By Walter Broeckx
The games are coming fast for the moment. But that is the toll we have to pay to be in the Champions League. The lot down the road can always rest till Thursday to play their games but those of us in the Champions League we have to be ready sooner.
But this also goes for Dortmund as they also played on Saturday. And they won 1-0 against Hannover. A penalty in the first 5 minutes was enough to win them the game.
What has changed since last Saturday? The biggest doubt will be Flamini. After clashing heads with Tettey from Norwich in the first half he clearly wasn’t completely on the field any more. The way he went down clearly indicated he was unconscious when going to the floor. If he really has a concussion I don’t think we will see him play against Dortmund. You have to be careful with such things as it can give you damage in the long run if you don’t rest enough.
But for the rest we only are seeing positive things. A team full of confidence that can defend and that can create goals of the highest quality. I still can’t get over that first goal. There were 6 defenders in the Norwich penalty area and two just outside their penalty area defending. And yet our passing and moving was so quick that they all just stood there not knowing what hit them. May I highlight the contribution of Giroud by the way. As for the second goal with a cross that he would have loved to being delivered for his head. Lucky Özil also can head the ball.
Talking about Özil if you look at a replay from the far corner of the goal it is amazing to see how much ground he made up once we won the ball. The way he sprinted forward was great to see. And the third goal. I will not go on about it otherwise I will probably end up saying: told you so. The 4th goal was all about Ramsey delivering an assist to make it very easy for Özil to score his second goal of the day.
But now other things are waiting. Champions league football against last year’s losing finalist. Borussia Dortmund currently sits in second place in the Bundesliga one point behind leader Bayern Munich. They have played 9 games so far and won 7, had 1 draw and lost one game.
I was watching the game with one eye last Saturday switching between the Newcastle-Liverpool game and then our game. Dortmund seemed the better team but wasn’t that great. Hannover also had a good spell during the game, a bit like Norwich but couldn’t score.
But with Dortmund we surely face one of the big rivals in this group. A win would put us in a magnificent position and I think if we then would get a point in Dortmund we could make sure we go further to the next round already. As I will be there, that day would be great. Even without me being there of course. But that is for later. Now what matters is to try and win this game.
Who will Wenger pick?
Szczesny (that’s the way to spell it Tony – and without peeping – OK I did but only after typing)
Bac – Per – Kos – Gib (I do however wonder if we shouldn’t give him a breather and use Monreal?)
Arteta -Flamini (if completely fit) – Aaron
Santi – Giroud – Özil
On the bench we will have then the likes of Fabianski – Jenkinson- Vermaelen – Rosicky – Monreal – Jack – Bendtner.
As you will see in my line up I would start with Aaron and give Jack a rest.And bring on Jack for Santi Cazorla when he is getting tired. Cazorla is not completely match fit but the only way to get him completely back is by giving him game time. And Cazorla is a player that needs to grow more in the game I feel.
Jack can come on and do his thing but somehow when Santi comes on later in the game he needs more time to adapt. Well that is what I feel from the few times he came on as a sub.
Now of course if Flamini is not fit it is easy and we play Jack from the start. On the other hand I would love to see Rosicky play against his former club. And I can imagine that for him it would be a great moment.
And indeed if you look at how many of the young players from Dortmund name him as their first footballing hero as a kid it might be a big night for a few of them to play against their former hero. And I think most Dortmund fans also look back with fond memories of Rosicky. But as we know he is one of those players that we need to be a bit careful with to not overload him. So a bit of competition between Flamini, Jack or Rosicky for that last midfield spot.
It will also be very interesting to see how the Dortmund supporters will react to Özil. Özil was born in Gelsenkirchen, the home of their big local rivals Schalke04. And he made his first professional appearance in the Bundesliga for the enemy in blue. And Schalke is his local team despite Özil leaving in not the best way. But that is 5 years ago now and maybe by leaving Schalke like he did the Dortmund supporters like him a bit?
But never mind what the Dortmund supporters think of him. We know that we love him. And I can imagine Özil with his background loving to score against them. Or assist another Arsenal player to score. And I heard that Özil thanked the fans for chanting his name. What is his song by the way? I hope it is
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Apparently Flamini is back to training today so hopefully that is a good sign.
flamini is definately out
schezny
sagna per / kos gibbs
ateta / ramsey
ozul / jack / cazorla
giroud
2 things.
Flamini is out. Theos had a set back in training, at least another 2 weeks.
Fantastic starting lineup with or without Flamini. Not a bad bench either is it, even without Walcott, Podolski and The Ox.
And according to the experts we have no depth to our squad!!!
has hardly played any matches recently and if anyone needs resting it probably is Ramsey. Ramsey is in the team not because Jack needs resting ,but because Ramesey is 10 folds a better player than Jackie boy.
Flamini is out anyways so Arteta takes the pivot role.
I would love to see Rosicky in the Wings. The guy runs more and is Faster than Jackei-boy. Jackie is more useful in the middle.
My team:
Szczesny
Bac – Per – Kos – Gib
—Arteta – Ramsey
Rosicky – Özil– Santi
——-Giroud
Sub Jackie-boy, Bandner, and whosoever.
Just heard on 1.30pm news on Talksport, Flamini definitely out against Dortmund.
Homer
That would be my line up too. Although perhaps one of Ramsey/Özil might need a rest. Then again, would they rather miss this game or the game on Saturday??? 🙂
With Flamini out, it makes thing interesting. Its clear from the interviews that Wenger wants to rest Ramsey, but circumstances keep getting in the way. I figure he plays tonight, and gets a weekend off against Palace.
