Arsenal stroll to victory over Ostersunds in Sweden

Arsenal effectively booked their passage into the last 16 of the Europa League, helped to a comfortable win by exceedingly compliant opposition.

Ostersunds clearly do not watch much Premier League football because they began the game absolutely petrified of their visitors, sitting off and allowing them as much time as they needed on the ball. And even then, it needed awful goalkeeping and an own-goal for Arsenal to score, after which Ostersunds realised that Arsenal were not all that good after all and began to attack them; the problem for the home side was that with 24 out of 180 minutes gone, the tie was already over.

The second half was more even though equally dull, though Arsenal did score again after 58 minutes, Mesut Ozil marking his first appearance in the Europa League in eight years. But then, just before full-time, Hector Bellerin fouled Tesfaldet Teki, only for Tom Petterson to telegraph an awful penalty, which David Ospina saved easily.

So the sides will reconvene in London in two weeks time.

What to do with Daniel Welbeck? Welbeck is a talented player, but looked desperately short of confidence and form tonight. Arsenal, though, are going to need him in what's left of this season, so Arsene Wenger must impart some devil: he needs to be ruthless and selfish in front of goal, and he needs to make the runs of a centre-forward, not someone looking to clear a path for the centre-forward.

Saman Ghoddos (Ostersunds) By far the liveliest attacker on view, his movement, touch and enterprise were all excellent in an admittedly limited field.

Ostersunds: Keita 5, Mukiibi 5, Papagiannnopoulos 6, Petterson 4, Widgren 5, Edwards 5, Noury 4, Mensah 5, Sema 5, Ghoddas 7, Gero 5. Subs: Tekie 6, Hopcutt 5, Bergqvist 6.

Arsenal: Ospina 6, Bellerin 6, Chambers 5, Mustafi 6, Monreal 6, Elneny 6, Maitland-Niles 6, Iwobi 5, Ozil 7, Mkhitaryan 6, Welbeck 5. Subs: Kolasinac 6, Nketiah 6, Nelson 6.

12’ - Ostersunds try to play out from the back and Mkhitaryan nips in, poking to Ozil, who twists his body in front of the keeper and lays back to Mkhitaryan, who thinks he's going to score ... but a fantastic block from Papagiannopoulos denies him!

13’ - GOAL! Ostersunds 0-1 Arsenal (Monreal) Ostersunds don't clear the corner and Iwobi picks the ball up inside the box, turning into a tame shot which Keita can only palm out into space - that is miserable keeping - for Monreal the goal machine to ram home.

24’ - GOAL! Ostersunds 0-2 Arsenal (Papagiannopoulos own goal) That's not really what Ostersunds needed. Bellerin hits the by-line and crosses low, so deep inside their box, Widgren and Petterson play tippy-tappy passes to one another like they're Busquets and Xavi. They are not Busquets and Xavi so lose the ball, Mkhitaryan drills across, and Papagianopolous nudges past Keita before Welbeck can blaze over the bar.

29’ - This is more like it! Chambers gives the ball away and suddenly Gero pokes a pass to Ghoddos, who whams a rising drive which Ospina has to prang over the bar! See! It's not that hard!

58’ - GOAL! Ostersunds 0-3 Arsenal (Ozil) Ozil slides out left to Mkhitaryan, who opens his body to drive a low cross slightly behind his man ... but he kills it nicely with the outside of his foot to deliver the ball into stride, before shooting low. Keita gets plenty behind him, but still can't keep it from rolling over the line.

90+1’ - PENALTY OSTERSUNDS! Ghoddos slips a lovely ball down the side of Bellerin for Teie, and Bellerin lunges in!

90+2’ - Ospina saves the penalty! Pettersen could not have telegraphed this more if he'd literally sent a telegraph, opening his body before tapping to Ospina's right - he slowly dives to see the kick away.

Mesu Ozil has scored five goals and created three in his last seven European games.

Nacho Monreal has three goals and two assists in his last six games, as many as in his previous 64 matches.