Arsenal made their bow in the Europa League and wasted no time in showing the competition exactly what it can expect from the side with the highest co-efficient by a distance.

Fielding a Carabao Cup lineup, Arsene Wenger offered little to back up his claim that he was taking this competition seriously, although he will no doubt point to the fact that Arsenal won.

Online, some managed to point out there was something of a difference between this starting XI and the one that began the game the last time Arsenal played in this competition, some 17 years ago:

But the team wasn’t the focus for long as reports started to trickle in that trouble was brewing outside the ground.

With a delayed kick-off, home fans going, well, home, and Koln fans everywhere inside the Emirates, it was something of a strange affair inside the ground. For a start, it was a European group game with an atmosphere for what was not only Arsenal’s Europa League cherry popping but Koln’s return to Europe after 25 years.

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It looked like it might be a strong start from Arsenal, the fringe players showing more desire than we often get from the first team. Players with a point to prove often make for a better option when the first choices are coasting, but it didn’t last long. A poor clearance from Ospina and a tremendous finish from looooooooong range with Dave in no-man’s land, handed Koln an all too predictable dream lead.

It was almost as if it might not have been the best idea to throw a load of players, who haven’t played all season and aren’t good enough for the first team, into what is supposed to be a team.

At this point, some might have been feeling despondent, but not me. I was finding it hilarious. Here we were in the Europa League, the team supposedly trying to show us that they aren’t a bunch of bottlers, the manager isn’t done, and the club knows what they are doing. And we were losing.

It can only hurt for so long before you really do have to laugh.

The rest of the first half passed by in a blur of overhit passes, tame headers, Ospina assaults, long range efforts, Theo Walcott offsides, and Arsenal dominance that looked like it could lead to Koln going two up at any point.

At half time, Wenger hooked Rob Holding, doing who knows how much damage to the young man’s confidence. But it was an inspired substitution because his replacement, Sead Kolasinac, drew Arsenal level within four minutes of the restart.

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If we were expecting Arsenal to kick-on after the equaliser, we were, once again, disappointed. Careless in possession, Arsenal maintained the majority of it but were as incisive as surgeon with a rubber spoon. The game was crying out for Jack’s creativity, but still he sat on the bench.

Ainsley Maitland-Niles, showing far more of himself in a more natural position in the second half, showed some great skill to beat a few defenders. When it came to beating Timo Horn, he tried to take it around the keeper instead of chipping him. That was the final sign it was time to bring Jack back but before he could get on the pitch, Alexis delivered something rather special.

Chasing a pass that sent him wide, the Chilean waited and waited for a teammate to find some space, but when they never bothered, he simply curled it into the back of the net himself.

https://twitter.com/btsportfootball/status/908444096620109826

Jack was brought on as people were still celebrating Arsenal finally taking the lead, but his first touch was greeted by a huge cheer from the home support. And his second.

After his introduction, Arsenal managed to fashion some half chances and get into decent positions, but the final ball or their finishing/positioning let them down. That was until Hector Bellerin popped up score after Theo had, once again, fluffed his lines. Jack’s dummy in the build-up took two Koln players out of the game.

All that was left was to give Reiss Nelson, 17-years-old, his debut. The youngster wasted no time throwing himself into the heart of the action, picking up a backheel from Jack before playing in Alexis whose chipped cross-come-shot narrowly missed the back post.

In the end, Arsenal got the job done, but they will face far tougher games than this if/when they make it out of the group. The result is all that matters, but there is no getting away from the fact that as a team, be it first string or second, we just aren’t very good for large periods of too many games.

Still, at least we gave the team that will face Doncaster a bit of a run out.

Next stop, Stamford Bridge…

Player ratings, post-match news and analysis on site tomorrow. I’m off to bed. Who needs to stay up any later to listen to the nonsense the club are going to spout?

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