Fall of the Yellow Wall

Dortmund 0-1 Arsenal

 

 

 

Arsenal achieved one of the best European results in the club’s history on Wednesday night, with a performance that summed up just how far this team has come over the last nine months.

Having lost the first game against Borussia Dortmund 2-1 at the Emirates, the Gunners weren’t given much hope by the World’s football pundits, who all predicted a home win for the Germans. You couldn’t really blame them given that Dortmund had never lost at home to an English side and had only failed to score once in their last 60 home games.

Two years ago, a young and inexperienced Arsenal may well have been steamrollered by Dortmund and succumbed to defeat with a mere whimper.  But what the pundits failed to realise in the build-up to this game is that this is an Arsenal side that has really grown up in recent months. Arsene Wenger now has a cohesive unit at his disposal, a team that is focused, works together and stands firm in the face of adversity.

In the past two games against Liverpool and Dortmund, they have shown different aspects to their play which also highlights the Gunners versatility. Against Liverpool, Arsenal dominated their opponents by overrunning their midfield and effectively nullifying their attacking threat by cutting off the supply lines to Sturridge and Suarez. It was a game that the Gunners won on the front foot, while also ensuring they maintained their concentration to keep a clean sheet.

However, against Dortmund, Arsene Wenger’s side were put under extreme pressure by the home side’s relentless high pressing game. At times it felt as though Dortmund had more players on the pitch, as every time an Arsenal player had the ball, he would be immediately surrounded by three or four yellow shirts. As a result, during the first half, the Arsenal midfielders were pushed back deeper and deeper as they attempted to help their defenders. However once the Gunners retrieved possession, they had few forward options and with Giroud largely isolated up front and unable to hold the ball up, Arsenal struggled to get out of their own half and in fact did not have one shot on goal during the first 45 minutes.

To many observers it appeared a lost cause, just a matter of time before Dortmund would score and leave Arsenal with a mountain to climb in both the game and the group. But the Gunners stood firm, kept their concentration and worked extremely hard as a unit to largely restrict Dortmund to long range efforts which did not trouble the Arsenal goal. Koscielny and Mertesacker really have come to the fore in recent months, which may have a lot to do with Steve Bould’s influence at the training ground. The two centre backs have a great understanding and the communication amongst the back four has improved significantly with Mertesacker becoming a leader at the heart of the Arsenal defence.

Having managed to see out the first period, the Gunners knew they had to impose themselves more in the second half, but the opening minutes of the second period were largely the same as the first. Reus had a header saved by Szczesny, before having a goal ruled out for off-side following Blaszczykowski’s shot. But just when it seemed that Dortmund were banging on the door louder than ever, Arsenal pounced.

Rosicky latched onto a mistake from Papastathopoulos and the Czech international spread the ball wide to Ozil on the edge of the box. Ozil duly produced an excellent cross into the penalty area, which Giroud, under pressure from Subotic, did well to head back across the box, for Aaron Ramsey to head home, with Arsenal’s first attempt on goal. It was a goal which owed much to Ramsey anticipating the knock down from Giroud, ensuring he was in the right place at the right time to maintain his excellent goal scoring run.

Suddenly, Dortmund did not appear as formidable as they had done previously. The notorious “Yellow Wall” was momentarily silenced and Arsenal created three or four clear opportunities to double their lead. First Giroud’s ball found Ramsey in the box again and the Welshman’s effort was somehow clipped behind by Weidenfeller, when the ball seemed destined to squirm underneath him. Then from the resulting corner taken by Santi Cazorla, Dortmund were forced to clear the ball off the line, Per Mertesacker just failed to connect with a flying header, with the goal seemingly at his mercy, before the big German’s clipped header from a Cazorla free kick just flew over the bar, with Weidenfeller caught in no man’s land.

Dortmund continued to press forward, but just as in the first game at the Emirates, they appeared to run out of steam in the last 20 minutes of the game and did not really cause the solid Arsenal back line too much trouble. The Gunners were therefore able to see the game out to ensure an invaluable three points in the toughest of Champions League groups and an historic European away win which must rank up there alongside the 5-1 demolition of Inter Milan and the 1-0 win against Real Madrid in the Bernabeau.

This was widely regarded as the week in which Arsenal’s credentials would be sternly tested and their season would most likely implode. Yet the Gunners have answered their critics with two completely different performances to defeat two of the most in form sides in Europe. The most impressive aspect must surely be that Arsenal now appear to have the crucial quality of adaptability. Arsene Wenger who has so often been lambasted for not having a plan B for when things are not going well, must take great pride in his side’s last two performances.

Unfortunately the away trip to Old Trafford may just come too soon for the Gunners following the hard fought win in Germany. Flamini may be back for that game but the rest of the starting eleven will largely be unchanged and therefore with United having played a day earlier and rested players they may well have the upper hand on Sunday as Arsenal will be slightly jaded for this game and will suffer in the last 20-25 minutes. Regardless of the result on Sunday however, the wins against Liverpool and Dortmund have shown beyond doubt that the Gunners have matured into a formidable team and can go far this season.