H-T Braga 0-0 Arsenal: chances at a premium in Portugal

Arsene Wenger decided it was time to forgive and forget by recalling Danish striker Nicklas Bendtner.

The Dane with an over-inflated opinion of himself had been axed for Arsenal's last two games for admitting he is fed-up of sitting on the bench and warning he wants to leave unless the situation changes.

But Wenger was literally stuck between a rock and a hard place in Braga and recalled Bendtner in place of Marouane Chamakh as Arsenal made seven changes following their derby humiliation against Tottenham.

Braga has a bizarre stadium which is cut into a mountainside, there are no stands behind either goal, the ones on either side were half full and it made for a strange rather subdued atmosphere.

But it did at least present Arsenal with a quick hangover cure from their defeat to Spurs after blowing a two-goal lead and the chance to go top of the Premier League.

More pressingly, Arsenal were presented the chance to clinch qualification from Group H last night and, having thrashed Braga 6-0 at the Emirates, they should be full of confidence.

But Arsenal's away record in Europe is poor with only four wins from their last 14 in the Champions League.

Arsenal started brightly as Theo Walcott and Kieran Gibbs threatened down the flanks, exposing Braga's weak defence and yet Bendtner struggled to get into the game.

For someone who believes he should be in the team when 100 per cent fit - and he says he is 100 fit - Bendtner did little early on to back up such a bold claim.

When you talk the talk, you have to walk the walk and Bendtner, at 22, looks far from the finished article let alone a player who would command an automatic place in any of Europe's top clubs.

Bendtner chased the odd ball down but did not look like getting on the end of anything let alone score.

In contrast, Arsenal's fit-again midfielder Jack Wilshere, 19, looked lively and full of ideas to try and spark a rather dull game into life.

It was another bad advert for the Champions League Group stages as even with qualification places still up for grabs there seemed to be a touch of complacency surrounding Arsenal as they did not show enough urgency.

Having battered their opponents 6-0 earlier in the campaign, it was perhaps little wonder but it is rare for neither team to create so little with Cesc Fabregas's shot whistling just over the only notable moment in the opening half hour.

Walcott made a decent run in the 30th minute and his cross from the right flashed across the face of the Braga goalmouth.

A world class striker would have been on the end of the cross but Bendtner did not anticipate quickly enough and was miles behind.

Finally, Arsenal managed the first shot on target in the 31st minute when Fabregas's 20 yard free kick was tipped over by Braga's Brazilian keeper Felipe.

Felipe then made a brave block at the feet of Walcott who raced through onto Fabregas's clever pass as Arsenal began to look more dangerous.

Braga, for a home team, offered very little before for Lima's shot whistled wide in the 35th minute after the Brazilian spotted Arsenal keeper Lukasz Fabianski off his line.

Arsenal full back Emmanuel Eboue was booked in the 38th minute after an embarrassing mistake by the officials. Eboue slid in on Matheus, got the ball right in front of the extra official on the by-line and yet still got a yellow card.