Dortmund, The Next Test
Oct 21st, 2013 by 'holic
Another midweek, another Champions League tie to anticipate. They don’t come much more mouthwatering than Jurgen Klopp’s Borussia Dortmund. The mutual appreciation between the two managers is understandable.
“It’s Arsene Wenger football. When I watch football, this is the beautiful style I can watch. If I were to spend money for a ticket, it would certainly be for the game tomorrow.”
Klopp makes no secret of his anticipation of a big match. He may not be paying for a ticket, but ironically he will find himself in the stands tomorrow as he takes another lead from Arsene tomorrow, being suspended from the touchline.
“He has done extremely well and given a new lease of life to Dortmund. Like every passionate guy, he has gone a little overboard in Naples and is punished for that. Overall, you can only congratulate him for the quality of the job he has done, it is exceptional. When we played against them two years ago, I felt they have quality. After they beat Bayern for the championship, that proved their level of confidence so I was not too surprised they got to the final last year.”
Arsene is fulsome in his praise of his opposite number. He has reason to be cautious. We may have won the two previous home encounters with Dortmund, but they arrive in London with just two defeats in fifteen to their name. We also go into the game with something of a different shape, given the loss of Mathieu Flamini to the five day concussion ruling. That is something I did not expect to be typing eight weeks ago, but Flamini has proved to be a significant contributor to the form displayed by his midfield colleagues.
Expect an in-form Aaron Ramsey to step in alongside Mikel Arteta in the centre of midfield. Perm any three from Mesut Ozil, Jack Wilshere, Tomas Rosicky, and Santi Cazorla to provide the creative spark behind Olivier Giroud. Jack may have earned a start ahead of Tomas after his display at the weekend. If the Arsenal midfield functions, then this will be another good day.
Whilst we miss the likes of Flamini, Lukas Podolski, Theo Walcott, and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, the visitors are not without their absentees. They will also have to make do without their injured captain Sebastian Kehl, playmaker Ilkay Gündogan, and full-back Lukasz Piszczek. They will, however, include the dangerous Polish duo of Jakub Blaszczykowski and Robert Lewandowski, a long time target for the Arsenal.
The ‘holic pound has to follow the form team of the Premiership. 2-1 looks a very likely outcome given the strengths of the sides. That might go either way, but I am on Arsenal at a decent 19/2 if you shop around. The bookies cannot make their mind up about this one, and we are somewhat surprisingly to me a decent 11/8 against just winning in 90 minutes against last season’s Champions League finalists.
To those fortunate enough to be witnessing this in the flesh I wish you a game to match the pre-match anticipation with an Arsenal victory to celebrate at the end of the day. The rest of us will get worked up I’m sure.
Have a good Tuesday, ‘holics.
Thank you to someone special
I tweeted a couple of snaps at the weekend of the stone that now sits behind the Tony Adams statue on the North Bank Terrace. I am aware of the fact that not all of you are on there. Below please find the result of the generosity of one of our number, most of you know who and wish her all the best at this time, and the word skills of our Trev.
The sentiment means a great deal to me. The audience here, as elsewhere, will be a moving feast, but I owe all of you (bar the obvious trolls!) a huge thanks for what you have contributed to this place. I mean all of you. There are too many to mention, but some have contributed guest pieces, others have contributed to fine causes, and some have just popped in now and again and lit the place up. You have all been amazing in your own way.
Thank you.
283 Responses to “Dortmund, The Next Test”
1st?
Good preview and sentiments ‘h. Especially nice to see the pic of the stone donated by a very special lady – wishing her well.
Should be a cracking game and a tight victory to boot.
That stone is a thing of beauty, as is our midfield at the moment.
Good stuff boss. Two of the era’s great managers who have built teams without the influence of outside cash going head to head, it should be a cracker.
What a briliant stone, a true homage to this great site.
Hope to see it myself real soon……………..
………….Speaking of which, sorry guv, I need to hijack the blog for a quick request
OK my friends, a plea from the Lowlands.
I’ve been trying to arrange a trip to London for quite a while now, but everytime has failed. As I mentioned last month, I was promised by my other half a weekend trip as a birthday gift, after sending out a feeler I was informed here in the drinks that Southampton would be a good bet, plus there would be plenty of holics in attendance (a must for me).
Unfortunatly, the missus won’t be able to do that weekend, but deals have been made, limbs bartered and basic freedoms wavered meaning that I will be able to come over on a solo tip.
I’m not a member of any colour, even if I was, I still wouldn’t really want to go to the Ems on my lonesome, football has always been an experience best shared and I’d love to share it with one (or more) of my fellow ‘holics. I believe that the tickets go on sale tomorrow, so if any of you can get your hands on an extra (all costs will be ofcourse reimbursed) and would enjoy a few bevvies, pre and post game in the Tollie, please let me know here in the drinks or drop me an email*.
Cheers all.
*If you would be so kind to forward it, ‘holic. Thanx.
H2H, I can sort a ticket, but not part of a pair or better. Come on ‘holics, another worthy challenge for you.
Having said that if I get you one, the fun is in the pub before and after.
Southampton will be a great day as we are celebrating TaBS birthday, and it will be mahoosive. If we can’t sort you company for the match, we will get you a ticket, and look forward to seeing you in the battle before and after.
(Battle as in battle cruiser, boozer!)
Ah, the ol’ battle, also known as the Nuclear Sub. 😉
Briliant, thanx guv’, I’ll start working on the travel arrangements, probaby come in early on Saturday, gaffle a hotel in the area and leave on Sunday, probably a safer bet then returning the same day.
You could well be right sir 😉
*googles list of hotels within crawling distance of Hornsey Rd*
Cheers ‘holic. Really proud of your stone, even if I didn’t hear about it and didn’t finance it. Top class.
Have a large one on me next time we meet.
Lovely stuff Holic, and huge thanks again to Abb.
I’ve been lucky enough to get a ticket for my daughter tomorrow/tonight and am hoping to get there early enough to go and take a look at the stone before the game starts.
