At the full-time whistle, some boos could be heard but for Arsenal, the job was done.
The Gunners have made it through to the knockout stages of the Europa League in just four games with their second-string squad, blooding a number of young players in the process, and leaving them free for a defining two weeks in the Premier League, where they face Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur, both of whom beat two of Europe’s best teams so impassively in midweek.
There was intent from both teams and the game started in a lively fashion, although much of the final ball was lacking. Joe Willock drove through the middle but couldn’t quite slip Jack Wilshere through with his pass, and soon after Matt Macey had to think quickly to prevent Richmond Boakye from causing trouble off the end of a long free kick.
Reiss Nelson then went clear down the right and found his ball to Olivier Giroud intercepted, but when the ball fell to Theo Walcott on the edge of the area, and his shot was deflected wide, the corner was cleared. Soon after the Frenchman looked to have a hamstring injury, holding his thigh awkwardly, but such fears were allayed when he tested Milan Borjana at the near post, the Red Star goalkeeper saving well with his legs.
It was a better effort than Nemanja Radonijc's dreadful first touch, with the winger having been released into plenty of space and bearing down upon the box thanks to Guélor Kanga's fine ball before being let down but a heavy first touch. Walcott had a free kick in a good position, but couldn’t get it past the wall. Francis Coquelin picked up a loose ball in the middle of the pitch and tried to find Ainsley Maitland-Niles, but put the ball out of play as a string of errors came into a game that was being played at a flat-out pace.
This would be the theme of the first half, with the only real break in play coming thanks to a pair of knocks for Red Star players Richmond Boakye and Mitchell Donald. A pair of counter-attacks ended with poor final balls, with Filip Stojokvic's poor crossfield pass being intercepted and Francis Coquelin’s charge into the box ending with his dispossession as he failed to find a pass to three open teammates.
There were less than 15 minutes to go to half time, but finally, for the first time, we had an end product to go with the intent. Slavoljub Srnic worked his way into space brilliantly down the right flank after getting the better of Rob Holding, and his fine ball across the face of goal missed Boakye by the narrowest of margins before being poked behind by Mathieu Debuchy at the far post.
Oliver Giroud would be the next to have a big chance, although the fine work of Borjan prevented him from making the most of Joe Willock’s pass into the area. From the predictable counter attack that took place, there was a thumping strike from Srnic which drew a very good save from Macey, and the Arsenal keeper once again kept the score level when he tipped Savic’s header onto the crossbar.
The half would end with Red Star again in the ascendancy, but Boakye blazed over and the scored stayed level.
...but it's not quite the result we were looking for tonight
#AFCvRSB 🔴 0-0 🔵 (FT)
Arsenal started the second half on the front foot, with Giroud stopped by getting a very good chance on goal be a late interception from Le Tallec. Savic then had to pull off a terrific sliding tackle to stop Reiss Nelson in full flight, with the young talent bearing down quickly on Borjan.
Then Red Star would have the best chance of the game so far, with Srnic pulling an inch-perfect ball across the face of the goal that somehow managed to miss the foot of Boakye, who was having a frustrating evening with plenty of chances passing him by. Had either her or Macey gotten any sort of touch on the ball, Red Star would have taken the lead, and the Ghanaian shouted in frustrating shortly afterwards.
Arsenal would then have two penalty shouts turned down in the space of just under three minutes, both of them coming at the hands of Jack Wilshere, who was beginning to exert a great deal of influence upon the game. He would come very close to breaking the deadlock with a chipped effort that managed to beat the goalkeeper but not the excellent Damien Le Tallec, who cleared his effort from behind the line.
Wenger had told journalists that he had not idea how a “Super-fit” Jack Wilshere could be kept out of the England squad and the midfielder was having his own one-man audition to take the spot. He cut inside two Red Star players and flew into the box before Marko Gobeljic then slid through to take the ball from his feet.
The hosts were going in search of the winners to satisfy the hosts and Theo Walcott, courtesy of a header that went just wide and then a cross that came to him at the near post before he mistimed his effort completely. There was a flurry of late chances; Nekitah, who had come onto some wild cheers a few minutes earlier, went close and then Boakye once again missed an excellent chance, which would be the last real gilt-edged chance of the game that petered out to finish 0-0. The visitors went home the happier.
