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Danny Welbeck adds fizz to Arsenal’s singular Europa concoction | Nick Ames

Players and fans of Gunners and CSKA Moscow produced a life-affirming football occasion, despite concerns about securityMidway through the second half of a match whose tension levels had amped up beyond recognition, Danny Welbeck conjured up a moment that promised everything and nothing. Arsenal were rocking and CSKA Moscow raucous but there was Welbeck, burning away from a panting Kirill Nababkin on the left flank, eating up 50 yards of turf and offering a self-made opportunity on the counter. His centre, scuffed and misdirected with team-mates waiting, was poor and at that moment it was tempting to wonder whether Arsenal, who had rarely reached anything like that speed in the previous 65 minutes, would pay the ultimate price for not...

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Mesut Özil given free ride by rusting hulks of Russian football past | Nick Ames

CSKA’s back three, with a combined age of 108, were unable to cope with Arsenal’s attacking verve, particularly in the absence of any kind of defensive midfield coverVictor Goncharenko was halfway through a candid assessment of his team’s hammering by Arsenal when, unprompted, he produced one of the more statesmanlike interventions in contemporary Anglo-Russian relations. “We still welcome you in Russia for the World Cup,” the CSKA Moscow manager said. “We can assure you there will be great stadiums. Ask us questions and please come to Russia.” Related: Aaron Ramsey scores wonder goal in Arsenal’s easy defeat of CSKA Moscow Related: Wenger ready to see best of Lacazette as he weighs up Europa League start Continue reading...

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