Galatasaray vs. Arsenal: Lessons Learned from Champions League Game
Arsenal defeated Galatasaray 4-1 in Turkey on Tuesday night to solidify their second-place finish in Group D of the UEFA Champions League.
Lukas Podolski and Aaron Ramsey both scored twice to hand the Gunners their fourth win of the group phase. Wesley Sneijder was the lone scorer for the hosts, who finished last in the group with one point.
Despite their blowout road win, the Gunners were forced to settle for second place in the group after Borussia Dortmund drew at home with Anderlecht.
Here's a look at the lessons we learned from Arsenal's victory on Matchday 6.
Lukas Podolski Needs to Play More
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Lukas Podolski has been an outcast at Arsenal all season long, but he proved Tuesday night he is still a terrific finisher.
The German forward put the Gunners ahead in the third minute with a perfectly placed strike taken from the left side of the penalty area.
The goal was the second in the Champions League this season for Podolski, who also scored the game-winning goal against Anderlecht on Matchday 3. He also extended his scoring record in the competition to four in his last four starts, according to OptaJoe.
Podolski struck the back of the net for the second time just before the final whistle, as he finished off a strong run with a shot past Sinan Bolat.
With Arsenal in need of a consistent player up top, Arsene Wenger should hand Podolski a few starts at the position during the hectic holiday fixture list.
The Arsenal Attack Lacked a Punch Without Aaron Ramsey
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Aaron Ramsey was easily the best player on the pitch for the first 45 minutes, as he netted a brace in 18 minutes.
The 29th-minute strike from the Welsh midfielder was the best of the game, as he fired in a splendid volley from 30 yards out.
If two goals weren't enough to please the Arsenal faithful, Ramsey also set up Podolski's third-minute strike.
After Ramsey was taken off at half-time, the Arsenal attack lacked the impressive pulse it had during the first half.
The main reason for that was the appearance of two young players who made their debuts in the second half. But the likes of Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Joel Campbell and Yaya Sanogo also failed to make a mark on the attack in the second half.
Galatasaray Showed Why They Were the Worst Team in Group D
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With their performance in front of the home crowd Tuesday, Galatasaray showed us all why they finished last in the group.
The Turkish side were exposed early and often on the flanks, especially on the left by Podolski and Ramsey.
They were also wasteful with most of their chances, as only seven of the 32 shots taken by the club went on target, per WhoScored.com.
By failing to convert on those opportunities early in the match, the hosts were blown out of the water by Arsenal before the half-time whistle.
Although they were the better side moving forward in the second half, Galatasaray could not turn the skillful runs of Hamit Altintop and Wesley Sneijder into anything substantial.
The Gunners Were Not Willing to Settle for 2nd Place
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With qualification to the knockout round already secured and an uphill climb in front of them to finish first, Arsenal could have easily sat back and played to a boring draw to close out the group stage.
The Gunners did the exact opposite, as they chased first place during their electric first half powered by Podolski and Ramsey.
By scoring three goals in the first half, Arsenal put a bit of pressure on Borussia Dortmund to earn a result. Dortmund eventually went on to draw 1-1 with Anderlecht at home, but for a short stretch of time, the Gunners had a chance of recovering from their goal differential of six.
Although they did end up in second place after all was said and done, the Gunners did impress in a game where they could have easily thrown in the towel early.
Wesley Sneijder Is Still Capable of Delivering World-Class Goals
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Wesley Sneijder wowed us in the 88th minute with a brilliant free-kick for the host side.
Sneijder, who is capable of turning something into nothing in an instant, packed a ton of pace into his shot, which blew right past Wojciech Szczesny into the left side of the net.
Although he has been out of the spotlight in the eyes of most casual fans, Sneijder is still playing well with the Turkish side.
Just minutes before he scored, Sneijder unleashed another bit of quality off a set piece, as his free-kick was driven right at the hands of Szczesny.
Without Sneijder providing pace in the attack, Galatasaray may have bowed out of the Champions League with nothing to be proud of.
Plenty of Young Arsenal Stars Received Some Much-Needed Experience
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With the win locked up after 45 minutes, Wenger decided to hand two young midfielders their respective debuts in the Champions League.
Gedion Zelalem and Ainsley Maitland-Niles were able to show their worth for an entire half in a feisty road environment, and both players turned in a decent showing.
Neither player committed a major error in the middle of the park, which is a promising sign for a side ravaged by injuries this season.
Stefan O'Connor became the third young Arsenal player to enter the match in the 76th minute, but his entrance was more about handing Mathieu Debuchy rest ahead of the weekend clash with Newcastle.
Wenger was also able to hand Joel Campbell, Yaya Sanogo and Hector Bellerin some much-needed playing time, but the trio didn't do anything stunning throughout the match.
Regardless of how each player performed Tuesday night, handing each of these young players some crucial experience in a game that didn't mean much was a major positive for Wenger.
Follow Joe on Twitter, @JTansey90.
