Dutch genius to open his account and he did so with not one but two fine strikes against Southampton at Highbury. After being ridiculed by the national press for taking his time to settle into English football, Bergkamp went on to enjoy 11 fine years at Arsenal, scoring 120 goals in 423 appearances for the North London club, winning three league titles and three FA Cups, gaining legendary status along the way.

Another striker with legendary status at Arsenal and one who took slightly longer to claim his first goal for the Gunners is the club's all-time record goalscorer, Thierry Henry. After signing from Juventus in 1999, Henry also took his time to adapt to the Premier League and took eight games to score his first Arsenal goal. Coincidentally, this was also against Southampton (who visit the Emirates after the international break), this time at the Dell and was the first of 228 goals in 377 appearances in two spells at the club. In his time at Arsenal, Henry won two league titles and three FA Cups with Arsene Wenger's side.

Before Sunday's trip to Liverpool on Sunday, Arsenal fans have every right to be positive - they might not have scored for two games but they are yet to concede as Here is the City writer Dan Coombs picks up on. Wenger's new assistant, Steve Bould is obviously doing something right...

Arsenal fans, what do you think of your side's start to the season?

image: © marklunch1

Jake Lane

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Jake Lane is a columnist who is not afraid to share his opinions. He has been writing “Jake’s Take” for our site’s new and improved sports pages since February 2012.

His dream was always to be a professional footballer but had to settle at being a Head Coach at Arsenal Soccer Schools where he helped others realise their dream instead.

After giving pre, post and live half time analysis on an England group game at Euro 2004 for BBC’S Radio1 Extra, Jake has never been too shy to express his views. He will also be volunteering at the London Olympics for the Press Operations Team.