It didn't exactly reach the dizzy heights of our recent win over Tottenham as we slumped to a disappointing 1-0 defeat at Cologne, but we still ended the night by sealing top spot in Group H of this season's Europa League.
But when you are playing a side bottom of your group, and without a league win in the Bundesliga this season, surely you would expect better than what we saw in Germany.
In the end the match was decided by Sehrou Guirassy's 62nd-minute penalty after the French striker was fouled in the box by Arsenal defender Mathieu Debuchy. Guirassy sent David Ospina the wrong way as his spot-kick went straight down the middle.
The result keeps Cologne's hopes alive of qualifying for the knockout stages as they moved level on points with second-place Red Star Belgrade.
In some ways this could be seen as a worrying result with Arsenal once again proving their lack of consistency going from a great performance to a not so good one. We certainly weren't at our best, but we had enough chances to have got something from the game if we hadn't been so wasteful in Germany. However, with qualification having already been assured maybe it was somewhat inevitable that the players were too casual. There are no excuses and we should have been more fired up, but I do wonder whether that played a part and affected our game. I really hope we are fired up and put the performance level up several gears for the trip to Burnley.
Ainsley Maitland-Niles was involved in most of Arsenal's chances in the opening half an hour. The full-back was denied by Timo Horn after just two minutes before later setting up Jack Wilshere, whose header was saved by the Cologne goalkeeper.
The 20-year-old also set up a chance for Calum Chambers after an excellent run, but the defender's volley was saved by Horn.
At the other end Jhon Cordoba tried his luck early on, only to be denied by an excellent save from Ospina who tipped the ball round the far post.
Francis Coquelin twice went close to breaking the deadlock for Arsenal - the French midfielder sent one shot just wide before his next effort hit a post.
Arsenal continued to try yet fail with the chances that came their way as Danny Welbeck shot wide before Mohamed Elneny's long-range strike was saved by Horn.
Shortly after Guirassy scuffed a shot straight into the grateful arms of Ospina, the Cologne forward scored the decisive goal of the match. It was a soft penalty, but it was still a clumsy foul by Debuchy who pushed his fellow Frenchman in the box.
Arsenal tried to force an equaliser and four minutes later a chance came their way, but Wilshere, who later headed over the bar, saw his effort from outside the box well beaten away by Horn.
The Gunners really should have done better when Olivier Giroud latched onto the ball over the top from Wilshere and beat the offside trap. But the French striker was thwarted by an excellent recovery tackle from Cologne defender Jannes Horn.
Substitute Reiss Nelson nearly mustered a special equaliser for Arsenal but, after a brilliant dribble through the home defence, the youngster saw his shot well parried by Horn. Wilshere kept the move alive, but his cutback was scrambled away before substitute Eddie Nketiah could apply the finish.
There was still time for Arsenal to fashion one final chance in stoppage time as Wilshere's powerful strike from outside the box was excellently tipped over the crossbar by Horn.
It was Arsenal's first defeat in this season's Europa League and, although it wasn't critical or too damaging, it is definitely the kind of performance we will want to avoid repeating in the knock-out stages.
GROUP H
With qualification secured before the match the priority was all about finishing top of Group H and we did just that despite the poor result.
Assuming we avoid any hiccups we should beat BATE Borisov in the final round of group matches, especially with home advantage, and if that does prove to be the case then the race for second will all be decided by one match.
Red Star Belgrade, who drew 0-0 at BATE, and Cologne are level on both points and goal difference so the result in Serbia will decide who finishes as runners-up to the Gunners.
Although top spot is now secure we cannot get complacent and hopefully we will be keen to get back to winning ways in Europe. If we were to slip up BATE Borisov, who lie bottom of the group, could yet qualify and we need to make sure that doesn't happen.
MY FINAL THOUGHTS
It was a very poor result, but fortunately not too damaging, and I really hope when we travel to Burnley we can get back on track and find the level of performance we produced against Tottenham.
Although there are no easy games in the Premier League and you never know what might happen, we really need to be looking at getting nothing other than a maximum six-points haul from the trip to Burnley and the final game of the month at home against Huddersfield.
Being more clinical at taking chances will prove key as, although we weren't at our best in Cologne, we could have snatched a win had we been more efficient in front of goal.
Burnley are this season's surprise package in the league and I certainly didn't expect us to be locked level on points and only separated by one place when we faced each other. But the facts don't lie and it certainly has the potential to be a very tricky game, so there's no excuses and we need to make sure we are fired up with every player ready to make the club proud like they did against Tottenham!
COME ON YOU GUNNERS
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