Arsenal miss opportunity to settle Europa league tie in first leg in Rome

Benfica 1 Arsenal 1
Europa League Round of 32 1st Leg
Thursday 18th February 2021, 9pm local time (Stadio Olimpico, Rome)

In a normal season, a first leg away match against Benfica, in front of their own support, a 1-1 draw would look like a reasonable result. An away goal, home advantage to follow, not playing a poor team by any stretch of the imagination.

However, the feeling after last night’s game in neutral territory was of a missed opportunity. Arsenal dominated, created far better chances, but failed to settle the tie against a Benfica side that were only really good in terms of their defensive organization. Their goal was certainly a little fortuitous with a technical handball against Smith Rowe that showed why so many players choose to put their arms behind their backs when trying to block anything in the penalty area. There was a time when intent to stop or divert the passage of the ball was punished by a spot kick. How times have changed. Mind you, it does work out sometimes. Liverpool’s opening goal against Spurs in the 2019 Champions League final came as a consequence of the rules punishing non-intentional handballs. Can you even begin to imagine what things would have been like had Spurs landed the big one? Chelsea was bad enough…

Still, back to Benfica… or Benfica’s home leg in Italy. The away goal may prove significant, but it should be remembered that home advantage as such won’t count for too much next Thursday when the teams meet again in Athens. The importance of the competition of Mikel Arteta was writ large in an unchanged starting eleven – for the first time in living memory apparently – or at least since the days of Arsene Wenger. In a sense, this also exposes the lack of success the club has enjoyed in recent times. The dictate of not changing a winning team only really applies if the team is winning. There haven’t been too many runs without a reverse, and of course, we have to factor in the reality of cup competitions sandwiched in between league fixtures and the opportunity they provide to maintain match fitness in those who would normally be on the bench at best. 

What will be interesting to see is the eleven that Arteta selects for Sunday at home to Manchester City. Perhaps the managers sees that one as a free hit and will give the likes of Pepe, Willian, Martinelli, Elneny, Mari and Holding a run out. One can only imagine the return leg will see the strongest possible selection. And you can believe Arteta feels this is a higher priority than the league. Perhaps the feeling that a top four place is less likely than winning four knockout ties and a final, against Europe’s slightly lesser lights. You cannot deny that their record in the last three seasons – a semi-final and a final – indicates there is a chance of entering the Champions League via the back door, with its attendant financial benefits. Only time will tell if that is justified, but to have any chance, in tighter ties than this one should be, the profligacy of Arsenal’s finishing will have to be worked on. 

There is nothing to say about Aubameyang’s miss at 0-0 except that we hope to never see the like again. The number 14 can only have had a brainfade as he was about to make contact with the ball, because chances rarely come as good as that.

Arsenal paid the penalty in the second half with the concession of the penalty, but their dominance was such that you always felt they could at least avoid defeat. And we didn’t have to wait long as Saka finished after good work by Cedric on the flank. Martin Odegaard was influential, although at the TV analysis pointed out, there were times he was in space 20 yards outside the box, from where he could create havoc, but was not passed to by team-mates, unaware of what should have been a simple ball. At times, it felt like attacking on the flanks seemed  the only method of moving the ball forward – and although that has seen the creation of many goals, the option of an Odegaard or a Smith Rowe in the middle should not be passed up. Arsenal need to add more variety to their forward play to overcome stubborn defences.

On that note, at times, it did feel like a classic European first leg, with plenty of safety first possession, sideways and backward passes, a lack of risk or commitment. I’ve no issue with players taking risks in the opposition half, as long as there is cover behind them. Unlike a Granit Xhaka Hollywood ball from near his own corner flag across his area which presented Benfica with an opportunity in first half injury time. Although Arteta values the Swiss midfielder, he is still capable of lunatic moment. 

Will Benfica play as badly again next week? It must be hoped so. It is good that they have to come out to try and score. But after last night, when Aubameyang had at least two other very presentable chances, the Gunners might come to rue not winning in Rome. Arteta didn’t seem too happy after the final whistle. He knows that football does not always present the kind of chances that were seen last night, and that his team needs to get more clinical in front of goal. Let’s hope that is a lesson that is embedded quickly, or this fag end of a season will burn out completely before Easter. 

Just a quick history note – the last time Arsenal played Benfica in European competition, the first leg – away - finished 1-1. Older readers may recall the second leg went to extra time at Highbury, and probably won’t need reminding of the result…

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