3 Things We Learned From Napoli vs Arsenal

As the Italians met the Gunners at the Stadio San Paolo in the Champions League group stage matchday 6. Arsenal, Napoli and Dortmund all finished the group with 12 points, which saw Napoli crash out on goal difference while Dortmund topped the group thanks to Grosskreutz’s 87th minute goal against Marseille. Arsenal despite their 2-0 loss, will go through as runners up.

So here are the three things that we learned from last night’s game.

Mesut Ozil cannot always be given full responsibility for creativity

The German may be magnificent at his best, but when you put him up against a world class defence, he doesn’t always shine as we saw yesterday. Too easily closed down by Christian Maggio out wide while Miguel Britos dispossessed the former Real Madrid man almost every time he tried to attack the Partenopei. Arsenal cannot just rely on Ozil and should have enough talent in their squad to create goals from everywhere, not just one player.

Playing it safe won’t always work for Arsene Wenger

Throughout the game Arsenal didn’t look like threatening and wanted to get back and play behind the ball, something Wenger often complains about other teams doing. Though it may be ugly, it is also effective, as Chelsea won the competition by defending, and when playing a damage limitation game or protecting what you have, it works, but when you face another team with wingers as talented as Dries Mertens and Jose Callejon, it could prove difficult, as Flamini was pulled out of position several times, and without the extra man at the back, Arsenal could be susceptible to pacey strikers. So should they meet Barcelona, Real Madrid or Atletico Madrid, a rethink will be needed to avoid annihilation.

Wenger’s team selection was questionable as well. Theo Walcott, since returning from his injury is yet to start a game. Napoli’s encounter would have been the perfect scenario for the speedster to get some match time. While Arsenal were on the defensive mode, Walcott’s presence could have added a threat on the counter.

UEFA’s ridiculous seeding system must be changed

The most entertaining group by far, 3 of Europe’s best sides were pitted against each other as Arsenal, Napoli and Dortmund had to scrap it out for a place in the last 16. Porto and Benfica were ridiculously named as pot 1 seeds, while Napoli, Dortmund, Juventus, Paris Saint Germain and AC Milan were in pots 2 and 3. Benfica and Porto were eliminated in what seemed like straightforward groups with the exception of Atletico Madrid and Paris Saint Germain lying in each of the Portuguese teams respective groups. Napoli and Dortmund would have made better candidates as pot 1 teams and would have progressed in either group. For the first time in history a team has been eliminated from the Champions League with 12 points, while Zenit St. Petersburg progressed with only 6. Something has to change.