Can’t wait to see if we can conjure a few more goals out of the top draw, but will take a minute to wish you ‘all the best’, Abb.
Stay strong and enjoy those rip roaring Gunners. 😉
Great stuff, Guv.
I will join ‘holic in thanking you all for making this place what it is. Special thanks, of course, to our dearest Nurse, wish you the best ma’am.
Trev’s little Angel is going to the game? That’s the ‘holic pound lost but then it will be a high-scoring entertaining game culminating in an Arsenal victory. Excellent!
Always a pleasureable read ‘holic’. Hoping for a great game and a greater result. You have a real good following on this blog-real friends for real. Nice stone!
Lovely photo, ‘Holic, and much appreciated by us far-flungs. A medicinal glass of the finest we can muster for our benefactor. Wishing you all the best, abb.
And a glass for you, ‘Holic, of whichever exemplary single malt you boys can blag the Tollie into stocking. You deserve a distillery’s worth for keeping this rub-a-dub going.
Great photo of the marble memorial. Great work holics!
Can’t wait to see it in the flesh but not sure I can get across to London this year 🙁
I think Borrussia will be a handful but we should have enough to get past them tomorrow in the Home of Football. 5-0 Arsenal? Let’s hope so 8)
A close game to come, me thinks, and in the reverse fixture. The monks at Castle Ned have crunched the numbers to find that at both the Ems and in Dortmund the result with the highest probability lies in the range from 1-1 to 2-1 to the home team. But home wins are basically only 50-50 probabilities in both cases. Sharing the points over two games wouldn’t be a disaster for us by any means, though four points would be better than two and six points best of all, of course. Should make for some cracking football and chewed fingernails over the two games.
Awesome stone and awesome inscription. Now to read the preview
‘Holic, excellent post, much enjoyed, and for more than just your smooth literary skills. I can’t wait to see that image in the flesh next month 😀 Trev, your word play skills were put to positive use compared to your usual ‘terrible’ punnery 😛 Also, thank you so much for your generosity in paying for the stone abb, I think others would agree that this bar wouldn’t be the same without you. All of the best in your current endeavours.
Trev (from Previous Bar), fine, I’ll admit it. For someone who doesn’t really get drunk easily and doesn’t suffer from Hangovers very often if at all (I couldn’t move for about 2 hours after waking up one morning during Freshers Week but the dirty pint I was coerced into consuming the night before was about 60% Jack Daniels, with a shot of 80% Red Abstinhe and some other stuff that I have no idea about…), I have NEVER been as smashed in my entire 19 years of life as I was on Saturday evening/Sunday morning. But I blame the two cute french girls who came to our House Party, and their bottles of Gin and Vodka X_X , as if multiple cans of Strongbow weren’t enough, and in a relatively short space of time too! 8) Spirits (apart from Rum)… aren’t really for me 😛 But I’m normally coherent, even for a student! You’ve gotta believe me…
Holloway2Holland @ 4, the solution is simple, to me anyway.
Why don’t you sit with NorCal and me?
He’s purchasing our tickets for the game, since you’re lacking a Membership of any colour, he could bring the paper ticket that will be sent to his address in the US across the pond with him to the Tollie on Match Day.
‘Holic, agreements to this arrangement permitting, would you care to be a conduit again between the three of us? 😉
outstanding stone, god bless you, nursie. please keep coming to the bar for games, and let us know how you are doing. well, I hope, every day.
holic, a dram of the glenfarclas tipple of your choice for posting the pix, I appreciate it very much.
come on you reds tomorrow!!!
‘holic says 2-1 and Cannons says 5-0. Just to strike a balance between the realistic and the optimistic my nickel is on a home win by 4-2. Sir Aaron to grab a brace or better.
)Reprinted from the tail-end of last round…)
Tonight we will see just how good Marco Reus really is. I must admit I’m torn. For a couple of seasons I’ve had him among the best 5 players in world football, dearly wanting AW to sign him. Right now I’m hoping I was wrong!
Or perhaps he could do the right thing and have an off night?
2-0. OG and who else but Rambo.
Öskar
Hey Holic and holics. Discovering this virtual bar, without a doubt, has been one of the best things that has ever happened to me…
Now Holic, we most assuredly will be ‘worked up’ come game time! Cause you’re spot on, it could go either way. But the atmosphere at The Emirates will be electric, the buzz palpable, our 12th player. 🙂
I would be thrilled and honored to have H2H sit with us for the Soton game. I am thrilled that I will get to meet him even if we don’t get to sit together. The Soton game is shaping up to be a who’s who of Holics. I think we just might need a second or third brollie installed.
As for purchasing the ticket, I don’t mind at all, but I would still need a red member number to buy it under, right? I have a red member and so does Wind, but for me to get a third ticket I would need a third number, correct? Please tell me if I am wrong.
ABB,
Hope you are staying strong. We all are pulling for you. If you ever have a question about anything I may have a different perspective or I can always ask for other opinions. Love the stone and look forward to seeing it in one month. Cheers.
I believe we will play with
Arteta, Aaron
Wilshere, Ozil, Cazorla
OG
But my main worry is that Aaron will be motivated to go forward quite often in his current scoring form, thus leaving a hole in our defense. Hope other guys will cover him when he venture forward.
2-0 to the Arsenal!
All the best, Nursie.
Win the next match.
BMBD
Best wishes to ABB.
Great post and loving the stone from ABB.
H2H I’m staying here after the Southampton game. Its cheapest I could find within tube/cabable distance.
http://www.travelodge.co.uk/hotels/571/London-Bethnal-Green-hotel
Still seem to have rooms available for not too outrageous prices for central London.
Spooky stuff here 🙂
http://sabotagetimes.com/reportage/arsenal-fans-is-this-the-spooky-truth-that-mufc-will-be-relegated/
Nice one, Holic, really looking forward to this one.
Two football teams, going for it, I hope, which will suit us down to the ground.
So it’s official, we’re all stoned.
Great work Nurse Abb.
NorCal: I will be there for So’ton but will have a ticket not bought through my membership, so you can use that if you wish for H2H’s ticket. Let me know and I’ll give you my membership number.
