Adrian Ramos will be a major threat to the Arsenal defense
A Chambers- Mertesacker- Koscielny- Gibbs remains Arsenal’s best back four configuration. However, Chambers is doubtful as he has tonsillitis. Kieran Gibbs is available but it remains to be seen whether Wenger will risk starting him so soon after his injury return. His understudy, Nacho Monreal is out because of injury. If Chambers is unavailable then Wenger can start either Flamini or Hector Bellerin at right back. Flamini brings certain inadequacies, notably a lack of speed, which could prove fatal in the form of a sending off. Plus, there will not be much attacking width. Bellerin at 19, is already the fastest Arsenal player beating Walcott’s record and has impressed Wenger with not just his speed but also his character. But he’s also very raw and it’s a huge risk playing him in the world’s most competitive league.
All this defensive rejiggering a month into an intensifying fixture list and even with their best players healthy, this is a defense that seems to have difficulties remaining switched on at crucial moments.
In midfield, the performances of Mesut Oezil and Aaron Ramsey remain of concern. For the former it appears to be a combination of lack of belief, match fitness, and being played out of position. With the latter, a long, arduous prior season coupled with a saviour complex seems to have caught up resulting in a drop off in sharpness.Note the number of times Ramsey has gone for the long distance spectacular. Oezil in particular is under pressure, a multi-million pound investment, back in the cauldron of the Westfalenstadion, all eyes on him, and a German media that has been sharply uncomplimentary. Playing him in the middle allowing him space with Ramsey just a step behind and to the front of Arteta can give him the insurance needed to free up the gaps to find Sanchez or Welbeck. And Arsenal needs to do much, much better from its set pieces.
Hopefully, this match does not add up to an Arsenalian zero sum game. For each one lifting their performance, there will be an equal and opposite degradation in someone else. The overall picture is one of maddening inconsistency and stasis. This just when, Jack Wilshere shows revival, Alexis Sanchez brings a missing vitality and vigour, and Danny Welbeck up front has impressed with his movement and speed. There has to be a collective and sustained team effort.
Dortmund are familiar foes and reek of quality even when hit hard with injuries. Juergen Klopp does not have the services of some of his biggest names including Marco Reus, Mats Hummels, Nuri Sahin, and Ilkay Gundogan. Even Shinji Kagawa, newly returned to a heroes welcome after the wilderness years at Utd is questionable with a knock. However, they do have Henrikh Mikhtaryan who can play centrally as well as out on the wing sharing creative duties with Milos Jojic linking up with Adrian Ramos a constant threat since his arrival with a spate of shots on goal yielding 2 goals in 2 matches.
The match can be summed up as two sides with about as much parity in creative talent in midfield and attack going up against questionable defenses. The outcome decided by the side that makes the fewest defensive errors. The last time Dortmund got the better of Arsenal at home came in 2002 when a familiar figure, Tomas Rosicky aka Little Mozart, scored the winner for the Black and the Yellow, in a 2-1 victory. Sebastian Kehl, who played in that match, said, “It’s been a while since our last home win over Arsenal. So we have some making up to do.”
Arsenal: Szczesny- Chambers- Mertesacker- Koscielny- Gibbs-Arteta- Ramsey- Cazorla- Oezil- Sanchez- Welbeck
Dortmund: Weidenfeller- Durm -Papastathopoulos -Subotic – Piszczek -Bender -Jojic -Großkreutz -Kagawa -Mikhtaryan – Ramos