CL| Borussia Dortmund v Arsenal, 6/11, 7.45pm, SS1

[VancouverCanuck]

We're going to lose this, but we'll end up qualifying after we beat Napoli away in a nervy matchday 6. It won't be the end of the world if we lose.

I'm going to disagree, though it makes sense we will lose this game. I think we'll put in a masterful defensive performance--Dortmund doesn't like to attack a settled defense--and we'll score a goal or 2 for the win or draw. I think we're too mentally strong and experienced to lose to the same team twice in a row.

I'm cautiously optimistic. Dortmund is a very strong team. But if anything Arsenal has proved during the last two years, we are resilient and I think this will be a game that will surprise many of our critics. It will be close, like the 1st match but I think we will come out on top.

 

[Camel]

Klopp gives interesting and humorous interview as usual. I just hope our dumb hierarchy will do everything to sign him in 2018.

"It makes me proud to hear that some Arsenal fans might want me"

<a class="postlink" href="http://www.theguardian.com/football/2013/nov/03/borussia-dortmund-jurgen-klopp-arsenal" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://www.theguardian.com/football/201 ... pp-arsenal</a>

 

[wengerboy]

Klopp gives interesting and humorous interview as usual. I just hope our dumb hierarchy will do everything to sign him in 2018.

"It makes me proud to hear that some Arsenal fans might want me"

<a class="postlink" href="http://www.theguardian.com/football/2013/nov/03/borussia-dortmund-jurgen-klopp-arsenal" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://www.theguardian.com/football/201 ... pp-arsenal</a>" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

was the statistic that said his players had run a collective 11.5km more than their opponents.


:idea:

Love Klopp, he is a football revolutionary

 

[Camel]

Klopp gives interesting and humorous interview as usual. I just hope our dumb hierarchy will do everything to sign him in 2018.

"It makes me proud to hear that some Arsenal fans might want me"

<a class="postlink" href="http://www.theguardian.com/football/2013/nov/03/borussia-dortmund-jurgen-klopp-arsenal" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://www.theguardian.com/football/201 ... pp-arsenal</a>" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

was the statistic that said his players had run a collective 11.5km more than their opponents.


:idea:

Love Klopp, he is a football revolutionary

They did that actually, according to UEFA stats they run 117 km and we run 106. Dortmund cover a lot of ground and they do it sensibly.

<a class="postlink" href="http://www.uefa.com/newsfiles/ucl/2014/2011801_ts.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://www.uefa.com/newsfiles/ucl/2014/2011801_ts.pdf</a>" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

 

[DanDare]

My question is, if that's how it stands going into the last set of fixtures, is it possible for us to finish top if both us and Dortmund win, or will Dortmund finish top due to their win over us?

Depends on goal difference.

 

[amirkat]

Klopp gives interesting and humorous interview as usual. I just hope our dumb hierarchy will do everything to sign him in 2018.

"It makes me proud to hear that some Arsenal fans might want me"

<a class="postlink" href="http://www.theguardian.com/football/2013/nov/03/borussia-dortmund-jurgen-klopp-arsenal" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://www.theguardian.com/football/201 ... pp-arsenal</a>" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Another fantastic interview from Klopp. Damn him for extending his contract.

 

[TheLoneFalcon]

I've had another look at our group, and a draw might be a great result actually.

We draw and Napoli beat Marseille as expected:

Napoli 9pts
Dortmund 7pts
Arsenal 7pts

5th match day, Dortmund beat Napoli and we beat Marseille:

Dortmund 10pts
Arsenal 10pts
Napoli 9pts

My question is, if that's how it stands going into the last set of fixtures, is it possible for us to finish top if both us and Dortmund win, or will Dortmund finish top due to their win over us?

If two or more teams are equal on points on completion of the group matches,
the following criteria are applied to determine the rankings (in descending
order):
a) higher number of points obtained in the group matches played among the
teams in question;
b) superior goal difference from the group matches played among the teams
in question;
c) higher number of goals scored in the group matches played among the
teams in question;
d) higher number of goals scored away from home in the group matches
played among the teams in question;
e) if, after having applied criteria a) to d), two teams still have an equal
ranking, criteria a) to d) are reapplied exclusively to the matches between
the two teams in question to determine their final rankings. If this
procedure does not lead to a decision, criteria f) to h) apply;
f) superior goal difference from all group matches played;
g) higher number of goals scored from all group matches played;
h) higher number of coefficient points accumulated by the club in question,
as well as its association, over the previous five seasons

 

[redwhiteAustrian]

We're going to fight for our lives on Wednesday and going by our performance against Dortmund at home (which didn't deserve a loss), I'm quietly confident. A defeat wouldn't be the end of the world, but I want revenge for Matchday 3.

