CL| Borussia Dortmund v Arsenal (A), 7.45pm 13/9, SS4

[kalleTheMan]

Dortmund didn't use that tactic until they were losing, first half was fairly end to end and I think almost 50/50 posession wise. Second half they were forced to push up the team and their pressing was really impressive, while we didn't counter effecively. Still it was a bit risky for the germans as Gervinho was trough on goal and RvP should have been trough but was half a second too late getting onside.

 

[alboots101]

Our possesion was all in our own half.

 

[Jury]

Let's be honest - most of their eleven would walk into our side on that performance. I wouldn't be so quick to rate some of their players so highly. It was all so so easy for them.

 

[alboots101]

I would`nt call it easy but I think it`s only fair to say that they were better than on us on the night, on the otherhand we did get better at the back as the night wore on and even one or two outstanding performances at the back, not flawless but not horrendous either.

 

[fabo]

I'd take Hummels, Schmelzer, Kagawa and Gotze.

Sagna is simply a beast, one of the best RB's in the world, no doubt. We'll take them at home, I'm convinced of that.

 

[ricky1985]

Wasn't that impressed by Schmelzer on the day, in fact, I thought they had quite a few poor players in their team. Subotic didn't impress me much at all, plus that goatee was ridiculous.

Goetze looked, hands down, their best player to me, Hummels a top centreback, Bender a real workhorse in midfield and Kagawa a good, classy player.

 

[fabo]

Very well-balanced side, well-coached. Thank God they didn't have real quality in Grosskreutz and Lewandowski's positions or we would have gone home with nothing.

They are lacking some quality alright, but have bridged that gap with good coaching for the most part. Saying that, I don't think they'll experience the same highs this season, squad lacks quality depth IMO to juggle both domestic and European comps, plus Bayern seem to have returned to form this season.

 

[ricky1985]

Yeah, they're well coached, no doubt. Klopp looks a top manager in the making. However, they have a really strong, consistent spine, with the experienced GK, the two CBs, Bender and Kagawa - and that's a big part of it to. Being able to put those players on the pitch, game after game, especially from the DM back, gives the team shape and solidity. A round about way of saying; Wenger would look a better coach if we had the same luck with injuries.

That said, it's easy to forget how close we were to winning, and how many chances our ragtag XI managed to create against them. They could easily get a spanking at the Emirates, especially if we're anything close to being in decent shape by then.

 

[fabo]

Aye, we're a bit of a mess right now, but Gervinho scores and it's over.

Will be keeping a close eye on Klopp and Dortmund this season.

 

[Anzac]

A couple of points:

* IMO once Dortmund flooded players into our half our wide men should have looked to play off the last man & we should have mixed it up by playing balls over the top for them to use their pace to run onto = what's the point of having pace available if you don't utilise it? I thought Arteta has a passing range capable of playing/opening teams up from deep?

* We failed to play/move across the pitch to support the ball carrier & played too much within the vertical lines on & off the ball.

 

[redanddread]

A couple of points:

* IMO once Dortmund flooded players into our half our wide men should have looked to play off the last man & we should have mixed it up by playing balls over the top for them to use their pace to run onto = what's the point of having pace available if you don't utilise it? I thought Arteta has a passing range capable of playing/opening teams up from deep?

* We failed to play/move across the pitch to support the ball carrier & played too much within the vertical lines on & off the ball.

Good points. Theo & Gervinho should have been released behind the Dortmund defence on a few more occasions - to keep Dortmund's pressing honest. On several occasions I was screaming at the TV (well, who else do you scream at?) for Arsenal to support the ball carrier-at times no one seemed within 15 yards of said player.

 

[outlaw_member]

Yeah, they're well coached, no doubt. Klopp looks a top manager in the making. However, they have a really strong, consistent spine, with the experienced GK, the two CBs, Bender and Kagawa - and that's a big part of it to. Being able to put those players on the pitch, game after game, especially from the DM back, gives the team shape and solidity. A round about way of saying; Wenger would look a better coach if we had the same luck with injuries.

That said, it's easy to forget how close we were to winning, and how many chances our ragtag XI managed to create against them. They could easily get a spanking at the Emirates, especially if we're anything close to being in decent shape by then.

Ragtag XI? That was a near full strength side, though I suppose you meant in terms of a lack of playing time between them.

Fabo. Sagna should have become a CB, or something. He's not nearly good enough as a RB for an attacking side. This has been proven time and time again over the past few years, but having said that, he is one of the least problems in the side.

 

[ricky1985]

I meant both.

Vermaelen, Ramsey and Wilshere are 3 of our best players, and that was a starting XI that had literally never played together before. Dortmund should be worried about the game at the Emirates, because if we have anything like our best team playing, with a run of games playing together behind them - they could get a spanking.

 

[outlaw_member]

Wow, you rate Ramsey's current ability very highly. Don't think he's anywhere near Wilshere at this moment in time, but he has got time on his side. Hopefully, his explosiveness will return to him. I think we'll also beat them at home, but it wasn't pretty seeing us perform like that. Furthermore, if Dortmund employ the same pressing tactics, then we'll crumble again, because we can't pass our way around it. Bloody Sagna, Gibbs and Song were so incapable.

 

[Jury]

Aye, we're a bit of a mess right now, but Gervinho scores and it's over.

Will be keeping a close eye on Klopp and Dortmund this season.

****ing hell, what's with all the positivity?! Has some unfortunate 'lady' done you a turn?

 

[arsenallegends]

I like that Song's tendency to dwell on the ball and use his strength to ward of standing tackles was exposed in period of the first half. There was a marked improvement in his possession thereafter. I agree about Sagna sometimes, however rarely being cordoned off and playing hopelessly but I think Gibbs can do much better than he did in that respect at Dortmund.

 

[eye4goal]

Yeah, they're well coached, no doubt. Klopp looks a top manager in the making. However, they have a really strong, consistent spine, with the experienced GK, the two CBs, Bender and Kagawa - and that's a big part of it to. Being able to put those players on the pitch, game after game, especially from the DM back, gives the team shape and solidity. A round about way of saying; Wenger would look a better coach if we had the same luck with injuries.

Wenger has alot more to work with and you can't really blame the injuries. Dortmund sold their captain and have hardly spent any money this summer. They were also without their top-scorer Barrios.

I was quite envious of some of the talent in the Dortmund and Napoli teams and both have a less than £50m wage-bill.

 

[outlaw_member]

I like that Song's tendency to dwell on the ball and use his strength to ward of standing tackles was exposed in period of the first half. There was a marked improvement in his possession thereafter. I agree about Sagna sometimes, however rarely being cordoned off and playing hopelessly but I think Gibbs can do much better than he did in that respect at Dortmund.

We better pray that the EPL managers weren't paying notice. More so than Hughes's 'master plan', this one is even more likely to destroy us. It essentially prevents us from building any sort of momentum, because we're being stopped in our tracks before we can even get moving.

 

[arsenallegends]

Its a big challenge for us, one that can sweat us into becoming a great possession side once more and learn the values of ball movement and positioning. Anyway if sides should adopt such a plan, isn't this what we've always been asking for? for team's to stop parking the bus?

 

[outlaw_member]

Not necessarily. We've also struggled against sides who pressed us high up the pitch, and squeezed the play, though such tactics have been somewhat rare in comparison. I can't remember any specific examples, but I recall West Ham and teams like that adopting a much more aggressive approach against us in recent years. Maybe, Hull City were another? Burnley, too? Not 100% sure on those examples, though.