Borussia Dortmund 2 - 0 Arsenal: What a mess

Here's a quote from Fabrgeas, comparing Arsenal to Spain, from 2010:

"At Arsenal we don’t really look at anything from the other team, we look for ourselves and that’s it. Here, maybe two three days before the game, we start looking at some videos, we know more or less the starting eleven that is going to play, we know nearly everything about them. You just have to have your group of friends here, you play cards, you play Playstation, you have fun.”

Not confirmation or anything, but more of a suggestion that Arsenal's preparation for the oppositions isn't very extensive.

Look at Wengers career as two halves.

First half good.

Second half - Well I think the game went past him.

Tony Adams said the same thing on ArsenalTV, basically Wenger trained them really hard during the week then come the match day, players would sort themselves out on the field.

Arsene has always believed in imposing our style on the others instead of adapting it against theirs. It was the same at Monaco or in Japan.

Raptorgunner wrote:
You know whats more bizarre playing Ozil on the RW and starting a young kid at RB against one of the best teams the world.

First of all, better Özil on the right wing than on the left wing.

Then with the 'kids' against "one of the best teams", well Debuchy is injured so Bellerin plays. Easy.
Chambers wasn't fully fit right?

So there's no choice. Maybe you it's not ideal in a high profile game, but then again he's your 2nd choice RB so there's nothing wrong with him playing when he's needed.

Also you think anyone had heard of Durm, before Schmelzer got injured last season? Or Jojic from Serbia?
Ginter, who's only 20?
Klopp often had to play kids in lack of fit first teamers.

On paper the claim that Dortmund is a better team than Arsenal is laughable, Klopp simply is a better big game coach then Wenger, and probably by now a better coach overall, I'm sorry to say.

RealGunner wrote:Arsene has always believed in imposing our style on the others instead of adapting it against theirs. It was the same at Monaco or in Japan.

That's all fine, but there's always a point when this starts to border, and then cross the border, to arrogant stupidity.
That is in games against better teams, or at least teams that have to be seriously considered as being capable of being better.
Like last season Liverpool away.

Noone, not even the biggest teams, play their style with complete disregard to the opposition.
When we played Dortmund the first time last season away under Pep, he put Martinez in AM and ordered us to play high balls at him to surpass Dortmunds pressing.
A complete change of the way we had played other games.
In the cup final Pep changed to a relatively deep sitting 3 defense.

Real Madrid parked the bus at home against us and then countered, as that was the way they thought they had the best chance to win, and they were right.

That is a pretty huge blind spot, bordering on negligence, in Wengers work and performance if that is true.

Look what this kid says about Arsenal preparing for games.

Been away from the forums for a few days, been too angry to come on!

Tuesday was the angriest I've been since the defeat at Everton last season, when we were also outplayed.

I just can't understand a few things right now:

1) The 4-1-4-1 formation that we have started using out of nowhere, for no particular reason. It doesn't get the best out of any of our midfielders, arguably apart from Wilshere. It means Ozil is out of position, Ramsey is out of form and the protection for the defence is less than last season, particularly given Arteta's advancing years.

2) Buying a £42.4m no.10 and playing him wide. Will never understand this. Germany did it, but they have Schweinsteiger and Khedira protecting their defence as well as defensive full-backs and a competent mentality in the big games. Anyhow, Ozil hardly a great world cup. He came alive in the final, but you'd argue Germany would have won the cup without him.

3) Wenger's lack of game plan. Okay, we know our boss isn't the most intelligent tactically. If developing players and creating a side that plays wonderful football are his strengths, forming a game plan to deny the opposition is his weakness. This is why Mourinho beats him every time. You know Dortmund are going to come at you and pressure you all game, using their pace on the break. It's like we didn't know it, though. Arteta Wilshere and Ramsey failed to control the midfield whilst the front 3 had their poorest games for the club since arriving, arguably.

Is this real?

Wenger would never play Ozil in the middle now, he would rather die than listen to any fans or the Media. RIP Arsenal and Ozil.

Raptorgunner wrote:Is this real?

Wenger would never play Ozil in the middle now, he would rather die than listen to any fans or the Media. RIP Arsenal and Ozil.

lol you're joking right?

Lex

Lex wrote:

Its beautiful...

Figured the anger had passed enough to re-watch the game and after watching again I kind of have a different opinion.
We did not win the game because of our ever growing possession without purpose. Meaning when we possess the ball we do so without any real threat of scoring. It is a syndrome that has been growing for the last 3 years. The main difference with this game and previous was that Welbeck squandered 3 or 4 chances instead of Giroud. Yes I do know that it will take him some time to try and fit in. It just is what it is.
We lost the game since on the 2 goals none of the three of Artetta, Wilshere or Ramsey were there to stop anyone from running directly though the midfield at our defenders.