Arsenal did not have to wait long for a goal in this 6-0 demolition of Bulgarian side Ludogorets, and it could mean one long drought will finally come to an end. It has been five years since the Gunners finished first in a group, but after three games, that's exactly where they sit. With Mesut Ozil netting a second-half hat trick, Arsenal look to be in the kind of sleek, goal-scoring form that will keep them there. They are clearly playing with a collective confidence that brings out the best in their players.
Arsenal's cohesion could be seen from the very first goal, as Alexis Sanchez gloriously killed an Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain pass and set himself up in the box before deftly lifting it over Vladislav Stoyanov and into the net.
It was sublime. There was a slight danger at that point of Arsenal admiring their fine play a little too much, and they did get complacent enough to allow Ludogorets a fair few chances that David Ospina did well to stop, but it wasn't long before they started scoring again. Theo Walcott, the man who can't seem to stop finding the back of the net, struck second. On 40 minutes, he curled a shot around Stoyanov to make it 2-0.
Oxlade-Chamberlain capped a fine individual performance by smashing in the third from close range straight after halftime, before Ozil claimed a hat trick for himself. On 57 minutes, he slid home on the break. He easily volleyed home a cross in the 83rd minute before improving on that with a better volley just four minutes later.
Arsenal just look so comfortable, on the table as much as on this pitch. It could make all the difference to their Champions League campaign and see them finally avoid a heavyweight in the last 16. They just need to keep this up to keep on top.
There are many Arsenal players in sparkling form who deserve special mention for their performances. Sanchez looks released and rampant up front. Oxlade-Chamberlain put in a brilliantly complete display. Ozil was gloriously gliding all over the pitch.
Those are all qualities we've seen before, though. What we haven't really witnessed is Walcott scoring a long-range goal like he did against Ludogorets.
Sure, he might have been a little fortunate that the goalkeeper was left grasping at his shot, and it maybe could have been placed better, but the key point was the confidence to try it. It is just not something we're used to seeing from Walcott, who seems to score only certain types of goals.
Sources close to Walcott say he became determined to improve all aspects of his game in the summer, particularly in terms of his shape and physicality, and that was evidenced at the Emirates on Wednesday in his willingness to take a pot-shot such as that.
Before that, though, Walcott was the outlet to so frequently get behind the Ludogorets defence. He looks undroppable right now -- though you could say that about a few Arsenal players.
Walcott scored shortly afterward to ensure the win, but Ospina had been a solid foundation.
Source: ESPN
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