Morning all.
Flag after flag, clearance after clearance, attack after attack but nothing came of anything Dortmund threw at us. Ok, slight exaggeration re the attack after attack, but they had a few.
How many times did our defence work as a unit to leave players offside? They were immense.
Yes we had a couple of close shaves as one or two of their shots went wide of the posts or up and over the crossbar but in all honesty, Dortmund were very average when it came to finishing. Either they fluffed their lines or they found a very determined player in red and white who just wasn’t prepared to let them by.
We rode our luck on a few occasions, but that’s life in football, especially when we are the away side in Germany, facing last seasons Champions League runners up.
Dortmund controlled the first half, we couldn’t get into the game really and trying to place the passing game through the middle of the pitch wasn’t helping matters – Dortmund were quick to close us down and invariably force the mistake and away they’s go again, until of course, we snuffed them out at the back or in the midfield. Even Santi Cazorla was back defending, that’s how determined not to concede a goal the Arsenal team were last night.
Arteta was a very unlucky to get booked in the first half but when you face a side who are quick to roll over in front of a referee, that happens and it did last night. In fact just before half-time, when yet another Dortmund player fell easily after a tackle from Arteta, I thought he was off, but instead of a second booking, one last stern talking to was all he received. Rightly so!
Reus should have been in the book soon after, but this time, all cards stayed firmly in the pocket of the man in black.
We went in at half-time 0-0. Great start….
The second half was very different, yes Dortmund had the better half chances again but just after the hour mark, we stunned them with a goal. One that would be enough to take home all three points.
Yet again, Ozil was fed the ball out on the right, he looked up and chipped the perfect ball to Giroud who despite being challenged in the air, managed to get his head to the ball and knock it down into the path of Aaron Ramsey who had made it into the penalty area. It was far from easy for him to finish as he too was challenged by Subotic’s boot in front of the goal, but with sheer grit and determination, he headed home…..
Backs to the wall?
No, we came alive and our victory could easily have been by more as we had two more chances soon after but either good defending or goalkeeping kept the ball out of the net.
The first was from another Ozil cross which found Ramsey in space in the penalty box. He controlled the ball but Weidenfeller raced out of his goal to save the shot with his legs. Mertesacker was then just inches away from getting his head to a cross and soon after, we should have been awarded a penalty after Koscielny was totally wiped out by the Dortmund keeper who got nowhere near the ball. Not only a penalty but a straight red card! Another night, another referee and Dortmund would have been down to ten!
Towards the end it was backs to the wall as Dortmund went in search for at least an equaliser but it wasn’t to be, we held on and not even the loud Dortmund cries for a penalty at the end would save them as the referee waved the players away…
Sometimes we are labelled as being soft, we don’t travel, we don’t like it when players get in our faces.. blah blah blah but last night it was Dortmund who didn’t like the physical game, they dropped like flies when a tackle was made. They tried to con the referee at every opportunity they could and all too often he bought it.
Up front is was all a bit congested for us, especially in the first half but that’s all down to lacking wide players and players with pace but that should soon change as Lukas Podolski and Theo Walcott return.
Our players fought from beginning to end last night in order to achieve that fantastic result. Rosicky, well how he kept going and covered as much ground as he did I will never know, he was outstanding. As was Arteta and the entire back five.
A special mention for Giroud too, it wasn’t the best night for him, nearly everything he tried didn’t come off as he was either pushed and shoved from behind of the ball just would stick to him as it usually does but did he give up? No, too darn right he didn’t, he was another who ran as much as his tired legs would allow him and he more than deserved his assist.
Arsene Wenger has to get a mention too, when Klopp made his changes to give them more down their left side, Monreal was straight on to help Gibbs and boy do those two work well together. Laurent Kosceinly, Per Mertesacker and Bacary Sagna, are there words to describe just how good they are playing?
I could go on and on singing the praises of individuals but it would take me an age, so I won’t..
10/10 for all of them on a very special night in Germany…….
That may not have been the most entertaining Arsenal display ever seen, but it’s one of the greatest victories for an English side in the Champions League. No English club had ever beaten Dortmund on their on turf…
Well they have now.
Finally, a word on the fans – to be heard above 80,000 home fans was amazing!
