Arsenal played a pretty good game of football, away from home, against tough opponents. Although Dortmund spent long periods of the first half dominating possession and attacking in numbers, Arsenal held firm, and just before the break Robin Van Persie fired home after a real classy interchange with Theo Walcott, demonstrating that the young Englishman is not ALL about pace.
The second half was much the same, Dortmund attacked in force and Arsenal again held firm, with a back four led by Per Mertesacker who put in the most inspiring performance. He demonstrated a vision and anticipation which the Arsenal defence has been sorely lacking, and kept a cool head throughout, truly a most welcome addition to the team; In my opinion he was the best player on the pitch.
Arsenal's plan it seemed was to surge forward on the break, and in doing so Gervinho came close to making it 2 - 0. However the substitution of both Theo Walcott and Robin van Persie left Arsenal weak in the attacking department, especially with the introduction of a less than impressive Marouane Chamakh..... (we'll get back to him).
Although Dortmund dominated possession, Arsenal genuinely looked as if they could hold on to their lead and it was just as I began to believe that the Gunners would see out a 1 - 0 win, Perisic's left foot volley hit home like a thunderbolt, a truely cracking strike, and a well deserved goal for a team that were, in the end, commanding the game.
1 - 1 was a fair result and in to be honest, a point away from home, against what is arguably the most difficult opposition in the group is by no means a bad result, and although Arsenal should have held on to the lead they created just before half-time, I still feel they defended well and their overall performance was a marked improvement.
As for Chamakh..... oh dear. I appreciate that Bendtner wasn't the greatest striker on earth but he's leaps and bounds better than this lazy Moroccan. Bendtner could finish, and he wasn't afraid to chase down a ball and make the opposition's defenders work a little. Chamakh is the total opposite. Every time he comes on to the pitch he jogs about without a care in the world as if he's walking his dog along a beach somewhere...... presumably near Marrakech because that's the only place in Morocco I can think of.
Infuriating.
- MB
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