Seems like the S’oton game is a must then eh?
Any holics gonna be at the Chelsea CoC game?
Good Morning
Firstly being fairly new as a contributer on here I don’t know the full story but it appears you are a very decent bunch of fellows with the”Thank you to someone” stone,perhaps someone can enlighten me.
CL nights are always something special and yet again we should witness an open game, something which has become more prevelant this season in most of our games, as opposed to the Pullis approach.
IMO we couldn’t be playing Dortmund at a better time. The team are confident, playing with a swagger most of the time and despite the loss of Flamini I fully expect an exciting game with us just edging it.
To those going I am extremely jealous.
Great stuff ‘holic and thanks ABB and happy birthday Arsene. Hoping the team give you a great present.
H2H I’ll see what I can do if NorCal can’t help out but obviously won’t know for sure until the tickets go on sale.
It’s a lovely stone, and as I am one of the poppers-in I haven’t had the pleasure of *meeting* you before ABB. Thank you so much for your generosity. I also send you my very best wishes at this time. xx
H2H for Southampton?
*searches for new armour-plated stomach kit on Amazon*
Cheers Maestro
Or NorCal/Wind perhaps we can coordinate if the barkeep would be so kind as to give you my email?
I have a spare Red Membership that can be used if required, as well H2H.
It’s the only piece of plastic I have that Roxette doesn’t filch…. 😉
Holics coming from every corner of the world …..
Even, it seems, places as remote and primitive as Scotland 😉
@ 40
Perhaps you can teach me to make fire?
I can think of a few uses….. 😉
Feelgööd. Your love of this great club never ceases to amaze me. Even with a sizeable dig at your heritage you still manage to bring the topic back to what is essentially Arsene.
😀
Great stuff Holic. I am one of those that does not do twitter so that is the first picture I have seen. Excellent stuff and very fitting. Nursie, a big thank you for your wonderful gesture.
Really looking forward to tonight. A real test against a proper side. We will miss the general but I am more than confident that we have others capable of stepping up to the plate.
Bring it on.
“A moving feast| makes your drinkers sound like a good curry blow out.
Fine preview maestro. It’s going to be a tasty match tonight – nerves jangling already.
Thanks for the pic’ of the stone – don’t do Twitter – so grateful for the image here.
Thanks for the stone ABB. Sorry to hear you’ve been poorly. Get well soon girl. Your positive vibe will carry you through fire without any doubt.
The Tollie at the Saints game is going to be as tasty as tonight’s big match. It looks like a load of international stars will be on show. Post-match I have an appointment with Stravinsky’s Rite of Spring that evening so will have to bring my autograph book with me pre-match to collect the John Hancocks.
COYG
Trev,
Just catching up on previous drinks – my voyage of discovery with the Scottish firewater has foundered on some rocks, and not of the ice variety – I shall be admiring your respective lack of gag reflexes whilst supping my Carling and double lime :-).
Carling and double lime!
I think the admiration of lack of gag reflexes may be mutual.
heh dk
I just love Arseblogger’s description of teams like Chelsea and Shitty:
“A soulless, affluent, bullying behemoth.”
Poppet – there will certainly be a cratur that will suit your palate. It’ll be an adventure finding it. I would suggest a start with Highland Park.
DK
Hahahaha – much nicer than it sounds :-).
Bath
I am going to buy myself some Highland Park and see how I get on with a sip of it this weekend, or even possibly next week to make the time pass quicker ;-).
NorCal @ 23, from my previous experience of buying tickets for people without Memberships like on the Sunday of this year’s Emirates Cup, I believe that once tickets have been allocated to all the membership cards available, the remainder will be dispatched in paper form. But that may not be the case, could a Holic with more Emirates game under their belt that myself enlighten us?
Thankfully, we have the options of Lars’, or Zico’s and potentially Bearded Gooner’s Spare Membership Cards if push comes to shove, I suggest H2H picks whose spare card he would like to use, that gets added to your network and then 3 tickets are purchased and assigned to the 3 cards 🙂
Poppet, don’t buy a whole bottle in case you don’t like it….you can get miniatures. Another that you might try is Bunnahabhain, which though from Islay, is unpeated and has a lovely delicate taste. After a wee sip to experience the ‘spirit’, always add a wee drop of water to open the flavour up.
Oi, Pontus – have a look at about 2:35 in this video, lower left-hand corner 🙂
http://player.arsenal.com/player/4240-slow-motion-special
Ok, that’s a good idea Bath (though I’d just bring it for you and ‘Holic if I didn’t like it). I will try to find both. I have quite a good and unusual wine/spirits shop just down the road so may get lucky. Will definitely add water – my Mum does that too.
There we go! Cheers Lars!
*googles apple infused whisky* 😉
Heh Holic @ 57 – I’m sure you’ll find it in California. 🙂
Not many nasturtiums implied, NorCal.
😉
Nice preview Holic.
Thanks for the picture. What a beatiful stone that is!
It suits our beloved Arsenal as well as this wonderful bar.
Well done ABB, well done! (I send you a bear-like hug and wish you all the power you need)
May the game tonight give us all a reason to be happy for a while.
COYG
Currently opened and being drunk when the occasion arises:
Talisker
Jura
Ileach
Balvenie Doublewood
Different tastes according to my mood.
But I will try some of the suggestions in this bar next time I’m in Deutschland (cheaper to buy there than in DK). Always open to a new taste experience. But I never pollute it – “I only use water to boil my potatoes”.
PS. My wife hates whisky (I made sure of that before the wedding).
Ooh, bath is casting nasturtiums at the Merkans. 😉
That’s the way to do it, dk. Always one to suit your mood.
My currently open:
Glenfarclas
Ardmore
Highland Park
Bunnahabhain
Heh at 42.
You’re on fire.
Or is it me?
That’s impressive Baff, and it’s not even one o’clock! 😉
Afternoon blog buds,
Wow, I’m humbled by all the reactions, thanks to all.
