Napoli 0-1 Arsenal; Wasteful Arsenal find a way in Naples via Ødegaards strike

Tonight's Champions League opener began against Napoli as the Gunners took all three points at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona.

Napoli started the game like a team that had accepted they wouldn’t see much of the ball, relinquishing possession to Arsenal for most of the first half and looking to create chances on the counter. 

A familiar face gave Arsenal fans some early palpitations, as Kevin De Bruyne tested David Raya from range with a snapshot.

Nevertheless, Arsenal approached the game as we’ve become accustomed to seeing, patiently and methodically. 

They had by far the better chances in the first half, the first of which bordered on the spectacular.

An unlikely trivela from Viktor Gyökeres found Bukayo Saka inside the penalty area, where he made an ambitious attempt at an overhead kick that was comfortably saved by Alex Meret.

Napoli continued to frustrate the Gunners with a low block, but it didn’t stop Arsenal from creating opportunities.

Most of their best passages of play came down the right, where we’ve become accustomed to seeing Saka, Martin Ødegaard and Ben White do their best work.

The first big chance came from a Saka cross into the penalty area, which Eze nodded back into the six-yard box, only for Mikel Merino to head straight into the goalkeeper’s hands. 

Shortly after, White fired a tame effort at Meret before Piero Hincapié forced another stop from a tight angle.

On the cusp of half-time, the biggest chance of the game arrived. An in-form Ødegaard threaded a beautiful ball through to Saka, but the Arsenal talisman got his finish all wrong, blasting over the bar.

The second half brought much of the same, as Arsenal continued to pin Napoli inside their own half. Another great chance fell to Hincapié after a cushioned White header across the six-yard box, but he horribly mishit his effort.

The longer the game went on, the more it appeared to be heading towards an uneventful draw. The teams were seemingly stuck in an infinite loop: Arsenal passing and probing against a Napoli side that continued to frustrate their opponents.

The frustration was becoming increasingly evident. A usually calm and collected Declan Rice began firing aimlessly from distance and committing unnecessary fouls as Arsenal struggled to find a way through.

By the 65th minute, Mikel Arteta had seen enough and decided it was time for a change.

Christos Tzolis replaced a lacklustre Eze, before Kai Havertz, Bruno Guimarães and Noni Madueke followed in place of Gyökeres, Merino and Saka.

Arteta’s substitutions provided the jump-start Arsenal’s attack desperately needed.

A beautiful interchange eventually led to Tzolis cushioning the ball on the edge of the box for the oncoming Ødegaard, who emphatically placed his finish into the left corner.

Finally, Arsenal had their breakthrough.

The closing stages presented Madueke with a great opportunity to seal the game, but his finishing continued to let him down as he fired straight at the goalkeeper.

At the other end, Kevin De Bruyne almost spared Napoli’s blushes. Finding himself unmarked inside the box with an opportunity to shoot, he instead opted to flash the ball across the six-yard box, only for nobody to arrive and apply the finishing touch.

For Arsenal, this was a game that once again highlighted their lack of a clinical edge. But a moment of quality, coupled with perseverance, was enough to edge them past a Napoli side that showed very little adventure.

Three points away from home in the Champions League is never something to complain about, but Arsenal will know there is plenty to improve.

Against Napoli, their dominance eventually produced a winner.

Against better opposition, a performance this wasteful may not go unpunished.