Arsenal competed in the Champions League for 19 consecutive seasons from 1998. Mikel Arteta played in it for Paris Saint-Germain, Rangers and the Gunners and coached in it alongside Pep Guardiola at Manchester City.
But the fifth anniversary of Arsenal’s last game among the European elite, a 5-1 home defeat to Bayern Munich, falls next month.
In a week when Manchester United and Chelsea are in Champions League action, Arsenal are instead playing a rearranged Premier League match. If the mighty have fallen, they can at least be aspirational. Thursday’s meeting with Wolves is a contest between teams with legitimate hopes of playing on the major European stage.
Wolves 0 Arsenal 1 - player ratings
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WOLVES RATINGS: Jose Sa - 6: Felt he had been fouled before Gabriel’s goal but was more goalkeeping error than anything. Unconvincing on crosses. Reuters -
Conor Coady - 7: Picked up a facial injury just before Arsenal’s opener. Usual reliable performance from central defender and captain. Reuters -
Max Kilman - 7: Looked like he might struggle against Martinelli early on but ended up coping well against the Brazilian. AP -
Romain Saiss - 7: Back from Africa Cup of Nations duty, the Moroccan was booked for a nasty challenge from behind on Odegaard. Had powerful shot palmed over bar by Ramsdale as Wolves chased equaliser. Reuters -
Nelson Semedo - 7: One cross picked out Jimenez but not enough power and left the striker with too much to do with his header. Close to levelling before break with left-foot shot that flew just wide. PA -
Marcal - 6: Some wayward passing in first half, although he did produce one searching cross that almost picked out Saiss. Picked up side injury after awkward fall. Reuters -
Leander Dendoncker - 6: Headed over from a corner just after half-time. Solid if unspectacular from Belgian midfielder. PA -
Ruben Neves - 6: Usual neat and tidy self in possession. Ambitious free-kick at goal when everyone was expecting a cross failed to trouble Ramsdale. Booked for foul on Lacazette. Reuters -
Daniel Podence - 7: Portuguese was Wolves’ brightest spark going forward showing flashes of invention and quick footwork – if lacking a final product. AP -
Francisco Trincao - 4: Back after recovering from Covid but his crossing was woeful in first half and infuriated home fans. Had moments of real flair but final ball often lacking. Hooked on the hour. Getty -
Raul Jimenez - 6: Some nice first touches in opening half but only sniff of goal was header straight at Ramsdale. Looked a bit silly with ambitious overhead-kick attempt late in game that failed to come off. Getty -
SUBS: Chiquinho – (On for Trincao 63’) 7: Full of energy after coming on for his league debut. Skinned Tierney in last 10 minutes but Ramsdale saved his cross-come-shot. PA -
Rayan Ait-Nouri – (On for Marcal 63’) 6: Played his part in Wolves' desperate attempt to make their extra man count. Getty Fabio Silva – (On for Coady 82’) N/A. -
ARSENAL RATINGS: Aaron Ramsdale - 8: Not much to do in first half but confident on crosses and tidy distribution. Vital for Arsenal after they went down to 10 men. Getty -
Cedric Soares - 7: First league appearance since August and should be pleased with his night’s work. Sent over one excellent cross after 25 minutes that Lacazette should have got his head on. PA -
Ben White - 7: First real chance of game fell to defender after 20 minutes but his shot was blocked by Wolves. White's header back across box set-up Garbriel’s tap-in. Reuters -
Gabriel - 8: Tapped home from close range to put Arsenal into the lead. Shown yellow card and annoyed home fans with some of his theatrics. Getty -
Kieran Tierney - 6: Got away with one early on when Jimenez charged down his clearance. Not allowed to be his usual threat going forward. AFP -
Thomas Partey - 7: Made a mess of a cross into his own box that Dendoncker failed to take advantage of. Picked up harsh first-half booking for tangling with Trincao. Did well at the base of the midfield. Reuters -
Granit Xhaka - 7: Like Partey, back in team after suspension and picked up the inevitable booking just before break. One vital header that denied Saiss a free header at goal. Turned ball into own net late on but Jimenez was offside. Getty -
Gabriel Martinelli - 4: It was his inswinging corner that resulted in Gabriel scoring. Looked to take advantage of space behind Semedo early on but never maintained that threat. Saw red mist with quickfire double foul in second half that saw him sent-off with just over 20 minutes left. Reuters -
Bukayo Saka - 5: Came alive just before half time when he nutmegged Marcal, played a one-two with Odegaard before teeing-up Lacazette. Otherwise quiet. Getty -
Martin Odegaard - 6: Seems to bounce off challenges when in possession but was very unhappy with one Saiss tackle in first half that left him in agony. Nice distribution but not the Norwegian’s most influential game. AFP -
Alexandre Lacazette - 6: His brave challenge to get to ball ahead of Sa led to Arsenal’s opener. Drilled shot straight at keeper just before break. Should have made it 2-0 when clean through on goal minutes after Martinelli sending off. AFP -
SUB: Emile Smith Rowe – (On for Odegaard 68’) 6: One galloping run forward but was crowded out by Wolves defenders. AFP -
SUB: Rob Holding – (On for Saka 71’) 7: Cleared Chiquinho header off the line. Getty -
SUB: Eddie Nketiah – (On for Lacazette 80’) N/A. Getty
For Arteta, exile has made him miss the Champions League. “I do a lot because as a football player I’ve experienced it and it’s one the best feelings you can have to be surrounded by opponents that are the best in the world,” he said. “It brings the club into a different dimension. For the club this is where we want to play and this has to be the aim to be every year playing among the best teams in the world.”
Arteta’s youthful side can look outsiders in the five-way fight for fourth.
“It will be a bit of a rollercoaster,” said the Spaniard, who accepts their journey is not complete. “I am happy with the direction we are taking,” he said. “I am not happy with where we are.”
Yet arrange the Premier League table on points per game and Arsenal, who have three matches in hand on United and West Ham, are fourth. If rearranged fixtures could prove their trump card, they also look laced with difficulty. They have to find a new date to face Tottenham and Arteta believes a Wolves team with the division’s joint second best defensive record are genuine contenders for fourth.
“They look like it,” he said. “The way they are competing and playing is remarkable. Their defensive performance has been superb.”
Wolves beat Arsenal home and away last season but Arteta’s men have already triumphed at Molineux this month in perhaps the finest result of their campaign. It was all the more impressive as they finished with 10 men after Gabriel Martinelli was sent off for collecting two cautions in the same passage of play.
The young Brazilian is available after suspension again today but Emile Smith Rowe replaced him and scored against Brentford.
It was the Englishman’s ninth league goal of the season, putting him among the division’s top scorers. It feels more remarkable as, until he scored against Spurs in September, his Premier League career amounted to 27 appearances and just two goals.
But Arteta is not surprised by his prolific streak. “The numbers should be looking something like this and that's not a coincidence,” he said. “He's practising every day, he is working, he has willingness to do it because he knows he has the qualities and the capacity to do it.”
That capacity has been invaluable. With Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang gone, Arsenal’s remaining specialist strikers have only scored three league goals this season. But Smith Rowe and Bukayo Saka have chipped in with 16 between them and nine of their last 11 wins have featured a goal by one or both. The next generation have propelled Arsenal into contention.
Arteta may have provided the environment for a talent to kick on. “It's in his nature, he needs to feel that confidence and that trust around the coaching staff that we are the right people to guide him and to take him to the next level,” Arteta explained.
In the process, Smith Rowe may take them back to the level they and Arteta used to enjoy.
