Yaya Sanogo Shows His Worth as Arsenal Overcome Borussia Dortmund

LONDON — It could be argued that Arsenal’s performance in their 2-0 victory over Borussia Dortmund on Wednesday wasn’t altogether different from the one in which they lost narrowly to Manchester United. The difference was Arsenal had the requisite cutting edge. Few expected it to come from Yaya Sanogo.

With Danny Welbeck injured and Olivier Giroud ineligible, Sanogo was named in the Gunners XI for just the third time this season. The last time he started for Arsenal was in the Premier League draw with Leicester City—a performance of such startling inadequacy it prompted Arsene Wenger to splash out to sign Danny Welbeck from Manchester United.

With that in mind, it’s fair to say expectations weren’t high when Sanogo’s name appeared on the official team-sheet an hour before kick-off. After all, this was a player still looking for his first competitive Arsenal goal.

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He did not have to wait long to get it. Just two minutes into the game, Sanogo collected a pass inside the penalty area. After a piece of clever control on the back of his heel, he knocked it to Santi Cazorla. The Spaniard shimmied then played the ball back to Sanogo, who had beaten the offside trap and was able to prod between the onrushing Roman Weidenfeller’s legs.

His joy and relief was evident and understandable: this, after all, was his first competitive club goal since a consolation effort away to Nimes in May 2013.

He was close to a second shortly afterward. Played in by a prodded pass from Aaron Ramsey, he tried an unnecessary elaboration by cutting back on to his left foot. The trick was poorly executed, and the chance disappeared.

Nevertheless, breaking his duck had worked its magic. Sanogo went on to produce a surprisingly accomplished performance—certainly his best in an Arsenal shirt. The most impressive aspect of his play was his ability to bring high-balls under control despite pressure from his markers. He showed physical strength and no shortage of technical ability and awareness. Perhaps for the first time, the Emirates crowd saw what Arsene Wenger plainly does in his young frontman.

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However, it wasn’t to be the perfect night for Sanogo. Aside from the goalless streak, his Arsenal career has been haunted by another concern: injuries. As the game approached the final 10 minutes, he indicated to the bench that he felt a tightness in his hamstring and had to be replaced.

Even if Sanogo is forced to miss a couple of weeks, he will look back on this as a landmark night in his career. He’s not likely to leapfrog Giroud or Welbeck in the pecking order anytime soon, but he showed he can be a useful alternative.

This was a good night for the deputies. Arsenal also had a third-choice 'keeper in goal, and Emiliano Martinez excelled with a succession of impressive stops. Nacho Monreal, too, enjoyed one of his more comfortable nights in the unfamiliar role of centre-half. 

With Jack Wilshere out, Santi Cazorla was handed a rare chance in the No. 10 role and responded with two assists. In bouncing back from defeat to United, Arsenal showed depth of both quality and character.

Arsenal have qualified for the last 16 for the 15th successive year, and there is even an outside chance of winning Group D, as they're two points back of Borussia Dortmund with one match to play.

However, there is no time to rest on those laurels. The games come thick and fast at this time of the year, and Arsenal face two Premier League fixtures in the next seven days. Their domestic form must improve if they are to stand a chance of making the knockout stage a 16th consecutive year in 2015/16.

 

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.