However, due to the quality of the group, they will still need to show up and play well in Naples in order to qualify to the next round.
Arsenal dominated this game and were seldom troubled. The only moment of concern in the first half ended when a poor touch by Gignac allowed Szczesny to snag the ball from his feet.
The Gunners dominated yet couldn’t put the game away. Aaron Ramsey missed the easiest chance of all, kicking straight at Mandanda, instead of the wide open near post.
Mesut Ozil was guilty of missing a penalty; poorly struck and without conviction.
Arsenal fans could be forgiven for becoming increasingly concerned as the second half wore on; Arsenal in complete control yet only having a one goal lead.
Marseille finally came to life when Valbuena and Thauvin arrived on the pitch, the latter probably determined to impress Wenger who had spoken so glowingly about him in the press conference prior to the match.
Thauvin had a header cleared off the line by Monreal and it was then that Ramsey and Ozil set up Wilshere for his second. The game was now over, although Szczesny still had to make a fine save off Thauvin to see out the game.
Player Ratings:
Szczesny 7. A quiet game with little to do for 70 minutes, then he had to make several saves. Playing well right now.
Sagna 7. His early pass set up the first goal. Was solid throughout and always available to help the attack.
Mertesacker 7. Very little to do defensively. Saw a lot of the ball because of the Marseille press.
Koscielny 7. Like Mertesacker, he had a quiet game. Made a couple of interceptions late in the game as Marseille came to life.
Monreal 7. A good game for Nacho, who came in for a sick Gibbs. Made a key clearance off the line from Thauvin’s header. Played a tidy game and attacked more in the second half.
Flamini 7. Flamini dominated the middle and worked hard throughout, making himself available for passes and always sniffing out danger.
Ramsey 7. Missed a glorious chance in the first half. He had a typical Ramsey game; lots of running, defending, attacking, and several times looking quite dangerous.
Rosicky 7. Another lively game from Rosicky, who always looks upfield and moves the ball forward.
Wilshere 8. Man of the match. A beautiful first goal curled into the top corner and his second, rewarding a well timed run. He was industrious and looked dangerous on a number of occasions.
Ozil 6. Lively at times, sloppy at times. A nice assist on Jack’s second goal possibly erased the memory of his poor penalty. No run up at all; I thought he would miss when I saw him wait for the whistle. Squandered another golden chance to score when his control deserted him and he couldn’t trap a gorgeous through ball. He plays well, but I suppose I just expect fireworks whenever he steps on the field.
Giroud 7. A typical Giroud performance, although he was not able to link up with his teammates as often as usual. Fell down when he had a breakaway. Should have taken the penalty and he would have put the game to bed earlier in the evening.
Substitutes:
Walcott 6. A quiet twenty minutes, although he kicked wide when he broke through the defence late in the game.
Cazorla 6. A quiet cameo from Santi.
Arteta n/a. Helped to steady the team at the end of the game.