Arsene Wenger reflected on a job well done after Arsenal saw off determined Coca-Cola Championship side Plymouth 3-1 at Emirates Stadium to book a place in the fourth round of the FA Cup.
Robin van Persie, named captain, struck at the start and the end of the second half to secure safe passage into the fourth round raw after Argyle captain Karl Duguid had grabbed a lifeline for the west country side and their superb 9,000-strong support.
Arsenal's last trophy was the FA Cup in 2005 - and Wenger, who had named a strong side, praised the Gunners for their professional approach.
"We did the job in a serious way and had we not been focused and completely up for it, we would not have gone through today," he said.
"I give credit to my team for doing the job seriously, and also to Plymouth who had a great game as well.
"I was surprised how well they were organised and how strong they were in every challenge. They did not die physically and were always dangerous on set plays.
"The gap between the Championship and the Premiership has been reduced and looking at the FA Cup results today, you could see that."
Van Persie, 25, who took his tally to 12 for the season with his brace, was given the armband by Wenger - as first-choice skipper Cesc Fabregas is sidelined by a knee injury - in mark of his all-round improvement since arriving as a raw talent from Feyenoord in 2004.
"Robin has always been interested in team affairs and wants to help sort things out," said Wenger
"He is a big example of how well you can have an evolution, when you consider when he came he and who he is today."
Mikael Silvestre limped off during the first half with a thigh problem, and looks set for up to a three-week lay-off.
Wenger maintained there had been no offer from Manchester City for defender Kolo Toure, currently out sidelined with a groin problem.
The Arsenal manager, though, will assess his options before making any potential moves in the transfer market.
"I have to look at it, because at the moment with the injuries we have we are a little short everywhere," said Wenger, also without the services of captain Fabregas, England winger Theo Walcott and Czech midfielder Tomas Rosicky.
"On the left side we are a bit short, but Gael Clichy should be back for next week."
Arsenal were guilty of some sloppy defending immediately after they had gone 2-0 up following an own goal from on-loan Manchester United defender David Gray, who knocked in under pressure from Nicklas Bendtner.
Duguid arrived in a crowded penalty area to grab a goal on 53 minutes before Van Persie finally wrapped things up with a third late on.
Plymouth boss Paul Sturrock felt his team deserved a lot of credit.
He said: "I am very pleased with the team's overall performance, but gutted to have given away those two goals just after half-time when I had warned the players what to expect.
"That really kicked us in the teeth, but we dug deep to get out a goal and if someone had told me that just seven minutes from the end we would be chasing the game against Arsenal, a world-class team, I would have bitten their hand off.
"The fans were fantastic, and I am glad we got a goal for them to celebrate, and hopefully they will go home appreciating the boys gave all they had."
Sturrock added: "We have now got to kick on in the Championship, because we are sitting at a crossroads, looking over our shoulders one minute, but also up at the play-offs, so we have got to start putting some points on the board."