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He met the ball, on the volley, with the side of his left foot. The merest touch, from just inside the area, but it fairly flew into the net. That is what you pay the money for, the shot seemed to say as it whistled past Pepe Reina; and inside the Emirates Stadium, every supporter would have been in agreement.
They had been waiting for a night like this from Mesut Ozil. Yes, he'd had his moments, and had never disappointed, but this had so far been the season of Aaron Ramsey, and Olivier Giroud.
Ozil had been the catalyst for so much that was good about Arsenal without yet having one game in which he was, well, the difference.
Scroll down to watch Wenger and Benitez press conferences
Too hot to handle: Mesut Ozil (centre) celebrates the opening goal with his Arsenal team-mates
Match facts
ARSENAL (4-3-2-1): Szczesny 6; Sagna 7, Mertesacker 7, Koscielny 7, Gibbs 7; Flamini 8, Arteta 7, Ramsey 7 (Monreal 88); Ozil 9, Rosicky 6 (Wilshere 63, 6); Giroud 7.
Subs not used: Fabianski, Vermaelen, Bendtner, Jenkinson, Gnabry
Manager: Arsene Wenger: 7
Goals: Ozil 8, Giroud 15
NAPOLI (4-2-3-1): Reina 5; Mesto 5, Albiol 6 (Fernandez 83), Britos 6, Zuniga 5; Behrami 5, Inler 6; Callejon 5 (Zapata 77), Hamsik 6, Insigne 5; Pandev 5 (Mertens 61, 5)
Subs: Cabral, Dzemaili, Fernandez, Armero, Cannavaro.
Manager: Rafa Benitez: 5
Man of the match: Ozil
Ref: Milorad Mazic (SRB) - 7
Attendance: 59,536
*Player ratings by SAMI MOKBEL at the Emirates
And then, against Napoli, it arrived. Ozil scored the first — and his first for his new club — then Ozil made the second, Ozil was quite simply a class apart. Napoli did not know what to do with him, and by the time they had worked something out, Arsenal were 2-0 up.
It really doesn't matter the circumstances, whether Ozil was a hasty solution to another emerging crisis or an established, long-term objective of Arsene Wenger's, kept shrewdly hidden all summer. Plan A, B or even C, what matters is that Ozil is here now, and the effect he has had on Arsenal's confidence and stature this season is stunning.
They are playing with the ambition and finesse of old now, the best of Arsenal, not the pale imitation of previous seasons. Wenger took his first training session 17 years ago to the day, and when he did so, must have aimed to one day play football that looked like this. And he has done, on occasions, but not very much recently. Until Ozil arrived, and turned Arsenal's story around.
As he turned this match, as he had it won inside 15 minutes. Arsenal had a two-goal cushion before Napoli settled and although the Italians enjoyed more possession in the second half, there was only going to be one winner.
It is hard to imagine what Rafael Benitez uses for target practice in Naples, but the evidence here suggested a gasometer. It is hard to recall an elite team that shot so wide so often. It was not so much that Wojciech Szczesny did not have a save to make, more that he would not have been forced into action had he been defending a goal three times the size. Ozil, by contrast, was the model of clinical efficiency. A match-winner of German precision.
It was a very sweet move that opened the scoring after eight minutes. Bacary Sagna played a ball down the line which Giroud held up well, feeding Ramsey, who sped with purpose along the right flank. He cut the ball back and there was Ozil. It was a tough finish but he made it look like child's play. The next foray into the penalty area close to ended the contest.
What a finish: Ozil latched on to Aaron Ramsey's cross to side-foot the ball past Pepe Reina
Back of the net: The German playmaker's cool finish flies past the helpless former Liverpool goalkeeper
Back of the net: The German playmaker's cool finish flies past the helpless former Liverpool goalkeeper
Breakthrough: This graphic shows the move that gave Arsenal the lead, with Ozil (11) providing the finish
- CLICK HERE to see more from Sportsmail's brilliant MATCH ZONE, including player & team stats and graphics
Thumbs up from Murray
Wimbledon champion Andy Murray was in the stands at the Emirates on Tuesday night and was impressed by what he saw. He said on Twitter after the match:
'Was at Arsenal vs Napoli, top performance from Arsenal... Flamini has been a great signing, love his work.'
This time it was Ozil's invention that did the damage, neat skill at close quarters and a pass clipped back to Giroud, who finished from close range. With Borussia Dortmund beating Marseille, Arsenal have already established a three-point lead after two matches in Group F. So much for the draw that produced winces when it was made in Monaco.
Napoli, Borussia Dortmund, Olympique Marseille. Most thought Arsenal had the worst of it that day, yet while Chelsea have already suffered defeat and both Manchester clubs will, for different reasons, approach Wednesday night's fixtures with no little trepidation, Arsenal sail on. The next two matches are against Borussia Dortmund, Champions League finalists in May, but three points from one of those encounters should see Arsenal with one foot in the last 16.
Tap-in: Oliver Giroud (centre) converts Ozil's cross at the near post to score the second easily past Reina
Flying start: The French striker celebrates his sixth goal of a successful season so far
Carry on like this and the trip to Italy in December may be negated.
Napoli's home, the Stadio San Paolo, can be a hostile place, but not to a team who have already qualified and Arsenal are well on their way. Italy itself should hold no fear after this, either.