Ten out of ten for them too…….
That’s your lot for another day….
Good write up, a great team effort and a deserved win. Well done all the team!
Morning all!
Now, we really depends for ourselves. If we can beat Marseille, we go throught and probablty we can go to Naples only for be 1st or 2nd, what it will be very important int his phase of the season.
(we can forget France plays an important two matches for the World Cup qualifies)
Great post.
Great effort.
Great result.
Great day 🙂
Morning all.
A very good match report Rico.
It seemed to me that we set out to absorb the brunt of Dortmund’s opening fast, physical charge, and then, as they tired, the more we came into the game and our smaller technically gifted players came into their own.
And it worked beautifully.
Scott have you been up all night? 🙂
Super post… you must have really enjoyed writing that? I enjoyed reading it too…
This game was won by the experienced heads in the end…
The concentration needed for this type of games is even more demanding than the physical side imo.
As I mentioned earlier this morning, this was the first time BVB had not scored in over 60 games at home! Not bad for a slow Panzer and a 2nd rate french defender 😉
I was particularly impressed with Ozil’s defensive work too. Something he may not be known for but to me he really cut the angles properly like you would expect a tactically astute krauts to do… 😉
Good Morning All.
Morning Rico, good post…
Scott, in fairness to you, you always kept faith with Ramsey, when many, myself included, doubted that he would ever recover the form that made him such an exciting prospect pre-Shawcross.
Can you possibly work your magic on Diaby? 😉
Good read…fantastic result.we have now won at the Allianz Arena and Signal Iduna park in the same year.both of them CL finalists.we have also won at the Bernabeu San Siro among the heavy weights of European football.Camp nou next…!
Absolutely perfect – I spoke yesterday of the need for Arsene to get a tactical hat on for this and wondered whether he had it – He did and congratulations to him. I was jumping around like an idiot at 5.30am our time, at work. Impressed with so much of what we did and its hard to select names but plenty have questioned Arteta and again he was huge as was Mert. Two great leaders. We played the perfect game in simple terms. Watching the man sprint back from his own half to cover the Dortmund fast break was also inspiring. Not bad for the lad Real said couldn’t defend. Very impressed with Klopp after the game as well, he’s a touch of class this guy and has done an great job. Haven’t had emotion like last night for a long time… thank you Arsene and the team.
I know we beat them but how rapid are Dortmund during transitions?…they are scary to watch when they dart forward.their pressing game is the best in Europe.
Arteta also seems to be finally coming to grips with CL football.he is looking the part at this level now.
Haha Henry, i am in Australia, so have been up all day 🙂
Kev,
Poor old Diaby needs more than positive thinking.
I was talking to mate about him today.
If we keep him on a pay for play deal, only play him every 2nd or 3rd game, he can contribute.
No point playing 3-4 games in a row because he can not cope.
A crying shame, truly.
Ginge, we have a real TEAM now.
Even our big namer, Ozil, fights for the cause.
Not a selfish man amongst them, and it shows.
Oz, you are coming around mate haha.
Kt, Klopp calls it the ‘gienter’
And 10/10 for your match report dear Lady.
Good Morning everyone.
I enjoyed reading the match report as much as I enjoyed the win yesterday.
Just a short hop my friends. Off to work again.
miss you all……….but until this backlog of reports, plans and profile is done there is little I can do except grit my teeth, grin and bear it.
WWWWWDWDWWWLWWWWWWWWWWDWLWW.
Good morning all..
Back to work Devil 🙂
Morning all,
Good post Rico.
i need to admit my wrongs. 1) I thought we were going to concede the whole first and part of the second half.
2) That I thought Arteta was going to get a second red.
So stoked, as I work for a German Company and they seem to all support BVB or Munich with sprinkles of Stuttgart and Schalke fans. So Arsenal getting another one over a German side is fantastic.
Great tactics by Wenger to soak up their press until they tire.
I still feel Gnabry would’ve done more than Cazorla in this one but great sub bringing on Monreal.
Nice and honest post…….now send a copy to the anti Arsene brigade who are suddenly silent. Bastards! Well done our manager and staff and playersgreat club effort. Special mention to the real Gunners who travelled and represented AFC brilliantly…you know who you are thank you.
oh and bdw………..Best wishes to my old PA and Ma on their 48th wedding anniversary.