 

[Yousif Arsenal]

Gnabry looks fit to be with the squad against dortmund he spoke for Kicker German Newspaper and he said i hope i got some minutes in Wednesday.

 

[TheLoneFalcon]

'Dortmund face Arsenal in Germany on Wednesday, after beating them 2-1 in their first Champions League encounter, and in an interview with a number of English journalists, Klopp expressed his admiration for Arsène Wenger.

Klopp is quoted in The Guardian as saying: "He likes having the ball, playing football, passes ... it's like an orchestra. But it's a silent song, yeah? I like heavy metal.

"For me, he is Sir Arsène Wenger, he is really something, I love him. But I'm this guy, with high fives. I always want it loud."

Klopp went on to claim that his Dortmund side owe more to a traditional 'English style of play than to Barcelona's intricate passing.

He said: "If Barcelona's team of the last four years were the first one that I saw play when I was four years of age ... with their serenity, winning 5-0, 6-0 ... I would have played tennis. Sorry, that is not enough for me. What I love is that there are some things you can do in football to allow each team to win most of the matches.

"It is not serenity football, it is fighting football - that is what I like. What we call in German - English [football] ... rainy day, heavy pitch, everybody is dirty in the face and they go home and can't play football for the next four weeks. This is Borussia.

"When I watch Arsenal in the last 10 years, it is nearly perfect football, but we all know they didn't win a title. In Britain they say that they like Arsenal but they have to win something. Who wins the title? Chelsea, but with different football, I would say.

"This is the philosophy of Arsène Wenger. I love this but I cannot coach this because I am a different guy. You think many things are similar? I hope so in some moments, but there are big differences, too."

Klopp also addressed rumours that various English clubs tried to recruit him in the summer, with Chelsea and Manchester City both said to have been interested in him.

"I know that some clubs were interested, of course," he said. "They thought about us.

"You know these clubs ... they changed coaches last season. Man City? But I don't say anything about this. From other countries, they were also interested."'

How is it possible for one person to be so consistently entertaining? Best personality in football. Who wants a 'mature' drone who only says the right things in any sphere of life?

And of course he likes metal.

 

[Hunta]

Cheers for the info lads, so it seems a point would be a good result actually, though we'll win so it doesn't matter. :wink:

 

[eye4goal]

Is Gundogan back for them? I hope he plays as that might make it easier for us to play. Sahin and Bender were there best two players in the first game I thought.

Also like to see us keep something in the bench for the last 30 minutes. Cazorla looks most suited to coming on from the bench, but Özil looks tired too

 

[Flow]

Klopp is such an amazing manager. Everything he says sounds genuine. He has one big similarity to Wenger, what other managers often lack: he has respect for his opponents and his players and he seems a very nice guy.

I know which manager I want when Wenger stops in 2018.

 

[clockwork orange]

I respect what he has achieved, but I'm not a fan. Found him annoying as pundit and that has stuck.

 

[eye4goal]

Yeah Klopp seems to like the sound of his own voice. Hope we do our talking on the pitch come Wednesday

 

[kofigunner]

I'm sure someone has probably said something similar already but we're a very decent away side. In some weird way, perhaps better away than at home. I guess we are more focused when playing in foreign/hostile environments. Our losses this season have tended to come from silly mistakes. Playing away seems to keep us tighter defensively as we can play on the break. Hopefully we get to return the favour at Dortmund.

 

[alboots101]

For the first time in years I find myself not bothered about the CL.

 

[celestis]

For the first time in years I find myself not bothered about the CL.

Yeah thats how I feel , however I know if we get a draw or scalp Dortmund that will be a big validation for the players.

 

[alboots101]

Sure would be and dont get me wrong I want us to win this damn trofie but I want that league title.

This side is just begining to come into its own and imagine what we`ll be like next season, we could win everything.

 

[celestis]

Yeah I agree totally , I watched Napoli and Liverpool in particular and I thought this team has more upside to it.