Arsene Wenger's current Arsenal side are very much still a work in progress but there were a few glimpses against Paris St Germain this afternoon that life without Thierry Henry may not be so bad.

The Emirates Cup - which opened with a 2-1 win for the hosts - at least gives the Gunners boss further chance to tinker as he fine tunes preparations for the battles ahead over the coming nine months.

Goals from Mathieu Flamini and Niklas Bendtner were enough for the Gunners before Peguy Luyindula pulled a goal back.

Arsenal were outplayed for large spells at times during the first half, before snatching the lead in stoppage time through Flamini.

However, this was a team missing summer signing Eduardo da Silva, the Brazilian-born Croatian international awaiting the outcome of next week's appeal to the Home Office for a work permit.

None of Togo striker Emmanuel Adebayor, Czech midfielder Tomas Rosicky and Theo Walcott featured against the French side - all of whom are set to play an integral part next season and should return for the Amsterdam Tournament in a week's time.

Gilberto, meanwhile, has been given extra time off after Brazil's Copa America triumph this summer and is another of Wenger's key men ready to step back into the breach.

Of those who did turn out this afternoon, Bendtner, the young Danish striker, certainly caught the eye.

A season on loan at Birmingham in the Coca-Cola Championship was certainly time well spent.

Bendtner, 19, showed he has plenty of hunger, strength and enough raw talent to be more than just a bit-part player next season, his chest down setting up the opening goal before he doubled Arsenal's lead from close range with 20 minutes left.

However, the 19-year-old knows he must do better when presented with one-on-one chances like he was during the second half - and certainly from the penalty spot after a weak kick was easily saved late on.

Full-back Bacary Sagna, meanwhile, produced a solid display for a home debut even if he was somewhat reluctant to get forward as much as his half-time replacement Emmanuel Eboue.

Cesc Fabregas - whose name seems to have replaced Henry's on the back of the majority of the Arsenal shirts in the stands - was, however, somewhat subdued during his brief first half appearance.

By the time the visit of Fulham comes around for the Barclays Premier League opener on August 12, though, Wenger knows all of his men must be at their very best if they are to reach the only "acceptable" target of again mounting a sustained title challenge over the entire campaign.

Despite the absence of Eduardo - who has a hearing on August 2 at which Wenger is "optimistic" they will be granted clearance - Arsenal were at least able to field fit-again Robin van Persie, who had been sidelined since January.

Kolo Toure took the captain's armband, with fellow leader-in-waiting William Gallas starting on the bench.

It was PSG - managed by former Rangers boss Paul Le Guen - who created the first good opening after 10 minutes.

Luyindula got clear on the left and sent over a low cross, which Pierre-Alain Frau drilled just wide.

Luyindula then somehow contrived to miss the target from 10 yards having weaved his way into the Arsenal penalty area.

That let off seemed to spark the hosts into life as Van Persie was tripped on the edge of the area following a powerful run.

The Dutchman took the resulting free-kick himself but blasted over.

As the interval approached, Toure made a hash of an attempted clearance on the edge of the Arsenal area - kicking the ball up over his head and straight to Pauleta.

The PSG captain tried to lob Almunia but the Spanish keeper pulled off an acrobatic one-handed save.

In first-half injury-time, Arsenal snatched the lead from a corner which was not cleared properly.

When the ball was swept back into the box Bendtner showed great strength to chest it down into the path of Flamini, who stretched to volley into the bottom right corner off the post.

As predicted, Wenger made sweeping changes for the start of the second half - replacing Fabregas as well as goalscorer Flamini, who could have left the club in the summer.

As the hour-mark passed Clichy's through-ball released Bendtner but, after holding off his marker, the Dane spurned the one-on-one with the keeper as he opened his body and put the ball wide.

However, after 70 minutes he made no mistake, stabbing in from two yards after keeper Mickael Landreau had failed to hold onto his knockdown from a corner.

A near-post finish from Luyindula pulled one back for PSG, and there was still time for Bendtner to miss a late penalty after Alexander Hleb was fouled.

Clearly much hard work now lies ahead for Wenger and his men, who face Inter Milan on Sunday afternoon - but on this evidence, it may well provide some just rewards.