Arsenal duo Giroud and Wilshere could not break down Red Star
A drab goalless draw with a limited Red Star Belgrade side was finally put out of its misery by the referee’s final whistle to a lukewarm reception from a home crowd decimated by early departures.
It was the first real taste the Gunners fans had been given for nearly two decades of just what it means only to be good enough to play in Europe’s second-tier
club competition.
It is barely seven miles between Wembley and the Emirates as the crow flies but the gap could not have seemed bigger.
Following the euphoria of the Gunners’ fierce rivals Tottenham toppling the kings of Europe in the national stadium, the sight of a second-string team with a third-choice keeper kicking off against a team from Serbia at 8.05pm on a Thursday night in a stadium with banks of empty seats could not have felt further from the Champions League if it tried.
Certainly none felt further away from Wembley than Jack Wilshere, who will have heard the jungle drums from there sounded out by Gareth Southgate about only Premier League appearances mattering when it comes to England selection.
Nevertheless, this is where, for all bar 13 minutes, Wenger has confined him to ply his trade and his job, along with captain for the night Theo Walcott and central striker Olivier Giroud, was to get the Gunners through to those slightly more interesting knockout stages, which they achieved.
Ainsley Maitland-Niles joined them to conjure the first chance of the game, crossing low for Giroud in the 10th minute only for the Red Star goalkeeper Milan Borjan to divert the ball away with his leg . At the other end, Matt Macey – playing with David Ospina injured and Petr Cech rested – made his first save when Nemanja Radonjic broke and found Slavoljub Srnic.
REUTERS
Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger named a much-changed side
Then, from the corner, the 6ft 6in keeper clawed desperately to tip Vujadin Savic’s header on to the bar and then denied Richmond Boakye just before the break.
But with Red Star enjoying the best of the chances, it was no surprise that there were boos from the home fans at half-time.
Thankfully the second half started more brightly, with Reiss Nelson and Joe Willock in particular leading the charge.
Too often, though, the final delivery was poor and when it improved, Wilshere’s somewhat theatrical tumble to the floor was never going to win a penalty from Italian referee Luca Banti. Yes, there was contact, but Arsenal were going to need to do better than that.
However, the 25-year-old, minus his England call, also seemed to have lost his spark, while Walcott was sinking rapidly into anonymity.
Even when they did get it right, Wilshere whipping the ball off Maitland-Niles’ toe to fire at goal, Red Star somehow kept them at bay – Damien Le Tallec, brother
of former Liverpool striker Anthony, stretching out a leg to clear the ball off the line .
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