Dortmund away match thread

[Sam59]

Arteta ahead of Flamini please, although I suspect both might start. Rosicky won't play. Jack will, in no 10 position.
Özil wide (left and right: alternating with Alexis).
Dortmund have started well. I'd bite your arm off for a draw. And keep giving Alexis his vitamins if we want any goals. He reminds me of the duracell bunny (well he's not pink but you know what I mean)

[northbank123]

Last year was our best performance in donkey's years. Might get a result but no chance of a similar performance IMO. Not least because Arteta was the fulcrum for us and was truly outstanding, whereas now he looks like he'd be given the runaround in parks football.

Will probably revert to type and either set up for a fisting or more likely some negative inhibitious bollocks like Old Trafford last year.

With the pace and directness of Welbeck, Sanchez, Chamberlain and Walcott when he's back we should be a really useful cL team. Especially away from home as sides don't set up to play negative crap on tiny pitches, counter-attacking is particularly lethal in this competition. Unfortunately it needs to be as part of a cohesive and well-executed tactical approach.

[OneBardGooner]

A draw and I hope the first hearing of There's Only One Postman you ungrateful bastards

[augie]

This is not the same dortmund team as we have seen in recent seasons and I mean that in attitude as well as personel. As we Gooners know all too well, you cannot continue to lose your best players without seriously denting your confidence and belief in the club and dortmund have lost more than their fair share in the last 2 seasons.

Dropping jack when returning to some bit of form would be madness (cue le cock doing that very thing ). The defensive situation is an absolute farce and everyone that hasnt worked a day in football has predicted this happening for months now Chambers has impressed to date but I do fear that his inexperience at the top level will see him done in europe - he is great at winning those 50/50 tackles in domestic football, but those same tackles in europe will leave him exposed to red and yellow cards as opposition players collapse in a heap

Am going for a 1-1

[DB10GOONER]

Arteta's leg are mostly gone, sadly. But I'd still play him ahead of Captain Stupid and his flying Hollywood lunges tbh. But then I'd choose a stop sign ahead of Captain Stupid.

[arseofacrow]

Arteta's leg are mostly gone, sadly. But I'd still play him ahead of Captain Stupid and his flying Hollywood lunges tbh. But then I'd choose a stop sign ahead of Captain Stupid.

You protest too much mate

If Flamini has flaws, he also has strengths. Arteta never pulled us through the tough times as an experieced player should even if, like most of the other players we've had, cab play.

What has always been clear for me: Neither are, or were, good enough to build a championship winning team around.

[DB10GOONER]

Arteta's leg are mostly gone, sadly. But I'd still play him ahead of Captain Stupid and his flying Hollywood lunges tbh. But then I'd choose a stop sign ahead of Captain Stupid.

You protest too much mate

If Flamini has flaws, he also has strengths. Arteta never pulled us through the tough times as an experieced player should even if, like most of the other players we've had, cab play.

What has always been clear for me: Neither are, or were, good enough to build a championship winning team around.

I don't think I do tbh, mate. Captain Stupid runs around alot. I'll give him that. But he has no sense of position and can't anticipate or dictate the play the way even good DM's, never mind top ones, do. Captain Stupid only reacts to things, the way Alex Mong did. Often too late. When he does try to anticipate or pre-empt he just lunges in and gives away a cheap foul. He also seems to make the players around him nervous with his constant yelling and wild waving of arms and grabbing people and shoving them where he thinks they should stand. He is deeply deeply unintelligent in a footballing sense.

Arteta is positionally very clever and often stops attacks before they fully develop through clever positioning, the ability to anticipate, and his reading of the game, in a similar fashion to Gilberto when he was at his peak. Unfortunately Arteta is not fit enough or fast enough anymore to do that on a regular basis.

Totally disagree about Arteta not pulling us through. For about two seasons he covered what was a pretty poor defense very effectively and did it almost singlehandedly. I think sometimes people see a clever DM anticipate the play and not flying in with Hollywood tackles and think he isn't doing much, but his work is done before it gets to the point where a last ditch Hollywood lunge is required. Not saying you think that, just that some people do.

Do agree that now neither are good enough and we will yet again live to regret Wenger not signing a top DM.

[Theoperator]

Auguing about whether Arteta is better than Flamoni is like Hindus arguing about whether beef tastes better than pork- neither now should be served in the first place

[topgoon]

Augieing about whether Arteta is better than Flamoni is like Hindus arguing about whether beef tastes better than pork- neither now should be served in the first place

Leave him out of it

Looks like Hummels will definitely miss the game, they are always weaker at the back without him.

Think both are not good enough at the top level. Both are adequate(just) if we are protecting a result in the final 15mins as subs.

[DB10GOONER]

Auguing about whether Arteta is better than Flamoni is like Hindus arguing about whether beef tastes better than pork- neither now should be served in the first place

I don't trust any religion that doesn't let you dine upon the swine.

oops - I've gone too far!

Now either Quartz will invade me (oo-er, missus!) or some spoilt middleclass brat called "Jihadi John" (giving it the old "all dat killin an ting init ya feel me bruv") will decapitate me. Just to piss mommy and daddy off for not giving him enough hugs.

[Dutch10Gooner]

Dortmund are missing several players, we should play to win and not settle for a draw.

[SPUDMASHER]

We need to start this campaign with a win or I fear it will set the tone for the rest of it.

Playing Jack is an absolute must. He just appears to be coming into some kind of form and we need to exploit that.

I personally think Chambers will be okay but this latest defensive injury just highlights what we already knew. We simply don't have enough decent defensive cover! I'm sure AW will tell us the answer 'lies within' but I am personally getting pissed off with our inability to get more cover in those areas. Who knows, maybe he will play Flamini at right back

A hard fought 1-0

[mcdowell42]

According to @SkySportsNewsHQ, Calum Chambers & Nacho Monreal missed training today. Can only hope they're being wrapped in cotton wool...
2:35pm - 15 Sep 14

[Tomáš]

Dear Gooners,
first of all, I wish you a save journey to Dortmund, a good stay in the City and welcome to the Westfalenstadion!
It will be in short time the next clash between BVB and Arsenal and I think we will see a very good game.
Arsenal seems to have a very strong squad with good attacking power and a litle bit defense lack, like BVB.
At Borussia we have Kagawa back who scored and had a good game on saturday. Despite some injuries (Reus, Hummels, Sahin, Gündogan, Błaszczykowski, Schmelzer = almost an entire starting squad), Borussia will start with a strong squad and so in my opinion we will see an open, attacking game. My predication two Goals each !

So, welcome at Borussia Dortmund!
Cheers,
Thomas

[DB10GOONER]

Dear Gooners,
first of all, I wish you a save journey to Dortmund, a good stay in the City and welcome to the Westfalenstadion!
It will be in short time the next clash between BVB and Arsenal and I think we will see a very good game.
Arsenal seems to have a very strong squad with good attacking power and a litle bit defense lack, like BVB.
At Borussia we have Kagawa back who scored and had a good game on saturday. Despite some injuries (Reus, Hummels, Sahin, Gündogan, Błaszczykowski, Schmelzer = almost an entire starting squad), Borussia will start with a strong squad and so in my opinion we will see an open, attacking game. My predication two Goals each !

So, welcome at Borussia Dortmund!
Cheers,
Thomas

Hi Thomas - I'd be happy with the 2-2! I think Hummels is a big loss for you. Reus too. But Hummels is top quality.