#2 Arsenal’s failure to kill the game
Arsenal raced to a 2-0 lead within the first 26 minutes of the game and had numerous chances to put the game beyond the reach of Basel, but they were let down by the profligacy of their players in front of goal.
Alexis Sanchez missed a couple of easy chances, while Mesut Ozil squandered a couple of easy chances of his own. Even Walcott, who had already bagged a brace, had the chance to complete his hat-trick in the first half itself was denied by the goalkeeper.
The Gunners had a similar first-half against Chelsea, when they raced to a 2-0 lead within 14 minutes and although they did add a third in the 40th minute, they should have scored more and put the game to bed. Basel had a few chances to score in the second half, and anything could have happened after that.
Arsenal need to start being more ruthless in front of the goal if they are to challenge for top honours this season and can’t afford to miss so many chances, for it is only a matter of time before a team finds their way back into the game despite the superiority of the Gunners. And they do not have to look back much further than their opening day loss against Liverpool in the league, when they had taken the lead through Walcott but lost the game after The Reds mounted an epic comeback.
