So that’s what £72m buys you. Two sublime free kicks to rescue you from a Europa League horror show. Hats off Nicolas Pepe.
The French winger stepped off the bench to turn this game on it’s head with two late goals – and save Unai Emery from a second defeat in a week.
But angry Arsenal fans sang in support of Mesut Ozil, dropped completely again by Emery, as their team flirted with disaster against minnows Vitoria.
Former Tottenham youngster Marcus Edwards, once compared to Lionel Messi by Mauricio Pochettino, scored first for impressive Vitoria.
And Bruno Duarte restored their well-deserved lead after teenager Gabriel Martinelli snatched an equaliser with his fifth goal in six games. So there were sighs of relief when Pepe turned the tide.
It left the Gunners three points clear of Eintracht Frankfurt at the top of Group F, but did little to restore the confidence of those worried about a recent dip in form.
Ozil snubs are becoming so common these days it would actually be a bigger surprise to see him actually start a game. But boy did the kids struggle in this one while he watched it all from afar.
Andre Almeida should actually have put Vitoria in front in the fifth minute only to see his weak shot saved. But if that was a warning for Arsenal, they didn’t heed it.
Kieran Tierney, so reliable for Celtic for so many years, was beaten three times down the left and Edwards fired in the opener through the legs of Emiliano Martinez.
For a team who hadn’t won away in Europe for 14 YEARS, Vitoria caused Arsenal all sorts of problems. But Martinelli’s equaliser, a header from a Tierney cross, settled nerves.
Still, when Duarte put the visitors back in front after Ainsley Maitland-Niles lost possession and Davidson hit the post, it was no real surprise.
Booed off at half time, Emery made changes, bringing on Matteo Guendouzi and Dani Ceballos, but Martinez had to be alert to save a near-post effort from Edwards.
Alex Lacazette, who had been totally anonymous all night, showed his own frustration by trying to get Victor Garcia sent off with a cynical dive after the defender nudged him in the chest.
But embarrassing as that was, Arsenal’s overall performance was worse, especially coming off the back of Monday’s defeat at Sheffield United.
With his team struggling and Lacazette looking like an accident waiting to happen, Emery brought on Pepe as one last throw of the dice.
It worked too, with the winger curling in the equaliser from a free kick five minutes after coming off the bench, and then firing in another before it was over.
Arsenal (4-2-3-1): Martinez 5; Bellerin 6, Mustafi 6, Holding 6, Tierney 5; Torreira 5, Willock 5 (Guendouzi 46, 6); Maitland-Niles 5 (Ceballos 46, 6), Smith-Rowe 5, Martinelli 7; Lacazette 4 (Pepe 75). Subs: Leno, Ceballos, Chambers, Guendouzi, Kolasinac, Saka
Vitoria (4-3-3): Silva 6; Garcia 6, Venancio 6, Tapsoba 6, Hanin 6; Almeida 6 (Pepe 65, 6), Agu 6, Poha 6; Edwards 7 (Pereira 70), Duarte 7, Davidson 8. Subs: Douglas, Henrique, Bonatini, Rochinha, Al Musrati
Man of the match: Davidson – full of running
Referee: Serdar Gozubuyuk (NED)