I think we have to go all out on Tuesday. A win at home and a point in Dortmund will guarantee qualification, and I think Dortmund might look at the group and think that even a draw here might not be enough for them.
So usual back 5,
Arteta Ramsey
Jack Özil Santi
Giroud
Its tempting to swap in Rosicky and/or Gnabry, but I’d rather start strong and rest people if the game is safe, than the reverse. They may well get minutes, and possibly start against Palace
@Mick
The media just can’t help themselves.
Cascarino was pondering our difficult up and comming run of games and giving us some praise for a change. BUT, he just could’nt help himself and had to close with a negative. Apparantly Szczesny hasn’t been ‘tested enough’ and we still have to look at strengthening our goalkeeper.
And there I was thinking he’d been almost faultless and, when called upon had made some brilliant saves. The one at WBA I think it was, when he was wrong footed, being the best.
I thought that was the mark of a WORLD CLASS keeper. Nothing much to do, then, when needed, a ‘Worldy’.
Obviously I must be wrong and it must be the more tried and trusted modus operandi of a Joe hart. Cock up after cock…..then a ‘Worldy’
Szcz me old mate, you’ve got it all wrong. Throw a few in, pull of a blinder, and you’ll be right up there.
Cascarino….you are a nob!!!
I don’t know who can take Flamini’s place.His all action style requires someone of similar attribute.I can think of Vermallen.
Sorry Joe…I meant ‘Cock up after Cock up’ not ‘Cock up after Cock’…..Although having said that……!!!
@Jambug — the media have been truespeaking us all season, setting us up to fail against opponents, then retrofitting the situation when we win.
I’ve said this somewhere else recently but:
Fenebache were dangerous opponents and going to their place a nightmare, but once we beat them there 3-0 they were shit.
Spurs had a far stronger squad than us. After losing the NLD they needed to adapt and mesh.
Napoli were out of our league before the game. Afterwards, I’ve seen the argument that they were a shadow of themselves without Higuain.
We have never been challenged yet, because the argument seems to be that if we can beat them; they are not any good. I’m half expecting that should we win at OT in a few weeks, the response would be something along the lines of:
‘What do you expect, Arsenal should be beating this sort of mid-table side.’
Oh nice from the doctor to not tell me that Flamini is not allowed to play for safety measures. 🙁
Ok, I did feared it a bit but as an ever optimistic I was hoping that Flamini had no brains so could get no concussion 😉 So obviously he has a brain.
Now if it would have been Theo as he has no brains according to our know it all Mr. 89 Hansen… 😉
Oh well, so he will be back next Saturday with some fresh legs
New articles at Arsenal.com
Flamini did practice today, but on the doctor’s advice, Flamini will not play any games for 5 days, so next weekend as long as nothing unforseen happens.
Did you know SAF could write? In any event, Wenger was asked about SAF’s new autobiography.
http://www.arsenal.com/news/news-archive/extra-wenger-on-ferguson-s-new-book
For those saying that Vermaelen could come in to the place of Flamini I have two remarks.
1. It could give Ramsey a rest (a rest he should have had last Saturday)
2. I don’t think that Wenger will try this out against a team like Dortmund.
So I think Ramsey will play and be rested next Saturday
Gord
In the link you give Arsene speaks of SAF ‘making a book’ not ‘writing a book’ a slight difference me thibnks.
Here is a link for you.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/manchester-united/Sir_Alex_Ferguson/10392716/Sir-Alex-Ferguson-losing-the-Premier-League-title-to-Manchester-City-was-biggest-blow-of-my-United-reign.html
@Colario.
Yeah. In the context of biographies, if the biography is done with the blessing of the person it is about, it inevitably gets labelled as an autobiography. And the person it is about, may refer to it as “my book”. Probably not even a major fraction of the time, but often enough I just assume.
I did think that Wenger’s answer was quite proper and restrained.
@Colario again.
It can’t be a lack of coffee; how I read things, was that the book exists (even if only first draft), not that it planned.
Oops.
@Gord
Does that mean Harry Redknapp, even though he cannot write and his book was apparently written by Rosie his dog, can claim the book as all his own work.
@Mick
Yes. From Wikipedia:
> Redknapp published his autobiography, Always Managing, in October 2013.[21] The book is ghostwritten by journalist Martin Samuel.[22]
I would think that neither ‘Arry or SAF should ever write such books themselves. They would always be written by someone else, based on “interviews”. Which makes it easier to fuzzy up imperfections in the story. Not that either person has details in their life which might be questionable.
Mick @ 3:49pm
For Tax reasons, he can’t!
as far as cover for flamini is concerned the pictures of training today had both nico and frimpong there and although i dont think they will start i think one of them will be on the bench
RAMSEY, boy-oh-boy……Is he the captain ARSENAL in the making??..I sure net he is a contender.
Every time I watch him play….jack fruit up the haters @#$#. I’ve kept my mouth shut, when people claimed we’ll never win with Ramsey in the team…..Now I’m having a blast. Cleverly the best midfielder hahhahhahhahhahaha…
Do hope that whoever plays tonight , keep their shape and hopefully keep a clean sheet .Am going for a 2-0 win.
Up the Gunners !
Brickfields Gunners,
You sir, are my type of Gooner. Well said!
Whatever 11 Arsenal players (and 3 subs) get to play against Dortmund tonight, I hope they have a blast. I’ll take any victory tonight.