Why Arsenal Must Follow Mikel Arteta Example vs. Borussia Dortmund

As Arsenal prepare for the onerous task of facing Borussia Dortmund this week, they could do worse than look to their captain for inspiration. Against Manchester United, Mikel Arteta was Arsenal’s best player. His disciplined and committed performance is the sort Arsenal will need to emulate if they are to overcome Jurgen Klopp’s side.

Dortmund have plenty of problems of their own. They are currently languishing in 16th place in the Bundesliga, with just three wins from their opening 12 games. However, their progress in the Champions League has been relatively serene thus far. They have an immaculate record of 12 points from four games. A point against Arsenal will ensure they finish top of the group. 

Arsenal’s anxieties won’t be assuaged by Dortmund’s poor domestic form. The German outfit were supposedly struggling when the two sides met back in September, yet BVB battered Arsenal. The final result was just 2-0, but the gap between the two sides was far wider than that scoreline suggests. Arsenal were defensively naive and got torn apart. 

This encounter calls for a more conservative approach. Arsenal know that a point will see them through to the knockout stages of the Champions League, albeit in second place behind their German opponents. This is a time to play sensibly. 

Michael Regan/Getty Images

Arsenal have few players more practical and reliable than Arteta. He showed that again against Manchester United. During a game in which Arsenal were criticised for pouring forward too regularly, Arteta’s Squawka heat map demonstrates that he held his position for the majority of the match. 

Squawka.com

He made a series of tackles in Arsenal’s own half, offering protection for Kieran Gibbs on the left-hand side. It’s telling that United’s opening goal came down the right, where Aaron Ramsey failed to replicate Arteta’s careful dedication to his defensive duties.

Arteta tackles | Squawka.com

After the game, Arteta described his disbelief at ending up on the losing side, telling SkySports:

"

It’s not fair for the players and the fans. How can I explain the result? I can’t.

I am shocked and frustrated because we did not deserve this result considering the opposition we were playing against. ...

I feel so sorry for the lads and for our supporters because they were terrific and I don't think we deserved this result.

"

Arteta is regularly a target for criticism from the Arsenal fans, because he’s not the physical defensive midfielder they crave. However, he remains the best defensive midfielder they have. For the time being, he’s invaluable. 

With many individuals at Arsenal out of form, they need to get back to basics. Against Dortmund, the first objective is to avoid defeat. This is not a fixture in which they can afford a gung-ho attitude. They need to be methodical in their approach towards this match. If anyone has the requisite experience and intelligence to help Arsenal do that, it’s Arteta. 

James McNicholas is Bleacher Report's lead Arsenal correspondent and is following the club from a London base throughout the 2014-15 season. Follow him on Twitter here.