UEFA Europa League 2017/18: Arsenal 1-2 Östersunds, 5 Talking Points

Arsenal are through to the next round of the UEFA Europa League despite losing 2-1 at home to Swedish side, Ostersunds.

The visitors started the game on the front foot scoring twice in the span of little more than minute in the first half and despite pushing the home side to the very edge with their efforts even in the second half, they couldn't see themselves rack up a shock.

Arsenal - like most matches recently - were poor on the night and while they might argue favouring the upcoming League Cup final on the weekend, going down 2-0 in the first half with a side that included experienced players such as Mohamed Elneny, Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Jack Wilshere is unacceptable.

Here's what else we learnt on the night:

Arsenal's second string needs refreshing

They never looked comfortable on the ball, they never looked like they were playing at home and they never looked like a side who wanted to win the game.

Arsenal chased most of the game. At home. The midfield was weak and ineffectual, the defence was nervous and the attack just didn't work in-sync to create any meaningful chance for the most part of the game.

A lot of the stars who use these opportunities to show the manager that they're ready for the first-team are in no way ready and instead need to be trained much much more. Or worse, moved on.

The better side.

Ostersunds deserve the win

They pressed high up the field, they won the ball, they put in solid tackles and they played with a purpose that Arsenal were supposed to show.

Graham Potters' men came here the massive underdogs of the fixture but will leave in what is probably their greatest achievement in the history of their club.

The first half onslaught of attacks were impressive and they exposed Arsenal's lack of fight and bite and they did so with such precision and finesse that it's almost unfair they're the ones not going through to the next round.

Arsenal's best player on the night.

Sead Kolasinac's treatment has been unfair

Obviously, we don't know what the manager has planned and what's happening in the background of the club, but the Bosnian international has been a solid asset for the club almost everytime he's called to the squad.

And yet again, he proved his worth scoring Arsenal's only goal of the night with a thumping finish in the beginning of the second half.

He's strong, he's capable of taking on players and he's got the drive and determination to give up the ball as easily. He's the perfect kind of player who could help a side in a slump and shockingly - or not - Arsenal were that side today and he did just that.

Another impressive performance from the young Iranian

Saman Ghoddos making all the right moves

A week after impressing against a much-stronger Arsenal side in Sweden, the Iranian international Saman Ghoddos did exactly the same thing tonight at the Emirates.

An incredible seven key passes, two big chances created, an 88% successful pass percentage rate and an assist mean he should be the man of the match.

Having been linked with Spanish side, Celta Vigo, and Championship side Queens Park Rangers in recent windows, the 24-year-old did all the right things tonight to earn himself a move to a club that plays in a far more prestigious competition than the Swedish league.

Very mediocre performances from a bunch of Arsenal players.

Arsene Wenger needs to be more ruthless

Alex Iwobi, Mohamed Elneny, Calum Chambers and Rob Holding were all seen as players who were supposed to live up to Arsenal's standards in the long-term and use the Europa League as a springboard to show just that.

With the kind of performances they've put in in recent matches, it's safe to say they aren't getting to the kind of levels that was expected of them.

David Ornstein said in January that Arsenal were looking to dispose of off Elneny in previous transfer windows, if he continues to play like this, it's more likely that he will be moved off in the summer.

Arsene Wenger is an incredible manager and believes wholeheartedly in his players - something very few managers ever do - but even he has to know the limits of certain players and has to be ruthless in trimming the squad when it isn't performing to the level he - and us as fans - has come to expect.