Arsenal 3-0 BATE Borisov: 5 Talking Points and Tactical Analysis

Arsenal cruised past BATE Borisov in the second leg of their Round of 32 tie to advance to the pre-quarterfinals.

The Gunners got off to the best possible start as Zakhar Volkov diverted Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s cross into his own net. The Gunners kept their foot on the pedal and were rewarded for their perseverance in the 39th minute when Shkodran Mustafi rose highest to nod home.

There was no respite for the visitors after the break too. Alex Iwobi forced a smart save out of Denis Shcherbitski while Mesut Ozil fired a volley over the bar.

The Gunners finally put the tie beyond doubt in the 60th minute when a moment of indecision by the BATE keeper allowed Sokratis to head into an empty net.

The 3-0 victory at the Emirates eased a few of Unai Emery’s headaches as the Gunners prepare themselves for a crucial run of games.

Here is a look at the major talking points from the game:

#5 BATE Borisov get a taste of their own set-piece medicine

The first leg was characterized by an Arsenal side struggling to cope with the conditions and a BATE side mercilessly exploiting their visitors’ aerial frailties. However, a week later, the roles were reversed as the Gunners ended up scoring from two set-plays of their own.

The hosts’ second and third goals came via Granit Xhaka corners and both symbolised the visitors’ inability to deal with Arsenal’s threat from set pieces.

For the second goal, Mustafi was accorded the freedom of the six-yard box as none of the BATE defenders got close enough to impede the German’s attempt.

On the other hand, the third goal arrived courtesy an elementary goalkeeping error. Scherbitski misjudged the flight of the ball and got caught under it. Inevitably, he flapped at the ball only to completely miss it. With the goalkeeper out of play, Sokratis was allowed to opportunity to kill the game off.

A week ago, Arsenal was panned for their overall display with special emphasis on their set-play shortcoming. Yet, in the second leg, the tables turned drastically.

#4 Arsenal defense stood firm on the night but needs a lot of work

Lichtsteiner popped up with a crucial intervention to preserve Arsenal's clean sheet

The first leg in Belarus again shed light on the Gunners’ propensity to concede at the drop of a hat. However, at the Emirates, Arsenal managed to shut out the visitors.

For large parts of the game, the Gunners’ rearguard wasn’t troubled. Yet, whenever the away side attacked with pace, the hosts looked uncomfortable.

Early in the first half, BATE scythed through Arsenal’s left side and delivered a wonderful cross to the far post. However, Stephan Lichtsteiner was on hand to thwart the visitors’ attempt.

In the second period too, BATE spurned a golden opportunity. In the 49th minute, Arsenal made a mess of a routine free-kick and found themselves in a penalty box scramble. But, the away side could only muster a tame shot at Cech.

At times, the Arsenal boat was indeed shaken up by the visitors. Fortunately for the Gunners, they came through the game unscathed and even kept a clean sheet.

And while Arsenal still have a long way to go defensively, they ensured that they papered over their defensive cracks, for now.

#3 Arsenal’s Swiss stars shine

Granit Xhaka started last week and looked rusty owing to his time on the sidelines. However, the midfielder was back to his best at the Emirates.

The Swiss was at the heart of each passing move and he kept things ticking quietly in midfield. Though his shooting was a little erratic, he more than made up for it with his tidiness on the ball. In addition, he set up two goals with perfectly weighted corners.

Xhaka’s countryman, Lichtsteiner, wasn’t too shabby on the night either. The latter was a solid presence in the back four as he was called upon to replace Ainsley Maitland-Niles. The defender looked apart on the night and put in a real shift.

Moreover, the Swiss created a few chances with his superb delivery from the right wing. Though he was rarely tested defensively, he popped up with a vital goal-line clearance to keep Arsenal’s lead intact.

With Bellerin out for the season and Maitland-Niles not covering himself in glory recently, Emery would want Lichtsteiner to carry the defensive burden.

And if the Swiss strings consistent displays together, Emery could well have a stop-gap solution to his right back conundrum.

#2 Mesut Ozil shows glimpses of what Arsenal has been missing

Ozil showed flashes of brilliance against BATE Borisov

Mesut Ozil missed the game against BATE last week after failing to recover in time for the clash. However, he was recalled into the eleven for the home leg.

A week ago, the Gunners were absolutely dire in their offensive play. Arsenal’s lack of movement in the attacking third coupled with their failure to play defense-splitting passes sucked the attacking impetus out of their play.

Thus, the return of Ozil couldn’t have come at a more opportune time for the Gunners.

While the German didn’t scale the dizzying heights he is capable of, he produced a controlled performance against the Belarusians. Ozil glided in between the lines and linked up well with his teammates. He regularly found pockets of space and kept up the tempo of Arsenal’s play.

Though Ozil boasts of the potential to frustrate every now and then, there is no doubting the immense quality he brings to the fore. One mustn’t forget that an on-song Ozil is still one of the better sights in world football.

Hence, the Gunners would hope that the German’s intermittent sparking on Thursday turns into a raging fire.

#1 Can Unai Emery and Arsenal go all the way?

Can Emery lead Arsenal to a Europa League triumph?

The Gunners are currently embroiled in a tense battle for fourth place in the Premier League. Thus, the Europa League, as a means of entry into the Champions League, has gained greater importance. But, does Arsenal have enough in reserve to hold the trophy aloft come May?

On paper, Arsenal possesses enough attacking quality to handle everything the Europa League has to throw at them. A probable front four of Mkhitaryan, Ozil, Aubameyang and Alexandre Lacazette would send shivers down any defense’s spine.

Moreover, they boast of a competent midfield comprising Lucas Torreira, Matteo Guendouzi, and Xhaka.

However, the Gunners’ defense is still a massive work in progress. The likes of Mustafi, Lichtsteiner, and Maitland-Niles fail to inspire a lot of confidence and look vulnerable.

Thus, one gets the feeling that Arsenal would find it significantly tougher to negotiate past clubs such as Chelsea, Napoli, Sevilla, and Inter Milan.

Yet, with a certain Spaniard at the helm, one would be extremely naïve to completely write the Gunners off.

Edited by Sujith M