Arsenal Vs BATE Borisov: Just avoid embarrassment

Arsenal host BATE Borisov as they attempt to overturn a one-goal deficit in the Europa League Round of 32 on Thursday night. There is one goal for the evening: Just avoid embarrassment.

It has been a long time since I enjoyed a European night at the Emirates. The belligerent batterings by Bayern, the bulldozings from Barcelona, the madness of Monaco and ineptness of Inter, Arsenal seem to have a special ability to capitulate in Europe.

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They have since become the butt of the joke. The slouched, slumped shoulders, trudging across the pitch in the foreground, with a raucous away end awash with celebration and joy. The dichotomy of the same photo that appears at the top of every newspaper article around this time of year perfectly and painfully illustrates the Gunners’ repeated self-humiliation.

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But on Thursday night, when BATE Borisov come to the Emirates with a staggering one-goal lead to defend, they have a chance to top all of them. Credit, I guess, must be given to Unai Emery and his players for making this seemingly lifeless match come to life. When the draw was made, I assumed that this would be a match to simply pass over and forget the minute the full-time whistle blew. How wrong I was.

This is a team that had not played a match in over two months before last week. They shipped 10 goals in two matches to Arsenal B last season in the same competition. They rely on a 37-year-old Aleksandr Hleb for creative inspiration. This should have been an easy victory.

But like with FK Ostersunds this time last year, there is a strange ability in north London to make the very simple far harder than it needs to be. And so, here we are again, watching a far superior side dig themselves a hole and wondering if they have a big enough ladder to climb out of it.

That ladder is not an especially robust one. There is a missing rung, seeing a rash of red in the closing stages last week. A broken handle that could be superglued back on but is yet to prove its utility. A wobbly foundation that, when countered, could crumble. Emery is manning a rather unstable rescue job.

But if Arsenal should fail in their attempts to save face, then they may have to endure one of the more vociferous reactions in recent years. Losses to Bayern and Barcelona could be reasoned with. They are some of the best teams in the world. While the manner was embarrassing, the result was not surprising.

But BATE should not be in the same league. BATE should not even be close. They should not have a chance. And yet, that is the very least that they have. Arsenal must rally. If not, the shame of those European disasters only compounds.