Benitez's team may have topped the Serie A table on occasions this season, but the Italian league is not the force of old and this was a reminder of the time not so long ago when a Tottenham Hotspur team who finished fifth in the Premier League put away the eventual champions of Italy, AC Milan.
Arsenal are the Premier League's form team right now, but the same could be said of Napoli in Italy and they had them on the end of a jab all evening.
Napoli's black away kit had a camouflage pattern and it worked perfectly because for the first 20 minutes they couldn't be seen anywhere.
After that, even when they gained possession, it was to little effect. Arsenal were comfortable and simply too strong, their slick short passing backed up by a fierce competitiveness, particularly in midfield where the return of Mathieu Flamini has proved something of a masterstroke.
Flamini was a far greater loss than Arsene Wenger ever imagined, but at least the Arsenal manager, having made the mistake of letting him go, was not too big to bring him back.
On nights like this, one is left wondering how much easier his life would have been had he kept Flamini as the uncomplicated ball-winner at the heart of his midfield.
Even when he slipped, catastrophically, he recovered, chased down and won the ball back from the Napoli player advancing on goal.
His part in Arsenal's transformation has been every bit as great in its own way as that of Ozil or even Ramsey.
As for Napoli, the best that can be said of their target practice is that no-one was hurt.
Lorenzo Insigne, Miguel Britos, Jose Callejon, Gokhan Inler, Callejon and Insigne again, all had efforts that proved more of a challenge to air traffic control than they did to Szczesny.
All the time in the world: Ozil takes a touch during a stellar performance for his new club in Europe
Pleasant viewing: Arsene Wenger watches his team cruise to victory from the sidelines
I know you: Wenger and Rafa Benitez shake hands before kick-off, but the match turned sour for Napoli's boss
Arsenal were not exactly demanding of Reina, but they had the best chance of the night, defender Laurent Koscielny forcing a save after being set up by Mikel Arteta. It was in midfield, though, certainly in the first half, where Napoli looked stretched to the limit.
Clearly it was a blow to them to be without the injured Gonzalo Higuain, but even so, Arsenal's domination was a surprise. They had 69 per cent of possession in the opening 45 minutes — a Barcelona-like figure. And not, for once, Barcelona Lite.
How they stand in Group F
Pulling the strings: Aaron Ramsey was again influential for Arsenal in midfield
Reduced role: Jack Wilshere (centre) was dropped to the bench but was brought on in the second half
Passion: Napoli supporters stoked up a heated atmosphere at the Emirates Stadium
These boots are made for scoring: And Ozil's boots certainly walked all over Napoli at the Emirates
Catch me if you can: Ozil (second right) waltzes through the Napoli midfield
Comments (192)
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There are no passengers in this Arsenal team. Every player is prepared to do his bit and fight for his team, great to see.
Arsenal win at home 2-0 and are as dull as watching grass grow, Chelsea win brilliantly away 4-0 but the press lovies make Arsenal the top story... Pathetic - Deep Down You Know I'm Right, University of Truth, 01/10/2013 21:02 Ha you didn't watch the game then, Chelsea's game was an easy they we're expect to win against steaua Bucharest, -------//:;;:/))));///:; Of course I watched both games divvy, TVA can do that today you know...arsenal at home, dull football, dour win, they are like watching grass grow... Despite their press supporters, fat journos brought up in the George graham era...the arsenal are unbelievably boring to watch. For English footballs sake they must get kicked out soon - Gunsblazing, nope, 02/10/2013 01:02
Wenger seems to always get it right when it matters most! Well done gunners!
i think that madrid made a huge blunder by selling one of the best playmakers in the world in ozil, i think along with iniesta and xavi, ozil is one of 3 best creative midfielders on the planet, 40+ million is a joke in my opinion he worth twice that, he proved so far in all the games he's played he either makes a goal scoring chance for a team-mate or he scores himself, he did both against napoli.
So far so good.
Arsenal win at home 2-0 and are as dull as watching grass grow, Chelsea win brilliantly away 4-0 but the press lovies make Arsenal the top story... Pathetic - Deep Down You Know I'm Right, University of Truth, 01/10/2013 21:02 Ha you didn't watch the game then, Chelsea's game was an easy they we're expect to win against steaua Bucharest, we had a much harder tie with Napoli although if you watch the game it looked like Barcelona against millwall it was a great game to watch But then again I've seen how bias you are on every arsenal article. Deep down your still an idiot
Martin Samuel has been converted. Finally he writes as he should. Well done!!
I said that the signing of a player like Ozil would inspire the Arsenal team at the beginning of the season and so it has proved. A wonderful transformation and congrats to playing the type of football that inspires kids to take up this wonderful game. The energy and willingness to get forward and create chances with precision and guile is a credit to the type of football Wenger has always encouraged. Hope this continues and we see a positive inspirational team win the League. As for my team Manu, what can you say, miles behind the type of game the likes of Best and Charlton would be proud of. All I can hope for is the style displayed at Arsenal will rub off and inspire new legends at United and promote a positive brand of footy throughout the Premier League. - Zimbo66, Avon, 02/10/2013 00:20 --- Fair play man... Good comment
I found it funny how everyone was panicking when Arsenal lost the first game.
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goon4life, London, 1 day ago
Police were earlier called in to investigate a 42M heist at the bernabeu stadium nearly a month ago. The culprits are thought to escaped across the channel and the last known location was at North London N5 - Mpharm, London, United Kingdom, 01/10/2013 21:16 Hahah Brilliant.