Yesterday evening’s match was a lot like the encounter with Fenerbahce three weeks earlier. The visitors needed to win, but seemed reluctant to take chances. Arsenal may be faltering in the domestic league, but their hard won reputation over many continental campaigns still commands respect in Europe, if not the Potteries.

Fans have become used to Champions League matches, so much so we take them for granted nowadays. These are glamour nights, simply because of the company being kept. Other matches last night featured half of Europe’s big guns, the rest play this evening. Most will be through to the knockout round after five group matches. There is an inevitability to who makes it through that Michel Platini is trying to shake up, but it does make for some great cup ties once spring arrives. It’s a tournament that affords financial gain and status to its participants and the thought of not being in it in 2009/10 would be a shock to the system.

With this in mind, Arsene Wenger has to slowly start trying to rebuild confidence and authority in his playing squad. They have the ability to win matches if they can control them. And it’s this control of games that has gone by the wayside as the self-belief has plummeted. The results have not looked good in the flesh or on paper.

Fabregas as captain is the only logical choice, given the paucity of candidates. Is he captain material? Not obviously, but rather like Thierry Henry, to not elect him would have seemed like a snub. And perhaps more critically, he stands in the middle of the warring factions. It was a key goal scored by Nicklas Bendtner in the dying moments, but there was no rush of the Afro-Gallic contingent to congratulate him, with the exception of Mikael Silvestre who is perhaps too mature to indulge in the pettiness of the existing feuds.

Recovery is not going to happen quickly, but the key thing is that it happens gradually. Something needs to be built again. A change is as good as a rest and on two counts last night provided it. The competition itself is very different from the weekend turmoil the team have been enduring of late, and two new faces starting were just what the doctor ordered. Both Vela and Ramsey had plenty to prove, given their customary positions on the bench, and neither disappointed. Kiev – and I can’t get my head around calling them Kyiv, even if I’m supposed to – are no mugs and Arsenal did well to create a number of good chances.

The story of the night were the two chances at the end. Almunia’s block save was key, as a Kiev victory would have made Porto away a must win game. Bendtner was fortunate not to have a handball awarded against him, but took advantage to finish gloriously. He does appear to be a better player when coming on as a substitute, an argument that could still be made for Theo Walcott. Talking of subs, Jack Wilshere continued to demonstrate he is a 16-year-old without fear. When he came on he was always looking for space to receive the ball, and it’s this type we want – with a hunger to get involved and not hide. It’s early days, but Wenger needs to find a way of phasing in a player of obvious talent without placing too much responsibility on him.

On the balance of play, Arsenal shaded it, but there was obviously an element of good fortune. And that is what cups often come down to in the end. Been a long while since ‘Lucky Arsenal’ was an oft-used phrase, let’s have those days back please.

And so to Chelsea. One result doesn’t change things dramatically, and if you were a gambling man, you’d back Scolari’s team. What is important on Sunday is that Arsenal give a good account of themselves to take forward into the future matches that will determine whether Champions League participation can happen next season. I expect a defeat, but if it is to be so, then at least it should be three points Chelsea have to work hard for.

November of 2001 was not a great time for Arsenal. Ironically, the only highlight of the month was a thumping 3-1 victory at home over Manchester United. That aside, the team were slumping with a poor run of form. But key victories over Juventus and Aston Villa were backed up by news that planning permission for the new stadium had been granted and that the manager had signed a contract extension until 2005. Things turned around and Arsenal went on to win the double that season.

No-one can foresee that happening again, but a bad November in 2008 – with a win over Man Utd thrown in – could be turned on its head with an unlikely victory at Chelsea. There is a new captain and finally, the club can move forward off the field with the announcement of its new CEO, Ivan Gazidis.

Let’s hope qualification for the knockout stages is the seed of the recovery that needs to happen to prevent the club suffering a period of decline. Perhaps the culmination of last night’s match will be looked back upon as the moment things started going our way...