GPete, let us enjoy the ride with class and grace, something i am not exactly know for 🙂
I am sure some are complaining to themselves that the club is doing well leaving them nothing to complain about 🙂
Let them be miserable mate.
Devil, i bet the old man enjoyed the game mate 🙂
Scott, this team is indeed real… and 2 or 3 of us had it on record even during the dark hurricane season of hurricane St. No Spending.lol
Ozil always tried to defend in Europe games and for the krauts; he may not actually slide down like TR07 to win the ball but he has the brains to close the angles to make it difficult for the opposition to go past etc.
That was why ‘The special needs one’ played him ahead of other stars when they were at RM together imho…
As i always say the starting position of a player is very important just like any other sportsman or even in the military…
Now what the faithful have to do is make the Erms a fortress even when we are not playing well for us to start dominating again…
And Dev is back! Howdy buddy?
Gunnerp, ‘they will be back like Arnold’. lol
Great 9t…
Brilliant defending as a unit,the several inch perfect offside calls say it all. Permit me to pick out the experiencedTrio for special praise PerM,Mikel and Tomas. MOTM for either wld hv made my happier.
Great post and great match, another one to remember. I think I’m so used to crap refs against us that when one doesn’t send your player off or award a penalty I’m grateful!
The great thing, after spending so much on one player, is that it is the team as a whole that is shining. He has had a great influence and will do massive things in the future, but at the moment no-one can say we are relying on one star. Well maybe Ramsey….Giroud…. Merts …..all of them
Good post. One correction though.
The cross to Ramsey for the second possible goal, (soon after the first goal was scored) was not from Ozil, but from Ramsey. So the first goal was Giroud’s assist and Ramsey scored. The second goal very nearly would have been also Giroud assist and Ramsey scored. Giroud has improved tremendously. He has great physical presence, his techniques keeps on improving. He may not be the best finisher or have pace to burn. But I prefer him over the Karim Benzemas, the Adebaywhores and the Robin Van Pussys of the world because you know that every time Giroud puts on the red shirt, he will give all his blood, sweat and tears.
A word on Ozil. I’ve heard some people saying that he was ineffective yesterday. But they don’t understand his game. He is not one of those player who would hold the game by the scruff of the neck for the whole 90 minutes. His work and runs are very efficient. Even when he doesn’t has the ball or pressing, he is making very intelligent runs. Most importantly, in every game he would create one or two big chances which will win the game for Arsenal. Eg, in yesterday’s game the assist for the Ramsey goal was provided by Giroud, but Ozil executed a perfect flick in a crowded area to find Giroud in the first place. You will also find in previous Arsenal games that if Ozil has not provided the assist, he has very often provided the pass to the guy who provided the assist. Just shows that he thinks one or two steps ahead of other players.
Not that he was any better than any of the others, but damn Gibbs is a good player now, and often escapes notice.
Glad you mentioned Gibbs;
I have been accused of ‘smoking’ all sorts for saying Gibbs is better than Evertons’ Baines. His only issue was fitness…
And Fellaini is/was over rated as I always said… stats don’t lie. 😛
Did anyone see how he looked in Europe mid week and how he got sent off? Amateurish imho; MoTD’s and other pundits agenda to make him the Viera we needed failed miserably imo…
Good post rico,
That was an amazing performance by The arsenal. We bid our time and struck them when they least expected like they did to us at the emirates. We could have had a couple more after the goal. Dortmund attacking is scaring, so quick in the transition but our defence and dm’s were up for it. If any other english team had faced that dortmund side yesterday it would have being a thumping. We controlled their attacking forays with our possession in the first half.
But I am still disappointed we haven’t played a big team yet. Err tromo and sheriff 😉
😀 Emma; Thursday night football is not too bad on channel 5.lol
Lol Emma.
Thursday night football in Siberia…..damn, we are missing out 🙂
Gibbs is better all round player than Baines.
Baines is better at delivering the ball.
Just my opinion.
