Dortmund Home Game

[LDB]

Also, it is a very strange thing for Wenger to be more critical of the team then most pundits and non-clinically-negative fans. Might be good management if he's trying to keep the team humble and focused, usually he just praises them to the hilt and the team ends up getting sloppy.

[StuartL]

Been already said but our fullback are shit at crossing and on several occasions instead of getting in an early ball with Giroud in a great position stopped cut inside and played a nothing sideways ball (Giroud was not impressed)

Our lack of natural width means both fullback are expected to overlap to provide it - which naturally leaves us open to the counter attack - we have conceded goals year after year through our continued use of this tactic so opponents know our weakness and exploit it.

First half Dortmund were in control, we had the better of the second half but couldn't put them away - Dortmund pressured quickly our players who are not comfortable in possession - BFG, Sagna, Gibbs and Ramsey to good effect as they often forced errors and prevented outlets to our better players.

Ozil was not involved enough out wide and Santi did his best to change the game in our favour.

We deserved a draw at least but didn't get it - that is playing against a good team for you.

[northbank123]

No disgrace in losing to Dortmund but more than a few worrying signs.

We did well to come back into it after being comprehensively second best but didn't create that much. Now I'm not going to whinge because we didn't play them off the park because they're a very strong side but they were by and large very comfortable despite our possession and I don't agree with the view that we really bossed things.

The second goal was lightning from them but again exposes our reckless full-back play which is a source of constant frustration to me. Gibbs had to either track the runner or just go through the back of the man and take a yellow but he didn't, and given where Lewandowski dropped back to to start the move there's no way Sagna should have been trailing 20 yards in his wake when he finished unmarked. After that we barely got the ball out of our defensive third, so much for our mental strength in responding to setbacks. Embarrassing subs again, bringing on that donkey Bendtner and then throwing on Gnabry with only 30 seconds of normal time left.

I didn't catch the United game but was amazed to read today in the paper that it supposedly expunged the doubts about Moyes given that they profited from an own goal and then failed to score in the remaining 89 minutes whilst Sociedad hit the woodwork twice. True to form all the media needs now is a United revival and then they can slag off all the 'people' who were so short-sighted about Moyes whilst they ignore that they spent weeks and weeks slagging him off.

[arseofacrow]

You mean that the signing of Ozil hasn't turned Wenger into a tactical genius, capable of using and making intelligent substitutions?

Fuck off!

[DB10GOONER]

You mean being forced by the Board to sign Ozil hasn't turned Wenger into a tactical genius, capable of using and making intelligent substitutions?

Fuck off!

Fixed that for ya, mate!

[Tomáš]

Hi Gooners,
first of all I wish all of yours which a coming over to Dortmund for the game a good trip and a good, safe stay!

This article is taken from the German Spiegel Online Magazin, translated by Google
http://www.spiegel.de/sport/fussball/ar ... 29453.html

Tactic analysis for BVB victory : courage , counter , cleverness

By Danial Montazeri

Arsenal impressed last game with intelligence and strength pass , Dortmund won his Champions League away game against the Londoners yet . Also, because the Borussia to a conversion of Arsene Wenger responded boldly . The BVB also revealed a feature that is still missing Arsenal.

That Arsenal are a top team again, one for the heroics know the latest in the Premier League last weekend : One, two, three , four, five fast, always just played passports, sometimes with the hoe , sometimes with his head , and Jack Wilshere , Santi Cazorla and Olivier Giroud had combined by Norwich defense. Wilshere completed the winning combination .

Against Borussia Dortmund 1-2 on Tuesday night was the genius of the game culture but little to see . Mesut Ozil scored twice against Norwich still was logged long , BVB dominated the first half hour in an impressive manner . But it was not because that Arsenal would generally or specially Ozil a bad day . It was at Dortmund tactical measures .
Borussia was able to start playing not to allow to unfold Arsenal's strengths while revealing the weaknesses of London . The strengths are the high level of intelligence play in midfield, the fluidity and pass strength , develop with Ozil, Wilshere , Aaron Ramsey and Co. , a level of creativity that can cause problems for any team in the world . Thus moves as the 1-0 do not arise against Norwich , Arsenal tried to isolate the BVB midfield.

Dortmund had answers to Arsenal's strengths

The central defender of the " Gunners " , Laurent Koscielny and Per Mertesacker, have deficits in the opening game . Although Mertesacker makes very few mistakes on the ball , but shy away from risky passes or Andribbeln towards the midfield. Koscielny occasionally prone to turnovers and was limited largely against Dortmund to secure balls. Arsenal usually compensates for this weakness by Mikel Arteta steps back and takes over the playmaking . But , however, the team of Borussia Dortmund coach had a simple recipe.

