Bring on the Germans...once again
Dortmund vs Arsenal - Match Preview - Champions League 16.09.14
So here we are. 6 games into the new football season and we are looking towards our first tie of the Champions league proper and another tussle with an old foe; Borussia Dortmund.
You will of course remember last seasons epic encounters with the German Bundesliga side; the awesome Robert Lewandowski stealing in at the Emirates to send “Die Schwarzgelben” home with Group F wide open.
2 weeks later - Aaron Ramsey caps a cunning performance, sneeking in a single strike to throw it back in the Germans faces, as Arsenal put in an epic effort at the Westfalenstadion, to claim 3 points and top the group.
We love a tussle with Borussia Dortmund, their coach Jurgen Klopp and those exciting visits to their voluminous stadium in Dortmund. You can’t really call it a stadium it’s more of a footballing cauldron; a melting pot of Germanic hysteria and colour, encircling a tiny patch of pristine grass. But this is one patch of grass that we are well accustomed to visiting.
It’s almost our second home for Europe, and we go into this first ECL game off the back of a decent performance against the English Champions this weekend. Dortmund aren’t quite the same side as we faced last season; Robert Lewandowski has moved on, but several of the Dortmund team are still riding high from their victorious summer. Captain Mats Hummels, Lars Bender, Erik Durm, Kevin Großkreutz and Matthias Ginter all returned with World Cup winner medals, as did the big man between the sticks, Roman Weidenfeller. The sublime Marco Reus still plays in black and yellow, and he is always a threat.
Our boys are going to have to put in another top performance against some well organised German talent and a reborn Shinji Kagawa, released from the evil clutches of Manure. Of course, our side certainly is not shy of talents, and the Arsenal’s form is slowly coming together. Wilshere is starting to demonstrate why Arsene has held so much belief in him over the last few difficult years, and Alexis Sanchez is settling very well. That link up play is beginning to click and really threatened a decent Manchester City defence on Saturday.
It’s going to be tough for Mr Wenger to pick the side to play on Tuesday night. Do we go with the ambidextrous talents of Cazorla, the experience of Rosicky, or the energy of Ramsey in midfield? If Gibbs is back in action, will Monreal make way? Will the Ox start? Will Ozil play on the left? Is Chambers going to get his first taste of Champions league football? It's nice to have a choice isn't it.
One thing is for sure - with the pace of Danny Welbeck now in the side, Gooners can hopefully look towards our talented midfield picking a few holes in that Deutsch defence.
Let’s get behind the team and help them focus on another cheeky away win.
Com’on you Gunners!
LAST 3 RESULTS
- Borussia Dortmund 0 - 1 Arsenal (ECL Group November 2013)
- Arsenal 1 - 2 Borussia Dortmund (ECL Group October 2013)
- Arsenal 2 - 1 Borussia Dortmund (ECL Group November 2011)
FACTFILE
- Arsenal are unbeaten in their last ten ECL matchday one fixtures with 8 wins and 2 draws.
- We won five of our last ten away games in the ECL, drawing three and losing two.
- You could actually make a full German National side (plus one sub) out of the players who will be available in this game: Arsenal: Mertesacker, Ozil and Podolski. Dortmund: Mats Hummels, Marcel Schmelzer, Kevin Grosskreutz, Sebastian Kehl, Ilkay Gundokan , Matthias Ginter, Roman Weidenfeller, Eric Durm and Marco Reus
INJURIES
Due to what happened at the weekend, you might think that Arsenal are already feeling the pinch when it comes to injuries. Not so. Currently there are only three (3) first team players out; Walcott (knee), Giroud (ankle) and Debuchy (ankle).
POSSIBLE STARTING XI (4-2-3-1)
Szczesny; Monreal, Mertesacker, Koscielny, Chambers; Wilshere, Arteta; Ozil Cazorla, Alexis; Welbeck.
GOONERSPHERE'S PREDICTION
Borussia Dortmund 0 - 1 Arsenal
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