This team is certainly surprising me , it’s developing much quicker than I thought. I wonder just how much influence Bouldy is having on the style and the defensive positioning.Perhaps he has found George’s length of rope after all. Gibbs and Monreal together is turning out to be a great left hand side partnership , a definite plan B when we wish to close a game down or play in a more defensive style . For the moment I am going to enjoy the ride.At the outset of the season I didn’t expect to be any better off than we had been over the past few years. Who knows where this team will finish ? It will be fun finding out.
agree Potter, there is something in the air this season
Monday , Tuesday , Wednesday , Spursday , Friday , Saturday , Sunday.
That’s the week taken care of.
Good morning all…
Thanks re the post guys and sorry I made two errors, one has been updated, but the assist bit I got wrong hasn’t, I don’t care, I’m too happy 😛
welcome back Rico
Like Kev, I too didn’t believe Ramsey had in in him to become the player he is right now, but I blame Arsene Wenger for my criticism for playing him out of position and putting him up to be felled.
Don’t care if it was ‘all part of his learning’ – it’s not right nor fair, especially after so much time out imho.
But that was then, this is now and he has matured, many have and right now we are enjoying it..
Long may this great form/run continue….
🙂 Oz – I was only gone an hour….
good point at 10:24 btw…
Talkshite radio skipped over our performance this morning.lol
i am in a trance Rico – need sleep, don’t mind me haha!
Excellent write-up Rico after a great night. I had to turn Kev onto Green Tea to calm him down during the game 🙂
What a bunch of wimps the Germans turned out to be. Falling all over the place with feigned injuries and invented fouls. That moaning mob are about as macho as that miniature creep Justin Bieber. All talk. Heavy metal. Yeah, right…..
Did Klopp get those teeth out of a Christmas Cracker?
For the full psychological effect before the Mancs game perhaps Arsene should sign that contract?
well said Rico…
As they say though class is permanent but form is temporary or something along those lines.lol
Oz – you don’t need sleep, ask Scott 😉
Thanks Adam, ‘orrid stuff that green tea, poor Kev 😉
Good idea re the contract, would be a massive thing for the players and we all know he’s going to sign it…
Agreed Adam, they were terrible at times.
Very disappinting for such a quality side to resort to those tactics.
Rico…..check your inbox please….
I’ll sleep when i’m dead 🙂
Wow!!! I was so happy last night. The unity in the team can be felt by everyone. I somehow felt that we would win when the game was on. I hope the team and individual performances continue to improve.
I read the away fans were great yesterday and Podolski was in the stands at Signal Iduna Park,how true are these?
By God’s grace,we will win on Sunday and have many things to cheer about,come May.
Didn’t Klopp say he would go to any measures to ensure a victory? Well diving and cheating failed…
Done Scott…
Xris,i saw some footage that Pod filmed of the away crowd, and he was right among them.
Brilliant.
All good Rico.
Maybe AW wants the masses to sweat it out a bit longer before it is announced that he has signed the ‘tingy’… 😉
Mustafa and his crew allegedly asked Stan to confirm if AW would be staying beyond next summer before Mesut signed for us…
They were much better when they visited The Emirates.
Last night there was more than a dash of German arrogance on show. Makes it all the sweeter though.
Amazing game, Arteta was unbelievable, always aggressive and never over the line even after receiving his yellow.
Two amazing back to back games from our Vice captain.
Wonder if he has enough in his tank for one more, after all he can put his feet up for two weeks after the mancs game.
Didn’t know Podolski was there Xrs, good on the guy and the away fans were simply awesome. To be heard last night was incredible, they must all have sore throats this morning…
We’ll get the same on Sunday no doubt…
Off for the night.
Have a great day everyone.
wow……I’m definitely the happiest gunner on earth…….I don’t care if we didn’t play pretty if it was a mourinho team the press would be saying how tactically astute he is…….anyways ts I agree with your take on fellaini I also was not convinced he was the Dm of box to box player we needed thank God we blew dat one……..nice read Rico………afternoon everyone
Ramsey is officially the best all round midfielder in Europe..
