Valencia vs Arsenal result: Five things we learned as Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang seals Europa League final spot

Arsenal recorded an emphatic 7-3 aggregate victory over Valencia to reach the Europa League final as Aubameyang and Alexandre Lacazette scored every one of their goals across the two legs

Three at the back won’t solve Arsenal’s defensive conundrum

For most sides playing three centre-backs would normally help solidify the defence, particularly with two wing-backs to boot when the chief aim is to protect a two-goal aggregate lead. But this Arsenal side does not do normal, and neither does it do defence.

Immediately Arsenal decided that attack was the best form of defence, which is no surprise when you look at the records of Alexandre Lacaztte and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang this season. But Unai Emery’s decision to play a makeshift three-man defence of Nacho Monreal, Sokratis and Laurent Koscielny quickly came unstuck against Valencia’s lightning-fast counter-attack.

All it took was one touch to release Goncalo Guedes on the left and suddenly it was two-on-two. The problem for Arsenal this season is that no matter what formation that Emery has deployed, the defence has creaked, and even when the numbers swelled to three-on-three, Valencia found it all too easy. Guedes slipped in Rodrigo who gave Kevin Gameiro the simple tap-in the Spanish side needed to get off to the dream start.

Valencia’s weakness proves ... its weakness

The one way Arsenal knew they could get at Valencia was exposing their fragile central defence that wilted at the Emirates. It did not take long for the duo of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Alexandre Lacazette to do exactly that.

Arsenal have shown this season that they have the attacking talent to unlock any defence, but all it took to pick the Valencia lock was a long goal kick from Petr Cech. The retiring goalkeeper sent a long ball onto the head of Aubameyang, whose flick on was nudges forwards again by Lacazette. On both occasions, the striker out-muscled the former Arsenal defender Gabriel Paulista, and it presented Aubameyang with the opportunity he needed to fire home the away goal.

Arsenal learn from Barcelona and Ajax’s errors

The two sides that found themselves eliminated in the most extraordinary of circumstances this week would have been contesting the Champions League final had they seized their chance when presented. With Lacazette and Aubameyang, Arsenal needn’t of worried.

That chance arose minutes after the second-half restart, when the ball found its way to the feet of Lacazette. The Frenchman managed to get the ball under control, work himself the opportunity to turn and fired the ball into the bottom-right corner of Murara Neto’s goal.

It was the goal that killed Valencia’s resolve, meaning that they needed five goals on the night to progress to the final. Had Barcelona and Ajax taken their opportunities, or converted the last-minute chances that both had in the first leg, they’d be off to Madrid on 1 June.

Will strikers stay if Arsenal don’t win the Europa League?

The sight of Lacazette and Aubameyang sitting on the bench in the wake of Arsenal’s weekend draw with Brighton - the result the essentially confirms they will not finish in the top four this season - was a clear contrast to what they displayed tonight and indeed this season.

They are two finishers of the highest quality who deserve to be playing in the Champions League, and you wonder if Arsenal will need to sell one of them - perhaps even both - if Emery’s side fail to qualify for the competition through winning this tournament.

Will Aubameyang and Lacazette consider leaving for Champions League football? (Getty)

England could well have five teams in the Champions League courtesy of their European domination this season - the question is will the fifth be the one that will keep Lacazette and Aubameyang in the Premier League?

Emery must consider sacrificing emotion for ruthlessness

The Europa League final is likely to be Petr Cech’s final match of his career - but should it be? With so much on the line for Arsenal given Champions League qualification could ramp up Emery’s regeneration of this club, the Spaniard must genuinely consider whether to deploy his strongest side for the Baku final.

The Europa League final is set to be Petr Cech's final game before retirement (Reuters) (Action Images via Reuters)

That would necessitate playing Bernd Leno, his No 1 goalkeeper who has played throughout the Premier League campaign, yet it would cost Cech the chance to sign off a wonderful career with the swansong it deserves.

Emery brushed off the question on Wednesday when asked if Cech would remain his Europa League goalkeeper in the final, but with his and the club’s future on the line in Azerbaijan, the question must cross his mind on who to start between the sticks.