Wind NorCal, it would be a priveledge to sit with you gents, NorCal, if you could obtain the tickets using one of Lars’, zico’s or Bearded memberships (cheers lads) that would be briliant, knock me out an email (holic if you’d be so kind..) and we can sort out all the sordid details. 😉
Esso, thanks for the link mate, I’ll be checking that out.
Bloody ‘eck, I’m getting excited already.
The full Nelson;
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/24623305
Heh zico @65…..and see when u’m finsihed thaim, ah’ve goat Macallan, Lagavullen, Milton Duff an’ anither Highland Pairk tae finish….Ah michtna see the game the nicht, else ah’ll see twa ba’s an 44 players.
The Scene : DL Ltd – Operations Room
A serene Dr Feelgood is counting bundles of £20 and £50 notes. (Professor Storey is re-counting them). Wolfgang Smallballs is pirouetting in brand-new Jimmy Choos. There is an air of smug contentment. All is well with The Feelgood Foundation.
Feelgood: “Didn’t I tell you Edwin, happy days are here again, what?”
Prof Storey : “It most certainly is a Happy Train, these days, Dr F. The punters just can’t get enough. It looked so much bleaker around the visit of Villa”
Feelgood: “Indeed. Who would’ve thought that Modern Art would save us?”
Prof Storey: (puzzled) “I’m not with you……”
Feelgood : “The new guy. Messed-up Easel…..”
To be continued……
Always liked Nelson. 100% committed. Mind you, Flamini is a somewhat more sophisticated and subtle member of the midfield assassins club.
@69. Am still sober enough to offer you your coat. 🙂
Heh
Whisky day? The bar is really open.
Highland Park is my ex-boss’ favourite.
Purely for the pleasure of visiting the beautiful distillery in Keith, I have a soft spot for Strathisla (well it wasn’t bad either, to be fair ;)).
Round of their choice to all in the bar from me.
heh, zico, coatgettingworthy indeed
Thank you Ollie.
It’s a lovely setting that distillery and a fine product.
When are you next chez nous?
Talking of midfield assassins, the aforementioned Peter Edwin must surely rank no.1. I seem to remember a rumour that he once conducted an armed robbery of a bookies – that always endeared him to me.
‘ard as nails, that fella.
H2H @ 66, I’m looking forward to the game even more now that you’re gonna be joining the band of Holics attending the game & joining me and NorCal in our sitting (but sometimes standing) party 🙂
Pool game, baff
Thee and blogs then….the boys better be on best behaviour and give you a great performance and a good result.
Word to the wise…..we are playing the bundesliga’s arsenal, they’l be in yellow, we will be in red. T will b a tad confusing
cc Members of the feelgood foundation
Ps. If u r not drinking before the match please ignore
Apparently, Ferguson’s new book makes it fairly clear that it was Van Persie who agitated for a move to Utd, and that Arsenal were simply left to do the best possible deal for a player they couldn’t realistically hold onto, and who had no interest in going elsewhere.
It also says Ferguson promised Van Persie when he signed that he wasn’t going to leave/retire.
Poetic justice.
cesc you motherfucking legend.
A brilliant top corner strike by cesc4official. Makes it even funnier that Fergies successor tried to sign him so many times this summer.
Heh @ Feelgood.
===
Me too Wind.
I’ve decided to act quickly, because any sign of weakness, dithering or indecision would be jumped on by the missus, who would take our deal off the table quicker then a pile of pies at Sam Allydice’s house.
Flight has been sorted, booked and paid (with no cancellation insurance 😉 ) I’ll be coming in to City at 08:55, in plenty of time to make first orders.
===
Kenyan.
Word to the wise.
If they aren’t drinking before kick off then they are not a member of the FF. 😉
N7
Someone of my acquaintance who works with a number of football agents relayed the RVP story to me and it tallies with the version you relate. All the Citeh and Juventus stuff was a smokescreen and RVP had decided months before that he was going to move to United. The Govan poker school reference was made by Ferguson because Wenger struck a very good deal. How sad it would be if the Badger’s short- termism saw him leave the emerging side in Europe to join a fading giant . We’d all be heartbroken here. But that is what he might just be thinking now. Looking forward to tonight as it will show us how good we are. Hopefully as in the Napoli game it is a test we will pass. But I’d love it if Flamini was out there for this one.
What did Cesc do??
@Porco
Cesc liked this http://instagram.com/p/fxWdwbm4ct/
What Porco Rosso said – come on Sajit, spill the beans to us non-twatters.
Hunh? The link came up blank.
Hmm . works for me.
Ok so basically he liked arseblogs pic on Instagram.
“‘They say it was Cesc Fabregas who threw the pizza at me but to this day I have no idea who the culprit was.’ – Alex Ferguson autobiography”
Damn, Instagram links never open on this Blackberry… -.-
Just wish you were ALL on twitter 😉 Cent, NorCal and Wind, you’ve got DM’s, etc. I am very much ALIVE, TY all very much!!! My goodness, H2H, when I say I’m over the moon for you, you best believe it! You fellas are going to have one hell of a time at The Emirates and The Tollie 🙂
Dr Feelgood, “Messed up Easel”, haha. Especially when you say it outloud 😉
Funny you guys bring up SAF’s bio. Tabs has been quoting some excerpts on twitter. But they are so outrageous, don’t know if they’re true!!!
Uncle Charlie, So very happy on hearing about your new Bundle of Joy. Cheers mate!
Thanks Nursie.
Briliant stone, I’ll be thinking of you when I pay my visit to see it. 🙂
H2H and Lars,
Lars was gracious enough to give me his membership number so I will add him to my account and then I will look for us tickets tonight. Do you have a preference of where we get seats? I was thinking east or West Bank upper for the best seats within reason. I only get to a couple games a year so might as well enjoy the view!
Zico, thanks for offering Roxy’s number, but was only looking for her phone number. 😉
Be proud Holic, you’ve developed quite the establishment here.
Wilshere to Barca?
I suspect they will find this one has Arsenal DNA!
abb @ 93, already replied Nursie 😉
assist or pre-assist?
ha ha @ 95
You want her phone number?
