Arsenal forward Joel Campbell put in one of his best-ever performances against Dinamo Zagreb... but he was still outshone in attack

• e-mail

At another club - maybe at this one in another time - Joel Campbell would have been the best performer on the park in this match.

The Costa Rican, given a rare chance to make an impression on a night that actually meant something to Arsenal’s campaign, didn’t put a foot wrong.

It is just that he has the perverse misfortune of lining up in the same team as such masterful players as Mesut Ozil and Alexis Sanchez. Sadly for Campbell, they tower over his talents.

Joel Campbell (right) battles for the ball as Arsenal saw off Dinamo Zagreb in their Champions League clash

Unfortunatley for Campbell his team-mate in attack on Tuesday, Alexis Sanchez, was in captivating form

Campbell produced one of his best performances in the red shirt as the Gunners won handsomely by 3-0, seizing back control of their Champions League destiny. His night was capped by a splendid reverse ball assist for the third goal, finished by Sanchez.

He was, by anyone’s reckoning, in the top three Arsenal performers. But Ozil and Sanchez - in whatever order - come above him.

And I’m afraid because Campbell didn’t quite manage to conjure an x-factor - more specifically a confident-boosting goal or two - he will again be shoved aside when Arsenal emerge from their present injury crisis.

It seems to be the story of the young man’s career. He has indisputable qualities. But here at Arsenal, there are others who are superior. Campbell will soon be back down the pecking order I’m afraid.

For so long now Campbell has looked the spare part at Arsenal. After arriving in north London in 2011 as a raw, unproven 19-year-old, there followed the inevitable three seasons on loan - at Lorient in France, Real Betis in Spain and Olympiacos in Greece.

Campbell scored the odd goal and created a few, but not anywhere near enough to justify Arsene Wenger beckoning him back.

Ozil celebrates his goal which helped Arsenal seal their second win of an uneven European campaign

Costa Rican Campbell was given a rare chance to make an impression during a crucial night in Europe

Then came that magical World Cup in 2014 where Costa Rica, despite topping the group England were in, became many people’s second team. Campbell was irresistible, helping them past Greece in the last 16 to a bittersweet ending as they lost on penalties to Holland in the quarter-finals.

He returned to Arsenal a lauded man, ready to finally make his belated mark. But time went by and the opportunities just didn’t materialise - after all, the Gunners are pretty well-stocked for attack-minded midfielders and wingers.

His game time was Capital One Cup ties and European dead rubbers. That golden promise soon started to fade, Campbell must have wondered where his future lay, especially when farmed out to Villarreal for the second-half of the season.

Attacker Campbell produced one of his best performances in a red shirt as the Gunners won handsomely

Hoping for a similar summer tournament boost, he represented Costa Rica in the Concacaf Gold Cup in July, essentially throwing his club pre-season out of kilter.

The result was that he wasn’t involved in a Premier League fixture until October 31 against Swansea. He started and found the net, a first goal in Arsenal colours. ‘Remember me?’ he seemed to holla.

Now opportunity really knocks for the 23-year-old. Arsenal are a hostage to bad fortune as they bid to mount realistic challenges in the Premier League and the Champions League for the first time in years.

Only Ozil and Sanchez outshone Campbell on Tuesday as Arsenal eased to a vital three points in north London

The absence through injury of the English trio Theo Walcott, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Jack Wilshere meant Campbell has been presented - almost out of nothing - a chance to make a positive impression.

Week-by-week, the game time has increased but the goals haven’t come. On Saturday in the defeat at West Brom, he sliced badly a shot presented to him six yards from goal.

This encounter was the most significant yet. With Arsenal on the brink of an embarrassing pre-Christmas exit from a competition in which they’d reached the last 16 for the past 15 seasons in a row, there could be no slip-ups.

TEAMS, RATINGS, FIXTURES, CHAMPIONS LEAGUE TABLE AND MATCH ZONE 

 

Arsenal: Cech, Bellerin, Mertesacker, Koscielny, Monreal, Flamini, Cazorla, Campbell, Ozil, Sanchez, Giroud. Subs not used: Ospina, Debuchy, Gibbs, Gabriel, Ramsey, Chambers, Reine-Adelaide.

Goals: Ozil 29, Sancez 33, 69 

Dinamo Zagreb: Eduardo, Ivo Pinto, Sigali, Taravel, Matel, Paulo Machado, Goncalo, Antolic, Pjaca, Rog, Fernandes (Soudani 57). Subs not used: Mikulic, Musa, Sovsic, Henriquez, Pavicic, Coric.

Referee: Viktor Kassai (Hungary)

 

Wednesday, December 9

Dinamo Zagreb v Bayern Munich

Olympiacos v Arsenal

Mesut Ozil finished off a brilliant move for the first. Check out more at Match Zone

Campbell, with fluorescent pink boots on his feet, didn’t disappoint and was the Gunners’ main driving force for the first 20 minutes until more familiar dynamos Sanchez and Ozil reassumed centre stage.

Twice early on, his quick feet found space in behind the incredibly lax Dinamo left-back Alexandru Matel. His first cut-back didn’t find its target but the second located Santi Cazorla, who spooned over.

Campbell (right) does battle with Dinamo Zagreb's Paulo Machado during Tuesday night's Champions League

Soon after he used his gangly frame to roll Zagreb captain Domagoj Antolic, before bursting into space and playing an excellent pass wide left to Sanchez.

Campbell even bent a pass with outside of his boot down the line to Ozil, creating another opening as Arsenal did what everyone expected and dominated from the get-go.

The Costa Rican had offered Arsenal’s early thrust and it wasn’t too long before Ozil and Sanchez took up the baton, scoring goals in quick succession to settle the nerves around the Emirates.

These strikes, combined with Bayern Munich’s three early on the board against Olympiacos, meant they suddenly were back in charge of their situation.

Arsenal's Costa Rican striker Campbell jumps highest as he takes aim at the Dinamo Zagreb goal on Tuesday

Unfortunately for Campbell, the ensuing half-hour kind of confirmed that as soon as one of that English trio becomes fit again, he’ll be back warming the bench.

He drifted from the game, those early incursions consigned to memory as he stood isolated far too wide. Those pink boots were beacons nobody wanted to find and he hardly saw the ball between the 30th and 60th minutes.

Then, when it seemed like he’d be withdrawn, a second whirlwind. First, a skewed chance on the volley as a Zagreb clearance fell kindly for him. It ended up quite some way wide. That was his chance.

Undeterred, he saw a reverse ball to Sanchez few would have spotted. It rounded off a comfortable night for Arsenal. Campbell’s future, though, remains far less certain.