Player Ratings from last night

I'm bored. We won. I feel like rating some players.

Szczesny - 7. Not much to do, goal conceded not his fault and it's great to see that he is annoyed when he concedes even if it has no effect on the result.

Koscielny - 8. So this guy is now both an excellent CB and a decent stand in for Sagna at RB. Wenger knows.

Vermaelen - 8. Rock solid as ever. Gets tackled and the other guy goes of with a broken face. Great assist for Van the Man as well.

Santos - 7. He has improved so much from his first outing for Arsenal. He is brilliant going forward and as he settles into the team he is learning how to defend as well.

Song - 9. MOTM. We knew he was good, we know he scores the occasional goal. I thought his assist for Santos (against Chelsea) was good. Last night he transformed into the Cameroonian Messi. Oh and he also knows how to break up opposition play like the best of them. Parker who? Also, he gave away the ball for Dortmund's goal and while the lapse in concentration (despite being so late on and ultimately not important to the result) is a worry. But I'll let him off because for the other 89 minutes he was brilliant.

Arteta - 7. I didn't notice Arteta much, depsite him being an integral part of the midfield. I see that as a good thing because it means he hardly ever gives the ball away. He is basically Denilson, except the ball actually goes forwards a lot of the time. Such a good buy from Wenger.

Ramsey - 7. Would have been an 8, but Walcott and Gervinho couldn't finish from his excellent through balls. He is definitely back to near his best after his long lay-off. Salivating over our future Song-Ramsey-Wilshere midfield.

Gervinho - 6. He has soo much potential. He is a very direct player and that is exactly what we have needed for the past couple of years (Arshavin filled that role has been off form of late). Should have scored, but still terrifies defences with his mazy runs.

Walcott - 7. Man is on form at the moment. He makes some excellent runs in behind (sign he is close to being ready to play as a front-man off the last defender?). The one moment I remember vividly was near the end of the first half where the ball was played out to him and he played an amazing first time cross, past the defenders towards Gervinho which was only just clawed away by their goalkeeper. He has a football brain. A very good one at that.

Van Persie - 9. If he doesn't get injured then it is possible that he will reach 40 goals this season. With the way Arsenal play, our front man will always get a lot of chances and half-chances. Van Persie is soo good because he scores the chances and makes most of the half-chances into full chances because he has a first touch reminiscent of his Dutch predecessor (the great man Bergkamp). We MUST keep him. I couldn't bare it if he ever left.

As an afterthought, Dortmund were VERY good when we played them in the first match (lucky to get a draw overall) and they were awesome last night (before the injuries to Bender and Goetze). How did they manage to fail so miserably in the group. I think they can still qualify and I would love to see them progress because they are easily the second best team in the group.

P.S.

I say I didn't notice Arteta and then I totally leave out the big German.

Mertesacker - 7. Did his job well. Not at fault for the goal conceded, kept the ship steady along with Vermaelen. As well as Santos he seems to be settling in well after a shaky start. (Despite his mistake against Norwich).