Arsenal make hard work of Olympiacos as Champions League problem laid bare

They should have been out of sight long beforeBukayo Saka’s late clincher. Instead, it was too much like hard work at the Emirates before Arsenal finally saw off Olympiacos at the Emirates to make it back-to-back wins.

Gabriel Martinelli got the early opener but they missed so many chances in what should have been a procession against pretty average opposition. And they had to wait until Saka’s late cameo and his injury time goal to seal victory and settle any remaining nerves.

Mikel Arteta’s men should have had it won early enough to allow his players to put their feet up ahead of Saturday’s London derby with West Ham.

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Viktor Gyokeres, Martinelli, Leandro Trossard and Martin Odegaard were all guilty of missing gilt-edged chances to put the game to bed. Instead, the lack of goals probably sent some of the crowd to sleep which just underlines the problem with this new format.

Because there are so many games in the league phase, the early fixtures lack any sort of jeopardy and therefore miss the intensity and excitement of a big European night.

There were plus sides in that Odegaard - despite being guilty of one of the worst misses - played his best game of the season so far and pulled the strings in midfield.

Martinelli kept up his scoring run as he made it three goals in five games while Arsenal keeper David Raya made a couple of sensational saves.

But this should have been a confidence booster and a chance to rack up goals rather than finish the game rather nervously until Saka’s late intervention.

Gyokeres scored goals for fun last season, netting six in eight Champions League games for Sporting Lisbon but looked a bit too anxious this time as he pulled and snatched at chances.

The £64m striker could just do with a couple to ease his nerves in what is a big week for the Gunners. In fairness, he never stops working for the team.

They face West Ham on Saturday knowing that a win will take them top because leaders Liverpool play at Chelsea later in the day.

After winning at Newcastle in such dramatic fashion on Sunday, they should have been buzzing but looked sluggish and almost complacent.

Arteta did rest and rotate as his summer spending spree has ramped up the pressure on him to deliver a trophy but it has also given him a wealth of talent at his disposal.

Back came Ben White and Myles Lewis-Skelly in the full back positions while Odegaard, Mikel Merino and Martinelli all started at the Emirates.

Martinelli should have put them ahead within two minutes but the Brazil winger got his header all wrong from Lewis-Skelly’s inviting cross.

However, they did not have to wait much longer. Gyokeres looks like a battering ram in these games as he powered his way through, his shot was pushed onto the post by Olympiacos keeper Kostas Tzolakis and there was Martinelli to put in the rebound.

That should have been lift-off for Arsenal. But Arsenal needed a brilliant save from keeper David Raya to deny Olympiacos’ former Wolves winger Daniel Podence.

Then it was all about Martinelli and Gyokeres. The pair of them were as bad as each other when it came to being greedy and going for glory when they should have played the other one in.

Trossard missed two superb openings in the second half and then Odegaard missed the best chance of all from point blank range as Arteta began to ring the changes.

But there is no substitute for class as Odegaard - looking sharp and in the mood - threaded through a lovely pass and there was Saka to fire through the keeper’s legs.

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