3 Talking Points From Arsenal 2-0 Borussia Dortmund: Cazorla Back to His Best

Arsenal 2-0 Dortmund

Arsenal beat Borussia Dortmund 2-0 thanks to an early goal from 21-year-old French striker Yaya Sanogo and a second-half strike from Alexis Sanchez. Victory was enough to secure passage into the knock-out stages, for the Gunners, who even have an outside shot at claiming top spot in the group.

Here are the major talking points from the game.

1. Cazorla back to his best

Although the defence was the big area of concern at the start of the season, there was one attacker who simply didn’t pull his weight for the team. Whether it was the result of being asked played wide left or in a deeper position, Santi Cazorla didn’t have the greatest of starts to the season. The Spaniard struggled to create much offensively and even when he was presented with opportunities, he fluffed his lines.

Against Dortmund, playing as the central attacking midfielder, the Spaniard showed just how effective he can be when used more centrally. Whether it was spraying balls to either flanks with both feet or getting himself out of a tight spot, the 29-year-old midfielder excelled against Dortmund and delivered a man-of-the-match performance. Although he didn’t score a goal, Cazorla ensured that the Gunners not only kept the ball, but also kept it moving forward as he controlled the tempo of the game and ensured the side’s safe passage into their 15th straight Round of 16 tie.

2. Dortmund unable to threaten the Arsenal goal

Yes, Dortmund had already qualified for the next stage of the competition. Yes, Marco Reus, their most influential attacker was out injured for the game. But that certainly doesn’t excuse the performance that the Germans put in against a side that hadn’t won against German opposition in their last four home games and had, only a few days ago lost to a injury-stricken Manchester United in a game that they should have won comfortably.

Although Dortmund were third from bottom in the Bundesliga, they had the best record in the Champions League so far and had only conceded one goal in their four matches so far. So the fact that Arsenal’s 22-year-old goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez had barely anything to do all game was something wouldn’t please Jurgen Klopp one bit. Aside from a save with a outstretched leg from a Henrikh Mkhitaryan shot in the first half, the Argentinean had nothing to do all game. For a side that had enjoyed almost 55% possession to have created almost nothing going forward is certainly not a good season. And it looks as though the domestic nightmares are starting to stand in the way of their European dreams.

3. Arsenal display defensive solidity

If there is one reason why the Gunners came into the game against Dortmund with an impending sense of doom, it was their inability to shut up shop. While it is true that they started the season with an inadequate number of defenders, the problem for them hasn’t one of quantity rather of quality. Chelsea too started with just six defenders but their quality has meant that no one has said anything about the Blues.

Against Dortmund, the home side finally showed signs that they are learning from their mistakes. 2-0 up with more than a half hour to go, the Arsenal side of a few weeks back would’ve pushed too many men forward and ended up losing their advantage. Here, instead of buckling under pressure, they showed that they can keep a clean sheet, which was incidentally their first in the Champions Europe in 2014. With the pace they have up front, there was never any need to over commit in attack and against the German side, they proved that as they sat deep, used ball intelligently and broke at lightning quick speed.