Besiktas 0-0 Arsenal : Five Talking Points

Arsenal played out an entertaining and at times ill-tempered affair in Istanbul as thew drew 0-0 against Besiktas in the first leg of the Champions League play-off round. Both sides enjoyed quite a few chances and while the hosts hit the bar in the opening minute, the visitors managed the same in the final few minutes.Here are the five major talking points from the game.

#1 Arsenal couldnt quite do it on a windy weekday in Istanbul

During Tony Pulis’ time with Stoke City, the physical, no-nonsense nature of the Potters’ play coupled with the windy and at times turbulent weather conditions prevalent in Stoke, made them a stern test for any opposition. Back then, the hallmark of a good side was beating them in those conditions. When it comes to European football, there are few more intimidating places to go than Istanbul. So it was no surprise to see Arsenal struggle in Turkey, where very few visiting sides have flourished.

Besiktas’s impressive home record in Uefa qualifying games coupled with the tricky conditions, which included a far from pristine pitch and turbulent winds meant that Arsenal struggled to take command in front of a vociferous home crowd who had come in to see their side.

#2 Ba shows that he is a star in his own right

Demba Ba’s £8m move from Chelsea to Besiktas last month was seen as a deal that was beneficial to all parties concerned. The 29-year-old Senegalese striker was out of favour at Stamford Bridge and the arrival of Diego Costa meant that he was unlikely to see too much first-team action as well. In his first game as a starter for the Turkish club, Ba scored a hat-trick and against Arsenal the striker showed glimpses of the form that earned him a move to Chelsea in the first place.

His long-range effort straight from kick off almost gave the hosts the lead and was a constant threat throughout the game. Even though he missed a crucial chance in the first half, his overall performance was one that showed that at just £8m, he is a quite a steal. The 29-year-old striker will be crucial once again next week as the Turkish side hope to qualify for the group stages of the Champions League.

#3 Ramseys red card might prove to be crucial

Although the season is still in its infancy, there is no doubt as to who the club’s best player has been so far. After a stunning start to his campaign last season which turned into his career-best until date, Aaron Ramsey has simply picked up from where he left off last season. While there is no doubt that his second yellow was a tad harsh, he could have no complaints about his first and should’ve known better than tug at an opposing player when he is already on a booking.

Ramsey’s red card now means that the Gunners go into the all-important second leg without their most influential attacker. While the return of Ozil might soften that blow, they would still need the Welshman should they progress to the group stage.

#4 Besiktas unlucky not to score

The tone of the match was set in the first few seconds when Ba’s shot from near the half-way line caught everyone by surprise and almost resulted in a goal. From then onwards, every time the hosts’ wingers Olcay Sahan and Mustafa Petemek came forward, they looked threatening.

And by the time the full-time whistle, coach Slaven Bilic was a figure of frustration who was annoyed at his side’s inability to take one of the many chances they created. While 0-0 is certainly a good result, it could’ve been so much better for the Turkish side and their profligacy in front of goal might just cost them in the end.

#5 Will the Gunners fall at the last hurdle this time around?

Before Arsenal took to the field against Besiktas, they would’ve been high on confidence. Not just from their Community Shield victory over Manchester City but would’ve also taken comfort from the fact that the club had won all 12 of their previous Champions League play-off matches scoring 29 times and conceding just thrice.

Although it was 13th time unlucky for the Gunners, they will still be hoping to go through to their 15th straight group stage with a victory at the Emirates next week. With their World Cup stars likely to return next week, the Gunners will be looking to celebrate that by qualifying for the Champions League proper.