Fools rush in springs to mind….
BAM
assist/goal?
@H2H85…….cant argue on that…true to the core. Lars tab? Cheers!
http://www.thesportreview.com/tsr/2013/10/sir-alex-ferguson-arsene-wenger-robin-van-persie-fee
reg. RvP
“The sticking point was that Arsène hoped to receive £30m or more for his best player. It continued to drag on for several weeks, during which time I phoned Arsène two or three more times.
“In time we all arrived at the point where Arsenal knew Robin was not going to re-sign and accepted that. Their options were Juventus or United. Arsenal were trying to sell him abroad, but the player only wanted to join us.”
Cunt.
Afternoon All,
Great preview ‘H. Really looking forward to this one. Gonna be tight but think we’ll sneak it.
Great to see everyone on Saturday. What a show the lads put on.
Fantastic stone Abb, thank you so much. Wishing you all the very best.
H2H over on the 23rd? Bloody brilliant news. Lordy, lordy, that’s gonna be a massive day 🙂
Whisky? All tastes the same if you just fling it down your neck. Just a means of getting there quicker, eh Bath 😉
Good luck everybody for tonight. Come on you beautiful Gunners!
I guess its back to the training pitches for me.
well in, Sajit!
Thanks Cent.
Find it hard to believe that RvP had the choice between Utd and Juve and chose to go to Utd.
That hurts. Think this is worse than Adebayor if you ask me.
Oh…nursie, that stone is a thing of beaurrrrry! Hehehe. wasnt too much of an ask was it?
Fools rush in?
I’ve never been accused of being a romantic.
Right, I think I’ve got Lars’ membership added to my account now just have to find three good tickets together.
Cheers all.
Well in Sajit.
Hey everyone. Thanks Tabs 🙂 Wind, you live up to your moniker! Kenyan, It is a thing of beauty, and Tony Adams is guarding it, so we know it will be safe! 😉
Ttg @ 96 Saw that. Unbelievable if Barca thinks they’re gonna lure our Jack away!
Sajit @ 106 Yep. Agree. Would have been quite happy to have him at Juve, must say 😉
We are the Arsenal, we are the best
We are the Arsenal, so fuck all the rest
IE11 Test drink
Drink!
NorCal.
I’ll leave it up to you sir, it’s all good.
Well that works on Chrome, IE11 not having it. What I was trying to say was;
We are the Arsenal, we are the best
We are the Arsenal, so fuck all the rest
Heh abb 🙂
Well said Esso.
Wind, easy way to view Instagram pics on a Blackberry(doesn’t matter if you have an account or not); go to www dot webstagram dot com type in the username of the person that posted the picture then search, you get a list of users who have a similar usernames, click on the particular user you’re looking for and Bob is your uncle!
Arsenal
Szczesny, Sagna, Mertesacker, Koscielny, Gibbs, Rosicky, Arteta, Wilshere, Ramsey, Ozil, Giroud
BVB:
Weidenfeller – Großkreutz, Subotic, Hummels, Schmelzer – Bender, Sahin – Blaszczykowski, Mkhitaryan, Reus – Lewandowski
What a game this will be. Exploit their right defensive side because Piszczek is not fit and Kuba is not fond of tracking back, keep Reus quiet, don’t let him cut inside from the left and the job is done.
This is winnable.
Come on you gunners!
I agree Lurky
Right defence to exploit sounds good to me. Getting ready for the kick off…
Come on Arsenal!
So excited.
Now I remember why 4th is so important….. 8)
Come on Arsenal!
Also getting ready here … Come on you Reds!!!
I forgot to add great piece of stone up there on that piccy!
Massive respect to all the Holics! What else can you say and just make things more sweet….
A round of Wisnowka all around please landlord.
Damn….now where did I put Lars card?!? 😉
I’m with you on that Zico!
Anyone has links for the game? Thanks!
My television is the link 🙂
Good luck Super Öz
Hey everyone,
this is winnable as Lurky said.
Come on lads!
Super Oz, I know it is Eandy’s job but there you go.
http://livetv.ru/en/
Mainly with Russian commentary but great quality. Be sure you have SopCast software installed.
Here Öz 😉
http://www.wiziwig.tv/broadcast.php?matchid=222433&part=sports
Links
http://www.wiziwig.tv/broadcast.php?matchid=222433&part=sports
for american gooners, it’s being played on fox sports deportivo at 2 pm pdt. so if you want to watch it live, then taped, go for it.
Let’s Get Ready to Ruuuuuuuumble!
Thanks Lurky, Eändy and H2H. Much appreciated.
Come oooooon!
come on, boys. time to shine. carry that killer instinct through and wipe the floor with these dortmunders.
Good job fellas, Super Oz welcome! Enjoy the game holics, wherever you call home. God bless The Arsenal!!! And Happy B’day to The Boss!
they’ve got a strong team, these germans.
Eandy – thanks!
Jack bit too eager
Come on you reds.
Won’t be able to watch all this one, catch what I can.
we’re defending the break well.
our passing is a bit short.
BVB starting to press us
Such crowded midfield
and they are pressing us really really high ..this is going to be a tough one..as expected
very quick play from both sides. i think they’ll tire towards the end, we know we can keep this up all game.
talk about end to end…with neither keeper having to do anything to speak of 🙂
jack and bac aren’t communicating well. or don’t have the experience playing together, and keep just missing each other.
Bac having a tough game so far regarding his passing…I hope its just nervousness which will be shaken off as the game progresses.
Not a great start!
Argh. Overplaying on the edge of your own box… cheers, Aaron.
fucking hell.
Come on Arsenal!
damn …boot it off!
Ramsey wtf
come on lads..its going to be difficult but still lot of time!
now for a response. what are you made of, lads? i think i know the answer, but ya gotta show the world.
good, i thought that should be a yellow for hummels.
giroud is a beast.
yeah..they are playable, just keep the urgency and it will pay dividends.
passing letting us down badly so far
really fighting for it, now. come on, gunners!!
ouch achilles for Jack
agreed, e. but i think they’re forcing us to play faster than we’re used to than even in the prem, or at least against the teams we’ve played so far. looks like we’re finally getting into rhythm.
just in time for jack to get hurt. damn.
