Frenchman strikes on a quiet night for Gunners
TWO surprise starters brought a predictable end to Arsenal’s Europa League group stage.
Mesut Ozil set up Alexandre Lacazette to score the that brought a winning finale to the Gunners’ Group E campaign against Qarabag.
It was the one moment of quality in a low key affair more like a testimonial than a European game inside a half-full Emirates.
Yet it was still a notable victory for Emery. It extended Arsenal’s unbeaten run to 22 games, matching the record set by George Graham in 1986-87 season, in a 1-0 win the Scot would have been proud of. Six more and Emery will equal their all-time unbeaten record of 28 games set in 2007 under Arsene Wenger.
Captain Laurent Koscielny came through 71 minutes unscathed but totally untested by toothless Qarabag on his first start since rupturing an Achilles in last season’s semi-final.
And teenage winger Bukayo Saka’s full debut was a promising one, though he was denied a fairytale goal at the death. With Arsenal already through as group winners, Sokratis was given another runout alongside Koscielny at centre-half.
There was a comedown for Mesut Ozil, and further proof there is no preferential treatment from Emery (right) for the club’s top earner, when he was ordered to make his return in this meaningless match after missing four league games.
Saka, who turned 17 in September, became the first player born this millennium to start a game for Arsenal and he had their first attempt when, teed up by Ozil, his curler was beaten out by Vagner and bounced behind off Joe Willock. Another of Emery’s youngsters played a key role in the 16th-minute goal.
The alert Eddie Nketiah regained possession deep in Qarabag territory, Ozil fed the loose ball to Lacazette and he fired home.
Apart from an Nketiah header that looped well over, there was no action of note in the first half with Qarabag, already out, offering nothing else in return.
Those fans who stayed away looked to have made the right choice.
Gunners keeper Emiliano Martinez hardly had a touch in the first half and looked like he had not warmed up when he came for a corner early in the second and missed it.
Fortunately for him, Donald Guerrier’s header flew well over. Araz Abdullayev had a great chance to level from eight yards out but totally missed the ball.
Nketiah had an effort ruled out for offside and Saka saw his 90th-minute shot saved by Wagner.
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