It was far from the beautiful game those watching Arsenal have become accustomed to, but tonight's goalless draw with Slavia Prague in the Czech Republic got the job done as a much-changed Gunners side secured a safe passage into the last 16 of the Champions League.
Arsene Wenger's 100th match in elite level European club football was hardly a classic, in fact at times it was as unappetising as the wintry Prague weather.
However, football remains a results business and the point was enough to see Arsenal through from Group H, which they can top with victory in Sevilla later this month.
The Arsenal manager elected to leave key man and 11-goal midfielder Cesc Fabregas back in England, along with Belorussian Alexander Hleb.
Wenger was, though, confident a starting XI which contained eight changes from the side which faced Manchester United on Saturday were up to the task of getting a positive result at the Evzena Rosickeho Stadium, packed to its 18,000 capacity.
After all, Slavia had been demolished 7-0 in London a fortnight ago and the likes of Theo Walcott, Gilberto, Denilson and Abou Diaby are hardly novices to such an occasion as Arsenal looked to extend their unbeaten run to 26 consecutive games.
It was a bitterly cold night in the Czech Republic, but the visitors' much-changed side made a bright start, with young Danish striker Nicklas Bendtner looking strong in attack on his full debut in Europe's elite club competition.
However, despite the scoreline in London two weeks ago, Slavia are in good domestic form and showed no intention of such a timid surrender again on their own ground tonight.
The hosts were rewarded for a spell of their own pressure with a right-wing corner on 15 minutes.
Mickael Tavares arrived in the six-yard box, but could not keep his header down. Arsenal midfielder Diaby caught Frantisek Drizdal with a late challenge, and was given a stern talking to by referee Bertrand Layec.
The match then dropped in tempo as both teams were careless in possession and failed to spring the offside trap.
As the half-hour mark passed, slowly the home side settled into a rhythm, which often had Arsenal on the back foot.
When Arsenal did break down the right through Walcott, his final delivery towards Bendtner in the middle was poor and failed to clear the first defender.
The England teenager was, though, the most dangerous player for the visitors, with his runs checked by three markers.
On 36 minutes, Zdenek Senkerik capitalised on a slip by William Gallas to get in on the right side of the Arsenal penalty area.
However, his angled shot-on-the-turn was tipped over by goalkeeper Manuel Almunia.
Tavares was cautioned five minutes before the break after he hauled down Diaby, who was having a decent game in midfield.
The weather took a turn for the worse during the interval, as the heavens opened to flood the pitch.
Michal Svec was cautioned for tripping Eduardo, with the ball skidding off the wet surface.
The hosts felt they had a strong penalty claim on 50 minutes when Senkerik went tumbling under pressure from Lassana Diarra, but the referee waved away appeals which television replays suggested was a sound call.
The Arsenal man was then cautioned when he clattered into Svec, who had to be stretchered off for treatment.
Slavia made a change on 64 minutes when David Kalivoda replaced former Liverpool man Vladimir Smicer, just back from injury.
However, the fresh legs for Slavia made little immediate difference to a match which was fast fading into insignificance.
However, on 75 minutes, substitute Kalivoda sent a long pass forwards, which caught the Arsenal defence flat-footed.
Senkerik was being chased down by Gallas as he ran into the area, where Almunia came out quickly to make a crucial save.
Wenger sent on Togo frontman Emmanuel Adebayor, replacing Bendtner with Eduardo then being given a rest and Emmanuel Eboue put into the action.
Denilson's body check on Milan Ivana with eight minutes left earned him a yellow card and gave away a free-kick on edge of the Arsenal penalty area, which fortunately for the young Brazilian came to nothing - just about summing up the match as a spectacle.
