The last time we were here, on Tuesday night, Arsenal enjoyed surely the finest occasion in Emirates Stadium history. The 3-0 win over Real Madrid in the first leg of the Champions League quarter-final will live forever; the return is eagerly awaited on Wednesday.
It was always going to be lower-key here, Mikel Arteta making five changes to his team and watching them labour. The blood and thunder of the Madrid tie, the sheer drama, was missing.