Robert Lewandowski and especially Henrich Mchitarjan covered Arteta very tight when Arsenal opened the game. Especially Mertesacker against Borussia were largely act . The defenders lacked in the target player Arteta , Arsenal faltered entire building . Ozil tried to react to this and dropped deep. Had a positive effect , the first not because Arsenal did not play enough right and Dortmund moved wisely.
Only after the 1-0 , which was preceded by the now almost legendary counter pressing the BVB Arsenal got more access to the game . Then they had a much more direct and dynamic . Instead it consistently to try through the dense center, they have now used spaces on the wings. So was also the balance : Wilshere pulled from the right in the middle and tied Marcel Schmelzer . Bacary Sagna penetrated into the space on the front side and crossed to the door, a coordination problem between Roman Weidenfeller and Neven Subotic did the rest .

BVB has an Arsenal FC ahead: Cleverness
In the last 30 minutes of the game BVB threatened to topple Arsenal was dominant , not only came into their own half , but near the opponent's penalty area the ball. Ozil also turned on . This was mainly due to a change of Arsene Wenger The Arsenal manager Cazorla brought on for the injured Wilshere , Rosicky went into the center , Ozil moved to the right wing . There, the German national team was much better for development. Even Arsenal's left side was now aligned with offensive Cazorla.

All the more remarkable that Dortmund responded to Wenger's conversion of the Einwechselung Pierre -Emerick Aubameyang Jakub Blaszczykowski . Aubameyang worked hard, but not very intelligent with the rear. This risk is assumed consciously , trying Aubameyangs strength on the counterattack against the negligent now left defensively exploit arsenal. The plan worked , Aubameyang and Kevin Grosskreutz took advantage of the space that they found , to prepare a counterattack with the winning goal . A single goal after the break : More brought the Bundesliga club not materialize. This one shot was enough but to punish the hosts for their attacking approach to .

Arsenal brings a lot of of what it takes to grab Europe's crown : creativity , skill level and adaptability , which is further increased when the many come back wounded . What is missing is cleverness . Serenity . This maturity was also the BVB from not so long ago .
But that they can learn very quickly , Borussia Dortmund has impressively demonstrated .

Cheers,
Thomas

[armchair]

You mean being forced by the Board to sign Ozil hasn't turned Wenger into a tactical genius, capable of using and making intelligent substitutions?

Fuck off!

Fixed that for ya, mate!

Surely DB10 you're not suggesting that Ozil is a most untypical Wenger signing?

Fuck me, a radical viewpoint that.

The growing rumblings from fans, (banners, boos and brawls in the stands) The media waking up to the fact that Wenger is not some enlightened demi-god.The lack of ST renewals and falling ST waiting lists. The pathetic ,embarrassing attempts at signing players forced the board to go over Wengers sizeable head and buy Ozil themselves or maybe make Wenger sign him against his will? (Confirming the fact that Wenger is indeed a two-faced, lying, rat with zero integrity)

Surely not DB10, surely not..........

[Rosicky's Right Boot]

Hi Gooners,
Cheers,
Thomas

Cheers for that article, thought it was rather fair and balanced. Certainly don't begrudge Dortmund victory but I don't think they deserved it on the balance of play. Should be a different story at your place though, I expect we'll get deservedly beat!

Though I must say that it's a sorry state of affairs when the foreign press are more praising of an English team than our own media.

[QuartzGooner]

Certainly don't begrudge Dortmund victory but I don't think they deserved it on the balance of play.

I disagree.
Whilst Lewandowski was lucky not to be sent off, and whilst Cazorla and Rosicky came close to scoring, the idea of "Balance of play" is nebulous.

We had more possession, but you do not win games by possession without goals.

Dortmund saw less of the ball, but when they had the ball they scored one more goal than us.

That is the only stat that matters.

Dortmund used the ball better, focussed and direct. They pressed us when we had the ball, and blocked off our passing angles so that we had to make too many sideways passes.
The equivalent of a boxer slipping and rolling with the punches, then attacking with four or five punch power combinations to win rounds.

We passed it around without conviction, at less than full pace.
The equivalent of a boxer jabbing without throwing many power shots, but whereas the boxer would be steadily building up points to give them a chance of matching their opponents points winning combinations in the eyes of the Boxing judges, in Football that possession counts for nothing without goals.

I think we play much better when we attack with pace and intent and focus.