As solid as Dundalk were before their two minutes of mayhem, they were never watertight and it was inevitable that the dam would burst.
Unlike last week’s home defeat to Molde where the Lilywhites felt they left points behind, they can have no such complaints leaving London.
Mistakes mixed with a touch of individual brilliance cost them in what was always going to be a steep learning curve.
Mikel Arteta’s mind was clearly on Arsenal’s trip to Manchester United on Sunday as he made 10 changes from the defeat to Leicester last weekend.
His second string took 34 minutes to register a shot on target and Dundalk were careful and cautious, making every effort not to overplay the ball in dangerous positions and cough up soft chances.
Ultimately, they still shot themselves in the foot as Gary Rogers’ miscued punch from a corner gifted the Gunners the opener and they doubled that lead two minutes later.
Nicolas Pepe’s wonder goal 30 seconds into the second-half threatened to unleash a world of misery on Filippo Giovagnoli’s side yet Arsenal laboured thereafter as Dundalk found heart again.
Giovagnoli clearly had Sunday’s league game at St Pat’s on his mind during the second-half as he used all five subs, but the injury to Patrick McEleney was another blow on an already bruising night.
In making three changes to his starting XI, the Italian was brave in his approach. Not in an attacking sense, but more a case of safety in numbers with three centre-backs and John Mountney and Cameron Dummigan operating as wingbacks.
And Dundalk played the percentages in a solid performance until it all unraveled in two minutes of madness before half-time.
Lacking sharpness, Arteta’s fringe players took their time warming to the task. And what will grate in the Dundalk camp is that the hosts did not have to overexert themselves for their 2-0 lead.
McEleney fired a warning shot four minutes in when he forced Rúnar Rúnarsson - on his debut - into a fingertip save to keep out a low drive from 30-yards. And Sean Murray might have tested the goalkeeper a little later but fluffed his lines when attempting to latch onto a Mountney cross.
Arsenal were visibly frustrated yet were chipping away, cranking up the pressure slowly but surely even though it was the 34th minute before they registered an effort on target. Rogers tipped Sead Kolašinac’s header over before Reiss Nelson flashed wide.
Rogers then saved from Joe Willock and Eddie Nketiah squandered a chance from close range after pinball wizard in the box. Dundalk were holding out - or so it seemed because they pressed the self destruct button three minutes before the break.
From a corner, Rogers punched fresh air rather than the ball which then clipped Dan Cleary and when it dropped to Nketiah, the England Under-21 ace atoned for his earlier blooper.
Dundalk were still dealing with the blow when the Premier League giants doubled the lead less than two minutes later. Nketiah and Pepe combined after latching onto Dummigan#s intercepted pass and Willock finished with aplomb.
It was rough on Dundalk who had been holding their own until that double whammy, but the pain and misery continued to flow thereafter in a bruising insight into life in the fast lane.
Barely 30 seconds had gone in the second-half when Pepe scored a beauty from the edge of the box. He had Brian Gartland and Andy Boyle for close company but, with little or no backlift, sent a rocket high into Rogers net.
As the team’s took to the Emirates pitch before kick-off, a tweet from the official Dundalk account read: “Eight years ago we were almost relegated and our club nearly folded. Now we’re taking on Arsenal. This is a proud night whatever happens.”
And Dundalk do leave London with their head held high. But while those two minutes of madness before the break were hard to stomach considering their solid start, there’s no doubt Arsenal were always on top.