He leads in successful tackling 48 and of course goals…
Effenberg and Sammer have both taken notice of him which is not good but the boy seems like a loyal man so no worries there imo…
Night Scott;
Hi Snap
I’m sure the players and SK know what AW is going to do, he’s just waiting for the right moment…
Adam, I truly believe we didn’t play as well at The Emirates and two errors gifted their goals.. 😉
The funniest thing I have read in a long time…
Conte allegedly will only entertain a deal for Podga if it includes AR16.lol
https://twitter.com/PaceSmasche/status/398229726239551488
Night Scott…
Thnaks snaparse.
I’d love to know how far Tomas ran last night, he seemed to be everywhere…
Amazing that, Emma. His base fitness level must be better than most athletes…
The funny thing is that he has been doing this even when he was being bashed…
I would like to see Darren Fletcher vs Ramsey vs Ramires vs Medel data when Darren is fully fit.
From the data I have of fletcher in 2008 his figures were almost as good as Gattuso’s.
Tr07 was 10.35k- Rico
I would agree Rico but, whatever happened, they won – though there was a time, during the second half where we were dominant in that first game. Call it naivety or whatever but we left the backdoor open. Last night it was their turn to not play well.
Most goals are surely a result of an error somewhere. Luck also plays a part perhaps.
ts – That was impressive by ramsey and just like rico mentioned rosicky ran himself into the ground as well. Arsenal should sort out Rosicky and sagna contracts asap
Thanks Ts, not bad for an oldie 😉
Welcome r.iris, I suspect Flamini will be there to help him on Sunday..
I know Adam, and it was a cruel victory, and I suspect Dortmund feel a little hard done by this morning but that will teach them for trying to cheat their way to victory…
I think Kev did at least 1 km round the armchair last night. 🙂
Foresaw Ramseys exploits this season…simply shows with grit and sheer determination, nothing is impossible. 11 goals already and still counting
Not bad at all Rico re Tr07 considering he ran just under 9.3km on sunday before he was subbed.
Deep down the BVB fans have a huge admiration for us… they did not even expect to beat us 2 weeks ago; this is based on an opinion of only a friend’s wife who may be a true Black and Yellows supporter so I guess this view is not scientific nor a general consensus…
Morning all, Blinding write up Rico.
Although a blinding result, i feel mean moaning about the back passes we make, Maybe that’s the way we now play, and to be honest with the results we have achieved this term perhaps i’m being a little critical. I cannot see the point of a forward passed ball which goes past two of the opposition only to be returned first touch to the player who passed, surely if you have threaded a ball passed two you dont bring them back into play. Maybe i am still thinking of Arsenal many years ago the team that played majestic football, slick one touch passes which surged forward and ending with an exquisit goal. Watching back pass after back pass has me swareing at the team. Watching us so often losing the ball on the edge of the oppositions area after its taken us an age to get there is doing my swede in,, but while we keep rolling along perhaps its best i stay silent in the background, but i would just like to congratulate the team and the manager and of course Steve Bould who has put a bit of spirit in our defending. This is not the kind of style of play that i like but i can’t knock the results.
…Whilst balancing a cup of green tea on his head? lol
😛 Adam. I liked that
Steve. Surely it is just to retain possession or to take a bit of time out of the game? Or both.
He’s fit Ts, very fit and key to the way we play in certain games, hope he’s fit and ready for OT…
Thanks Sp, have to remember who we were playing, last night I’ll forgive any back passes, especially at 1-0…
Hi Sp, personally I will take the back pass route to retain possession instead of the typical forward at all cost route…
Rico, maybe his young child is not keeping him up all night like the rest of us who can’t afford a sleep in nanny. 😉 :p
In fact, after consulting the AK-statistics website I see he covered 1.4 km to and from the Fish restaurant, consumed a Haddock, several Scampi, mash, a wally and some salad and a Peroni before completing another 1.3 km around the armchair with, as TS says, several cups of various teas plus a lump of Majorcan Turron.
Impressive statistics I am sure you will agree.
Ok guys i take your point, and you are usually right, winning feels good and i shall stop moaning 🙂 :
You are on form Adam…
Off for a couple of hours now. woofa needs a walk…
Catch up later.
Christmas must have come very early for Kev. 😛
later Rico.
Was the whole 1.3km done in WATH’s WWII brogues?
TS. 🙂
Great write up Rico. Lovely to read, it made me feel like I was there.
