Match Reaction v Borussia Dortmund

[Flavs]

I agree we need to maybe rethink the set up of the side for the new players. Find a system that makes them the sum of their parts, because it's painful watching them attempt to play how the Cesc-led side did. There's no cutting edge and we seem to be bumbling through games at the moment. I understand these guys need a string of games to settle but I really don't see much in terms of creativity here and I have a feeling we will see a more pragmatic Arsenal now, which might not be a bad thing but we just need to tweak it a little to find a balance somewhere to get the best out of these new guys.

And still no set plays from erm set plays...

Even Big Al was ranting about our lack of throw in routines last night and nothing has changed with Free Kicks and corners as far as i can see.

[LDG]

I am made up tbh, i thought we showed everything we didn't against Manyoo. Solid at the back and quite a threat when we got forward, Everyone except the useless Theo Walcott pressed and harried and the back four looked solid after a bit of a shaky start.

Arteta and Benayoun really impressed and to see to supposed "creative" midfielders winning headers and flying into 50/50's was brilliant.

I also thought after a shaky first 20 minutes or so Koscielny and Song were awesome, everything you could want them to be really.

Good result and Pat Rice for manager!

Aye. Bit overboard mate, but pretty much.

I agree on the Arteta / Banayoun thing especially. Both showed their experience and willingness to do a job. With Cesc and Nasri in that line up, we would have lost that game last night. I have no doubts about that.

[LDG]

I agree we need to maybe rethink the set up of the side for the new players. Find a system that makes them the sum of their parts, because it's painful watching them attempt to play how the Cesc-led side did. There's no cutting edge and we seem to be bumbling through games at the moment. I understand these guys need a string of games to settle but I really don't see much in terms of creativity here and I have a feeling we will see a more pragmatic Arsenal now, which might not be a bad thing but we just need to tweak it a little to find a balance somewhere to get the best out of these new guys.

I think that's how we HAVE to do it at present. We've come off the back of some horrendous times just recently. What we've all been crying out for is some backbone to go with the style. Right now, I think the manager is settling for some dogged results, as shown against Newcastle, Udinese, Swansea and Last night.

We have to get ugly again for a bit. Scrap some wins, gain some confidence, and then the attacking stuff will come.

There were some cameos of what we can do last night. Some of the balls in behind, with players ACTUALLY MAKING RUNS were good to see.

Walcott dissapointed again though. The lad just loses himself. He's too timid and doesn't look to make things happen himself like RVP. At least gervinho was trying to make stuff happen...and his time will come when he settles in.

[Syn]

We are better going forwards than last night showed, but we are so lacking in confidence that it hurts. .

I hope you're right because I genuinely think Dortmund are a better team than us. They were on another level technically. Three of the guys they had attacking (gotze was one) were unbelievably good. They are a seriously good team and I'm not sure we are technically good enough to compare anymore. Watching those guys slam it to eqchother and control instantly just highlighted what technically gifted players look like. I believe we have benayoun, arteta, van persie and wilshere who have great first touches, but the others aren't just average, they are awful at it. More often than not, gervinho/walcotts second touch is a tackle. Big problem if we are going to be more fluid going forwards.

[Marc Overmars]

Arteta and Benayoun really impressed and to see to supposed "creative" midfielders winning headers and flying into 50/50's was brilliant.

I think that's the benefit from getting seasoned pros in, particuarly from the Prem. That was the very least David Moyes would have expected from Arteta. Benayoun was part of a Liverpool side who had a solid defence as well so he would have been drilled for his off the ball duties.

We shouldn't have any concerns on the battling front if last night was anything to go by. Of course it wouldn't be Arsenal though if we solved one problem without creating another, now we seem a bit limited going forward!

[Xhosa_Gunner]

Mostly tap ins

[Japan Shaking All Over]

Gervinho is a busy player but I have to say he totally lacks an end product, when well placed he messes up his chances time and time again, why is it we're constantly signing players with no end product in the final 3rd.

He's energetic but he's not going to score many goals based on what we've seen.

Shit zimm thats unlike you to give someone the benefit of the doubt for more than three games!

One more game for the Areta crew before we are treated to another blast of your world famous dont know the difference between a good player and my elbow

[Young Guns 11]

dont think we were, we were leading until they nicked a last minute equalizer with a good but flukey goal but if the situation was reversed, you would be calling for wengers head and you know it

How can you think that the defence wasn't caught out numerous times in the first half?! So many times one through ball dissected our defence. We were very lucky they didn't have their shooting boots on.

That said, we took our one chance very well, improved vastly in the 2nd half and were very unlucky they scored such a great goal.

[LDG]

Shit zimm thats unlike you to give someone the benefit of the doubt for more than three games!

One more game before we are treated to another blast of your world famous dont know the difference between a good player and my elbow

[Japan Shaking All Over]

Why are people still talking about getting Cahill in jan? We saw what a good CB looked like last night in Hummels and Subtovic, a class above tbh.

We were after Subtovic before right?