Arsenal come from behind to prevent a disastrous night in Greece as goals from Kieran Tierney and Pierre Emerick Aubameyang seal qualification into the round of 16 of the UEFA Europa League.
The Gunners finished the group campaign with six wins from six but drawn the first of their double-header with Benfica in Rome last week, despite not struggling to create chances – but no thanks to their captain, Aubameyang, who had a night to forget in front of goal.
However, they could not be made to pay for their wastefulness as Benfica surrendered their lead to allow Bukayo Saka inspired Arsenal progress to the next round.
Arsenal, whose start to the current season was poor but did bounced back towards the ending of December, when they went six games without a loss. Recently, they seem to be just shadows of their past selves, no thanks to the role of the manager himself.
When Mikel Arteta decided to trust in Emile Smith Rowe, Arsenal had their best moments so far this season. But then the Spaniard did overworked the 20 year old, and the drop in form was evident, on both the player and the team.
The arrival of Martin Ødegaard is supposed to ease pressure on Smith Rowe and not displace him from the squad, but Arteta chooses to move the English midfielder to the flanks, in order to accommodate the man on loan from Real Madrid in the middle.
Arsenal’s record signing, Nicolas Pepe was starting to look like man on form but was halted when Arteta chooses to play Smith Rowe out of wing, all to pave way for Ødegaard in the middle. The aftermath meant Pepe has to watch from the bench.
Through the best moments for the club this season, Emile Smith Rowe, Bukayo Saka and Alex Lacazette were at the heart of things, but Arteta has successfully removed Lacazette from the starting XI, plays Smith Rowe out of wing and only Bukayo Saka left untouched.
Currently 11th on the Premier League standings, it is surely not the season Arsenal fans would have envisage when planning at the start of the season. It is bound to be another unsuccessful season for the Gunners but the Europa League serves as a compensation, if they can end up winning the trophy.
But with the teams currently in the competition and Arsenal turning up every match-day with mediocre performances, an exit from the Europa League might be a huge setback for the Gunners as the competition looks the easiest route for them to participate in European competition next season.
If Arsenal are to move forward from here, Arteta needs to let go of what can’t be called anything but favourism and give every player deserved chances. Emile Smith Rowe, Lacazette and maybe Nicolas Pepe are still very much vital in that team, and deserve to get the chances they have earned.
With the quality of players currently at the club, these performances are not good enough and surely 11th should not be their place on the log. Arteta might be fans favourite but himself will know he has to do better if he wants the job for long. Arsenal might not be too patient if these poor performances persist.
Th Gunners have been drawn with Olympiakos Piraeus, the team that knocked them out if the competition last season in the round of 16 of the Europa League.
Afolabi Kehinde Hassan