Worrying injury concern for wilshere
thankfully, jack up and on the pitch again.
nice interplay..better from boys!
there we go, bac lacking the end pass but nicely moved through the middle.
Pretty much the way I’m seeing it, scruz. Excellent point about the tempo. We need more composure on our final touch.
oooh TR so close
cheers, abb. we’re pulling a lot of nearly moves as a result. we’re not far out of it by any means.
cheeky defensive nutmeg by jack.
fucking nearly, cleared off the line. nice passage of play, boys. keep up the pressure!
tr7 is the boss.
Tomas has had some really lovely moments. If we can even this up by the break, well, you know 😉
Get in!
Come on!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
GIROOOOOOUUUD
And by God we did! Giroud 🙂
Get in there you beauty!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
GIRRROUOUOUUUUOSFISDJF:LKJNF:L WVf; nad;ljnal wa fgl lgjn ;arg k j; arg’kl arg j arglk n ragnkl afsgnkl rgh
Get in!
OOOOGGG
well in, abb!
Sagna assist…
A collectors item, 😉
scruz grat German there 🙂 !
look how pumped OG is. get IN.
lol, atg.
GO OG! Great stream died around 24 minutes but OG was looking dangerous before then. We seemed unable to get a grip on things early on.
bt8b, we’ve got a grip, now. excellent response, slowly ratcheting up the pressure, let’s carry that all the way into the half.
the guys on either side of klopp looking nervous as he bares his teeth.
ht. gee ’em up, mr. wenger. then send them out to destroy.
even half in my eyes, we did get the grip of the game in the later stages ..lets carry that onwards into the second half ..hardly breathing here, so far lives up to the expectations.
Its ours to win now!
scruz 🙂 Worried, as OG seemed to be grimacing as he walked off the pitch. Bit of a learning curve for us. Dortmund a very ‘nippy’ bunch! Thinking Gnarby and Santi to take the stage very soon.
Shame about TRs strike, keeper was beaten and Subotic cleared off the line, would be awesome for him to get a goal against his former club.
more worried about Jack abb, he looked like he pulled his Achilles earlier in the half, must be playing through the pain.
No compliants. Other than Giroud no body else has turned up. Ramsey poor.
Too much doom and gloom Sajit I think, Ramsey had a brainfart in front of our box, I am sure he is not going to do that again, good lesson for him (which hopefully will not prove too costly) and he is not hiding after it, which is a good sign. Other than that I think boys are doing just fine.
Dortmund are quality opposition and margins are small. TR especially is putting in a decent shift and I dont know if it is only me, but that kind of crossfield outside of the boot crosses never get old from him. OG is a beast, pumped up and goal well deserved.
Özil kept quiet so far, few promising moves in overall but passing let us down, I hope we will be much improved in that department in second half.
Nice game boys, they will tire in the second half, we will get ’em on the break. Come On You Gunners!!!
Good! Grip them like a snake and start to shake!
Didn’t see enough to have a proper opinion.
Didn’t see their goal, or any dangerous stuff from them. Did see the Rosicky shot and our goal though.
Maybe if I can catch the whole of the second half we’ll destroy ’em. 😉
Yes Eandy, concerned about Jack, also. We knew in advance this meeting would be a nervy one, but lordy, nothing really prepares you for it!
that wasnt a foul!
boo, no foul.
Strange half that, We seemed to fall back into last seasons slow tempo but went in level – A bit more pace in our game and we can take them – Come on you Redsssss !
Come on you Reds!
what a pass..good going!
Dammit. TaBS’d it.
BMBD
Calm down, Sajit, they all turned up, took them a little time to settle down though.
Calm down, Sajit, they all turned up, took them a little time to settle down though
textbook defensive pressure there from jack.
LEts start passing the ball with more purpose please!
santi on for jack.
it’s bouncing like a pinball around the place.
Fresh Santi, good luck you little magician!
man, that özil dude is good.
COME ON, ARSENAL!!!
ah, never a foul. should have been a goal.
why did just refree blow his whistle? ..did not see any kind of infringement O.o
so i’m not the only one confused by that 🙁
oooh, santi off the bar.
Almost there for Santi!
Come on Arsenal!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
all the streams are SUCKING right now.
We’re fighting, by god, we are!!!!
Giroud having another knock..hang in there HFB!
Very late to the party, due to prior commitment. Game’s too interesting – took ages to knird.
COME ON YOU GUNNERS
Dortmund out of gas.
let’s hope so, serotonin. and i want to encourage your uptake, not inhibit it.
FUCK SAKE!
Bum
fuckity fuck. lewandowski.
Ouch.
That was some break though.
harsh..very harsh
Guess not watching the game didn’t help matters after all.
Come on you Reds!
BMBD
Not good. Not good at all.
do we have time to squeeze another?
looks like we’re going 442, nick and giroud up front.
serge on for thomas. come on, serge!
now it’s all time wasting. damn.
damn, damn, damn.
Shame.
not the end o the world but we need to make sure we do it in the time we have !!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Fuck it bad device has just malfunctioned!
shame, real shame. This was always going to be match decided by slight margins. Santis shot should have really ended up in the back of the net, apart from the break they scored from we did not give them a sniff in the second half.
Not pleased with result at all, but I do not think we were outplayed at all, now to return the favor on the road and win in Dortmund!
we let them too much space no need for that come on
anyways lets NOT LOOSE THE SHAPE PLEASE!
Maybe so Eandy, but we didn’t put enough pressure on their back line.
Santi’s shot apart, we never looked like scoring second half.
Given how tentative we were for large parts of tonight’s game, a point would’ve been a good result.
Back on the horse on Saturday, boys.
We’ll have ’em at their gaff.
Chin up lads.
Ouch makes thing rather tricky now, Onwards and Upwards tho, to Palace we go !