Rico is the best blog writer around and we have the best blog going.
Im chuffed and on cloud 9. I remain humble but excited for Manutd.
Bac MUST be signed to a 3yr deal. Tr07 deserves another 1 or 2 yr. Well done to the boys and lets keep this run going. The away fans have been fantastic for awhile and the team respond to them.
Cheers
Bloody cheeky shit…. My brogues are almost brand new I’ll have you know…!
Green tea, hmm, I am very much a convert.
I actually felt quite sophisticated sipping my Green tea as the Germans flopped all over the turf.
Mrs Adam gave up her comfortable chair so that I could enjoy the game.
You know, sometimes as a game progresses, and the opposition contrive to miss chances, you get the feeling that ‘this is gonna be our night’…
And so it proved.
I actually felt quite calm until the last 10 minutes when I began pacing Adams delightful Living Room…
Adam, by contrast, was in pieces on the settee… 😀
All in all a very enjoyable evening…
Have to say that the Haddock and Mash was a triumph…
But not only that, the scampi was exceedingly good as well.
The Peroni was quite superb, as usual.
Despite the excellence of the Green tea, an excellence only matched by BFG’s reading of the game, I have to say that the Turron was a new and exceptionally good experience for me…
Christmas come early indeed Ginge!
The brogues are definately younger than the feet inside of them, that’s for sure. 😛
Good to see Zelalem, Crowley and Toral back for the Youths
My favourite is how happy Ozil is playing for us being top of the league and CL. Great team spirit with a manager he loves to play under. He should ask RVP how goes the grass on the other side?
😀 Kev;
Younger according to carbon dating? lol
Hi Brad
Flamini back for the Mancs is just the ticket…
Looks as if Wenger is gonna hold back Wilshere, Walcott and Podolski, until after the International break?!
If he plays them now they will get taken by the national teams and come back broken again.
In retrospect, I’m very glad Rvp aka ‘the grey badger’ did not have the same vision for Arsenal that Arsene had in May 2012. If Le Chef had succumbed to the greedy pig’s vision I wonder where we would be now? I suspect rammed full of third rate Dutch players from old amsterdam!
Good shut to the greedster and good luck to him ‘carrying’ a sub standard side to not too much glory this year, or next or the one after that. By which tim the ‘little boyin him’ will be approaching his second childhood and way past his sell by date!
You know what goes round comes round! And it has so soon! Such a shame!
Sunday, whilst I don’t think it is anything like a gimme, it will be the first time in a very lot of years that we will arrive at old toilet as slight favourites, and that really is something.
I would be ecstatic at a win, happy with a draw but distraught at a defeat.
Anyone any idea who is reffing on Sunday, as that may well prove significant to the outcome?
Coyg
Bwk have you tried Nespresso coffee, far better than green tea, and much worse for you, so it must do you good!
Afternoon all..
a117 – thank you for your kind words….
Michael Oliver apparently.
Oliver? Is that good for us or bad? Is he the ‘child’ ref, barely out of nappies?
Bad I think Wavy, isn’t he the ref who seldom books anyone…
M.Oliver recently described by Steve Bruce as a joke for favouring Spurs with a dodgy penalty.
Says it all Potter, rare for him to even give a penalty…
Ah! Bruce just fined £10,000 for calling him biased, or a cheat or both or neither. The FA equivocators all! Anyway I doubt he will do us any favours! Manure haven’t still got van nistleboy on the books or are they relying on the cheating Young to win them penalties? Etc. etc.
Ho hum!
I doubt Young will start Wavy… He’s in the naughty corner!
Of course! He keeps falling off his perch, doesn’t he?
Naughty step! I like it!
Good Afternoon folks. Rico, what a read for this morning after a superb performance, long may it continue!!!
Even the So-Call experts are ripping us with praise
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=dmr2SJxqICg
Falls over something Wavy, but very often, falls over for nothing..
Thanks Ng, glad you enjoyed it….
Seems everyone has gone for the day, so I too am off..
Night folks…
Morning Rico,
Another morning, another chance to chat about Arsenal. 🙂
Morning Hb and all….
Frosty morning here in the South East…
New Post up now…