What a night for Arsenal!

We all knew the scenario – Arsenal needed to win 2-0 or have a 3-2 win or better. And tonight Arsenal were professional, efficient and clinical.

For the first goal, Mesut Özil played a simply sublime reverse ball into the path of Aaron Ramsey, who crossed from the left for Olivier Giroud to score a header at the near post. The Olympiakos goalkeeper should have done better but no-one cares about that.

For the second, Mesut Özil again was involved with a pre-assist as he played a ball over the top for Joel Campbell. He held the ball up extremely well and played a lovely ball into the path of the big Frenchman to slot in from close range.

Arsenal were in dreamland on 66 minutes when Nacho Monreal’s cross/shot hit Elabdellaoui on the arm and the referee gave the penalty. It’s one of those that would never be given in the Premier League but in Europe anything is possible and the referee awarded the generous penalty.

Again, no-one supporting Arsenal cared and Giroud finished the penalty to give Arsenal a 3-0 lead and all but cement a place in the final 16.

Overall it was an amazing match and one where Arsenal in previous seasons would have slipped up on. Arsene Wenger said knowing what we needed to do was an advantage but against Monaco and Bayern Munich in previous seasons it ended up being a hinderance. I’ve always felt that just playing our football resulted in Arsenal scoring more goals and having a set number of goals to score crippled us. But Arsenal did the job tonight and the players, fans and management should be celebrating tonight.