A draw would have been a very decent result, I felt we pushed forward a little too much prior to Dortmund’s winner. Nevertheless our secondhalf performance was quite good at times, especially how Rosicky, Santi and Ozil linked up.
We needed to be a little more cautious at 1-1, but this would be a very good lesson for the boys against a competitive opponent. Can’t wait for the return draw.
Credit to BVB they were the better TEAM on the day. Unto the next game!
Shame our midfield picked this fixture not to show up the way we know they’re capable of.
Just not enough pace about our game until Santi came on. And our full backs didn’t really run at the opposition the way that Grosskreutz did.
Dortmund very good at closing down and winning the ball back and we never got to grips with that. I guess Theo won’t be back in time for the away game – we needed someone with pace out there.
Still – not totally outplayed and not disgraced. Just zero points.
Fook.
anyways, night all, not going to watch replays tonight, thanks for company
Bounce back with venom like we did after the villa defeat. Does it look like we are all tied up at 6 points except marseille?
One other thing on the second goal again showed how much we rely on Flamini – No way would he have been left free if Flamini was marshalling the midfield he would have either slotted in Sagnas position or made sure someone else did !!
Some key moments in the game went against us, including the non-existent foul against Per in their box and Santi’s cracker hitting the bar, but we were out-pressed to be honest. I guess the strategy was to not go toe-to-toe for the first half an hour and play tactically for them to tire out and then attack — similar to the 2-1 win against Barca — but we needed to count those moments when we could break forward.
There was a lack of incisiveness as well as pace in the passing. These are the types of matches where not having a fit winger hurts, even though Ozil played superbly for a 20 minute stretch on the right side byline. The team looked a bit fatigued as well.
Kos or TR7 my MOTM for Arsenal. Rambo’s first poor performance of the season.
Oh well, you can’t win (or draw) them all. Chin up!
Night Eandy. Plan to launch a formal inquest, as to why we were robbed of Per’s goal 😉
abb @ 247: I think credit goes to Dortmund for that for their persistent hounding in pack which gave our midfield no time on the ball. This was high intensity pressing game at its best. We still lack a bit of self-confidence and incisiveness to choose those moments where the opposition takes break from that type of pressing and be really effective in opposition third. We lack that cutting edge.
Hmmm … calls going against us in CL games?
Par for the damn course.
Am I allowed to despise Klopp, his idiotic glasses and that shit-eating, arrogant know-it-all attitude now?
PHUQ!
I just don’t understand those hippy Gooners who said – Chin up.
This is an extremely bad result.
Why should we up our chins?
We should grieve.
Say it like it is. WE LOST! End of fuckin’ story!
I rather like Klopp – he at least has a sense of humour.
It’s amazing how often this happens though – the guy who shouldn’t be on the pitch scores the winning goal.
Oh Doctor Faustus 😉 Dortmund was ok on and off. I’m just peeved, cause we’re better than that display. Waaaaaaaaaaay better!
@ 252 Koscielney pushed their defender.
The ref got it right.
Hey Holics ,
that was a dagger at the end. we were playing so well right upto that moment. Although we missed flamini, i think arteta had a wonderful game once we settled in.
Flamini for all his hard work doesnt have the technical skills to hold on to the ball and pass the first wave of pressure from dortmund. That is where i guess we missed a wilshere/ramsey on form the most. He would have skipped past challenges and opened up the game. Something Santi and Rosc did really well.
Proud of the lads inspite of the result . Plenty to take from this and hopefully the team can learn from this experience. All to play for still and def think we can get some good results away from home. It suits our play. esp against Napoli and Marsielle.
heres to a better weekend !
cheers
abb @ 259: Technically yes we are capable of much better. That doesn’t necessarily mean we can produce it on a consistent basis. This game highlighted the key areas for improvement, including maybe a bit more of incisiveness and also athleticism (often second to knock downs), and intelligence to use the width when the regular wingers are not in.
Tactically we had a good match, but needed to put much more pressure on the opposition penalty box and many of our final balls from Sagna and Gibbs were sub-standard.
i think we passed the test. we didn’t prevail, but we competed all the way down to the wire.
no face lost for the team. maybe just a bit of a boil needed to rise for us to get to dortmund’s pace, and we didn’t up the heat enough. i think it’s an excellent game to start the next six with, if we can continue to raise our game from here.
So, if we’re not crying like a little #$%^+ then we are hippys?
Cool, someone pass the gas.
zico @ 260: Ahh, overlooked that then as the live broadcast I was seeing was focusing on Per …
The left footed volley from TR7 in the first half was rather good as well, saved nearly on the line by Hummels (or was it Subotic?)…
We need to win away at Dortmund to keep open the hopes of topping the group, hopefully Theo is back fit for that.
Just got home.
Does anybody know who that fucking wankhammer of a cuntbucket that was sat next to Klopp was? That fucking disrespectful arsehole should be hung, drawn and quartered. You are invited to our directors’ box, we decorate the place with flowers in your team’s colours as a token of respect and you repay us with that? You fucking cunt. You try to do that kind of celebration anywhere outside of the away section in a regular seat and you are ejected in two seconds. Whatever your opinion about Gazidis is you would never, ever, EVER see him do that kind of celebration. Yes, I know some will say it’s just emotions but look at where the fuck you are you fucking lowlife – you have been treated with respect all the way and that is your answer? You fucking classless thundercunt of a twat.
They had two chances and scored twice. Hats off to them for that, but I think a draw would have been a fair result and had Cazorla got his shot inside the frame we’d probably have won it. But then again if my auntie had bollocks she’d be my uncle so I am not at all blaming bad luck or anything. It was an extremely frustrating loss for me and I sure as shit hope that the players will use this to fire themselves up for Saturday. But I can’t help but feel that there was a bit of self-pity after their second goal and that can not be allowed to get a foothold in the squad because then we may very well drop points on Saturday no matter how shit Palace are at the moment.
Whatever.
Off to bed. See you tomorrow, all. In the meantime, you know which tab to charge your drinks to.
