Five things we learned as Arsenal beat Napoli 1-0 in the Champions League

Arsenal have begun their Champions League campaign with a hard-fought win against Napoli.

The Gunners were the dominant side throughout the game, but they were wasteful in front of goal on multiple occasions.

It looked like the game was destined to finish 0-0, but Martin Odegaard stepped up with a fine goal to give Arsenal the win.

Here are our key takeaways from the game.

Five things we learned from Arsenal’s 1-0 win vs Napoli

Arsenal’s left-wing problem gets exposed

Every Arsenal fan pointed at Mikel Arteta’s left wing at the end of the summer transfer window and called it a big problem.

The Gunners sold Leandro Trossard and Gabriel Martinelli and only replaced them with Christos Tzolis. The Greek international didn’t start against Napoli, which meant Eberechi Eze had to play there.

The Englishman is a wonderful footballer, but he is not a left-winger and often struggles against organised teams like Massimiliano Allegri’s sides.

That proved to be a big issue for Arsenal in Naples, with almost no threat coming from the left side of the Gunners’ attack.

Arsenal’s finishing issues continue

Some of the goals Arsenal have scored since the start of this campaign have been excellent, but it was the complete opposite against Napoli.

Remember the last few seasons when the Gunners would create plenty of chances but fail to convert any of them?

We felt a sense of deja vu until Odegaard’s brilliant strike in the 75th minute.

Bukayo Saka missed more than once, Piero Hincapie blasted the ball over the bar from near-point-blank range, and even Mikel Merino squandered a huge chance.

Arsenal got lucky tonight, but this can’t keep happening.

Nicolas Jover, where are you?

Arsenal were branded Set Piece FC because of Nicolas Jover’s brilliance over the last few years, but they look nothing like it this season.

All of the Gunners’ goals this season have come from open play, which is not a bad thing, as that was a big problem last season.

However, in games like the one against Napoli tonight, where Arsenal were struggling to finish their chances from open play, a Gabriel Magalhaes header from a corner would’ve helped.

Jover needs to start earning his money again in the coming games.

Martin Odegaard is back

How good has Odegaard been this season?!

The Norway international has had a couple of difficult seasons, but he has now scored four goals already this term and is looking unstoppable.

That is a massive boost for Arsenal. Everything they do in attack has always gone through him, and the fact that he is adding goals now takes them to the next level.

If Odegaard can continue this, Arsenal will be difficult to stop.

Viktor Gyokeres’ struggles continue

Odegaard aside, Kai Havertz has been Arsenal’s best player this season.

That has reduced Viktor Gyokeres’ game time, but he started against Napoli tonight and had a chance to impress Arteta.

However, Gyokeres was anonymous for large parts, didn’t threaten Napoli’s goal once, and proved to everyone why Arteta has been right to choose Havertz over him.

This is not a good look at all for the Swede, who may well be gone in one of the next two transfer windows if he doesn’t start contributing as he should.