It takes a top team to beat Borussia Dortmund at home. As it happens, this Arsenal side are now a top team. For much of the game the Gunners were second best, but the fact that they hung in there and took their chances when they arrived was very promising indeed. It was further evidence of the character and backbone prevalent within this Arsenal side.
And for me, nobody typifies these qualities better than Arsenal’s battling midfielder, Mikel Arteta.
Make no mistake; Mikel Arteta is one of the most gifted technicians in the Premier League. His touch and control are excellent, he has a fantastic range of passes and he works the ball extremely quickly. These are the qualities of his game that really stood out when he was still at Everton (that and his ability over a set-piece).
But since arriving at the Emirates, things have been different. Arsene Wenger has asked him to take up an entirely different role within the squad.
Once Alex Song left Arsenal, there was a need for somebody to fill in as a holding midfielder. Mikel Arteta may not have been the obvious option, but he’s proven to be an astute choice.
He’s still been able to use his technical abilities to his advantage. He keeps the ball extremely well, he wins a bunch of free kicks and he’s still taking the Gunners’ penalty kicks.
But it’s his tough tackling and timely interceptions which have really stood out. His best performance of the season came against Liverpool, where he seemed to be everywhere at once. The fact that he kept Luis Suarez and Daniel Sturridge quiet (with Laurent Koscielny and Per Mertesacker’s help) pretty much speaks for itself.
But he was also pretty great in the Gunners most recent fixture against Dortmund. He earned a yellow card early on, but still managed to stay lively despite the lingering threat of a red card. It was a mature performance, full of quality. It was exactly what Arsenal needed and a key reason behind their 1-0 victory.
Arsenal are a better side this season and Mikel Arteta is looking like a better player. This may simply be because he’s grown into his new role, or it may be because he’s playing with better team-mates (Santi Cazorla, Mesut Ozil, Aaron Ramsey, etc.). Whatever the case, his quality and character is sure to pay dividends for the Gunners over the course of a season.
What’s your take? How important is Mikel Arteta to Arsenal?