Just on the train home now. Absolutely drenched. I thought that you could not fault us for effort but that today was a bit of a wake up call. Dortmund are an excellent side and a good club. Today I think we have be taught a bit of a lesson. We can not expect to win games at home with only two shots on target I’m afraid.
Brave effort but in the end beaten by the better side.
We were off the pace in both sections of the game my streams let me see, namely up to 24 minutes and after 51. I wish we had Santi on from the start and we could have used Theo’s pace. But they were better on the night. Their pressure reminded me of Barcelona’s but we can do the same to them at their place.
The reaction of the team is what matters now. Playing one of the top teams in Europe was never going to be a cakewalk. But it wasn’t as if we were played off the park. The second Dortmund goal was the sort that has knocked the stuffing out of us for a while in the past. Important to bounce back hard against Palace.
A good effort but just not good enough. BVB high pressing game did enough to restrict our threat in the final third. Still all to play for in the group.
Was I watching the same game? I saw practically nothing to offset the fact that we were off the pace from beginning to end, sluggish in attack, careless in defence, inaccurate in our passing and totally lacking in urgency except, possibly, for the last five minutes.
Jack and Rambo had their worst games of the season, very little from TR7, Özilla apparently glued to the right wing, Bacs and Gibbs never coming close to finding the range with crosses and poor OG starved of decent high balls to get his noggin on.
Were Dortmund really that much better? Or was Flamini’s missing influence the difference? I tend to think the latter, believing Flam’s contribution this year is something we have been sorely missing since he left. He certainly wouldn’t have gifted them their first as Rambo did.
Very disappointing. Let’s not carry this forward to the weekend please.
Happy birthday anyway AW.
Öskar
But at least I can’t complain about us switching off too soon this time … we never switched on in the first place.
Öskar
Just home from the game. Soaked but not gloomy. Could have gone either way. They were the best organised team I have seen since Bayern and we could, maybe should have won it. Very different from last season v Bayern and year before v Shalke when we were clearly second best at home. We matched them and were pulling their defence about when we were suckered on the break.
Tight group now. Need to get something in Napoli and preferably in Dortmund and thrash Marseilles.
COYG
Well didn’t get to watch the match yet but followed on here and twatter. Sounds like we fell on the wrong side of the result. Also sounds like it could have ended 2-1 to us or maybe more fitting at 1-1. That’s football. They scored off their only 2 shots on target. Both their goals were avoidable but then they could say the same about ours.
I personally am not going to turn negative and feel that things are now awful. It is how we respond that will put this game in perspective. A solid win this weekend and against Liverpoo and yanited and we are top of the league still and in a strong position.
In the CL we will now need to beat either Napoli or Dortmund, still possible.
I am in the “chin up group”. We have suffered a loss, now let’s look forward and make sure we don’t make the same mistakes. Time to bounce back.
Oskar I saw the same game as you and it leaves me frustrated as f*ck. What we need now though is a reaction and maybe a bit of rotation to refresh things on the weekend.
Odd how the loss of Flamini appeared to rob the team of all drive, at least for the first 40 minutes. Still, if we had to lose I’d rather it was today than Saturday.
Thought we were OK but have played much better lately. Hard to get going against a side of Dortmund’s quality.
Not sure why we weren’t happy to simply take the draw that was on offer to us. Two counter attacking sides, one of them really needs the points – why did we go chasing after the win? I thought it showed a lack of maturity, but then I guess it’s good to see we’re confident.
Result isn’t a disaster, but the league must remain the focus, and three points at the weekend are a must – I suspect we’ll start a few second string players, so they will need to step up as I doubt Palace will roll over.
A great shame we didn’t take the point we probably deserved. I’d almost forgotten what it feels like when we lose.
Onwards and upwards, time to show a bit of character.
COYG
Just back from the game. For what it’s worth that clearly could have gone either way. After standing around watching them play for 40 mins, Giroud’s goal and whatever AW said at half-time galvanised us and we were the better team in the 2nd half – but against quality like they have you have to take your chances and no surprise we got hit with the old sucker punch. I think we need to remember what a good team we were playing, and I was massively encouraged by the 2nd half. No need to cry into the beer lads, this wasn’t Bayern last year by any means.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Not a great result but the best time to learn a valuable lesson from one of the top five clubs in the whole of Europe!
The boys should now well and truly be grounded again!
Ozil is truly world class as he saw the problem with the side’s balance hence he started hugging the right wing in the second half after Santi’s addition to unbalance Dortmund; it worked exactly the way Jack was supposed to deploy the tactic.
Against the big boys, you really have to earn the rite to play both when you have the ball and when you don’t! No passengers can be accepted. That’s what the German sides do so much better than all others which is why they’re the best in Europe at this time.
Unlike some, i don’t think Arteta played well. He was too slow on the ball and too slow of foot to give the back four an outlet which is why we were hemmed in throughout the first 60 mins or so till Santi came on.
Hopefully a very valuable lesson has been learnt tonight for the remaining CL matches and for the EPL – be mature in your style of play and recognise where you need to improve during the bad matches in order to get the base minimum opportunitues?!
Someone has left the back door open and some vermin has crawled in. Get the shotgun.
I feel that we changed the approach to a positive one, only when Cazorla came for Wilshere. Even though in that period we have conceded and not scored, I for one prefer that kind of attitude in the games and not the pedestrian one from the first half.
A big fan of him, but young Jack needs a rest at the moment. Couple of games rest. He is clearly out of form, losing duels, not tracking back, misplacing passes ( 50% pass completion tonight! ) and some rest would do him only good.
Ramsey, the worst game of the season so far. I hope he learned a lesson to not over complicate against a quality opposition in his own half.
Giroud and Kos. What can you say. Great display from both, I enjoy watching them week in and week out. Great attitude, great players.
I will say this once again. We can beat Dortmund. Away. We are that good.
The most important thing now is to keep calm and have no fear. Palace is the most important game right now. Win that and we are back.
I think we approached with too much caution! (hand brake on)
I do not know what we were waiting fort to be honest! First goal too easy too much space in front the the box they got lucky in the end but still it wasn’t very clever! Shame because it will be a lot harder over there.