Arsenal Match Reports

Arsenal: 5 Things We Learned From Dinamo Zagreb Stomping

by Josh Sippie
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Arsenal came into the Champions League clash with Dinamo Zagreb needing a win lest they be eliminated. They got that win and then some. Here are five things we learned during the action.

arsenal, joel campbell

Jun 29, 2014; Recife, Pernambuco, BRAZIL; Costa Rica forward Joel Campbell (9) carries the ball past Greece midfielder Andreas Samaris (22) during the first half of a World Cup game at Arena Pernambuco. Mandatory Credit: Winslow Townson-USA TODAY Sports

I have said it before and I will say it again: Arsenal play their best when backed into a corner. When you put them in a situation where they absolutely need a win, they will get a win. No questions asked. They did it against Bayern Munich, the best team in the world, so who can they not do it against?

Related: Arsenal’s Top 10 Champions League Moments

After succumbing to a rather nasty 2-1 loss away at the Hawthorns and losing Francis Coquelin in the process, Arsenal was desperate. Literally, desperate. They lost another chance to go to the top in the Premier League table. But they came out against Dinamo Zagreb and they took care of business in a very promising fashion. Luckily for Arsenal, Pep Guardiola was not just blowing smoke when he said that they would not hold back. Bayern Munich laid the beat down on Olympiakos and now all Arsenal has to do is go into Athens and overturn a 3-2 defeat.

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And just like that, they are through to the next round. But we know it will not be that easy. It never is with Arsenal. But if we learned anything today (and this will be covered more later) it is that when at their best, Arsenal can beat anyone. But then again we learned that on Matchday Three.

What we saw today was an Arsenal in control. They surrendered some possession early on but all they had to do was weather the storm. After that, it was just a matter of time. The goal was always going to come. After that, they just kept coming.

In the mean time, let’s look back on five things we learned from the match. Unlike the five things we learned against West Brom, these five things are all positive. So let’s put on our happy faces, strap on our sunshine boots, and get digging in this beautiful garden of positives. We will get started at number five, where we investigate our defensive midfield.

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